[Ejima Harushi] How to Recreate the Polkadot Stingray Sound + Guitar Gear and Tone Settings [Effects & Amps]

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Introduction (Overview of Tone)

Ejima Harushi, the guitarist of Polkadot Stingray, is renowned for his distinctive sharp cutting and ethereal riffs. His guitar sound combines the crispness of funk with the thickness of alternative rock, while also incorporating delicate nuances. Iconic tracks like “Telecaster Stripe” and “Himitsu” showcase a tone that is tight yet spacious, captivating listeners with its intensity.

The gear he uses, as confirmed through live performances and music videos, is diverse, primarily featuring the Nash Telecaster Deluxe alongside various Fender Vintage series guitars. His effects board is layered with both distortion and spatial effects, establishing a style that produces a rich array of sounds tailored to different scenes. This meticulous setup significantly contributes to the band’s overall sense of speed and ethereality.

What makes Ejima’s sound design particularly noteworthy is not just his choice of equipment, but how he optimizes it in consideration of song structure and vocal qualities. For instance, he organizes the high frequencies to ensure the vocals stand out while maintaining a robust midrange in his EQ settings. He employs spatial effects boldly but never excessively, resulting in a consistent “Ejima Harushi sound” across both live performances and recordings.

This article will thoroughly explore Ejima Harushi’s gear and sound design, providing readers with insights to recreate his tone in their own environments. We will cover a wide range of equipment, from professional-grade gear to beginner-friendly alternatives, so please use this as a reference.

▶ Search official YouTube videos of Polkadot Stingray

List of Amplifiers and Features

One of the critical elements supporting Ejima Harushi’s sound is his choice of amplifiers. To maintain stable output during both live performances and recordings, he primarily uses handmade tube amplifiers while having also utilized classic tube amps in the past. A standout among these is the “Carol-Ann OD3r.” This high-quality amp is favored by top professionals both domestically and internationally, known for its wide range from clean to drive and its quick response.

Ejima has customized the internal wiring of his amp and uses the Carol-Ann AC4 Controller for channel switching, allowing him to change tones instantly for different songs. Regarding cabinets, he employs a Tech-made vertical two-speaker cabinet, which emphasizes the midrange punch. The combination of Tone Tubby speakers provides a warm low-midrange and sparkling highs, which are crucial to his tone. This combination creates a unique texture that balances the sharpness of riffs with the clarity of arpeggios.

In the past, he has also used the “BadCat Black Cat,” known for its unique warmth and midrange thickness. This model is popular among indie rock and alternative bands, and Ejima is said to have favored it during the band’s early to mid-career. It is assumed that he may still use it for certain tracks, contributing to a rougher, edgier tone.

Overall, Ejima Harushi’s choice of amplifiers emphasizes a balanced coexistence of “clean transparency” and “distorted richness.” While the Carol-Ann boutique amp is becoming his mainstay, he likely still utilizes the unique flavor provided by models like BadCat depending on the song.

Types of Guitars Used and Features

At the core of Ejima Harushi’s sound design is the strategic use of a diverse guitar collection. The main guitar confirmed in live performances and music videos is the “Nash Guitars T72DLX.” This Telecaster Deluxe type features Lollar’s Wide Range Humbucker, offering a unique blend of thickness and sharpness. It produces a thick sound when strumming chords and a shimmering resonance during arpeggios. Additionally, the electronics have been modified by Tech, and he owns color variations in natural and brown, making it a signature piece for the band sound.

Another frequently used guitar is the “Fender American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster.” This butterscotch blonde model has been used in tracks like “DENKOUSEKKA,” “Ghost Dive,” and “JO-DEKI.” It possesses a vintage-style aggressive attack that perfectly matches the band’s energetic songs.

Ejima also owns a “Fender American Vintage ’59 Stratocaster,” characterized by its 3-tone sunburst finish. It has been used in the song “Midori,” featuring internal wiring and capacitor upgrades. He frequently utilizes the center + front half-tone, achieving a delicate and transparent clean tone. The quick response and brightness typical of a Strat contribute significantly to the ethereal sound of Polkadot Stingray.

He pays attention to guitar straps as well, using the “AQUBE MUSIC PRODUCTS SHRINK Strap” with his Nash and Telecaster. He also employs a blue strap from CHUMS, balancing pop aesthetics with practicality.

Overall, Ejima Harushi’s guitar selection emphasizes “the use of diverse characters.” He switches between the robust midrange of the Telecaster and the delicate highs of the Strat according to the song’s atmosphere, skillfully manipulating the overall soundscape of the band. This meticulous sound design ensures that his guitars consistently produce fresh and original tones.

