[Chiki Oshima] How to Recreate the Ivy to Fraudulent Game Sound + Guitar Gear and Tone Settings [Effects & Amps]

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Introduction (Overview of Tone)

Chiki Oshima, the guitarist of Ivy to Fraudulent Game, is known for his emotional and spatial guitar sounds, which are rooted in post-rock and alternative approaches. His playing transcends simple chord strumming, showcasing a captivating contrast between clean tones that evoke a sense of space and thick, expansive distortion.

In tracks like “Blueprint” and “Only Our Oath,” Oshima masterfully blends transparent arpeggios with loud riffs, highlighting his adeptness in sound design. Notably, he constructs his distortion primarily through pedals rather than relying on the amp, allowing him to manipulate sound pressure and texture according to the scene. The use of reverb and delay is also crucial, supporting the overall soundscape of the band.

Moreover, Oshima often opts for unique brands like Fullertone and RS Guitarworks, setting himself apart from typical guitarists. These choices prioritize not just sound quality but also the expressive capabilities of each song. As a result, his sound embodies a blend of “warm clean” and “sharp attack distortion,” forming a significant pillar of Ivy to Fraudulent Game’s music.

In this article, we will thoroughly explore Oshima’s amplifiers, guitars, effects, and EQ settings to uncover the secrets behind his sound design.

▶ Search official YouTube videos of Ivy to Fraudulent Game

List of Amplifiers and Features

Chiki Oshima’s amplifier choices for Ivy to Fraudulent Game consistently reflect his philosophy of using a “clean foundation with distortion created by pedals.” The primary amp is the SUNN Tube Stack 100, acquired around 2015. This tube amp head is renowned among hard rock and doom players from the 70s and 80s, characterized by its clean, robust, and wide-ranging output. Oshima layers multiple distortion pedals on top of this to achieve a powerful yet dimensional sound.

Complementing the SUNN head is the Hughes & Kettner CC412 cabinet, introduced in 2021. Initially intended for a speaker swap to Celestion Vintage 30, it has since been used in its original configuration. This cabinet is praised for its tight and wide sound, which is beneficial for Ivy to Fraudulent Game’s effect-heavy sound, maintaining clarity even with numerous effects in play.

Oshima’s choice of amplifiers clearly reflects his sound design philosophy. Instead of selecting amps with strong distortion or character like Marshall or Fender, he opts for straightforward, wide-ranging clean amps. By adding nuances of fuzz and overdrive, he achieves a balance between post-rock transparency and emotional thunderous sound.

This approach resonates with other guitarists in the genre, such as Takashi Mino from toe, who also utilizes a Jazzmaster with a clean amp for pedal-centric sound design. Essentially, the structure of “the amp as a foundation, and effects as the main players” is central to Oshima’s sound.

While it cannot be entirely ruled out that he has used other clean amps like the Fender Twin Reverb or Roland JC-120 in certain settings, evidence from interviews suggests that he prefers to keep his amps clean. This aligns with his philosophy of not overly distorting the amp.

Overall, Oshima’s amplifiers serve as a “clean platform,” with all distortion and spatial processing supplemented by pedals. This structure allows for a wide range of expressive capabilities, enabling him to control the atmosphere of each song effectively.

Types of Guitars Used and Features

When discussing Chiki Oshima’s sound design, his selection of unique guitars is indispensable. He favors custom or semi-custom guitars over mainstream models like Stratocasters or Les Pauls, emphasizing expressive range and texture.

One of his most iconic guitars is the Fullertone Guitars “TELLINGS 60.” This semi-custom model features 22 frets and is used on nearly all tracks of the album. Oshima frequently utilizes the front and middle pickups, keeping the volume and tone knobs fully open. This setup ensures a delicate and expansive clean tone, which pairs well with spatial effects. It has a stable presence as his main guitar in live performances.

Another significant instrument is the RS Guitarworks “Surfmaster ’61 (JM type),” a custom model crafted in Kentucky, featuring a vintage-style weather-checked finish. It is equipped with Lindy Fralin’s Underwound pickups, delivering a more delicate and transparent sound than traditional Jazzmasters. Additionally, Oshima has customized it with a resonance-dampening sponge near the tailpiece to enhance stability during live performances.

