[Imai Toshiyuki] How to Recreate the BUCK-TICK Sound + Guitar Gear and Tone Settings [Effects & Amps]

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Introduction (Overview of Tone)

BUCK-TICK’s guitarist, Toshiyuki Imai, continues to be a unique presence in the Japanese rock scene. His sound intentionally deviates from traditional “guitar-like” qualities, expressing synthesizer-like expansiveness and unusual textures through the guitar. Iconic songs such as “JUST ONE MORE KISS” and “JUPITER” showcase beautiful arpeggios and ethereal spatial processing, while tracks like “From the Far East with Love” and “Metaphysical Meteor” highlight intense expressions that fuse distortion and noise.

His sound design is characterized by a foundation built on signature models from Fernandes, modified with sustainers, fretless features, and LED integrations, thoroughly tailored to “Toshiyuki Imai specifications.” Additionally, he employs rack systems and guitar synthesizers to recreate sounds like bells and electronic phrases, embodying a style that can truly be called “heretical sound design.”

In recent years, Imai has incorporated Free The Tone’s loop switchers and the latest digital racks, evolving his sound without relying on past equipment. This flexible gear setup and expressive ambition keep BUCK-TICK’s sound world perpetually fresh.

Particularly in live performances, he primarily uses Marshall and Mesa/Boogie amplifiers, separating sounds with spatial effects and pitch shifters to create a multi-layered soundscape with just one guitar. It’s as if the guitar functions like a synthesizer, dramatically altering the sonic landscape from song to song.

Toshiyuki Imai’s sound is not merely a combination of equipment but a crystallization of ideas and experimental spirit. It is a significant element that embodies BUCK-TICK’s unique worldview, free from the constraints of conventional guitar sounds.

▶ Search official YouTube videos of BUCK-TICK

List of Amplifiers and Features

The core of Toshiyuki Imai’s sound has been supported by his long-time favorites, Marshall and Mesa/Boogie amplifiers. During the early to mid-period of BUCK-TICK, he used the classic Marshall JCM800 and JCM900, which provided a robust rock distortion while utilizing spatial effects to create a sense of floating ambiance. Marshall is appealing because it maintains the fundamental presence of the guitar while providing a balance that does not get lost in Imai’s complex effect chain.

From the 1990s onward, he introduced Mesa/Boogie models like the Mark I and DC-5, gaining a wider and more diverse sound palette. Mesa/Boogie offers a broad range of clean and distorted tones, granting significant flexibility for Imai’s “non-guitar-like” tone crafting. Notably, he employs stereo operation, varying delay and EQ across left and right channels to form a three-dimensional sound image.

In the 2000s, live photos confirm the use of the Peavey 5150 II, which likely became a choice for achieving louder and thicker sounds. He uses a Mesa/Boogie 4×12 cabinet, combining it with standard microphones like the SM57 and D112 to reproduce powerful sounds for both live and recording settings.

By skillfully alternating between the traditional rock sound of Marshall and the modern, thick sound of Mesa/Boogie and Peavey, Toshiyuki Imai has adapted to the evolving musicality of BUCK-TICK over the years. The evolution of his equipment reflects his constant pursuit of experimental and new sounds.

Overall, his choice of amplifiers serves not just as a source of distortion or clean tones but as a “canvas” to maximize the effects. Building a foundation with Marshall and adding depth and expansiveness with Mesa/Boogie is an essential element of Toshiyuki Imai’s unique sound creation.

Types of Guitars Used and Features

Toshiyuki Imai is symbolized by the signature models developed with Fernandes. The representative “BT-MM” features FGI technology pickups and a sustainer, allowing for Imai’s unique infinite sustain and ethereal tone. The body shapes range from Strat-style, Telecaster-style, to fretless and LED-equipped models, showcasing a wide variety.

Particularly, the original models known as the “Mai-Mai” series come in various colors such as white, red, gray, fretless, and double-neck, balancing visual impact with sound diversity. They have become iconic on stage, strongly imprinting BUCK-TICK’s worldview.

In the early days, he also used a Strat-style guitar from P-Project, which featured paint inspired by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “B-2 UNIT” album cover, combining artistic and sonic qualities. Additionally, he explored unique high-frequency components with the aluminum-bodied Tokai TALBO, demonstrating a continuous challenge to new materials and structures.

He has also used Fender’s Jaguar, particularly the orange mirror pickguard version, which was influential enough to be released as a commercial model. Furthermore, traditional models like Gibson’s Les Paul Junior, Custom, ES-335, and Flying V have been integrated, showcasing a diverse character for each BUCK-TICK song.

