John Mayer: "I've already used it on records — I'm just not going to tell you which ones":

The celebrated guitarist insists that Archetype: John Mayer X was never designed to replace tube amplifiers—it simply offers musicians another creative option.

For years, John Mayer's guitar rig has been the subject of endless discussion among players. His amplifiers, pedals, and carefully crafted signal chains have inspired countless forum debates, YouTube breakdowns, and gear analyses. Now, however, the guitarist has made a surprising revelation: some of the guitar tones fans have heard on his recordings may not have come from traditional tube amplifiers at all—they may have been created using software.

According to John Mayer, his signature Neural DSP plugin has already been used on professional studio recordings. However, he has no intention of revealing exactly which songs or albums feature it.

The revelation came during a recent Neural DSP video dedicated to Archetype: John Mayer X, the software suite introduced last December that digitally recreates several of Mayer's favorite amplifiers, effects pedals, and signature tones.

"If I ever found myself in a situation where I needed a reliable solution quickly, I'd absolutely use this plugin—and in fact, I already have on several recordings. I'm simply not going to tell you which ones they are. Honestly, I don't think anyone would be able to tell the difference," the guitarist says with a smile.

According to Mayer, one of the plugin's biggest strengths is how naturally it integrates into both recording sessions and home practice environments.

"What I really love about using the plugin inside a DAW is that Archetype works incredibly well as the very first stage of the signal chain. It provides this sense of momentum and foundation that everything else you place after it seems to benefit from."

These days, the guitarist says, his home recording setup has become remarkably straightforward.

"My home rig now is basically just a laptop running the plugin, an audio interface, and a pair of studio monitors."

Compared to the past, he considers that a major improvement. No longer does he have to constantly deal with dying nine-volt batteries, malfunctioning pedals, or tube amplifiers that always seem to require maintenance.

"I've been looking forward to the day when my entire setup would simply consist of one cable, a laptop, and two speakers—and that would be everything I needed," says Mayer.

"This software recreates the behavior of real amplifiers so naturally and authentically that it simply performs exactly as an amp should. The difference is that it's already integrated into your DAW, giving you an incredible amount of flexibility throughout the recording process."

Even so, Mayer is careful to emphasize that none of this should be interpreted as a rejection of traditional tube amplifiers. While an increasing number of world-class guitarists are embracing digital technology—including Joe Bonamassa, who recently admitted that Fender's Tone Master amplifiers completely changed his opinion despite initially wanting to dislike them—Mayer insists that Archetype: John Mayer X was never intended to replace conventional amps.

"I believe that when technology can successfully replace equipment that's heavy, expensive, and constantly needing repairs, having more choices is always a good thing," he explains.

"There will always be excellent reasons to use real amplifiers. I'll continue using them. I don't think you'll ever see me standing on the stage of a huge arena performing with nothing but a laptop. Personally, I don't think that's particularly cool."

He concludes by reinforcing the philosophy behind the project.

"This plugin isn't here to replace an amplifier. It's here to expand your options. The goal is to bring the experience of owning a tube amp and professional guitar gear into people's homes. No matter who you are, it's designed to make high-end guitar equipment accessible to far more musicians."