[Takashi Kato] How to Recreate the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra Sound + Guitar Gear and Tone Settings [Effects & Amps]

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Introduction (Overview of Tone)

Takashi Kato, the guitarist of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, is a pivotal figure in the crossover sound of ska, jazz, and rock that represents Japan. His playing style is characterized by sharp rhythm guitar cutting and melodic solo work, which are essential elements of his sound. Notably, in iconic tracks like “Down Beat Stomp” and “Beautifully Burning Forest,” his cutting play stands out, accentuating the brass section while tightening the overall band sound.

In live performances, Kato showcases intense rock solos, blending a wide range of genres such as blues, rock, ska, and funk. His sound crafting revolves around a vintage Stratocaster, delivering a brilliant tone alongside a thick rock sound achieved through high-gain amplifiers. The 1965 Fender Stratocaster he uses has aged beautifully, with its paint worn off, giving it a unique character. He has also swapped pickups for Seymour Duncan and Rio Grande to adapt flexibly to different playing styles and songs.

Kato’s choice of equipment and modifications are all aimed at enhancing the role of guitar within the “Ska-Pa sound,” ensuring that it neither overwhelms the ensemble nor loses its presence. This results in a sound that enriches the band’s thickness while supporting a groove that gets the audience dancing.

Understanding his sound deeply provides valuable insights for guitarists looking to replicate the Ska-Pa music. The following sections will delve into the specific gear he uses, including amplifiers, guitars, and effects, along with the creative approaches he employs in sound design.

▶ Search official YouTube videos of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra

List of Amplifiers and Features

The core of Takashi Kato’s sound is supported by a combination of modern high-gain amplifiers from FRIEDMAN and classic Marshalls. The FRIEDMAN RUNT 50 serves as his main amplifier, used in both live and studio settings, covering a wide range from clean to hard drive tones. Despite its 50W specification, it possesses the three-dimensionality and responsiveness typical of tube amplifiers, making it capable of projecting the Stratocaster’s brilliant tone effectively.

The cabinet used in conjunction with the RUNT 50 is the FRIEDMAN 412, featuring four 12-inch speakers. This cabinet is crucial for maintaining sound pressure and presence on stage, ensuring that the guitar does not get lost in the large ensemble sound of Ska-Pa. Depending on the venue size and song atmosphere, the Bogner 212CB, equipped with two 12-inch speakers, is also utilized for its tighter low-mid response, making it suitable for funky cutting and lively ska rhythm parts.

For classic rock sounds, Kato also employs the Marshall SV20H and SV212 combination. The SV20H is designed to replicate the “Plexi sound,” which is likely used for natural crunch and harmonics in Ska-Pa’s jazz and blues-oriented tracks. The characteristic midrange of Marshall amplifiers makes it an ideal choice for Kato when playing melodic phrases during solos.

Overall, Kato’s amplifier selection emphasizes achieving “sound pressure that stands out even in a large ensemble” and “clarity in rhythm guitar cutting.” By alternating between the modern, thick sound of FRIEDMAN and the classic, sticky character of Marshall, he constructs his unique guitar sound.

Types of Guitars Used and Features

Takashi Kato primarily uses a 1965 Fender Stratocaster (Lake Placid Blue). Over years of live performances, its paint has worn off, giving it a unique presence. This versatile guitar can handle everything from the characteristic rhythm cutting of Ska-Pa to blues-rock lead playing, symbolizing his sound. The pickups have been replaced with Seymour Duncan SSL-5, maintaining the brilliance of single-coils while providing a stronger output.

Additionally, he frequently uses a modified Fender American Professional Stratocaster. This model has been rewired to S-S-H configuration, featuring a humbucker in the rear. This modification allows for a thick high-gain tone while retaining the sharpness of traditional Stratocasters. The six-point tremolo system enhances his expressive capabilities during performances.

Another addition to his arsenal is a Stratocaster from Hukurow Guitars, equipped with a Seymour Duncan Hot Rail in the rear pickup. This high-output, noiseless humbucker is ideal for intense live performances, providing a thick solo tone when needed.

In the past, Kato also used a Gibson Les Paul as his main guitar, particularly during the “Lost Candy” era, where its thick sustain contributed to a strong rock sound. After joining Ska-Pa, he transitioned to a Stratocaster-centric style, but the rock expression he developed with the Les Paul still influences his playing.

