Neural DSP Archetype: John Mayer X - The Definitive Guitar Plugin

John Mayer's guitar tone is one of the most sought-after sounds in modern music. From the silky cleans of "Gravity" to the bluesy crunch of "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room," his sound has defined a generation of guitar playing. Neural DSP has partnered directly with Mayer to capture his entire studio setup in one comprehensive plugin: Archetype: John Mayer X.

Priced at €199 with a 14-day free trial, this plugin represents one of the most thorough artist collaborations in the amp simulation space. Every amp, pedal, and cabinet was sourced directly from Mayer's personal Los Angeles recording studio.

The Three-in-One Amp Setup

At the heart of Archetype: John Mayer X are three meticulously modeled amplifiers, each representing a different era and aspect of Mayer's tone.

Smooth Operator

The Smooth Operator delivers vintage American blues tones with a 15-inch speaker design that provides a firm, piano-like bass response. Its naturally scooped midrange creates that classic clean foundation Mayer is known for. Push the volume and you'll find natural compression and growl that responds beautifully to picking dynamics.

This amp forms the foundation of John's classic clean tone—warm, full, and incredibly responsive to your touch.

Headroom Hero

Acquired during the Continuum writing sessions, the Headroom Hero offers immense clean headroom with immediacy and extraordinary responsiveness. This amp maintains crystal clarity even at extreme volumes, thanks to its high-power open-back cabinet design that delivers firm, controlled low end.

When you need pristine cleans that cut through any mix without breaking up, the Headroom Hero delivers.

Signature 83

The crown jewel of the collection is the Signature 83—a one-of-one boutique prototype built exclusively for John Mayer. This amp bridges the precision of the Headroom Hero with the warmth of the Smooth Operator.

Paired with a 1×12 cabinet voiced for balance and articulation, the Signature 83 also features a flexible alternate voicing that thickens the tone and pushes it more forward in the mix. It's incredibly versatile and represents the culmination of Mayer's tone journey.

Pre-Effects Section

The pre-amp effects section includes five essential pedals that have shaped Mayer's recorded sound over the years.

Justa Boost

An always-on tone shaper with clean and driven modes, the Justa Boost adds that subtle sparkle and presence that defines professional guitar tones. It's the kind of pedal that you don't notice until you turn it off.

Antelope Filter

This expressive envelope filter is the sound behind "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)." It responds dynamically to your playing, creating those vocal, funky tones that made that track so distinctive.

Halfman OD

A sought-after overdrive that adds harmonic richness, presence, and sustain without masking your amp's character. The Halfman OD is perfect for blues leads and adds that extra dimension to solos.

Tealbreaker

A dual-mode overdrive offering both TS and BB modes. The TS mode delivers that classic mid-focused tube screamer character, while BB mode provides a more transparent, amp-like overdrive. Essential for any blues-rock tone.

Millipede Delay

An analog BBD delay designed to function as a subtle slapback effect. Placed before the amp, it adds depth and dimension without cluttering your tone—perfect for that vintage studio sound.

Gravity Tank: Custom Spring Reverb & Tremolo

The Gravity Tank is a unique combined unit featuring spring reverb and harmonic tremolo:

Spring Reverb: A '60s-voiced two-spring tank emulation that adds authentic vintage ambience. It's dripping with character and responds beautifully to dynamics.

Harmonic Tremolo: An all-tube tremolo circuit with modified slower rates. Unlike standard amplitude tremolo, harmonic tremolo splits the signal into high and low frequencies, modulating them out of phase for a more complex, swirling effect.

Cabinet Section

The cabinet section is where this plugin truly shines. Neural DSP captured impulse responses directly in John Mayer's Los Angeles studio, giving you access to the exact acoustic environment where many of his recordings were made.

Key features:

• 11 Virtual Microphones: Position and blend microphones for precise tone control
• Mono/Stereo Operation: Independent panning and level control per microphone
• Room Send: Add subtle studio ambience for natural depth
• IR Loader: Support for third-party impulse responses
• Authentic Environment: Recorded in Mayer's actual studio space

Post-Effects Section

Dream Delay

A classic 1980s digital delay with a unique Hardness control that emulates tape degradation. Dial in pristine digital repeats or warm, deteriorating echoes that fade naturally into the mix.

Studio Verb

Two carefully selected reverb algorithms:

• Concert Hall: A dense, 1970s-inspired reverb perfect for ambient soundscapes
• Plate: A classic digital plate reverb with studio sheen, ideal for polished recordings

Studio Processing Tools

4-Band Semi-Parametric EQ

A comprehensive EQ section with high-pass and low-pass filters, designed for subtle shaping of your amp's low-end response. It's musical and transparent, allowing fine-tuned adjustments without artifacts.

Studio Compressor

Modeled after John Mayer's preferred recording compressor, set to his exact specifications. This compressor preserves clarity, articulation, and touch while adding professional polish and consistency to your tone.

Global Features & Workflow

Global Lock: Maintains input, gate, transpose, doubler, and output settings across preset changes—essential for live performance and consistent recording sessions.

Transpose: Shift your pitch ±12 semitones without retuning your guitar. Perfect for quick key changes or experimenting with different tunings.

Doubler: Add stereo spread inspired by double-tracked recordings. This subtle effect creates width and depth without obvious modulation.

Integrated Tuner: Always-available tuner display for quick tuning checks.

Metronome: Built-in time signature control (available in standalone mode).

16:10 Aspect Ratio: Optimized for modern displays with better visual organization.

Preset Library

The plugin ships with an impressive preset collection:

• 18 Presets by John Mayer: Authentic recreations of his studio sounds
• 300+ Artist Presets: Curated by notable players including:
  • Cory Wong
  • Blues Saraceno
  • James Valentine (Maroon 5)
  • Kenny Beats
  • Zakk Cervini
  • And many more

The Preset Explorer offers organized folders, search functionality, tagging, and favorites for efficient workflow management.

System Requirements

Format: 64-bit VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, and Standalone

Operating System: Latest Windows and macOS versions with native Apple Silicon support

Licensing: Requires free iLok License Manager and iLok account (no physical dongle needed)

Final Thoughts

Archetype: John Mayer X represents one of the most comprehensive artist signature plugins available. The attention to detail is remarkable—from the one-of-a-kind Signature 83 amp prototype to the cabinet impulses captured in Mayer's actual studio.

At €199, it's positioned as a premium offering, but the depth of content justifies the price. You're not just getting amp models; you're getting a complete production toolkit built around one of the most distinctive guitar sounds of the past two decades.

The 14-day free trial means you can thoroughly test everything before committing. For fans of Mayer's tone or anyone seeking pristine clean sounds with expressive overdrive options, this plugin deserves serious consideration.

Get Archetype: John Mayer X - Available now with a 14-day free trial.

Available formats: VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, Standalone (64-bit)

Price: €199 (14-day free trial available)

Looking for more guitar amp simulation options? Check out our coverage of other Neural DSP releases and guitar production plugins.