Effects and Pedalboard Setup

Ejima Harushi’s sound design heavily relies on his effects board. He utilizes a “main board” centered around distortion and a “sub board” focused on spatial effects, creating a diverse range of sounds tailored to each song. For distortion, he combines pedals like the ANALOG.MAN King of Tone, Fulltone OCD, and JHS Angry Charlie V3, allowing for a wide range from crunch to high gain. The King of Tone, in particular, is known for its midrange-forward overdrive, supporting Ejima’s cutting and powerful riffs.

One constant in his setup is the Strymon Compadre (compressor/booster), which is always on. This helps to unify the attack of notes, ensuring the guitar stands out in the mix. Additionally, he employs the One Control Iguana Tail Loop 2 for loop switching, streamlining pedal operation and ensuring stable performance during live shows.

For spatial effects, he uses professional-grade reverb/delay pedals like the Strymon BigSky and Eventide Time Factor. The ethereal riffs in songs like “Himitsu” and “Midori” are supported by the depth created by these pedals. On the other hand, simpler delays like the BOSS DD-7 are also used for practical purposes, adapting to the song’s style.

Ejima also incorporates a Budda Bud Wah+ Plus for wah pedal work and keeps a Z.Vex Fuzz Factory as a “backup,” broadening his tonal palette. The LINE6 HX EFFECTS covers modulation and additional spatial effects, ensuring modern flexibility. This layered approach allows Ejima to construct the “optimal sound image for each song.”

Power supply is also meticulously managed, with reliable options like Custom Audio Japan PBHUB6-C, VooDoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus, and Vital Audio VA-08 MkII. By providing a noise-free and stable power supply, he achieves consistent sound on stage.

In summary, Ejima Harushi’s effects system is built on the principle of “creating a core with distortion and expanding it with spatial effects.” Practical innovations like loop switchers and power supplies support a professional level of completeness in his setup. Understanding these elements provides insight into the breadth and depth of his sound design.

Tone Settings, EQ, and Mixing Approaches

One reason Ejima Harushi’s sound is unique is not only his choice of equipment but also his meticulous attention to settings and mixing. His use of EQ and compression, along with collaboration with PA and recording engineers, maximizes the guitar’s presence.

Starting with amp settings, when using the Carol-Ann OD3r as the main amp, he tends to emphasize the midrange while keeping the highs subdued on the clean channel. This is a strategy to ensure the vocals (by Shizuku) stand out, achieving a balance where the guitar maintains its presence without overshadowing the band. On the drive channel, he avoids excessive gain, using pedals like King of Tone and OCD to supplement the distortion, forming a well-defined overdrive sound. The key points in his EQ style are “organizing the lows, pushing the mids, and minimizing the highs.”

In terms of effects, he keeps the compressor (Strymon Compadre) always on to even out the volume differences caused by playing dynamics. This particularly enhances the attack during cutting, emphasizing the guitar’s outline in the mix. For spatial effects, he utilizes Strymon BigSky and Eventide Time Factor, finely adjusting delay and reverb for each song. For example, in “Midori,” he combines deep reverb and delay to create a dreamy atmosphere.

To illustrate his settings for specific songs, in the fast-paced “DENKOUSEKKA,” he uses a Telecaster to push the amp’s drive forward, enhancing the contour with distortion pedals. Conversely, in “Ghost Dive,” he opts for a cleaner tone with delay, focusing on transparency and depth in the mix. This flexible switching of settings is supported by the use of loop switchers and footswitches during live performances.

Mixing techniques are also noteworthy. During recording, he double-tracks the guitar and pans it left and right to create a sense of space. In this case, one side features a clean Strat, while the other side has a driven Telecaster, creating a three-dimensional effect. High-frequency components are organized with EQ, and compression is used to equalize the attack, resulting in a sound that is easy to listen to.

In live settings, adjustments on the PA side are crucial. By combining the amp’s output with mic and line outputs, he tailors the sound to match the venue’s acoustics. Particularly in medium to large venues, he adjusts the reverb to avoid overlapping with the venue’s natural reverb, ensuring the guitar does not get buried.

In summary, Ejima Harushi’s sound design is based on a two-layer structure of “a simple core plus spatial design for each song.” He firmly establishes the core tones of distortion and clean with pedals and amps, layering spatial effects to expand the soundscape. Furthermore, he meticulously organizes the guitar’s position in the mix, maintaining balance with vocals and rhythm sections, leading to a sound that is both easy to listen to and original.

