What guitar Lex Fridman plays

Quick Overview

The guest, a guitarist, primarily plays Fender Stratocaster and Gibson guitars, including a signature Gibson model, and uses Neural DSP plugins, noting that John Mayer's playing style on "Comfortably Numb" utilizes Nashville tuning on a specific guitar.

Key Points: The guest owns several guitars, including Gibson Les Pauls (one standard, one double-cut with P90 pickups), Fender Stratocasters, and acoustical guitars like a 1957 Gibson Country Western and a Martin D-28. The guest uses Neural DSP plugins, specifically mentioning having recently acquired the new John Mayer Archetype X plugin. The guest points out that John Mayer's playing on the 'Comfortably Numb' solo, as seen in a linked video, is performed using Nashville tuning (high stringing) on a specific guitar, which results in a unique sound without a booming low end. Nashville tuning involves replacing the low E, A, D, and G strings with lighter gauge strings tuned an octave higher than standard, while the B and high E strings remain the same. The guest owns a signature Gibson guitar, which he has had for about five years, and notes that all his guitars play equally well. The guest mentions having known John Mayer since they both lived in Atlanta, likely in the early 2000s, and considers Mayer one of the greatest living guitarists both musically and conversationally.

Context: This segment is part of a Lex Fridman Podcast episode where Lex interviews a professional guitarist (likely a guest known for his extensive guitar collection and familiarity with musical technology). The discussion centers around the guest's personal guitar collection, his use of amplifier modeling software, and a specific technical detail regarding how John Mayer achieved the sound for his famous 'Comfortably Numb' solo.

Detailed Analysis

The conversation revolves around the interviewer (Lex Fridman) asking the guest about the specific guitars he plays and the gear he uses. The guest details his collection, which includes two Gibson Les Pauls (a standard version and a double-cut special with P90 pickups), Fender Stratocasters, and acoustic models like a 1957 Gibson Country Western and a Martin D-28, noting he has owned the Gibson acoustic for about 30 years. He confirms that all his guitars play well, but he uses a signature Gibson guitar that he has owned for about five years. He also mentions using Neural DSP plugins, specifically the new Archetype: John Mayer X plugin, which he recently acquired and tried. Regarding John Mayer's performance of the 'Comfortably Numb' solo (referenced via an embedded clip), the guest explains that Mayer used Nashville tuning (high stringing), where the four lowest strings are tuned an octave higher, resulting in a sound without a booming low end, which contributes to the specific character of that solo. The guest holds John Mayer in high regard as both a musician and a conversationalist, mentioning they have known each other since the early 2000s when Mayer lived in Atlanta.