【Maguro Taniguchi】How to Recreate the KANA-BOON Sound + Guitar Gear and Tone Settings [Effects & Amps]

Introduction (Overview of Tone)

Maguro Taniguchi, the frontman and guitarist of KANA-BOON, captivates many fans with his powerful yet delicate guitar playing. His sound is characterized by the balance between straight-forward riffs typical of alternative rock and J-rock, combined with melodic and emotional phrases.

In representative songs like “Naimono Nedari” and “Silhouette,” the driving backing and sharp cutting are impressive, with Taniguchi’s tone creation supporting the overall energy of the songs. In particular, his natural overdrive that doesn’t over-emphasize distortion and simple tone creation close to amp-direct sound can be said to directly connect to KANA-BOON’s distinctive sound.

Additionally, his live performance style is aggressive while cherishing the melodic heart, determining the band’s expression as a guitar vocalist. He uses mainly Gibson Les Paul Junior and ES-335, with Fender Telecaster also used situationally, realizing a wide sound range that cannot be overlooked.

Particularly for amplifiers, he favors Marshall series, choosing classic models like JCM900 and JVM410H to express his individuality while based on royal road rock sound. Regarding effects, he centers around classic overdrives like SD-1 and TS-9, featuring solid and musically balanced configurations.

This tone creation produces a “sound that can be immediately recognized as KANA-BOON upon hearing,” establishing a solid presence in the Japanese rock scene.

By analyzing Taniguchi’s guitar sound, we should see the ingenuity of creating unique tones while using simple yet royal road equipment. The following sections will detail the amplifiers, guitars, effects used, and specific tone creation points.

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List of Amplifiers and Features【KANA-BOON・Maguro Taniguchi】

The foundation supporting Taniguchi’s sound is undoubtedly the royal road Marshall series amplifiers. The models confirmed to be used by him are “JCM900,” “JVM410H,” and “JCM2000,” all reliable amps favored by rock guitarists. Particularly, the JCM900 has been frequently spotted in KANA-BOON’s live performances and recordings.

Marshall JCM900 is a model beloved by numerous bands in the 1990s, characterized by rough grain distortion yet excellent projection. Taniguchi frequently uses this model in live performances, utilizing its linear drive feel in driving backing and energetic songs like “Silhouette.” It’s believed that by combining natural distortion with SD-1 and TS-9, he creates a sound with more mid-range push and presence.

On the other hand, Marshall JVM410H is a model capable of diverse tone creation with its 4-channel specification. It can handle a wide range from clean tones to high gain, allowing flexible switching according to setlists. It’s presumed that Taniguchi uses this for scenes requiring diverse sound ranges, particularly for ballads or songs needing emphasized mid-range sounds.

Furthermore, Marshall JCM2000 has been confirmed for use in recordings. This is a classic model from the 2000s onward, characterized by more modern gain feel and stable sound. In recording environments where good grain definition and sound separation are required, choosing an easy-to-handle model like JCM2000 makes perfect sense.

What emerges from this amplifier selection is the situational use of different Marshall models: “JCM900 with rough momentum for live performances,” “JVM410H for scenes requiring breadth and expressiveness,” and “JCM2000 with stability for recording.” What’s common among all is pushing forward Marshall’s characteristic mid-range presence and royal road rock feel. This can be said to form the “core” of Taniguchi’s guitar sound.

While rental amps might be used at festivals depending on the period, within the range confirmable through photos and videos, the above three models are assumed to be the main configuration.

Equipment Name	Manufacturer	Amazon Best Price URL	Artist	Guitarist	Notes
Marshall JCM900	Marshall	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Regular live use. Characterized by rough drive feel.
Marshall JVM410H	Marshall	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	4-channel specification for wide sound range. Used for ballads.
Marshall JCM2000	Marshall	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Used for recording. Strong in separation and stability.

Types of Guitars Used and Features【KANA-BOON・Maguro Taniguchi】

Taniguchi shows his greatest commitment in tone creation through guitar selection. His main guitar is considered to be a modified “Gibson Les Paul Junior Double Cut” acquired in 2008. While it normally comes with a simple specification of one single P-90 pickup, Taniguchi made bold modifications by increasing this to three pickups. This modification allows for wide tonal variations in addition to the original rough resonance of the Les Paul Junior, finishing it as a unique guitar capable of withstanding main use in live performances and music videos.

