John Mayer – Paradise Valley
The music gear and equipment used by the artists, producers, engineers, and more involved in the making of the 2013 album Paradise Valley.
Music from Paradise Valley
Gear Used On Paradise Valley
Explore the instruments, equipment, software, and production tools used in the making of John Mayer – Paradise Valley (2013). Click more on each item to see exactly how it was used.
Guitars used by John Mayer on Paradise Valley
Fender Artist Series Stevie Ray Vaughan Stratocaster
Avg price: $2,216.55
After graduating high school, John Mayer worked at a gas station for over a year to earn enough cash to buy a 1996 Stevie Ray Vaughan signature Stratocaster.
Mayer shows it off and talks about it in this video of him in the studio, starting around the 0:24 mark:
“…this one I bought with the money that I had made working at a gas station. I traded in a Takamine 12-string and a Mesa Boogie distortion pedal. I think I paid like nine hundred bucks as the difference. So I bough this in 1996.
This thing has so many little stories on it. [points to the bridge] This was replaced, I remember the day I had to order a replacement - I was in Atlanta in like 1998… 1999 maybe. I had a replacement put in there because I broke the whammy bar off in here. [John Mayer points to the tip of the headstock] I got that from hitting drums cymbals with it. I thought it was really cool to hit drum cymbals. … I took this backplate to the mall in 1997, and it says John Mayer 1997 before I went to Berkeley. [Mayer points to the ‘JCM’ engraving on the lower half of the back of the Strat] I did that with the engraving gun at the Berkeley dorms. JCM. [Mayer points to the back mid-point of the neck] And then this is from sanding it down - and playing - but mostly sanding it down with 400 grit sandpaper.
This is the guitar that my signature model is based off of, in terms of the pickups and also the neck shape. This has been in my bedroom when I was 19 practicing guitar playing, and Madison Square Garden, and Tokyo, and television shows… this is the representation of all the places I've been. This guitar started in my bedroom, when I had just gotten out of high school.”
Alembic Darling/Little Darling Electric Guitar
John Mayer performing JJ Cale's "Call Me The Breeze", a cover track off Mayer's album "Paradise Valley" at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ on Wednesday, August 21, 2013. He is accompanied by legendary guitarist Robby Krieger of The Doors.
Effects Pedals used by John Mayer on Paradise Valley
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Avg price: $88.70
Stop the Video at 0:16 to see the Pedal. "This is the Pedal-Rig. I'm a collector"
Avg price: $127.00
Stop the Video at 0:16 to see the Pedal. "This is the Pedal-Rig. I'm a collector"
Way Huge Electronics Swollen Pickle MKII Jumbo Fuzz
Avg price: $148.99
When he opens his pedal rig, the Way Huge Swollen Pickle MkII can be seen.
Way Huge Electronics WHE101 Angry Troll
Avg price: $144.71
when he opens his pedal rig, the Way Huge Angry Troll can be seen.
Avg price: $304.50
When he opens his pedal rig, two Way Huge Pork Loins can be seen.
Avg price: $70.00
When he opens his pedal rig, on the far right, the Fulltone Fulldrive 2 Mosfet can be seen.
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Avg price: $97.88
When he opens his pedal rig around the 12 second mark, near his left hand, the Ibanez TS9 can be seen.
Avg price: $547.98
At 0:16 of this studio session by John, a Tycobrahe Octavia pedal can be seen at the middle, and end of his drawer.
Avg price: $211.00
Used live during the leadup to Paradise Valley and in the studio during the Sob Rock era, particularly for the recording of "Wild Blue".
Paradise Valley era (photos sources from Mayer's Instagram)
- jmgear post on April 4, 2013
- jmgear post on April 15, 2013
- jmgear post on April 21, 2013 (photos from an April 19, 2013 gig)
Sob Rock era
Mayer demonstrated its purported use on Player's "Baby Come Back" in a November 25, 2020 Instagram reel by Christian James Hand; it appears in the video for "Last Train Home (Ballad Version)" at 3:23 (cf. @johnmayergear's November 21, 2021 Instagram post about the video); and Mayer states that it was used on "Wild Blue" in JHS Pedals’ “The Story of ROSS Pedals” at 18:00.
Instagram, @christianjameshand, November 25, 2020
...here’s our Resident Gtr Expert Johan Von Mayer (@johnmayer) confirming that the pedal utilized on Player’s “Baby Come Back” from yesterday’s Session was, indeed, the vaunted Ross Phaser. Our Panel of Experts includes @flytetymejam (keyboards), @lpdpedals (tones), @charliehunter67 (amps), @elteneleven (bass), @matt_tierney53 (The Wiki), & All Things Recording Life Line @donwas.
JHS Pedals, "The Story of ROSS Pedals" (@ 18:00)
The first time I heard and saw a Ross pedal was a phaser that Charlie Hunter was using in his quartet. Loved the way it sounded on this record and tracked it down to being a Ross Phaser. It had a distortion setting on it, which was really wild. I've actually used that Ross Phaser on "Wild Blue" on my record Sob Rock. You can hear it double the little guitar interlude that comes after every chorus.