[L'Arc-en-Ciel] Ken's gear [Amps, Guitars, Effects]

Ken is originally from Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture. He has an unusual background, having studied at the Nagoya Institute of Technology's Faculty of Engineering, Department of Social Engineering, and began his musical career while at university. His structural perspective and design thinking are said to have influenced the sound he created later on.

At the invitation of TETSUYA, he joined L'Arc~en~Ciel in 1992 when the previous member HIRO left the band. Since then, as a core member of the band, he has been involved not only in composing and arranging but also in creating the sound and overall sound design, producing many of their signature songs such as "Niji," "Vivid Colors," and "STAY AWAY."

Not only does he play the role of guitarist, but he also displays one of the best songwriting talents in L'Arc~en~Ciel. Characterized by rich, evolving compositions, his songs range from mid-tempo ballads to aggressive rock tunes. Ken's compositions have broadened the band's musical scope.

In 2006, while L'Arc~en~Ciel was on hiatus, Ken began his musical career under the name "Ken." His solo work focused on a more experimental and rough rock sound, more strongly expressing his own musical tastes. His live performances showed a greater degree of freedom, and the variety of guitar equipment he used also changed.

Ken is known as a guitarist who is particular about achieving both high reproduction quality and emotional expression during live performances. His meticulous pedal board, choice of amplifiers, and sound pressure design on stage all demonstrate his professional attitude, which goes beyond being merely a "gear enthusiast."

This Stratocaster, named "Experiment," is Ken's third signature model. The body design, featuring a white base and gold leaf accents, evokes the elegant look of Japanese kintsugi pottery, making it a truly eye-catching presence on stage.

The body is made of alder, while the neck and fingerboard are made of maple, a traditional combination, but the neck shape is extra thick and comfortable to hold, tailored to Ken's preferences. The pickups are mounted directly to the body, providing excellent vibration transmission and a bold sound image with a direct attack.

The biggest "experimental" element of this model is that Ken himself has made modifications to the body shape. The original design did not have a back contour (a cut that follows the body), but Ken has now personally filed the edges to create an "exquisite contour." Furthermore, Ken himself has engraved graffiti-style details on various parts of the body, and he says he will continue to add updates in the future.

Ken says, "I like the way the fundamental tone is produced. The pickups allow me to balance the front and rear depending on how I play," so this guitar is perfectly suited to his playing style. The strings are the same as his other main guitars, .009-.042.

The second signature model, the Paisley Fantasy, debuted in 2016. Crafted by master Fender Custom Shop craftsman Greg Fessler, it features a striking pink paisley paint job, just as its name suggests.

The body is made of alder, the neck is made of maple, and the pickups are a combination of Custom Shop Fat '50s single coils in the bridge and center, and a Custom '69 single coil in the neck. The pickguard is made of clear acrylic, allowing you to see inside.

In fact, various features of the Paisley Fantasy (such as direct-mounted pickups and acrylic PG) were carried over to the later Experiment #1, providing a glimpse into the evolution of Ken's models. Ken himself said of this guitar, "The direct-mount pickups and thick neck are comfortable. The flashy paint job stimulates the imagination and makes you want to play." This guitar not only makes a visual impact, but also inspires you in terms of playing. Like his other electric guitars, it uses .009-.042 strings.

The Galaxy Red is Ken's first signature Stratocaster, created in 2010. Featuring a deep red glitter Galaxy finish and a gold anodized pickguard, it generated a lot of buzz from the moment it was released.

This guitar, also designed by Greg Fessler, features the same alder body and maple neck combination as the Ken model, along with an extra-thick neck grip, all of which form the basis of the current Ken sound. Ken has a particularly strong attachment to this guitar, and has used it so frequently in live performances that fans have come to associate it with "Galaxy Red."

In fact, he has been using this model since 2010, playing key roles in album recordings and live performances. Ken commented, "The tone produced by the anodized pickguard is pleasant, and the delicacy of the guitar Greg built is very satisfying," and this guitar embodies his ideals not only in appearance but also in sound.

