Active Band Man Chats - 2024 New Gear Predictions: Year-End Review

Well, what are we doing this time?

2024 is coming to an end!

And?

This year has just flown by!

Well...yes.

It went by in a flash!

Cats?

It was all in the blink of an eye!

Toshi-chan?

It was like a flash!

I don't get it at all...can you please stop?

I’m being chastised! Now let's get back on track...my new gear predictions for this year...! I'm going to check the answers...puff, puff, puff...!

I see...the usual. Now let's do a summary of the second half of the year...

As for the results of the first half of the year... I got a NUX Mighty Air! The red one! I am always on board for The Captains! So, I was able to buy something that works!

Yes, it did. I only got this one item.

DIGITECH / Drop

Yup, how is it? Are you using it?

Yes, I am. I've used it on stage a few times and I don't feel any discomfort with it, so it's very useful. Sometimes I forget to turn it on and start a song in the wrong key, but that's my problem.

...and you didn't do much new gear in the first half of the year, but what about the second half?

Well...

I heard you got a good rod.

Ugh, why do you have to say that...?

The story is up!

Uhh proof?...

I'm sure it's a good one, isn't it?

Yes, it is. It's a Momose brand 5-string... I did a lot of test playing this time... I went to many music stores in and around Tokyo in the blazing hot heat of summer to find one.

I went with you to Yokohama.

Yes, we did. And, you ended up here.

I've been playing with active for the past few years, but this time I decided to go passive. With active, the sound pops out on its own, but with passive, you have to play it properly or the sound will fly away. Can you feel it...?

I see... active and passive, positive and negative... narrative and... decorative and...

That's enough. I also tried several other basses of the same specs in different woods from the same Momose brand, and I ended up with an ash body.

Does it make that much of a difference?

Well...I guess it depends on the individual, but I think the ash body has more power. I'm a little worried about my shoulders and back...but I'm happy with it.

Good for you. You got effects pedals, too, right, New Gear?

I have a spare... a couple of backups...

I see.

Give me a break. BASS CLONE is still available, but the EC CUSTOM ones are already in short supply on the used market, so when I see them, I just take a chance and...

I'll let you off the hook this time. Do more.

Which one?

I like to see people other than myself playing new gear.

(laughs) And, here's another one, Zoar by EARTHQUAKER DEVICES!

EARTHQUAKER DEVICES / Zoar

It's a distortion for guitar, but I use it on bass. Its nature is very coarse, but I like the comped feel of it, so I use it lightly distorted and leave it on. It's a bit like the texture of my favorite PGS, isn't it?

Sometimes I want to try bass effect pedals, too.

And the MS-60B+, the successor to ZOOM's MS-60B...

ZOOM / MS-60B+

I'm still curious about ZOOM's multi... I've used both the MS-60B and the B2 FOUR, so I'm still curious about them... (laughs)

It's a very cost-effective product, isn't it?

So, I got the chance to try it.. I got the impression that the sound is definitely better. Especially in the preamp system. The overall sound is better or clearer. However...I personally think that the way to switch presets was better in the previous version. I plan to continue experimenting with it and other aspects as well. I will probably use it differently from the MS-60B depending on the site. Perhaps.

Anything else?

I bought this one used.

A recording machine?

I bought this for my parents' house. There really isn’t a lot of entertainment in the countryside. (laughs) This is how I feel about it. I don't know if I need to work harder or not... (laughs)

There were quite a few things. I don't know if I need to work harder... (laughs)

That's right. In the second half of this year, I almost stopped doing SNS altogether, so I didn't upload MNG either... I was sneaking around behind the scenes (laughs).

First, here’s this one!

BOSS? Is it a distortion?

Yes! I used to use it for a while in The Showers' live show, but I gave it away.

Oh, I could have used it. I remember things were changing so fast back then...I guess that means I have to buy another one. I do that from time to time.

I do that, too (laughs). I used a lot of different distortion systems, but this one seemed to work best for backup and solos.

I see. So it suits your taste. I mean, you really like BOSS, as if it's imprinted into your DNA.

Well, I can't deny it. And, now I'm thinking of putting this on the board of The Captains.

Oh, maybe we can hear Prince's guitar solo in the Captains? I'm looking forward to it.

By the way, this series with the knobs and panels is really nice.

I have one myself, the BB-1X.

I like it, too. The Gigicraft series is good, but I think this one suits me better. I used to use the OD-1X.

More glamorous than technique? You are the prince of roses. What else? New gear.

This way!

What? What's this?

It's our Playtech blues harp!
⇒ PLAYTECH / Harmonica List

What? Blues harp? Did you know you could play it?

That's a mystery!

A mystery...I guess that's one way of putting it (laughs)!

I'm going to practice now, and I aim to perform at the year-end party at the end of the year!

The year-end party. The Captains' event. It's not like the band is hosting a bingo party, but it's a big party...good luck!

Yeah! Oh, one more thing!

Oh, you got a new one?

YES!

I mean, Sound House offers free shipping on orders over 3,000 yen (tax included) anywhere in Japan.

That's right!

Is that all?

That's all!

This year was not so bad.

I'll do my best next year!

Is that the right place to work hard?

But still, new gear is good for new challenges and ideas!

That's true...I guess. Next year, Kizuhiko-san will be busy touring in the first half of the year, so I look forward to seeing what kind of stimulation that will bring to MNG. So, to all of our readers and Sound House staff, thank you very much for your support this year. Have a happy New Year.

So, everything?

Is because of love!