Mayer's Black Strat-Vintage or Relic?

[speedtaco]

I was watching the crossroads festival last night on PBS, and Mayer played that black strat of his. Is it real wear, or reliced? I could not tell, but the paint looked kinda thick on the upper horn. Either way it sounded and looked great. Thanks

 

[big mike]

Custom shop.

 

[speedtaco]

Easy enough. Thanks Big Mike.

 

[Dave Orban]

Bringing out a pricy -- yet ultimately replacable -- amp (like a Two-Rock) is one thing...

Bringing out a pricy -- yet irreplacable -- guitar (like a vintage Fender) is another thing entirely

IMO.

(This being said, of course, by a guy who regularly gigs a pricey -- and yeah, irreplacable -- guitar. )

 

[shark_bite]

Dave, that's completely true, but John seems to think life is too short to leave the vintage stuff at home and has spent most of the last year gigging with both vintage AND CS stuff. A 52 Blackguard Tele is one of these guitars, actually... he said he was so inspired by playing that guitar he's going to do more writing with it.

Also, to the OP, it's worth mentioning that John and Fender are going to be putting out a new signature model of that guitar, and at least right now it's slated to be two different versions: the super uber limited masterbuilt version, of which there will only be 83, and then the unlimited production model, though that may or may not be a custom shop guitar (with a custom shop price). Assuming it is CS, which means it probably won't replace the current JM Strats. But that's just me guessing on my part.

 

[SFLP]

Why only 83 of the super limited? What is the significance of that number, I wonder.

 

[shark_bite]

Check out his first record, Room for Squares. 83 is a song on that record.

 

[teamdelfano]

aaaand cue the mayer haters in 3, 2, 1.....

:Spank




john wrote "in repair" in one day at the studio with steve jordan and charlie hunter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i50FqZUJup0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwQBVaI0_4s



sharkbite, the tele you may be talking about is this one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js8r25XBVaE

 

[big mike]

I'm interested in the 'regular' model. IE the 'affordable' one of the two.
Love John's clean tones.

 

[Sniper-V]

I'm interested in the 'regular' model. IE the 'affordable' one of the two.
Love John's clean tones.

Me too!

Don't think I would be able to afford the Masterbuilt one,
But,
I would totally go for the CS Team-built version.

 

[SP311]

I kinda think the days of guitar players having their main guitar (for example a strat) be one they use for a long period of time and it ages and becomes more worn and is eventually always associated with that player are gone. Mostly because of todays guitars with their indestructible poly finishes. Mayer had his SRV strat with the tortoise pickguard when he was first getting known in the music world and then slowly the "guitar player" world but kind of ditched it probobly because hes into the beat up strat look (who isnt?) and knew that one was going to look like it did forever. Soooo why not just get the custom shop (whos all over your balls cause your getting mad fenders sold) maybe john cruz to build you an awesome whooped on 60s strat? We all wish we could do that!..lol... but i think it kinda takes away from the "number one" outlook on a guitar...one day you didnt have it...the next day its your number one that looks like SRV played it and gave it to you right before he died....anyone feel me here?

 

[pfflam]

I don't care who it is playing it . . . but to have a guitar with that fake wear on it, while being able to afford the real thing, and/or any creative-refin, tells me something about the player's idea of stage versus sound, and their ideas about originality.

Somehow it seems perfect for a player who (though his original Pop stuff is fine) feels the need to resuscitate a form that is so thoroughly DRENCHED in the image of 'honesty' based on its roots in the African-American experience of hardships and travail, and a form so thoroughly ripped off by white culture for that very 'authenticity', a form so far removed from the 'authenticity' thought to have been its original source that the very idea of that originality is now a caricature, a caricature that can go right up on the shelf with the symbolic bottle of Jack Daniels and a 'Hot' BBQ Sauce . .. and throw in the occasional Harley emblem - somehow it seems so perfect that his attempt to associate himself with that supposed 'authentic' genre culminates in a fake where the whole reason for the fakeness is its look of authenticity.

And no, I am not a hater . . . I am a -not even in the same worlder

 

[shark_bite]

I don't care who it is playing it . . . but to have a guitar with that fake wear on it, while being able to afford the real thing, and/or any creative-refin, tells me something about the player's idea of stage versus sound, and their ideas about originality.