The linear backing combined with melody heard in representative songs like “Naimono Nedari” and “Silhouette” is largely attributed to the presence of this Les Paul Junior. The thickness of the P-90’s characteristic mid-range becomes a factor for standing out clearly in band sounds, producing simple yet powerful guitar tones.

On the other hand, Gibson ES-335 has also been confirmed as one of his guitars. With its hollow construction’s characteristic airy sound, it provides jazzier and warmer tones for necessary scenes. This ES-335 is particularly used in the “anger in the mind” music video, contributing to sounds that emphasize KANA-BOON’s alternative aspects.

Furthermore, Fender Telecaster also appears as a sub guitar. Fender’s characteristic bright highs and edgy cutting sound play a role in giving sharpness to ensemble arrangements. Used in recordings and some live performances, it plays a major role in adjusting the overall balance of band sound, contrasting with the thick sound of Les Paul series.

In this way, Taniguchi uses situational switching between “main rough Les Paul Junior,” “warm ES-335,” and “sharp Telecaster” to direct the diverse expressions of KANA-BOON’s songs. The foundation of tone creation can be said to be “using simple and royal road guitars while adding personal arrangements.”

As confirmed information, the above three guitars are central, but there’s possibility of trying other models depending on periods, and new guitars might be introduced in future activities. However, at least currently, the core of his sound is assumed to be in the Les Paul Junior.

Equipment Name	Manufacturer	Amazon Best Price URL	Artist	Guitarist	Guitar Type	Notes
Gibson Les Paul Junior Double Cut (Modified)	Gibson	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Solid	Acquired in 2008. Modified with 3 P-90 pickups. Main use.
Gibson ES-335	Gibson	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Semi-acoustic	Used in “anger in the mind” MV. Characterized by warmth and airiness.
Fender Telecaster	Fender	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Solid	Used in recording and some live shows. Bright tone suitable for cutting.

Effects and Pedalboard Setup【KANA-BOON・Maguro Taniguchi】

Taniguchi’s effects pedalboard has a configuration that’s simple yet capable of reliably creating necessary sounds. The foundation of his sound is straight tone creation close to amp-direct, and on top of that, he combines minimal effects like overdrive and delay to add nuances for each song.

First, the cornerstone of distortion is the BOSS SD-1 SUPER OverDrive. The SD-1 is characterized by natural and mild distortion, and Taniguchi is said to prefer settings with the TONE turned up to emphasize highs. This setting achieves the effect of guitar projection without being buried in band sounds.

Also, the Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer, reportedly beloved since high school, is an important presence. The TS-9 has a unique mid-range push and works both for boosting high-gain amps and creating light drive sounds as a standalone unit. The sticky tone in Taniguchi’s lead phrases and solos is believed to be supported by this TS-9.

For spatial effects, he uses digital delays like BOSS DD-6 and BOSS DD-7. Particularly, the DD-6 is used with A-in→B-out stereo connection, creating spatial spread. The DD-7 supports long delays and is used in scenes requiring breadth in songs. This delay switching is very effective for increasing sound thickness in live performances and recordings.

Furthermore, KORG Pitchblack is constantly set as a pedal tuner, enabling precise tuning and supporting stable performances even in live settings. Also, Guyatone AC-10 is used for power supply. Being compact yet capable of stably driving multiple effects, it’s an indispensable presence in simple board configurations.

In this way, Taniguchi’s effects pedalboard forms his unique sound through the combination of “overdrive for creating distortion,” “delay for adding thickness to sound,” and “practical tuner and power supply,” despite being an extremely simple configuration. While minor replacements are assumed depending on periods, the basic configuration doesn’t change significantly, featuring many long-beloved pieces of equipment.

Equipment Name	Manufacturer	Amazon Best Price URL	Artist	Guitarist	Effect Type	Notes
BOSS SD-1 SUPER OverDrive	BOSS	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	オーバードライブ	TONE raised for high emphasis. Used for main distortion creation.
Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer	Ibanez	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	オーバードライブ	Beloved since high school. Active as booster and for leads.
BOSS DD-6	BOSS	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	ディレイ	Digital delay. A-in→B-out connection creates spread.
BOSS DD-7	BOSS	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	ディレイ	Long delay support. Adds depth to songs.
KORG Pitchblack	KORG	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	チューナー	High precision (±0.1 cent) pedal tuner. Stable for live use.
Guyatone AC-10	Guyatone	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	パワーサプライ	Compact and stable power supply. Optimal for small boards.

