Our viewpoints when it comes time to choose instruments or equipment have changed | SCANDAL's interview (Part 1)

SCANDAL is the first female Japanese artist to sign an endorsement deal with Fender. With the theme of 「Instruments and SCANDAL」, we asked them about transitions and the evolution of their involvement with instruments during the past 10 years.

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L to R: TOMOMI PRECISION BASS - 150,000yen | HARUNA TELECASTER - 167,500yen | MAMI STRATOCASTER - 150,000yen | All releasing at the end of December

The four-piece all-girl band SCANDAL that makes the world their stage as the top runner of all-girl bands is the first female Japanese artist to sign an endorsement deal with Fender. Their long-awaited signature models will be released. In about ten years they have climbed from beginners to their current position, and they've always confronted instruments sincerely. With the theme of 「Instruments and SCANDAL」, they look back on transitions and the evolution of their involvement with instruments from their formation until today, as well as models they feel strongly about.


| The visuals and sounds of a guitar became icons for us as instrument players

―  The band formed with a proposal from the dance & vocal school you attended, which is when you first laid hands on instruments; do you remember the first instruments you bought?

HARUNA: I had a black Strat-type. Since I aspired to be a dancer in the beginning, I didn't have a reason to know of the name "Fender" and got a beginners kit for about 10,000 yen that came with an amp and tuner.

MAMI: Similarly, I decided based on a favorite color; I got a pastel pink guitar.

―  TOMOMI, why did you go with the bass?

TOMOMI: All of us practiced guitars at first, but we needed a bass in order to be a band. It also had fewer strings and looked like it'd be easier to play. I heard later that it seemed like I was the only one whose guitar playing looked like bass playing (laughs). The beginners kit I got came with a sunburst-colored bass.

―  Compared to now, how has the way you confront and handle instruments changed?

MAMI: Back then I thought that guitars were disposable and you needed to buy a new one when the strings broke (laughs). The first time we played on stage was for a school event, and I was really impatient when I played the last note and a string broke. That was when a teacher taught me how to change strings for the first time.

TOMOMI: Back then, when a teacher asked us, 「Did you tune your instruments?」, we said, 「Yes. Yesterday!」.

HARUNA: We were about that ignorant when it came to instruments.

MAMI: Also, we would carry pedals and shielded cables in an ABC Mart bag, turn over the bag, and dump them out on the ground. We also put guitars in soft cases and banged them around, not caring about scratching or denting them.

RINA: That's been a problem since before that; it's your personality, isn't it (laughs)?

MAMI: What I think has changed the most is my point of view when choosing instruments and equipment. Like, I'll want this kind of instrument because I want to produce this kind of sound. I used to give priority to appearance, such as the color and shape. Of course visual aspects are important, but my priorities have changed quite a bit.

HARUNA: We indeed have begun to think like, as our songs have increased, we want to do these kinds of songs so we want to give this kind of performance.

―  From around which album did you adapt that way of thinking?

MAMI: From our third album 『BABY ACTION』 (2011). Until then we had been like, anything's okay if it's distorted (laughs).

TOMOMI: As we studied and all sorts of people taught us things like this kind of sound will come out when you set the knobs like this, we got to know what our favorite sounds were. When we found out what our standard sounds were, next we started to look for sounds that weren't like them. Awareness became song and performance-based, and our criteria for selecting instruments also changed.

MAMI: It was also a big thing for us to be able to have roadies. Like, how will it be distorted, how will the balance with the amp be, or what kinds of pedals there are. Our roadies produce the sounds we want to produce, so we look at that closely and learn from them.

HARUNA: Having our first signature models in 2014 under the Squier brand was also a really big thing for us. Making my model and putting it out into the world made it possible for me to determine the axis for my sound. I feel that I got to know what my core sound was.

―  What were you picky about for those signature models?

HARUNA: Since I'd be debuting it at our first performance at Nippon Budokan, I was super picky about its appearance. It bears a skull with glittering lamé, and I made it to be impactful even when seen from afar. For the sound as well I wanted it to have a cutting edge and pack a punch. I was pretty selfish when having it made, but that experience also lives on in this new signature model.

