Now, what about this time?"
le le le…
Huh?
le le le…
Are you shaking...?
Simp...le,
What's wrong? Are you cold? Too much air conditioning isn't good for your body, you know?
Who’s the prince of lame comments!?
I didn't say that!
You didn’t say what?
Back to that line again... Do you like it?
Simple!
So this time the theme is simplicity?
Yup!
Finally, we’re getting to the main topic.
I’m pretty straightforward, right?
Oh. You said that yourself. Well... I'm definitely not detailed. But that's part of the charm of being a prince, I guess.
That's why I think it's best to keep the equipment as simple as possible!
I see… Indeed, there's a certain allure to the simplicity of going straight into the amp without effects. But I can't help but end up lining them up. Then, for example, what would that look like with a guitar?
First of all, it has to be the classic Telecaster!
Fender / American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster M in Butterscotch Blonde
Well, that makes sense!
When you think of Telecaster players, you have to mention Keith Richards!
Exactly!
Yeah, but I also had an image of Yutaka Ozaki
Is that so? Well, if it's the Prince, I can see why...
Right? Picture him on stage holding a Butterscotch Blonde Telecaster like that. I really think it's an instrument that suits vocalists, too.
I see. For me, it would be Bruce Springsteen—definitely the image of a vocalist with a Telecaster. As for bass, if I'm looking for something, it would probably be this?
Fender / Made in Japan Traditional Original 50s Precision Bass
Original precision bass! The era of development and the color really match up, too.
Since it has just one pickup, you could say this is simpler in a way.
Uh-oh, did I just get one-upped?
No, not at all!
That's frustrating! Well, then I'll go with this!
Fender / 70th Anniversary Esquire, Maple Fingerboard, 2-Color Sunburst
Esquire? Simple with just the rear pickup!
Right? I’m feeling proud!
Not quite enough to be proud about, though!
I used to have a Fender Japan Esquire, and I really appreciated its simplicity. It was great not to have to think too much about it.
That makes sense. I’m not too familiar with it, but I guess that feeling is similar to the Precision Bass?
Fender / MIJ 2023 Heritage 60s P Bass in RW Car
Right?
I’m more of a Jazz Bass person at heart. I did use a Precision Bass for a while, but I definitely didn’t have to think much about the setup. It was almost like there was no room for doubt!
Another classic would be the Les Paul Jr.
Epiphone / Les Paul Junior Tobacco Burst
That sounds great! It really fits the vibe of simple rock 'n' roll. I can definitely picture Johnny Thunders with one. I love that!
Exactly! The fact that you can only make rough adjustments to the bridge really adds to that rock vibe!
I get the rock image... even if it’s a bit of a stretch!
Next up, let’s talk about the Stratocaster!
Isn’t it the quintessential guitar that can handle anything?
There's also the awkward one! How about this?
SQUIER / Sonic Stratocaster HT H Laurel-FB Black-PG Black
You're right! Just one rear humbucker!
The color is simple too—just solid black!
Wow, I didn’t know there were Stratocaster like this!
Right? At this point, I'd really prefer a hardtail!
That means no tremolo arm, right?
Exactly!
That definitely makes it simpler... but it’s surprisingly affordable!
Exactly! By minimizing the pickups and parts, it definitely helps keep the cost down.
That's true, keeping costs down is definitely an advantage. With basses like the Precision and Music Man StingRay, I’m used to that simplicity, but it’s surprising how many guitars have just one pickup!
Right! My original guitar design also has just one pickup!
Here it comes! Only someone like Yoshihiko can pull this off.
Well, of course! I’m feeling proud!
Got one-upped again! The controls are simple, but in a different way, they’re kind of cluttered, aren’t they?
Don’t flatter me too much now!
Not that I was complimenting you... but okay, I guess!
Yeah, it’s all good!
Speaking of powerful with one pickup, how about this bass? Though it’s cluttered in a different way, for sure...
Edwards / E-RM-105DA
Oh, the design is flashy while the controls are simple! I feel that connection!
Totally feeling that!
Looks like we've covered all the guitar parts!
Thank you for your hard work!
Next up, let’s talk about effects pedals!
Are there any specific ones you have in mind?
Keeping it simple, the first one that comes to mind is the classic overdrive—the BOSS OD-1!
Oh wow!
Just two knobs—overdrive and level. So straightforward.
Absolutely essential!
I used it for my performance, and honestly, just setting both knobs to 12 o'clock gave me a great sound! This is just my personal opinion.
That definitely sounds about right!
It really does!
Got it! My BOSS BB-1X is also usually set around 12 o'clock. It gives the sound a nice tightness just by passing through it. I do make some adjustments depending on the venue and amp, though.
BOSS / BB-1X Bass Driver
Also, there are quite a few one-knob effectors.
Yes, like boosters.
For example, this!
MXR / M133 Microamp Guitar Preamp
The classic!
That's right!
Speaking of one-knob, I use a few myself.
BBE / Sonic Stomp MS92 Bass Effects Pedal
This is it.
It's called a one-knob, but it's actually two knobs, but it's simple to use and easy to adjust the treble and bass.
I know you like this.
I have two. However, there are so many articles related to this that are ours... even though they're no longer on sale... and then there's the 4000Pre from Zehnrad...
the Rust Ride Bass Driver from HAO, and the SWIM DRIVE that was made based on that model...
You're using a lot of one-knob types.
The rest are ones that change the sound just by passing them through, with no knobs or foot switches.
That’s so simple!
It’s this.
What will happen if I pass this?
It gives the impression of being energizing, I think? It's like it makes you feel refreshed. I always take it with me when I record, but I sometimes take it off because it's too energetic for some songs. I don't think I use it much at live shows. I think the 4000Pre is more convenient for live shows.
I see. Oh, I remember. I used something like that for a while, too.
Which one?
This!
There are no knobs or switches. What kind of effect does it have?
It feels good somehow.
That's a rough estimate.
When I think about it like that, it might be good to have a pole with no knobs at all!
I see... If nothing is passed through the pickup and output, there doesn't seem to be any deterioration in sound quality...
Maybe!
To be honest, I tend to use a guitar with two pickups, but depending on the situation and the purpose, simple ones are also good. They might even reduce the number of problems.
That's it! So, is everything...?
The ending is simple, too.
For the love of!
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