Ken's unusual choice for acoustic music is the American Acoustasonic Stratocaster, which he started using around 2021 and has been instrumental in unplugged songs and ballads.

While it looks like a Stratocaster, this semi-acoustic guitar features a hollow interior and allows you to switch between acoustic and electric sounds with a piezo pickup. It's equipped with three types of pickups, including a Fishman under-saddle transducer and Fender's own Acoustasonic Noiseless, allowing for a wide variety of tones.

When Ken uses this guitar, he outputs the signal directly to the PA through a Fender Tone Master Pro multi-effects processor. This allows him to consistently deliver the delicate sound of an acoustic guitar on stage. The strings are different from those used on electric guitars, and are Fender phosphor bronze strings (.011-.052), which support a warm, full acoustic tone.

Ken himself said, "The combination with the Tone Master Pro gave me a fuller sound," and it has become an important item in creating the contrast between stillness and movement in the band's live performances.

The Galaxy Red is Ken's first signature Stratocaster, produced in 2010. Featuring a deep red, glittery Galaxy finish and a gold anodized (metal) pickguard, it generated significant buzz upon its release. Also designed by Greg Fessler, it features the same alder body and maple neck combination as other Ken models, along with an extra-thick neck grip, providing the foundation for Ken's current sound. Ken has a special attachment to this guitar, and has frequently played it live, to the point that fans have come to associate it with the Galaxy Red. In fact, he has continued to use it since 2010, playing key roles in album recordings and live performances. Ken commented, "The anodized pickguard produces a pleasant tone, and the delicate feel of Greg's guitars is a delight." This guitar embodies his ideals not only in appearance but also in sound.

Ken's main amp for distortion (lead and backing) is the Suhr ML-100 guitar amp head. The ML-100 is a 100W-class tube amp, and Ken sets it to a slightly crunch setting and boosts the distortion with a pedal to create lead tones. The speaker cabinet connected to this head is a Two-Rock 2x12 cabinet equipped with two 12-inch speakers. The Suhr head and Two-Rock cabinet are connected with a high-quality Free The Tone speaker cable (CS-8037-BS). For microphone pickup, he combines an sE Electronics VR-1 ribbon microphone with a Sennheiser MD-409 dynamic microphone. This setup is meticulously crafted. The ML-100's classic Marshall-inspired sound is also capable of handling modern high-gain output, allowing Ken to use it to cover a wide range of sounds, from thick riffs to long, drawn-out solos. Ken's style is to use thick distortion that makes use of the crunch of the amp itself for backing tracks, and to push the lead tone with an overdrive pedal for guitar solos.

For the clean sound, Ken uses a Classic Reverb Signature amp head from the American company Two-Rock. Two-Rock is a brand renowned for its beautiful clean tone, supporting Ken's brilliant, three-dimensional clean sound. This head is paired with a Kerry Wright open-back 2x12 cabinet (a two-speaker cabinet with an open rear panel), equipped with Celestion G12-65 speakers. He selects Belden 9497 speaker cables, a popular choice for vintage audio equipment, and uses a Shure VIR57 (Custom 57) and a KSM313 ribbon microphone to capture the sound from this cabinet. Ken keeps his clean amp set just before slight distortion and adds sparkle and thickness with effects pedals depending on the song. Combining the Two-Rock's lush clean sound with a compressor and chorus creates a beautiful clean sound that highlights each note of the arpeggio. This amplifier contributes greatly to the clear sound image that does not get lost in the band ensemble.

Ken's live rig also includes a Fender The Edge Deluxe as a sub-stage (center stage, etc.) amp. This Fender tube combo amp, named after U2 guitarist The Edge, offers a low output but is easy to handle, from crunch to clean. When Ken moves to the center stage for arena shows and other performances, he sets up this compact Edge Deluxe for agile response. He also keeps a Fender Deluxe Reverb amp next to it as a sub (backup) amp, ensuring thorough preparation for emergencies. The Edge Deluxe's ​​soft clean sound and moderate drive, unique to vacuum tubes, make it a perfect match for Ken's clean arpeggios and backing playing. While not as extensive as his main system, this setup allows him to perform at distances without compromising sound quality.