Thus, Kato’s guitar philosophy revolves around “starting with a Stratocaster while adapting through modifications and pickup swaps.” This flexibility is essential for supporting the diverse range of Ska-Pa’s repertoire.

Effects and Pedalboard Setup

Discussing Takashi Kato’s sound would be incomplete without mentioning his diverse array of effects and the efficient system board that organizes them. The atmosphere of Ska-Pa’s songs varies significantly, requiring a wide range of effects from distortion to spatial effects. To facilitate smooth transitions, he employs loop switchers like the One Control Crocodile Tail Loop OC10 and Free The Tone ARC-4, enhancing both stability and usability during performances.

For distortion effects, he utilizes a variety of pedals, including the FRIEDMAN BE-OD, Carl Martin Plexitone Single Channel, BamBasic Freesoul Overdrive, Sugartone Drive, and Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff. Notably, the BE-OD allows for high-gain sounds that align closely with the FRIEDMAN amplifier, making it ideal for lead and heavy riffs. The Plexitone can recreate thick classic rock distortion, suggesting that Kato adjusts his pedal choices according to the song’s character.

In terms of spatial effects, his setup includes the Strymon Timeline (delay), Strymon Mobius (modulation), OOPEGG Super Retro Reverb ORV-1, Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy (analog delay), and BOSS RE-20 Space Echo. These effects help create depth in ska and jazz rhythms while crafting ethereal tones for ballads. The RE-20, in particular, emulates vintage tape echo, adding richness to the ska cutting.

Additionally, the Mad Professor Mellow Yellow Tremolo is used to emphasize the syncopation and bouncy rhythm characteristic of ska. This enhances the cohesion with the rhythm section. The Free The Tone Junction Box organizes the signal path, while the BOSS TU-3S ensures consistent tuning, resulting in a practical and orderly pedalboard setup.

Overall, Kato’s effects system aims to “seamlessly switch between diverse tones,” fully accommodating the varied styles present in Ska-Pa’s music.

Tone Settings, EQ, and Mixing Approaches

Takashi Kato’s sound design reflects his efforts to ensure that the guitar “does not overpower but maintains presence” within the large ensemble of Ska-Pa. When heard solo, his tone is quite solid, yet he skillfully organizes unnecessary frequency ranges through EQ and amp settings to avoid clashing with the horns and rhythm section. Specifically, he keeps the low-mids around 200Hz to 400Hz subdued while boosting the attack range between 2kHz and 4kHz, allowing the cutting to stand out clearly.

The amp settings for the FRIEDMAN RUNT 50 are likely based on a clean channel with Bass kept low (around 10-11 o’clock), Middle set flat or slightly lower (around 11 o’clock), Treble slightly elevated (around 1 o’clock), and Presence modest in smaller venues while emphasized in arenas or larger venues. This setup ensures that the rhythm guitar sounds sharp without interfering with the midrange of the brass section or the snare of the drums.

When using the distortion channel or effects, Kato combines the FRIEDMAN BE-OD and Plexitone to reinforce the lead tone. For lead playing, he elevates the midrange while cutting the low end, maintaining a balance that allows the solo to shine without overshadowing the entire band. Given that Ska-Pa’s live performances feature substantial horn section pressure, he likely fine-tunes EQ processing around the 2kHz range to ensure the guitar remains prominent.

The use of spatial effects is also distinctive. For cutting, he sets the delay time to a shorter range (below 200ms) to maintain a tight rhythm while adding a hint of depth. For ballads or mid-tempo songs, he utilizes the Strymon Timeline, setting the delay time to 400-500ms and keeping feedback shallow to prevent the reverb from becoming intrusive. Reverb is generally kept subtle, with the OOPEGG Super Retro Reverb engaged only when a larger space is needed.

In modulation, Kato employs the chorus and phaser from the Strymon Mobius, tailoring them to each song. Particularly in ska rhythm cutting, he synchronizes the Mad Professor Mellow Yellow Tremolo with the rhythm to emphasize a bouncy nuance. These meticulous choices enhance the dynamic quality of Ska-Pa’s music.

It is also presumed that mixing engineers make thoughtful adjustments during the mixing stage. They may intentionally cut the guitar’s frequency range to prioritize the midrange of trumpets and saxophones while enhancing the guitar’s high frequencies. Compression is applied lightly to avoid excessive squashing, preserving dynamics. This is particularly effective for cutting, as the intensity and dynamics of the performance directly contribute to the groove, making shallow compression a beneficial approach.