Somehow it seems perfect for a player who (though his original Pop stuff is fine) feels the need to resuscitate a form that is so thoroughly DRENCHED in the image of 'honesty' based on its roots in the African-American experience of hardships and travail, and a form so thoroughly ripped off by white culture for that very 'authenticity', a form so far removed from the 'authenticity' thought to have been its original source that the very idea of that originality is now a caricature, a caricature that can go right up on the shelf with the symbolic bottle of Jack Daniels and a 'Hot' BBQ Sauce . .. and throw in the occasional Harley emblem - somehow it seems so perfect that his attempt to associate himself with that supposed 'authentic' genre culminates in a fake where the whole reason for the fakeness is its look of authenticity.

And no, I am not a hater . . . I am a -not even in the same worlder

Blues is easy to learn, hard to master, and fun to play.

I don't think most of us are putting much thought into it past that.

 

[pfflam]

Blues is easy to learn, hard to master, and fun to play.

I don't think most of us are putting much thought into it past that.

I love the blues. I like it when it when it really is an expression of person/place . . . after all it always had been a form that adapted to its time/place, except in the realms of 'the blooz' where its become a caricature. (and Mayer seems to be sort of buying in to that whole image)
There are many taking the form in new places . . . its almost like those who really do something with it are actually playing the real stuff since in order for it to have 'the spirit' the manifestation needs to change or else the changes in context make it a cartoon.

Personally I think its unfortunate that there isn't much 'thinking past' though I also think that any and all music playing is great and fun. I just think that given the choice I would listen to music that grew out of its own place/time and spirit even if and while relating to tradition.

In Jazz the concept was (back when Jazz was vital) "Tradition of the New" in other words it stayed traditional in a deep sense by constantly innovating

 

[ImmortalSix]

Are we seriously having the "I hate relics" discussion here?

Anyways, this is one of those 2 post threads ----

1) Is it old or is it a relic?
2) It's a relic.

Next song!

 

[SP311]

I think we know what the question is here and im not disputing anyone's image or music. To be honest i think the custom shop relics or nos or closet classic whatever model...are pretty cool for working musicians who cant afford a real 60s or 50s strat. HOWEVER...the discussion here is ..is JMs guitar relic or original and the answer is a relic. Some would say whats the big deal? Personally I dont give a damn if the guy is playing a squier he bought off ebay relic'd by a 14 year old the thing i see wrong with this is the CS's plans of making a masterbuilt and cs model of this guitar. Dont get me wrong JM is a quality musician and im not putting his music down but seriously guys/gals...seriously? If you pay for even the cs non masterbuilt version I think youd be making a big mistake...your buying a replica of a guitar JM has owned for around 2 or 3 years that the CS built him ..DOES THAT SOUND DUMB OR IS IT JUST ME? how bout this way....A replica of a damn guitar built in 2005 (or somewhere around there) ....DUMB AS HELL. If you watch the video of JM on you tube talking about how itll give people a chance to own a quality guitar heres my advice. Take your money, buy a CS Relic ,NOS, or Closet classic (which will be the same price if not cheaper than the non masterbuilt JM) ..play the **** out of it and you will have your own model you played and wore down making the beautiful thing we humans call music. If you think the JM relic strat idea is cool and want one thats up to you obviously but expect to have a few people come up to you after a gig and say hey thats John Mayers strat you got there..lol..id feel great if someone said that to me. (assuming you play out)(which if your spending the money on a CS i hope you are lol)

 

[shark_bite]