TOMOMI: My previous signature model was a Jazz bass. I was aware that it could be a first bass for those in our cover bands. Thinking about the first time you're going to an instrument shop and how it would be easy to pick one up if there was one that had a color that popped out, I thought of a design with yellow lines on a blue body.

MAMI: There were so many people who said that my previous signature model was the first guitar they bought. I really remember that it made me really happy.

―  Among the instruments you've used so far, are there any that you have strong feelings for?

HARUNA: There are. I have a Fender Telecaster Thinline Deluxe, and Thinlines feel a bit weak when playing live; when that happens, I hear a 「That's it right there!」 from our roadies. I think I began using it around 「Shunkan Sentimental」 (2010), which was a time when I thought that I wanted to use different instruments according to various types of songs. The Thinline Deluxe is truly a versatile instrument that you can't let go of once you've held it. Since it has humbucker pick-ups, it produces sounds that really shine during live shows; I still use it frequently.

―  You can confirm changes up close when you change your guitar or bass; is it the same for drums?

RINA: That's right. I feel changes in sounds, and I also feel that the visuals and sounds of a guitar became icons for the three of them as instrument players.

―  It seems that the changes in the instruments you use depend on the color, shape, and appearance, but playability is also important, isn't it?

MAMI: I use necks made of maple. It's the same for my signature model this time. A maple fingerboard really is easy to play. What I recently noticed is that at first I was not thinking about a tree being part of the materials; I thought that differences were found in appearance and color. But, I can now imagine the feeling of my hands getting used to maple fingerboards the more I use them.

TOMOMI: I had the edge of the neck cut down. The neck of the bass for beginners that I first had was really slim, and since my hands aren't large, a thinner one is easier for me to play in my case. That's why I had a Jazz bass neck put on a Precision bass; having the edges cut down makes it easier to grip.

HARUNA: Weight too. We consider live performances and put emphasis on lightness. It becomes hard to move if it's heavy.

MAMI: I actually like heavy ones. If it's light, I move around too much when I play.

TOMOMI: Basses are heavy to begin with, so it makes me happy to have one as light as possible. When I put it in a hard case and walk with it, my hands get locked up in that position (laughs).

MAMI: TOMO-chan's muscles have been nonexistent for quite some time (laughs).

MAMI: Back then I thought that guitars were disposable and you needed to buy a new one when the strings broke (laughs). The first time we played on stage was for a school event, and I was really impatient when I played the last note and a string broke. That was when a teacher taught me how to change strings for the first time.

TOMOMI: Back then, when a teacher asked us, 「Did you tune your instruments?」, we said, 「Yes. Yesterday!」.

thoseguiltyeyes wrote:

HARUNA: I had a black Strat-type. Since I aspired to be a dancer in the beginning, I didn't have a reason to know of the name "Fender" and got a beginners kit for about 10,000 yen that came with an amp and tuner.

mbowie4321 wrote:

thoseguiltyeyes wrote:

HARUNA: I had a black Strat-type. Since I aspired to be a dancer in the beginning, I didn't have a reason to know of the name "Fender" and got a beginners kit for about 10,000 yen that came with an amp and tuner.

My first guitar was like that, it wasn't any particular brand and came with a small amp of some kind that wasn't very loud and I think I got it based on price, I didn't have any money really. It was exciting just to have a guitar!

kudo_maharizu wrote:

mbowie4321 wrote:

thoseguiltyeyes wrote:

HARUNA: I had a black Strat-type. Since I aspired to be a dancer in the beginning, I didn't have a reason to know of the name "Fender" and got a beginners kit for about 10,000 yen that came with an amp and tuner.

My first guitar was like that, it wasn't any particular brand and came with a small amp of some kind that wasn't very loud and I think I got it based on price, I didn't have any money really. It was exciting just to have a guitar!

This would've been her Yamaha Pacifica.

Interestingly, in their Shiroten days, HARU then started using a black Eric Clapton sig Fender Strat. That's not cheap!

For the chronology of her gear, it's covered in this SH thread: https://www.scandal-heaven.com/t8879-haruna-s-gear#561661

thoseguiltyeyes wrote:

MAMI: Similarly, I decided based on a favorite color; I got a pastel pink guitar.