These two guitars have clearly defined roles; the TELLINGS 60 offers versatility across a wide range of songs, while the Surfmaster shines in scenarios requiring intricate textures and unique reverberation. Both selections align with Oshima’s philosophy of achieving “transparency and thunderous sound.”

In past performances and sessions, he has also been seen using other Strat-type and Telecaster-type guitars, but it is clear that the core of his setup currently revolves around the Fullertone and RS Guitarworks models.

Overall, Oshima’s guitar choices reflect a pursuit of “sound quality and texture unattainable with mass-produced models,” aiming for unique and artisanal sound creation.

Effects and Pedalboard Setup

At the heart of Chiki Oshima’s sound design is a meticulously constructed pedalboard. Utilizing the SUNN amp in a clean setting, nearly all distortion and tonal changes are controlled through effects, with a diverse array of pedals ranging from fuzz to boosters, delays, and reverbs.

To manage the signal and power, he employs the Empress Effects buffer+, which minimizes signal loss while serving a junction function. The BOSS ES-8 allows for programmable complex effect chains, ensuring stable operation during live performances. For tuning, he uses the compact KORG Pitchblack mini, establishing a reliable foundation.

In terms of distortion, the Lovepedal Amp Eleven is always engaged in boost mode, ensuring a solid bass presence. Uniquely, he utilizes the BOSS BD-2 not for boosting but as a “volume cut,” which is a distinctive approach. The BOSS DS-1X is specialized for low-end riffs, while fuzz pedals like the MXR Classic 108 Fuzz Mini and Effects Bakery Sandwich Fuzz are connected in series, allowing for a blend of roughness and smoothness.

For compression and boost, the KATANA SOUND BLUE STRIPE serves as a compressor, enhancing clarity and punch, while Creation Audio Labs MK4.23 and MXR MicroAmp provide volume adjustments tailored to different scenes. This setup enables seamless transitions from clean to thunderous sounds.

Spatial effects are intricately integrated, with the BOSS DD-20 and Strymon BigSky forming the core. The BigSky is placed in the loop, allowing reverb to persist while switching between other effects. Additionally, the Line 6 M5 adds auxiliary modulation and special effects, broadening the tonal palette.

Overall, Oshima’s pedalboard is structured around “stability-focused foundation + multiple distortions + intricate spatial processing,” enabling the unique transparency and thunderous sound characteristic of Ivy to Fraudulent Game. The order of the pedal chain and always-on settings reflect a highly calculated construction.

Tone Settings, EQ, and Mixing Approaches

Chiki Oshima’s sound design is fundamentally based on a “clean amp + effects-centric” structure, but his EQ settings and mixing techniques reveal unique innovations. Particularly, the songs of Ivy to Fraudulent Game require a balance between clean transparency and thunderous distortion, necessitating meticulous adjustments rather than merely lining up equipment.

In terms of amp settings, the SUNN Tube Stack 100 is typically kept clean, with treble and mid slightly reduced and bass set around 50%. This is to prevent excessive low-end amplification from the fuzz and overdrive that follow, ensuring a core tone that stands out in the mix.

For distortion, keeping the Lovepedal Amp Eleven always on provides a sense of compression and push to the overall sound. Adding the MXR Classic 108 Fuzz Mini or Sandwich Fuzz allows for texture variations based on the scene. Notably, using the BOSS BD-2 for “volume cut” is a unique approach, emphasizing dynamics within the song and highlighting contrasts between thunderous and quiet moments.

Spatial processing is particularly intricate, with the Strymon BigSky placed outside the loop. This configuration allows reverb to naturally extend to the end of the track, seamlessly connecting sounds when switching effects. The BOSS DD-20 enables precise delay time settings, often synced to the tempo for emphasizing the dimensionality of arpeggios and riffs. The Line 6 M5 serves an auxiliary role, adding phaser or flanger effects as needed, significantly altering the sound color for each song.

Regarding EQ, Oshima tends to cut mid frequencies slightly on the guitar while emphasizing high frequencies for brightness. This approach allows his guitar to “slip into the gaps” occupied by vocals, other guitars, and bass in the Ivy to Fraudulent Game ensemble. Conversely, for riffs and solos, he adjusts the settings to bring mid frequencies forward, enhancing presence.

