John Mayer

• Set the Tube Screamer with gain near zero, volume boosted — it pushes the amp, not adds distortion
• Use neck and middle pickup positions for cleans
• Let your pick attack do the work — Mayer controls dynamics with his hands
• Keep the amp clean and loud enough to have natural warmth
• Roll back guitar volume to 7–8 for ultra-clean tones
• Use light strings (.10s or .09s) — Mayer plays much lighter gauge than SRV, enabling smooth effortless bends without fighting the guitar
• Exploit the in-between pickup positions (2 and 4) — the quacky, out-of-phase sound defines Mayer's funkier clean passages
• Add a light compressor (low sustain setting) only on clean passages to even out pick dynamics — disengage it when the amp starts to push
• Think of the Klon or Soul Food as a "volume boost with tonal shaping" — transparent, not gritty; the drive control barely moves from zero

John Mayer blends pristine Strat cleans with expressive blues grit, inspired equally by SRV and Jimi Hendrix. His tone is warm, vocal and dynamic — massively responsive to pick attack.