We've created instruments that are like us and are unlike any we've had before | SCANDAL's interview (Part 2)

SCANDAL is the first female Japanese artist to sign an endorsement deal with Fender. With the theme of 「Instruments and SCANDAL」, we asked them about transitions and the evolution of their involvement with instruments during the past 10 years.

---

L to R: TOMOMI PRECISION BASS - 150,000yen | HARUNA TELECASTER - 167,500yen | MAMI STRATOCASTER - 150,000yen | All releasing at the end of December

Just like their current musicality, the Fender signature models supervised by SCANDAL are more mature and unique and also cover a wide range of users. What were the girls particular about with these models? In this second and last part of their interview, we asked about when they record, their live shows, and these signature models that will become their main instruments for future activities. They also talked about Fender guitars, which continue to support their ensemble.


| We must not stop our level of progress and growth when it comes to instruments


―  These will be your second signature models; what were you particular about for these models?

HARUNA: I often use distortion since I'm essentially a rhythm guitarist, so until now I had been playing sharp distortion. I wanted to make it feel more showy. From talking about its appearance, I wanted to make something that could be used for a long time. I went for a classic design this time because my previous signature model was sparkly and had a skull design. I think it gives off a sense of luxury due to its white body and all-gold pickups and pegs.

―  It seems like it'll look cool and dapper on adult players.

HARUNA: That's right. In that sense, people of all ages can use it. I also wanted to make something that matched the sound with the design, and is gorgeous and expansive. It's simple on the front but has powerful pickups and humbuckers on the rear.

RINA: I can clearly tell the difference in sound with HARUNA's new signature model. With just a single strum during rehearsals, I could tell that the sense of power and the spread of the sound differs from how HARUNA has sounded so far. My impression is that it feels like there are two MAMI guitars.

― What about MAMI's model?

MAMI: I thought it'd be great to do make it one that'd be recognized as a MAMI model by its sound and appearance. The color of the body is a vintage cherry red, and I wanted it to have a sense of sheerness where, instead of it being a solid color, you could see the grain of the wood. The neck is made of maple, so by using it for a long time you can enjoy the feeling of it fading and fitting to your hands.

―  It seems like a leather item where the more you use it, the more its charm comes out.

MAMI: That's right. The sense of it drying in the sun is cool, and even if it gets scratched or scraped it feels like it becomes a part of its charm. My wish to simply have a single coil Strat was fulfilled. I tend to use a Jazzmaster when I want to make simple sounds when we record, but there aren't that many times it can be implemented during a live show. I thought a main guitar that I could use many times for recording or lives would be great.

―  Being able to produce the same sound as on a recording will make those in cover bands happy.

MAMI: That'd make me happy. We've had an increase in simple songs lately, as well as an increase in songs that have a style of playing open chords and barre chords that use all six strings. It's become easier to compartmentalize with HARUNA's guitar.

―  How about the bass?

TOMOMI: My one last time was blue, had a strong impact, and only goes with a limited number of outfits. So this time, first of all, I went with a design that would look good with any outfit. Soundwise, in order to produce a sound that would go with the Fender Bassman 100, which is the main amp that I'm currently using, I thought about going with one that would emit a vintage-like sound that had a roundness to it. I had an American vintage 60's bridge and pickups put in. Thinking that P-Bass passive pickups would also be good makes me wonder if I too have grown up a bit.

―  It seems there were more requests soundwise than lookswise this time.

TOMOMI: I feel that we've become more and more simple. We might be closer to our roots, or rather, it feels like things have been pruned down.

RINA: Since I didn't see the rough draft of the designs, I was really looking forward to seeing what the three of them came up with. When I first saw them in the rehearsal studio, I thought that they created instruments that are really like them and are unlike any they've had before. I think that they made their instruments based on our songs, so I want to play our new songs soon.

―  RINA, you played guitar and sung vocals for the song 「Oyasumi」 that you wrote; what if you were to create a RINA model guitar?

RINA: It would be an honor, but do I need my own model guitar (laughs)? But actually, at that time [I wrote "Oyasumi"] I had bought an all-white Fender Telecaster. It was inspiration for me then; the all-white color is adorable.

MAMI: I remember talking about how you don't really see white Telecasters. HARU's new signature model is also white. It's a cute color that really suits girls.

―  What are instruments to you right now?