I think we know what the question is here and im not disputing anyone's image or music. To be honest i think the custom shop relics or nos or closet classic whatever model...are pretty cool for working musicians who cant afford a real 60s or 50s strat. HOWEVER...the discussion here is ..is JMs guitar relic or original and the answer is a relic. Some would say whats the big deal? Personally I dont give a damn if the guy is playing a squier he bought off ebay relic'd by a 14 year old the thing i see wrong with this is the CS's plans of making a masterbuilt and cs model of this guitar. Dont get me wrong JM is a quality musician and im not putting his music down but seriously guys/gals...seriously? If you pay for even the cs non masterbuilt version I think youd be making a big mistake...your buying a replica of a guitar JM has owned for around 2 or 3 years that the CS built him ..DOES THAT SOUND DUMB OR IS IT JUST ME? how bout this way....A replica of a damn guitar built in 2005 (or somewhere around there) ....DUMB AS HELL. If you watch the video of JM on you tube talking about how itll give people a chance to own a quality guitar heres my advice. Take your money, buy a CS Relic ,NOS, or Closet classic (which will be the same price if not cheaper than the non masterbuilt JM) ..play the **** out of it and you will have your own model you played and wore down making the beautiful thing we humans call music. If you think the JM relic strat idea is cool and want one thats up to you obviously but expect to have a few people come up to you after a gig and say hey thats John Mayers strat you got there..lol..id feel great if someone said that to me. (assuming you play out)(which if your spending the money on a CS i hope you are lol)

Maybe. But play one of his current production signature models... the pickups are incredible. The CS ones would probably be even better. I've played more than a few CS Strats, and they all sounded good, but I've never played anything that sounded better than my JM. I could do without the whole concept, but what I really want is a Strat that sounds like Mayer's (quintessential 60s Strat tone in every way) that's better quality than what is currently available. I like the feel of a relic, so that'll be nice too. Often times it's got a lot less to do with the player and a lot more to do with the guitar. I suspect the team built run will be my ultimate Strat.

Consider:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/513395

 

[SP311]

When the JM model came out a friend of mine was pretty excited about it and told me how the pickups were based on JMs "defective" SRV pickups with less midrange then they were supposed to. So we went to guitar center which had The sunburst JM and an SRV model. We played them for awhile through a vibroverb and then just to be as ass i said turn around and ill play one and an then the other and tell me which one was which....the first time he matched the sounds up right and then wrong twice.....my point being custom shop single coils cant vary that much in tone a lil but....If youre looking for good 60s tone you should check out one of the models i mentioned (CS Relic, Closet classic, or NOS)as is says on the certificate they are fenders finest. I own one and ive had alot of guitar players from other bands or people watching tell me it one of the best sounding strats they've heard..although im using a Fuchs amp too which adds to the sound but i think if youre playing out and arent a collector youd be better off with one of those and even if you are a hardcore JM fan you might not get the "JM wannabe looks" As for the pickups they put in ill bet they just use Big D's they might call em sumthin else but i dont see why they would maybe the limited 83 will have lower output Big D's cause of JMs interest in weaker output for pickups but..other than that its just a lil more money in JMs already fat pockets....just my opinion man..id much rather see you play with your own guitar. Or just save your money for that Two Rock...lol any strat will sound amazing through that bastard

 

[rhinocaster]

I don't care who it is playing it . . . but to have a guitar with that fake wear on it, while being able to afford the real thing, and/or any creative-refin, tells me something about the player's idea of stage versus sound, and their ideas about originality.

Somehow it seems perfect for a player who (though his original Pop stuff is fine) feels the need to resuscitate a form that is so thoroughly DRENCHED in the image of 'honesty' based on its roots in the African-American experience of hardships and travail, and a form so thoroughly ripped off by white culture for that very 'authenticity', a form so far removed from the 'authenticity' thought to have been its original source that the very idea of that originality is now a caricature, a caricature that can go right up on the shelf with the symbolic bottle of Jack Daniels and a 'Hot' BBQ Sauce . .. and throw in the occasional Harley emblem - somehow it seems so perfect that his attempt to associate himself with that supposed 'authentic' genre culminates in a fake where the whole reason for the fakeness is its look of authenticity.

And no, I am not a hater . . . I am a -not even in the same worlder

Do you really think that it follows that you can't make "Honest" music because you're using a guitar with fake wear?

I understand where you're going with your argument, but if you include the concept that the blues has been "Thoroughly ripped off by white culture", then you're ignoring the symbiotic nature of the blues since the '60s when white America embraced the form and brought so many blues artists back to the stage.

Maybe Mayer simply has an "Honest" appreciation for the relic aesthetic.

 

[crosse79]

I've never been a big fan of signature guitars - but the JM sig strat was just right for me. Very nice sounding strat!