These guitar choices represent a balance of “tradition + experimentation,” aiming not only for visual impact but also for unique sound formation through combinations with effects. The guitars themselves possess special functions, allowing even simple chord work to produce extraordinary resonance, which is at the core of Toshiyuki Imai’s style.

Overall, his choice of guitars has been treated not merely as “tools to support playing” but as “expressions themselves.” Through continuous trial and error over the years, they have evolved alongside BUCK-TICK’s sound.

Effects and Pedalboard Setup

When discussing Toshiyuki Imai’s sound design, his vast and unique effects system is indispensable. He does not seek a “guitar-like sound” but consciously incorporates noise, electronic sounds, and synthesizer-like textures. Therefore, he combines rack systems with compact pedals and even custom gear to create a one-of-a-kind effects chain.

Notable effects include the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff and Pro Co Rat, both of which produce rough noise and thick distortion. He also utilizes two BOSS GE-7 units, serving as both EQ and booster, which is characteristic of his setup. Even simple effects are transformed into unique textures through Imai’s approach.

For modulation, he employs BOSS Dimension, Rocktron Intellifex, and Eventide H3000 to construct a three-dimensional and ethereal sound. Additionally, he incorporates bold pitch shifts with the Digitech Whammy, adding a fantastical and unusual tone to his music. Furthermore, he uses modern noise pedals like Red Panda’s Bit Mixer and Bit Wrangler, indicating that he continuously updates his effects system.

The rack system is particularly complex, combining multi-effects and delays like the Yamaha SPX series, Maxon Harmonics Delay, and Eventide Eclipse. This allows him to express sounds ranging from bells to piano-like tones with just one guitar. He also integrates noise reduction with the ISP Decimator ProRack G and sound pressure correction with the BBE Sonic Maximizer, incorporating processing akin to professional PA systems into his guitar board.

In live settings, a custom routing switcher from Free The Tone has been introduced, enabling instant switching of complex effects chains. This system is essential for smoothly reproducing the diverse expressions present in BUCK-TICK’s songs. Additionally, the “Alexander Super Neo-Matic,” a digital time modulator built into Fernandes guitars, symbolizes Imai’s unique sound.

Overall, Toshiyuki Imai’s effects board serves as a “device to expand the guitar,” emphasizing not just the variety and number of effects but how they are combined. This experimental and meticulous approach is the foundation that supports his heretical sound.

Tone Settings, EQ, and Mixing Approaches

Toshiyuki Imai’s sound design is also distinctive in how he utilizes the guitar’s output. By employing fuzz and distortion, and using the BOSS GE-7 to boost specific frequencies, he accentuates the presence of the guitar. In live settings, he particularly emphasizes the mid-range to ensure that the guitar line remains clear even amidst the layered effects.

In studio recordings, he utilizes stereo imaging to achieve a three-dimensional sound that spreads across the left and right channels. The clean channel of the Mesa/Boogie amp serves as a foundation, while delays and reverbs are used to create depth. By subtly varying the delay times, sounds intersect across different time axes, creating an ethereal space.

During the mixdown phase, he meticulously adjusts the degree of effects and overlapping sounds to finalize a dark and mysterious soundscape characteristic of BUCK-TICK. He is particularly mindful of “gaps in sound,” emphasizing the balance between the guitar and other instruments. This integration allows the entire composition to coalesce into a singular soundscape, drawing listeners into another dimension.

Affordable Alternatives to Recreate the Tone

There are affordable gear options available to achieve a sound reminiscent of Toshiyuki Imai. Particularly important are sustainers and distortions. Fernandes guitars with built-in sustainers, as well as the BOSS DS-1 and Electro-Harmonix Nano Big Muff, can be acquired at reasonable prices. By using these as a foundation, one can supplement with BOSS multi-effects to approximate Imai’s sound.

Moreover, modulation effects can create a unique floating sensation by combining analog and digital elements. Considering affordable chorus and delay pedals from Behringer could also be a good choice.

Summary and Conclusion

Toshiyuki Imai has consistently pursued new sound designs that transcend existing guitar sounds. His musical approach treats not only the guitar but also effects, amplifiers, and mixing as a single instrument. Through a diverse array of equipment and an experimental spirit, he continues to create BUCK-TICK’s unique sound world, influencing many guitarists across generations.

While his sound design is by no means simple, understanding the fundamental elements and adding one’s own approach makes it possible to get closer to Toshiyuki Imai’s tone. His innovative style serves as a source of inspiration for many, exploring new possibilities as a guitarist.