The key to Ken's distortion sound is the Overdriveland, a custom distortion pedal made by FTT at Ken's request. It was tuned to achieve a more "instrumental" distortion effect, and Ken has several of these pedals on his board, one for solos and one for riffs. One is powered by 18V (solos only), while the other is adjustable to normal voltage (primarily for backing). By varying the voltage and channel settings, he can achieve a smooth lead tone for solos and a thick, sharp distortion for riffs. He also stacks this pedal on an amp's crunch channel to amplify the drive, creating a wide range of distortion nuances. Another advantage is that MIDI control via a complex routing system allows him to instantly recall the appropriate distortion setting depending on the song's development.

This EQ/booster pedal can boost output while adjusting frequency bands. Ken uses the Crunchy Chime to finely balance the tone of his guitar sound, boosting the volume and presence of his solos as needed. It's a pedal that plays an important role in supporting sound creation behind the scenes, smoothing out the grain in clean tones and boosting the midrange, which tends to get lost in backing tracks and riffs. Its versatility, from fine adjustments to powerful boosts, is also appealing, and in the system it's used in combination with a compressor (Silky Groove) placed after it. Ken's preference for placing the unit before the compressor ensures it works well with his amp.

This compressor pedal compresses the guitar signal to even out unevenness in volume and sound quality. Its literally "silky" effect smooths out clean tones, while adding crispness and sustain when needed. Ken uses this unit to improve the clarity of clean parts and ensure extended solos. Placed at the end of the signal chain, it suppresses sound variations caused by picking strength, allowing even the most intricate phrases to stand out without being buried. It is often used in conjunction with the Crunchy Chime (EQ/booster), and the synergistic effect of the two provides behind-the-scenes support for creating a stable tone from clean to distorted.

This noise reduction/gate pedal eliminates hum and noise that can occur in loud or high-gain environments. Ken's system uses it to counter noise specific to vintage effects like the Uni-Vibe, and it's adjusted to work appropriately according to the tone preset for each song. Its powerful gate function automatically blocks out excess noise and feedback from distorted sounds, while its delicate effectiveness without impairing sustain or resonance is key. It precisely silences the sound the moment you stop playing, maintaining clear transitions from intense riffs to silence, and it supports Ken's live sound behind the scenes.

Tone Master Pro is Fender's advanced multi-effects and amp simulator, which Ken primarily uses to process acoustic guitars. This processor uses only a tube preamp model and studio-grade compressor to add warmth and definition to the acoustic guitar's tone while suppressing peaks for a clearer sound. The signal input from the DVL-1 volume pedal is shaped by Tone Master Pro and then sent directly to the PA on stage without going through an amplifier. This provides a stable sound for the acoustic parts of the song and ensures a smooth transition from the electric parts.

This is a high-quality analog chorus/vibrato pedal. Ken uses it to add a subtle shimmer to clean arpeggios, enhancing their clarity, and the effect creates a rich, spacious clean tone. The switch allows you to switch between chorus and vibrato modes, and when applied deeply, it creates a unique pitch modulation effect that creates a floating feeling. In Ken's system, it's incorporated as a way to add color to the clean tone, and is useful for making the guitar stand out in quiet intros and interludes. Using it in conjunction with other spatial effects such as delays can also create a modulation sound with a rich, three-dimensional feel.

Ken uses MXR's Analog Chorus as a spatial effect to achieve a warm, shimmering sound. The soft chorus tone unique to analog adds depth to clean arpeggios and thickness to distorted riffs. It's used effectively in each song, adding a subtle shimmer to the clean sounds on "All Dead" and adding spaciousness to the distorted guitars on "NEXUS 4." It also creates a dreamy sound in the intro to "Cureless," and combines with delay to create a three-dimensional effect on "Blame," showing its effectiveness depending on the atmosphere of the song.

