Super/Bassman JMayer/SRV mods?!!?

[JohnMayer]

Greetings. I am looking to see if there is a way to possibly mod my amps, or do minor "upgrades" in the circuit to get tones more reminiscent of SRV and the Two Rock amps played by John Mayer.

I play a 66 Super Reverb and a 65 Bassman Head. I'm going to bring it in to a local tech to do some soldering and "tidy" work. I was gonna see if anyone had suggestions he could do to these amps to get that John Mayer sound. Think the tonal qualities of the video with more headroom, clarity than the traditional super/bassman.

Looking to get info along the lines of circuitry mods, cap/resistor mods, et cetera.

Below is a link to a youtube video of Mayer:


John Mayer -- Two Rock Tone!!! CLICK ME (http://youtube.com/watch?v=iSM3FL7zUdw)

[Gee]

Yesterday evening I watched a TV program on UK TV called Abbey Road. This is a weekly program that showcases 3 artists playing in the famous Abbey Road studio in London. I have watched it a few times and it is always interesting to see the amps that are available for use in the studio.

Yesterday one of the artists was John Mayer. His playing, as always was inspiring and intoxicating. He can really play. His tone was the classic distinctive John Mayer tone heard on "Gravity" or "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room". I was watching to see if his Two Rock amp would come into view but never saw it. However, and this is what I getting to, after the second song, he calls out to one of the sound people "Turn up the Bluesbreaker a bit". So he was playing through a Bluesbreaker and he sounded just like he does through his Two Rock. It's all in the guys fingers.

[Richard]

Well I'd start with whatever speakers he uses or something similar. The speaker/cab combination is a huge part of the sound. I see his signature amp (only $8500... I'll take two!) is one hundred watts. In my experience the higher watt amps seem to have a much more massive sound, even at lower levels. An efficient speaker in a good cab seems to help the bass and that can be the first place you run out of headroom. Some mods to the tone stack may help as well.

[JohnMayer]

I think the "its all in the fingers" common phrase misses the question and point totally. As far as speakers that can be a hit or miss as well as expensive project. My bassman is played on an old fender 2x15 cab with a new baffle board sporting 4x10 weber speakers. The super has ceramic speakers. Mayer is using two 2x12 cabs for his 100 watt heads...

I'd rather start tinkering with the tone stack is it is the cheapest way to go. If there are any specific recommendations please let me know thanks!

[stevlech]

I'd start with the "normal channel mods" from Blueguitar.org. Mr. Mayer has a liking for amps with a "Dumbell" type of voicing.

BTW- he has an affinity for the Marshall Bluesbreaker PEDAL as well. He mentioned it on his blog a few months back.

[Leffje]

I wonder at the same time what type of strings/gauge etc?
I have on BFDR-65 sometimes i´m close to the Mayer sound.
But (big but) I have just bought an old ugly Traynor YGM-3 :):eek:-It sounds like nothing else** It´s a cheap amp and sound a million I promise. Mayer sound sweet***:)

My guitar - EJ Stratocaster