HARUNA: Until a little while ago I had separated singing and playing guitar, but recently singing has become more fun, and similarly I've felt that playing guitar is also a lot of fun. When I play around with singing, it feels that I can play around together with the guitar. I used to feel like I can sing even without a guitar, but lately it's been better to play the guitar with adding in intonation and the way I sing, so it feels more like it makes me able to sing.

MAMI: Although it's not really a rival, it's close to being that for me. In the past we played what the composer and the arranger thought up of, and as a result our level of performance has evolved; it now feels like we're doing that for ourselves. We must not stop our level of progress and growth when it comes to instruments. That's why, when I make new songs, I definitely keep in mind to formulate a slightly more difficult phrase than my current level.

RINA: She seems to be fueled by the guitar while playing it. As expected of a stoic guitarist!

―  You're inspired by instruments, and new ideas are born as you get better.

MAMI: Of course we're influenced by a variety of things like music, which is then reflected in our music. We've also been influenced quite a bit by songs we've done so far. I'd like to prevent increases in phrase and chord withdrawal, so, for that reason, I want us to go beyond themselves a little at a time when it comes to musical instruments.

TOMOMI: When I hold a bass, I feel like I can transform into my strongest self―that still hasn't changed. It feels like a weapon to turn into TOMOMI of SCANDAL―rather, it feels like Sailor Moon's Compact Mirror. I feel bored if I don't have a bass. Always holding an instrument means that that alone has become something natural to me.

―  What kind of image do you have of Fender as a brand?

MAMI: They have a variety of guitar shapes now, but in the beginning I thought they only had Strats (laughs). So, when I bought my first guitar I had gotten a beginners kit for 10,000 yen, it had a Strat shape. That's the image I've established.

TOMOMI: After my beginners bass I borrowed a Fender Jazz bass from a teacher who recommended instruments to us, which I played during our street lives and such for a time. We moved to Toyko when we had our major label debut. I tried to return the bass, but they told me, 「This is already yours」. Ever since then I've always felt that Fender is the standard of instruments. I still use it when I practice at home. I haven't adjusted it, though, so the frets are wearing down.

―  That just means that you practiced with it.

HARUNA: The first Fender that I used was an Eric Clapton model guitar that I borrowed from the same teacher as TOMO. I borrowed it for a while after SCANDAL formed and also used that guitar during our first US tour. I think I'm like this now because of that experience and the fact that I liked the sound of the Fender at that time. Incidentally, I returned that guitar to the teacher, and until recently it was used by a member of our junior all-girl band GIRLFRIEND.

RINA: There's definitely a reason that it's been popular for such a long time. I as a drummer have an impression of it being a maker who opens their doors wide and waits for musicians. It's great to start off with a Fender, and it's also the first guitar of people who have had music careers for over ten years. Even those with no knowledge will definitely go with Fender, and it is also a point you can come back to after experiencing various guitars and basses. The band's previous signature models came out about four years ago, and I didn't participate in the press coverage then. So, although I thought I wouldn't be in it this time too, I'm really happy that I too was able to participate!

kudo_maharizu wrote:Thanks, Jade!

Re: TIMO’s Jazz bass / HARU’s Clapton Strat from the early days - such a generous teacher they had at Caless eh?

thoseguiltyeyes wrote:

MAMI: I use necks made of maple. It's the same for my signature model this time. A maple fingerboard really is easy to play. What I recently noticed is that at first I was not thinking about a tree being part of the materials; I thought that differences were found in appearance and color. But, I can now imagine the feeling of my hands getting used to maple fingerboards the more I use them.

thoseguiltyeyes wrote:

MAMI: That's right. The sense of it drying in the sun is cool, and even if it gets scratched or scraped it feels like it becomes a part of its charm. My wish to simply have a single coil Strat was fulfilled. I tend to use a Jazzmaster when I want to make simple sounds when we record, but there aren't that many times it can be implemented during a live show. I thought a main guitar that I could use many times for recording or lives would be great.

―  Being able to produce the same sound as on a recording will make those in cover bands happy.

gitariskamaran wrote:Fender Guitar was so adorable.... their sounds was great, how lucky for Scandal and their next generation "GIRLFRIEND" who also use the same instrument from their teacher