Getting Akiras tone with existing gear

[gtr1963]

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.

 

[scottosan]

A good part of his tone is in his picking. He gets harmonics with this rhythm playing because he barely exposes his pick

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

HUGE fan of Akira! One of my favorites of the era. When I first started playing, both Soldier of Fortune and Rust in Peace had just come out, and those helped shape my style. The bar was set high early for me......

From near the beginning, he was using Lee Jackson modded Marshalls, then LJ's Metaltronix amps, although he was a total gear whore and used tons of gear in the '80s/90s. He has used Friedman amps recently.

As for pickups, that's easy, just buy his rare sig set if you can find them ($1300 or find them in a Killer guitar for a lot more! ).

I'm not into trying to copy artists directly, but I can capture the essence of his style with my Charvel SD Ash with ebony board and L500XL + '59N through my Quad with some graphic EQ tweaks. Key is to have a bright yet percussive attack.

 

[Greazygeo]

When I first saw Loudness on Lightning Strikes tour he had a big Mesa Boogie rack, sounded great. Second time I saw them on the anniversary tour in the early 2000’s he was using two DSL halfstacks and a Boss multi fx pedal. ME series something that was gold. He sounded great.
As was mentioned alot of his tone comes from how he picks. Basically like pinch harmonics on everything.
He is one of my
Favorites as well.

 

[gtr1963]

A good part of his tone is in his picking. He gets harmonics with this rhythm playing be cause he barely exposes his pick

agreed

 

[Beyond Black]

When I first saw Loudness on Lightning Strikes tour he had a big Mesa Boogie rack, sounded great. Second time I saw them on the anniversary tour in the early 2000’s he was using two DSL halfstacks and a Boss multi fx pedal. ME series something that was gold. He sounded great.
As was mentioned alot of his tone comes from how he picks. Basically like pinch harmonics on everything.
He is one of my
Favorites as well.

That’s exactly it, his pick attack.
Boost a Marshall, dime the mids, and pick like him and there’s the tone.

 

[gtr1963]

When I first saw Loudness on Lightning Strikes tour he had a big Mesa Boogie rack, sounded great. Second time I saw them on the anniversary tour in the early 2000’s he was using two DSL halfstacks and a Boss multi fx pedal. ME series something that was gold. He sounded great.
As was mentioned alot of his tone comes from how he picks. Basically like pinch harmonics on everything.
He is one of my
Favorites as well.

i remember an old pic of his set up and it showed a Boss gt5 ..
i have the gold gt6.. while i agree his pick attack is insane and does a lot for his tone.. i think i nailed that 'growl' he gets from his amps with eq, boss mt2 settings..

He used modified Marshalls and i just tweaked, used effects to get the same tone

In the end, i dont wanna be an Akira clone, but glad i achieved his tone

 

[scottosan]

HUGE fan of Akira! One of my favorites of the era. When I first started playing, both Soldier of Fortune and Rust in Peace had just come out, and those helped shape my style. The bar was set high early for me......

From near the beginning, he was using Lee Jackson modded Marshalls, then LJ's Metaltronix amps, although he was a total gear whore and used tons of gear in the '80s/90s. He has used Friedman amps recently.

As for pickups, that's easy, just buy his rare sig set if you can find them ($1300 or find them in a Killer guitar for a lot more! ).

I'm not into trying to copy artists directly, but I can capture the essence of his style with my Charvel SD Ash with ebony board and L500XL + '59N through my Quad with some graphic EQ tweaks. Key is to have a bright yet percussive attack.

I owned a set for these I got for about $450 new. I think I can still get another set at that price. That said, none of these are selling at those prices listed. I sold mine of Reverb for months and didn't even get any watcher at the 500-600 mark. I struggled to get 350 for my mint set. The pickups to my ear are similar to Screamin Demon, with standard pole pieces.

 

[Greazygeo]

i remember an old pic of his set up and it showed a Boss gt5 ..
i have the gold gt6.. while i agree his pick attack is insane and does a lot for his tone.. i think i nailed that 'growl' he gets from his amps with eq, boss mt2 settings..

He used modified Marshalls and i just tweaked, used effects to get the same tone

In the end, i dont wanna be an Akira clone, but glad i achieved his tone

That was probably the same pedal he was using…it was a small club in Detroit, I was right up against the stage. He was LOUD!!!

I used to get his tone with my old Marshall a boss sd1 and a wah left on set in the middle. Uch more fun chasing that tone than VH…

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

I owned a set for these I got for about $450 new. I think I can still get another set at that price. That said, none of these are selling at those prices listed. I sold mine of Reverb for months and didn't even get any watcher at the 500-600 mark. I struggled to get 350 for my mint set. The pickups to my ear are similar to Screamin Demon, with standard pole pieces.

I've been around long enough to no longer be hypnotized by collectoritis, but it would be cool to have a set. I am satisfied by how well the L500XL can produce his sound, and can also do the DeMartini sound, although I do plan to snag an RTM at some point since they are priced in the real world.

I was looking at early '80s/Shaw Era Dirty Fingers today, and people are asking $700 just for ONE. They were very common for ages (and definitely NOT better than a Distortion or many others), ahhh but time adds price/hype to many things. I love it when time makes MY old gear more valuable!