Riff Tone

Bold as Love

John Mayer

Guitarblues2000s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Custom Shop Stratocaster

AmpTwo-Rock Custom Reverb Signature (likely studio), Fender tube amp (possible live alternative)

PickupsFender Custom Shop single-coil pickups

Amp Settings

gain3

bass6.5

mid6.5

treble6.5

reverb4

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

overdriveWampler Wampler Tumnus

Notes

Studio recording for 'Continuum' era (2006); clean tone for riff/verse; Two-Rock Custom Reverb Signature is Mayer's primary clean amp for this era; some live performances may use Fender tube amps. No evidence of other guitars or amps for this section.

Tone Character(10)

warm and smoothglassy highstouch-sensitivedynamic and expressiveslightly compressedclear note separationfat neck pickup tonemildly rolled-off treblearticulateclean with subtle grit

Difficulty

The riff requires advanced chord voicings, thumb-over-the-neck technique, and integrating melodic fills within a syncopated rhythm, demanding high dynamic control and finger independence.

Sources

Bold As Love (Mayer Style) | Guitar Forum John Mayer Bold as Love Tone????? - forum topic Bold as Love tone from Where the Light Is using Cory Wong Recreating John Mayer's Continuum: Key Lessons Learned - Premier Guitar

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