As an acoustic artist J W Bainbridge attempts to extend the bounds of what many people consider "conventional" guitar playing as well as to expand upon what is possible compositionally for the instrument. J W Bainbridge's music may be considered similar to that of Michael Hedges, Billy McLaughlin or Andy McKee.
As an electric artist JW Bainbridge's guitar styling can be considered a musical collage melding artistic aspects of the music of Eric Johnson, Keith Richards and Stevie Ray Vaughn. As an electric artist JW Bainbridge performs as the Michael Ray Johnson Experiment.