Neural DSP Archetype: John Mayer X

Can you really capture the essence of John Mayer’s finely‑honed guitar tones in software?

Given John Mayer’s profile as both an artist and guitar player, Neural DSP’s latest plug‑in collaboration — Archetype: John Mayer X — is both a mouthwatering prospect and, I suspect, something of a coup for the company. Mr Mayer’s studio and live rig is something of legend and, honed over 25 years and featuring some iconic vintage gear, replicating it would cost you an eyewatering amount of money. So, if you hanker after John Mayer’s tones but are unwilling to sell a vital organ or two to access them, might Neural DSP’s virtual emulation be a capable, more affordable alternative? I’ll answer that question below...

We’ve explored the core features of the Archetype plug‑ins in a number of previous reviews and, sensibly, that well‑designed workflow wheel has not been re‑invented here. So, for instance, the stylish GUI includes the familiar global controls, including access to presets, the excellent Doubler, Tuner and MIDI configuration options, as well as multiple tabs to access the separate sections of the rig’s signal flow. In this case, those sections are Pre FX, Amp, Cab, EQ & Comp and Post FX, and you can access the tabs using six icons at the top of the display.

The John Mayer Trio

Mayer’s blues trio, in which he plays with Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino, isn’t the only trio of interest — his studio and live rig generally blend a trio of vintage valve amps. Neural have recreated that setup in this plug‑in. The amps here are called the Smooth Operator, Headroom Hero and Signature ’83, and they are based on extensive sampling of Mayer’s 1964 Fender Vibroverb, Dumble Steel‑String Singer (serial number 002 and renowned for its epic clean headroom), and an early prototype of his signature Two‑Rock, along with the respective speakers/cabs he uses with them.

Neural were given full access to these amps in John’s studio in Los Angeles and, if you want an insight into how they collect data from the amps they model, then watch the interview with Doug Castro (Neural DSP’s CEO) on Rick Beato’s YouTube channel, and look out for something that resembles an ‘amp miking machine’; it really is fascinating stuff.

The cabs comprise a single 15‑inch speaker for Smooth Operator, with plenty of low‑end character should you want it; an emulation of a 12‑inch...