Moreover, the guitar is often panned slightly to the side, maintaining distance from the horn and rhythm sections, creating a sense of three-dimensionality in the ensemble. Kato’s sound design is a practical accumulation of adjustments aimed at prioritizing the band sound while ensuring his guitar maintains a distinct presence.

In summary, Kato’s sound design is characterized by organized EQ, varied amp settings, skillful adjustments of spatial effects, and collaboration with the PA system, all contributing to the support and enhancement of Ska-Pa’s sound.

Affordable Alternatives to Recreate the Tone

To fully replicate Takashi Kato’s sound would typically require high-end gear like a vintage Stratocaster and FRIEDMAN amplifiers. However, there are ample ways to achieve a similar vibe while keeping costs down. Here, we will introduce gear that can be acquired for around $100 to $500 (up to $1,000) that can recreate the sharpness of Ska-Pa’s cutting and the sustain of leads.

For guitars, Fender Japan or Squier Stratocasters are ideal options. Specifically, the Squier Classic Vibe series offers vintage-style sound at a low price, featuring Alnico pickups that deliver brilliant clean tones. By swapping the rear pickup for a higher-output model, players can also achieve a thick lead sound akin to Kato’s. The high degree of modification freedom makes it perfect for those looking to experiment with sound crafting.

Regarding amplifiers, the FRIEDMAN RUNT 50 is quite expensive, so the BOSS KATANA series is a recommended alternative. The KATANA-50 MkII covers a wide range from clean to crunch and high-gain, and its built-in effects make it easy to replicate Kato’s live clean tone with light distortion, making it very popular among beginners. Additionally, the Marshall Code and Blackstar HT series are accessible options for those aiming for a rock-oriented tone.

For effects, products from BOSS and Electro-Harmonix can effectively recreate the desired atmosphere. For instance, the BOSS SD-1 (overdrive) is affordable and provides responsive distortion, matching Kato’s cutting-centric sound. Delay options like the BOSS DD-8 or Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy offer excellent cost performance, while reverb can be sufficiently handled by the BOSS RV-6. Furthermore, for those preferring multi-effects, the ZOOM G3Xn or Line 6 HX Stomp (though slightly pricier) can simplify the recreation of Kato’s complex effects chain.

In summary, by combining a “Strat-style guitar,” a “versatile modeling amp,” and “standard BOSS compact effects,” it is possible to get close to Takashi Kato’s sound for around $500 to $1,000.

Summary and Conclusion

Takashi Kato’s sound design in the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra transcends mere guitar sounds; it is a response to the question of “how to assert presence within a large ensemble.” His style showcases flexibility, with a foundation in vintage Stratocasters complemented by pickup swaps and modifications, a diversity of amplifiers like FRIEDMAN and Marshall, and a rationally organized effects board.

Ska-Pa’s music crosses genres of ska, jazz, rock, and funk, often highlighting the horn section, while Kato’s guitar serves as an “indispensable element that plays a supporting role.” In cutting, he establishes the rhythm’s core, and in solos, he accentuates melodies. To achieve this, he chooses sounds that “cut through while complementing other instruments” during the EQ and mixing stages.

Moreover, examining his gear history reveals a transition from Gibson Les Paul to a focus on Stratocaster models. This choice aligns with the rhythm-centric musicality of Ska-Pa, understanding that the sharp tone of a Stratocaster fits perfectly. His approach of integrating high-output single-coils and humbuckers through modifications demonstrates a commitment to “how to resonate with the entire band.”

For beginners attempting to replicate his sound, it is not necessary to invest in vintage or high-end gear. The key is to consider “how to present oneself within the ensemble.” For example, organizing low frequencies through EQ, keeping reverb and delay subtle to maintain rhythm integrity, and emphasizing rhythm with tremolo are all approaches anyone can adopt, regardless of their budget.

In conclusion, the essence of Takashi Kato’s sound design lies in the balance of “self-assertion and subtraction.” The moments when he steps forward and those when he supports the band are seamlessly executed through both his gear and playing style. For guitarists looking to emulate Ska-Pa, learning this “philosophy of sound design that prioritizes the entire band” may be more valuable than merely replicating the sound.