The uniquely named CHICKEN QUIFF pedal creates a tremolo effect by periodically changing the volume. Ken uses it to add a wavering effect to clean chords and sustained notes, adding a sense of movement and depth to his songs. It operates at a pre-set speed and depth, and can be instantly activated via MIDI routing for the songs he needs. Its cyclical volume changes lend a unique groove to band sounds and also add expression to the reverberations of the sound. The rhythmically synchronized wavering can create a sense of unity throughout the performance, and Ken uses this tremolo in live intros and interludes to create a unique sense of tension, adding color to the sound depending on the situation.

This delay with modulation adds a unique fluctuation to the delay sound. Featuring the warm, three-dimensional spaciousness that only a modulation delay can provide, Ken uses this unit when he wants to add depth to clean phrases. Its fluctuating echoes create a dreamlike atmosphere; for example, at the end of the track "Mirai," the shimmering reverberations produced by this unit further deepen the song's worldview. In "Blame," it was also combined with a chorus effect, contributing to the three-dimensional spatial expression. Ken makes use of multiple delays, and this unit, which can be instantly called upon when needed, is an essential piece for creating spatial sounds.

This vintage 1960s Uni-Vibe is known for its deep, undulating modulation effect. It's an important effect that adds a dreamy color to Ken's sound. As a vintage item, it's prone to noise, but Ken actively uses it in conjunction with the Integrated Gate to suppress it and use it effectively. He uses the chorus and vibrato effects to suit the song, adding depth to clean arpeggios or psychedelic nuances to solos. The dedicated expression pedal controls the effect's modulation speed in real time, allowing for flexible modulation expression during live performances. The unique, shimmering chorus creates a floating feeling that's unique to Ken, adding a spice that accentuates the band's dreamy musical style.

The DVL-1, incorporated into Ken's acoustic guitar system, is a high-quality volume pedal that minimizes sound degradation. Its full-rotation belt drive mechanism allows for smooth and precise volume adjustment, allowing for delicate control of volume balance and fade-in/out during live performances. Especially when playing acoustic guitar, it allows you to adjust the volume with your foot to match the dynamics of the song while preventing unwanted feedback, delivering a clean and consistent acoustic sound. Its rugged design ensures long-term touring use, bringing high reliability to Ken's system. It also allows for smooth volume control when switching from electric to acoustic guitar, supporting the overall sound of Ken's live performances.

In Ken's system, the FREE THE TONE PA-1QB is used for sound quality correction and fine-tuning of the tone. This high-quality preamp features an active 3-band EQ, and Ken primarily uses it to add clarity and impact to his clean tone. Built into the send/return, this device allows for the boost or cut of specific frequency bands, allowing for precise adjustments to suit the stage environment and the sound of each song. Adjusting the mid-range presence, in particular, helps the guitar stand out in the ensemble without becoming lost. The EQ settings are also saved as presets, and the MIDI switcher automatically switches to the optimal tone for each song. It also features a built-in buffer circuit to prevent sound loss, maintaining stable signal quality even when using long cables on stage—another reason Ken relies on it.

Ken's electric guitar strings are Dean Markley's nickel alloy "NICKEL STEEL Signature" light gauge (.009-.042). The thin .09-.42 gauge provides the perfect tension for Ken's playing style, which makes extensive use of choking and vibrato, and offers an excellent balance of sensitivity and playability. In fact, all of his Stratocasters use this same gauge, ensuring a consistent feel across the guitars. The bright, warm tone of nickel-wound strings offers a clear resonance when playing clean, and pleasing overtones when playing distorted. Meanwhile, his Acoustasonic Stratocaster, which he uses for acoustic music, is strung with Fender phosphor bronze strings (.011-.052), a choice that emphasizes the warmth of an acoustic guitar. By choosing the optimal strings for each song, Ken is able to consistently achieve the exact nuances of his intended sound.