Tone Settings, EQ, and Mixing Approaches【KANA-BOON・Maguro Taniguchi】

Taniguchi’s tone creation, while appearing to use simple equipment configuration, has ingenuity in amplifier settings and effects combinations. The foundation is Marshall amp distortion + BOSS SD-1 and Ibanez TS-9 boost, a royal road configuration, but the point is “not over-distorting while maximizing guitar attack.”

Regarding amplifier settings first. With the JCM900, which is confirmed for main live use, gain is often kept moderate at around 5-6 without excessive increase. Treble is set somewhat high (6-7), middle is solid (around 6), and bass is restrained (4-5), likely taking sound balance centered on mid-range. This setting has the effect of preventing guitar burial and bringing riffs and cutting to the forefront in the overall band context.

The use of SD-1 and TS-9 is characterized by utilizing them as “boosters that push amp distortion” rather than mere distortion pedals. Particularly, TS-9 has the nature of lifting mid-range, and by switching it on during leads, it extends sustain and makes solo presence stand out. Conversely, SD-1 with its natural distortion serves the role of thickening rhythm guitar.

Delay (DD-6, DD-7) is used differently for each song, and it’s assumed that in driving songs like “Silhouette,” short delay adds thickness to sound, while in songs requiring spatial spread like “anger in the mind,” long delay is used. Using A-in→B-out stereo connection is also characteristic of creating three-dimensional guitar sound that spreads left and right.

At the mixing stage, it’s believed that processing is done to thicken by panning guitars left and right while organizing mid-range so Taniguchi’s vocals come to the forefront. In guitar EQ, excessive low-end is likely cut and low-high balance is taken to create sound that projects clearly in the overall band without muddiness.

From PA and engineer perspectives, the most important point for Taniguchi’s guitar is “how to project in J-rock ensemble with many musical notes.” Therefore, based on simple tone like amp-direct, overdrive and delay are added in necessary scenes to change each song’s expression. This flexible switching is an approach possible only because of long-term use of the same equipment.

Also, JCM2000 is sometimes used during recording, prioritizing good grain definition and sound separation. This switching between JCM900 emphasizing power for live performance and JCM2000 emphasizing clarity for studio reflects the rationality of Taniguchi’s tone creation.

Overall, Taniguchi’s tone creation is summarized in the style of “utilizing Marshall amp mid-range and flavoring with simple pedals.” Even EQ settings are balance-focused approaches considering the overall band rather than extreme adjustments, which consequently supports “sound immediately recognizable as KANA-BOON.”

From these setting and EQ ingenuities, Taniguchi’s tone creation is assumed to be thoroughly conscious of “how to resonate within the band” rather than mere equipment selection.

This approach demonstrates his deep understanding of how individual parts contribute to the collective sound, making his guitar work both distinctive and cohesive within KANA-BOON’s musical framework, it is assumed.

Affordable Alternatives to Recreate the Tone【KANA-BOON・Maguro Taniguchi】

Completely recreating Taniguchi’s sound requires modified Les Paul Junior and Marshall large amplifiers, which isn’t realistic for beginners. However, by gathering relatively affordable equipment with key points in mind, it’s entirely possible to reproduce KANA-BOON-like “projecting overdrive sound,” “driving backing,” and “spatial spread effects.”

First, for distortion, BOSS SD-1 and Ibanez TS-9 that Taniguchi uses are still easily obtainable and reasonably priced. Particularly, SD-1 can be purchased from around $50, and combining it with Marshall-type amps or amp simulators can reproduce his grain-rich rhythm guitar sound. Also, while TS-9 is somewhat more expensive at around $100, it has very strong mid-range push and is optimal for sustain during solos.

Regarding amplifiers, gathering actual JCM900 or JVM410H is difficult, so realistic alternatives are using BOSS multi-effects “GT-1” or “Katana series” amps. BOSS Katana is available from around $300 and can simulate Marshall-type drive sounds. It can handle wide ranges from home practice to small live performances.