Affordable Alternatives to Recreate the Tone

The gear that Ejima Harushi actually uses includes many high-end brands like Carol-Ann and Strymon, which can be quite inaccessible for beginners. However, fortunately, the essence of his sound lies in “midrange-forward distortion,” “transparent clean,” and “depth in spatial effects.” By focusing on these points, it is possible to create a similar vibe with relatively affordable gear.

For distortion, while Ejima’s favorites like King of Tone and OCD are very expensive and hard to find, alternatives such as BOSS’s “BD-2 Blues Driver” or “OD-3 OverDrive” can be used. The BD-2, in particular, is versatile, handling everything from crunch to light drive, and pairs excellently with Telecaster-type guitars. Its midrange push and quick response can closely mimic Ejima’s cutting nuances.

For distortion alternatives, the BOSS “DS-1” or “JB-2 Angry Driver” are recommended. The JB-2 incorporates a circuit modeled after Angry Charlie, capable of closely replicating the sound character of the original. Its clear distortion articulation makes it suitable for recreating Ejima’s aggressive riffs.

For spatial effects, while Strymon and Eventide are professional standards, BOSS’s “DD-8 Digital Delay” and “RV-6 Reverb” offer excellent cost performance. The DD-8 features various delay modes, allowing for thickening cuts with short delays or creating ethereal sounds with longer delays. The RV-6 is a great option for achieving a sound similar to Strymon BigSky at a lower price point, offering modulation and shimmer reverb.

If considering a multi-effects unit, the “ZOOM G5n” or “LINE6 HX Stomp” are good choices. The HX Stomp, in particular, features the same sound engine as the HX EFFECTS used by Ejima, making it an ideal entry-level gear for replicating his sound. ZOOM offers even lower pricing, making it accessible for beginners, and its multifunctionality is great for practice and home recording.

Lastly, while Carol-Ann is a high-end boutique amp, options like the BOSS “Katana series” or Fender “Champion 100” provide transparent cleans and sufficient distortion, suitable for both home use and live settings. By emphasizing the midrange in EQ settings, one can create a sound reminiscent of Ejima’s forward presence.

In summary, to approach Ejima’s sound affordably, focus on:

① Midrange-focused overdrive (BOSS BD-2 / OD-3)
② Clear articulation distortion (BOSS JB-2)
③ Spatial effects that add depth (BOSS DD-8 / RV-6)
④ Flexible multi-effects (HX Stomp / ZOOM G5n)
⑤ Transistor amps that provide clear cleans.

Summary and Conclusion

The essence of Ejima Harushi’s sound lies in “skillful design that adds depth within a simple structure.” The guitars he chooses, such as Telecasters and Strats, are classic models, but modifications and the inclusion of humbuckers give them uniqueness. Furthermore, by centering his setup around boutique amps like Carol-Ann and BadCat and layering character with pedals, he achieves a rich soundscape that envelops the entire band.

In his choice of effects, Ejima focuses on midrange-strong distortions like King of Tone and OCD, complemented by spatial effects like Strymon BigSky and Eventide Time Factor to add depth. This two-pronged approach of “building a solid core and expanding as needed” reflects a rational yet intuitive design philosophy, which is evident in the mixing stage as well. By organizing unnecessary frequency ranges with EQ and emphasizing three-dimensionality through double-tracking, he maintains a consistent level of completeness in both studio and live settings.

Moreover, his live operation is well thought out. By utilizing a loop switcher, he can instantly switch between complex pedal setups, reducing the burden during performances and allowing him to focus on his artistry. His attention to power supply and noise management also underscores his professionalism and reliability.

For beginners or fans attempting to achieve the “Ejima Harushi sound,” it is not necessary to invest in high-end gear. By focusing on affordable options from brands like BOSS and LINE6, and emphasizing “midrange-focused distortion,” “transparent clean,” and “depth in reverb,” one can get closer to his sound. The key is to mimic the approach of “how to combine sounds and how to mix them,” rather than just the gear itself.

In conclusion, Ejima Harushi’s sound design is not merely about pursuing individuality but is an approach to “optimize the overall sound of the band.” As a result, Polkadot Stingray’s songs balance accessibility and originality, leaving a strong impression on listeners. When readers attempt to recreate Ejima’s sound in their environments, it is crucial to maintain the perspective of “optimization within the whole.”

Ejima Harushi’s guitar sound is not just a collection of gear but an artistic blueprint created through “selection, usage, and combination.” Emulating his sound design leads to deeper learning about how to design music as a whole.