TonesMatch
I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You) — John Mayer1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence

I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You) Guitar Tone Settings

John Mayer · 2000s · blues

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (likely 2004 John Mayer Signature Stratocaster)
Pickups
Fender Big Dipper single-coil pickups
Amp
Two-Rock Custom Reverb Signature
Pickup Position
Neck pickup

Studio recording, 2006 (Continuum album). Gear confirmed for studio use in this era; settings and pedals inferred from era and multiple sources. Focus is on the riff/chorus section, which is the most driven/distorted part of the song.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
6.5
Gain
4
Reverb
4
Treble
6
Presence
5.5

Effects Chain

  • Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron Envelope Filter · modulation
  • Klon Centaur (or similar transparent overdrive) · overdrive
  • Delay pedal (model unknown, likely Boss DD-2/DD-3 or tape-style) · delay

Guitar → Klon Centaur (overdrive) → Q-Tron Envelope Filter → Delay pedal → Two-Rock Custom Reverb Signature (with spring reverb)

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Tone Character

  • warm and vocal-like
  • dynamic and touch-sensitive
  • smooth, compressed drive
  • percussive attack
  • rounded highs
  • slightly scooped mids
  • clear note separation
  • quacky envelope filter effect
  • subtle ambient delay
  • medium output, not harsh

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No official studio amp knob settings found; amp and pedal choices inferred from multiple reputable sources and era.
  • ⚠️Envelope filter effect (Q-Tron) is confirmed by multiple sources and is clearly audible in the riff.
  • ⚠️Delay is audible but specific model for studio not confirmed; typical choices for Mayer in this era included Boss DD-2/DD-3 or tape-style delays.
  • ⚠️Exact pedal order and settings are estimated based on genre, era, and known Mayer rigs.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Mayer's riff tone here is clean but with a touch of breakup, warm and mid-forward (typical of his Two-Rock or Dumble-style amps), with rounded treble and moderate bass for fullness. Subtle reverb adds space without washing out the clarity, matching the studio production and Mayer's known preferences.

Sources