G
gtr1963
New member
Just thought id post my settings I use to get Akira Takasaki's tone from Thunder in the East/Lightning strikes albums. Been playing 43 yrs(im 63) and ive always wanted this tone. My gear is old(like me..lol) but it works consistently and gives me what I want tone wise.
Ive always loved his tone and wanted it but i do not have funds for Jose or Lee Jackson modded Marshalls or his RM poweramps, jmp preamps, etc.. So I did my best copying his tone with gear I use. After some trial and error, ive nailed it. Its old gear, but i like the tone i get from it, and it hits his tone dead on from his albums.
1st, the gear I used:
jcm 900 4100 head,
1960 4x12
jcm 2000 dsl 100w head
1960 4x12
boss gt6
rack bbe 362
rack furman
boss MetalZone
my signal chain is:
guitar->gt6 input->left out GT6 to bbe 362 input->bbe 362 output-> return jack jcm 900
right out of gt6->return of dsl head(dsl doesnt need the bbe 362)
So at this point, im using 2 Marshall heads in stereo. In the gt6 i use the clean fender twin preamp and instead of pairing with metalzone distortion that comes with gt6, im using external effects send/return jacks on gt6 and use the waza Metalzone pedal(pedal has more tweakable settings than metal distortion setting on GT6.
GT6 settings:
Preamp model: Fender Twin
Distortion: External MT2 pedal
pedal settings: level 12 o clock
low -15
high(around 3 o clock)
mid (9 o clock)
middle 200
distortion 3 o clock
GT6 EQ settings:
Low eq +4db
lowmidf 100hz
low mid q 1
lo-mid eq +6
Hi-mid f 1.25 hz
Hi-mid q 2
Hi-mid eq -10db
Hi eq +6db
level 0
I use the sub eq on the gt6 to further tweak:
Low eq +4db
low-mid f 800 hz
lo mid q 0.5
lo-mid eq -10 db
hi-mid f 3.15 hz
hi-mid q 0.5
hi-mid eq +5 db
high eq -2db
Level +4db
For the bbe rack 362 I have the lo contour knob at noon and process knob at 1 o clock
(the bbe is going into the return jack of 900) the dsl doesn't need bbe(read on Marshall forum that the bbe 362 responds GREAT with a JCM 900 4100 and it DOES.
Set your noise gate, compression to taste
I know Akira used to use SD pickups(have no idea now), but 1 of my guitars has a SD JB and
the other guitar has Dimarzion Tone Zone in Bridge, PAF Pro in neck and the sound from either
guitar through this setup is almost identical.
With this setup I get Thunder in the East and Lightning Strikes album tones. It's really blending 2 different Marshalls together.
Yeah, its an old setup, and I like this sound much better than using an Axe FX or Kemper to get it.. I'm using actual tube heads/cabs
Even after playing 43 yrs, this tone I get sends chills up my back.... its that thick, juicy album tone.
Ive always loved his tone and wanted it but i do not have funds for Jose or Lee Jackson modded Marshalls or his RM poweramps, jmp preamps, etc.. So I did my best copying his tone with gear I use. After some trial and error, ive nailed it. Its old gear, but i like the tone i get from it, and it hits his tone dead on from his albums.
1st, the gear I used:
jcm 900 4100 head,
1960 4x12
jcm 2000 dsl 100w head
1960 4x12
boss gt6
rack bbe 362
rack furman
boss MetalZone
my signal chain is:
guitar->gt6 input->left out GT6 to bbe 362 input->bbe 362 output-> return jack jcm 900
right out of gt6->return of dsl head(dsl doesnt need the bbe 362)
So at this point, im using 2 Marshall heads in stereo. In the gt6 i use the clean fender twin preamp and instead of pairing with metalzone distortion that comes with gt6, im using external effects send/return jacks on gt6 and use the waza Metalzone pedal(pedal has more tweakable settings than metal distortion setting on GT6.
GT6 settings:
Preamp model: Fender Twin
Distortion: External MT2 pedal
pedal settings: level 12 o clock
low -15
high(around 3 o clock)
mid (9 o clock)
middle 200
distortion 3 o clock
GT6 EQ settings:
Low eq +4db
lowmidf 100hz
low mid q 1
lo-mid eq +6
Hi-mid f 1.25 hz
Hi-mid q 2
Hi-mid eq -10db
Hi eq +6db
level 0
I use the sub eq on the gt6 to further tweak:
Low eq +4db
low-mid f 800 hz
lo mid q 0.5
lo-mid eq -10 db
hi-mid f 3.15 hz
hi-mid q 0.5
hi-mid eq +5 db
high eq -2db
Level +4db
For the bbe rack 362 I have the lo contour knob at noon and process knob at 1 o clock
(the bbe is going into the return jack of 900) the dsl doesn't need bbe(read on Marshall forum that the bbe 362 responds GREAT with a JCM 900 4100 and it DOES.
Set your noise gate, compression to taste
I know Akira used to use SD pickups(have no idea now), but 1 of my guitars has a SD JB and
the other guitar has Dimarzion Tone Zone in Bridge, PAF Pro in neck and the sound from either
guitar through this setup is almost identical.
With this setup I get Thunder in the East and Lightning Strikes album tones. It's really blending 2 different Marshalls together.
Yeah, its an old setup, and I like this sound much better than using an Axe FX or Kemper to get it.. I'm using actual tube heads/cabs
Even after playing 43 yrs, this tone I get sends chills up my back.... its that thick, juicy album tone.