Mixing techniques are also notable, with Oshima’s guitar positioned widely across the stereo field in studio recordings. This is achieved through a combination of delay and reverb, replicating the live ambiance in recordings. Furthermore, arpeggios and clean phrases are often panned to one side, while distorted riffs are thickened across both channels, showcasing clear role differentiation.

Overall, Oshima’s sound design is supported by settings and EQ processing that maximize the contrast between stillness and motion. Not only does he clearly switch between clean and thunderous tones, but the balance when they blend is also meticulously calculated. This characteristic allows Ivy to Fraudulent Game’s music to embody an overwhelming immersive sound, both in the studio and live performances.

Affordable Alternatives to Recreate the Tone

While Chiki Oshima’s sound design is built around fully custom guitars and rare amplifiers, it is possible for beginners and intermediate players to recreate a similar sound at a relatively low cost. Here, we will explore commercially available gear priced between $100 and $500 that can help achieve his “clean foundation + pedal distortion + spatial processing” style.

For amplifiers, since SUNN and Hughes & Kettner gear can be expensive and hard to find, practical alternatives include the Roland JC-22 and BOSS Katana 50 MkII. Both models emphasize clean transparency and pair well with pedals. The JC-22, in particular, offers stereo output, making it easier to utilize spatial effects akin to Ivy to Fraudulent Game’s sound.

For distortion, classic options like the BOSS BD-2 and BOSS DS-1 are recommended. Oshima himself uses the BD-2, making its distinctive midrange and manageable distortion range closely aligned with his character. Additionally, the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Nano can be combined to easily incorporate fuzz’s roughness.

In terms of spatial effects, the BOSS DD-8 (delay) and TC Electronic Hall of Fame Mini (reverb) are cost-effective choices. The DD-8 features tap tempo and various modes, making it suitable for expressing tempo-synced arpeggios frequently used in Ivy to Fraudulent Game’s music.

Moreover, introducing a multi-effects unit can be effective. The Zoom G3n or Line 6 HX Stomp (the latter being slightly more expensive but available used for around $500) can cover a wide range of effects from fuzz to reverb and modulation. The HX Stomp, in particular, is ideal for replicating spatial effects and distortion due to its high simulation accuracy.

By combining these elements, players can layer multiple distortions and spatial effects over a clean-based amp, experiencing Chiki Oshima’s “transparency + thunderous sound” style even as beginners or intermediates.

Summary and Conclusion

Chiki Oshima’s sound design for Ivy to Fraudulent Game can be succinctly described as “breathing life into a clean foundation with pedals.” By strictly using a clean amp and controlling everything from distortion to spatial processing through effects, he achieves a coexistence of “transparency and thunderous sound” that is essential to the band’s identity.

His choice of guitars also reflects this philosophy, favoring unique brands like Fullertone and RS Guitarworks over mass-produced models. This selection allows him to produce textures and tones that are distinct from other guitarists, contributing to the band’s overall sound. The Fullertone TELLINGS 60, in particular, serves as a crucial instrument, being the main guitar on nearly all tracks of the album.

Oshima’s pedalboard construction showcases meticulous planning. The unique setup of using two fuzz pedals in series, repurposing the BD-2 for volume cuts, and placing the BigSky outside the loop to maintain reverb are all innovative approaches that go beyond typical guitarist thinking. These techniques not only layer sounds but also imbue the music with “narrative” and “spatial depth,” embodying Oshima’s distinctive style.

In mixing, he not only separates clean and distorted sounds but also values the “ambiguous gradient” in between. For instance, applying deep reverb to arpeggios to expand space while allowing fuzz’s thunder to rumble in the background characterizes the sound of Ivy to Fraudulent Game.

For beginners and intermediates, replicating the exact gear may be challenging. However, the essence of his sound design lies in “layering multiple distortions and spatial processing over a clean base.” With this perspective, relatively affordable gear like the Roland JC series, BOSS compact pedals, and multi-effects units from Zoom or Line 6 can allow players to experience the essence of Oshima’s sound.

Ultimately, what is needed to recreate Chiki Oshima’s sound is not just expensive gear but the mindset of “how to combine and design sound.” Viewing a clean amp as a canvas and layering distortion, reverb, and delay like paint. This creative approach is the core of his sound design and supports the unique soundscape that Ivy to Fraudulent Game presents.