For spatial effects, the most direct approach is introducing DD-6 and DD-7 that Taniguchi uses. In used markets, they’re available from around $100, making it possible to actually experience spread through stereo connection. If budget needs restraining, introducing simple delays like BOSS DD-3T is also sufficient.

Regarding guitar bodies, recreating modified Les Paul Junior models is difficult, so Epiphone Les Paul Junior or Yamaha and Edwards single P-90 models can be considered as alternatives. Price range is around $300-500, enabling experience of mid-range thickness and linear resonance from simple construction. Also, Fender Telecaster through Squier series is available around $300-400, reproducing the bright, sharp tone Taniguchi uses as sub.

For power supply and tuners, KORG Pitchblack is available around $70 new, enabling experience of professional-level precision. For power supplies, stable supply products from low-price brands like One Control and Caline are available, fully serving as alternatives to Guyatone AC-10.

The important points are “overdrive + Marshall-type sound combination,” “adding spread with delay,” and “EQ balance utilizing mid-range.” Even without gathering expensive equipment, following these three points can get quite close to Taniguchi’s sound.

Type	Equipment Name	Manufacturer	Amazon Best Price URL	Artist	Guitarist	Notes
Overdrive	BOSS SD-1 SUPER OverDrive	BOSS	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Actually used model. Affordable and available. Mid-range prominent projecting distortion.
Overdrive	Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer	Ibanez	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Actually used model. Optimal for solo sustain. Around $100.
Delay	BOSS DD-3T Digital Delay	BOSS	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Budget alternative to DD-6/7. Simple delay effects achievable.
Amplifier	BOSS Katana-50 MkII	BOSS	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Can reproduce Marshall-type sound. Optimal for practice to small live shows.
Guitar	Epiphone Les Paul Junior	Epiphone	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Alternative to Les Paul Junior modified model. Available around $300-500.
Guitar	Squier Telecaster	Squier (Fender)	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Budget version of Taniguchi’s sub Telecaster. Optimal for cutting.
Tuner	KORG Pitchblack	KORG	Search on Amazon	KANA-BOON	Maguro Taniguchi	Actually used model. High precision tuning introducible at affordable price.

Summary and Conclusion【KANA-BOON・Maguro Taniguchi】

Unraveling Taniguchi’s guitar sound, its essence is summarized in “simplicity” and “mid-range presence.” While centering on modified Gibson Les Paul Junior Double Cut and adding expressions for each song with ES-335 and Telecaster. Then using royal road Marshall series for amplifiers, reinforcing distortion with classic overdrives like SD-1 and TS-9. Despite not being complex equipment configuration, realizing sound immediately recognizable as KANA-BOON exists precisely because of Taniguchi’s playing style and tone creation philosophy.

The tone creation point is “not over-distorting while making guitar project in band ensemble.” Centering on Marshall amp mid-range and slightly lifting highs with overdrive. This simple ingenuity supports the overall band’s driving feel and energy. Furthermore, spatial direction using delay is an important element creating depth in his sound, enabling simple yet three-dimensional guitar arrangements.

Also, due to his position as guitar vocalist, the balance between vocals and guitar is very important. Taniguchi’s tone creation never over-asserts guitar, designed to enhance vocal lines. This is why he can deliver sounds that harmonize with overall songs while maintaining edge both in live performances and recordings.

A major hint for beginners recreating his sound is prioritizing “royal road overdrive and mid-range conscious amp settings” rather than gathering expensive equipment. Even with budget guitars like Epiphone and Squier, and amps like BOSS Katana, you can sufficiently approach Taniguchi-like sound. In other words, in tone creation, “how to use” becomes key rather than “brand or price.”

Ultimately, the charm of Taniguchi’s sound lies in his personality and feelings toward the band directly appearing in the sound. Powerful yet friendly guitar sound forms KANA-BOON’s worldview united with his vocals. Those studying his sound going forward should value the perspective of “how to resonate guitar within the overall band” rather than merely imitating equipment, which can be said to be the most important point for approaching Taniguchi’s tone creation.

Understanding that his approach prioritizes musical context over individual technical prowess makes his contributions to KANA-BOON’s distinctive sound even more meaningful and accessible to aspiring musicians, it is assumed.