[Hidaka Toru] How to Recreate the BEAT CRUSADERS Sound + Guitar Gear and Tone Settings [Effects & Amps]

Introduction (Overview of Tone)

Hidaka Toru, the frontman and guitarist of BEAT CRUSADERS (commonly known as “Vehicle”), is characterized by a guitar sound that heavily reflects the influence of 90s alternative rock and punk. His playing style centers on power chord-driven, simple yet robust riffs, and tight backing that supports melodic vocals.

In representative songs like “Hit in the USA” and “Toneless Twilight,” his light-hearted rhythm guitar drives the entire band forward, while tracks like “DAY AFTER DAY” and “LOVE DISCHORD” showcase his skillful use of tones ranging from crunch to distortion. What’s common among these songs is the raw yet clear mid-range-focused sound production, maintaining a consistent straight-ahead rock sound that energizes audiences at live performances.

Another characteristic of Hidaka’s sound is his preference for “simple setups close to direct amp connection.” Effects are kept to a minimum, creating a classic rock tone that maximizes the natural characteristics of the guitar and amp. This straightforward approach is one reason why he has gained support from many followers and subsequent band members.

This article will thoroughly analyze BEAT CRUSADERS’ Hidaka Toru’s tone creation, introducing his amps, guitars, and effects while delving into settings and mixing techniques. Finally, we’ll present “relatively affordable alternative gear for recreation,” making this a valuable reference for those looking to recreate Hidaka Toru’s sound.

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List of Amplifiers and Features [BEAT CRUSADERS – Hidaka Toru]

One of the major elements supporting Hidaka Toru’s sound is his amp selection on stage. Particularly, ENGL’s high-gain amplifier “Invader 150” is indispensable when discussing his tone creation. This 150W high-output head features a 4-channel configuration capable of handling everything from clean to high-gain tones. This allows him to switch distortion qualities between songs, providing the flexibility to handle everything from the powerful distortion in “Hit in the USA” to the lighter crunch in “Japanese Girl” during live performances.

Furthermore, he uses the matching ENGL “E 412 Vintage” cabinet. This 4×12 cabinet loaded with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers provides extremely high sound pressure and particularly sticky mid-range tones. When Hidaka’s chord strokes drive the entire band, this cabinet’s strong projection plays a crucial role.

While ENGL combinations tend to be favored by high-gain metal guitarists, in Hidaka’s case, he avoids excessively deep distortion and appears to focus on settings that cut clearly through the band ensemble. By particularly emphasizing mid-range presence, he maintains a balance where his vocals and guitar don’t clash, as he handles both singing and playing.

Additionally, some interviews suggest he may have used Marshall and Fender amps in studio and rehearsal environments, indicating that ENGL wasn’t his exclusive choice for recording and practice. However, for live performances and large-scale tours, the ENGL Invader + E412 combination was his main setup for an extended period, undoubtedly representing the quintessential Vehicle sound setup.

In this way, Hidaka Toru established his unique sound through an approach of “adjusting high-gain amps to rock-oriented mid-range focused tones,” as can be assumed from his consistent choice of equipment and performance style.

Gear Name	Brand	Amazon Search URL	Artist	Guitarist	Notes
ENGL Invader 150 (Amp Head)	ENGL	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	Main live amp. 4-channel configuration enables diverse sound palette.
ENGL E 412 Vintage (Cabinet)	ENGL	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	Loaded with Celestion Vintage 30. Provides sticky mid-range presence.

Types of Guitars Used and Features [BEAT CRUSADERS – Hidaka Toru]

Hidaka Toru’s main guitar on stage was the “Gibson SG,” a symbol of classic rock. The SG is lightweight and easy to handle, with characteristic mid-range sound that matches BEAT CRUSADERS’ up-tempo songs perfectly. Particularly when playing rough, punky riffs, the SG’s unique mid-range projection and responsive feel worked effectively. Since he can be seen holding an SG in many live videos and magazine interviews, it’s clear this was his main instrument for many years.

On the other hand, he’s also known to have used a natural-colored “YAMAHA SG-45.” YAMAHA’s SG series is praised for its quality Japanese craftsmanship and thick, sticky sound. While the SG-45 is a relatively older model, it offers rich mid-range frequencies and adds unique thickness to both chord strokes and single-note riffs. In BEAT CRUSADERS’ songs, it was likely utilized when wanting to add slightly more warmth or when expanding tonal variations during recording sessions.

The common trait of these guitars is that they both “don’t get buried in the band sound and maintain solid mid-range presence.” Hidaka’s guitar maintained clear definition even while singing simultaneously, providing sufficient presence both as rhythm guitar and lead. This was an extremely suitable choice for his playing style, which primarily focused on power chords with occasional cutting techniques mixed in.

Additionally, during the indie period in the late 90s to early 2000s, there’s some mention of him experimenting with other Strat-style and Les Paul-style guitars. However, after BEAT CRUSADERS’ breakthrough, he appears to have settled almost exclusively on the Gibson SG and YAMAHA SG-45.

In other words, Hidaka Toru’s guitar selection emphasized “agility” and “mid-range core,” playing a crucial role in supporting the band’s pop-punk sound, as can be reasonably assumed from his consistent equipment choices and musical approach.

Gear Name	Brand	Amazon Search URL	Artist	Guitarist	Guitar Type	Notes
Gibson SG	Gibson	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	Solid Body	Main guitar. Agile with characteristic mid-range rock sound.
YAMAHA SG-45 (Natural Color)	YAMAHA	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	Solid Body	Provides warmth and sticky sustain. Used for recording and tonal variation.

Effects and Pedalboard Setup [BEAT CRUSADERS – Hidaka Toru]

Hidaka Toru’s effects board reflected BEAT CRUSADERS’ simple and straightforward rock sound, basically consisting of a minimal setup. The core of his tone creation was direct-to-amp sound, avoiding excessive effect processing to bring forward the powerful and raw guitar resonance.

One of the confirmed pieces of gear is the Ibanez LU30. This is a simple pedal-type tuner, an essential tool for live setups. Since he wasn’t the type to build complex effect chains, this tuner was always placed at the entrance of his board, maintaining stable pitch during performances.

Another indispensable piece is the BOSS FV-300H. This high-impedance volume pedal served to control dynamics according to song arrangements during live performances. For example, he could roll back the volume during intros for a cleaner tone, then release it completely during choruses to create dynamic contrast.

Regarding distortion effects, he primarily relied on amp gain, with no records of constantly using external overdrive or distortion pedals. However, some music magazines have mentioned the possibility of him experimenting with pedals like BOSS DS-1 or OD-3 in studio recordings or specific songs. In such cases, they were likely used to reinforce attack response or sustain.

As for spatial effects (delay and reverb), he seemed to rely on the amp’s built-in reverb, with almost no external pedals introduced. This was presumably a decision to avoid introducing “muddiness” to BEAT CRUSADERS’ tight and driving songs.

Overall, Hidaka Toru’s effects board consisted of an extremely simple configuration of “tuner + volume pedal + minimal distortion assistance,” and this straightforwardness was symbolic of the band’s sound. While many guitarists build complex effect chains, he committed to a “straight-ahead tone creation approach,” as can be reasonably assumed from his minimalist setup and direct playing style.

Gear Name	Brand	Amazon Search URL	Artist	Guitarist	Effect Type	Notes
Ibanez LU30 (Tuner)	Ibanez	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	Tuner	Constantly used in live sets. Simple tuner with high visibility.
BOSS FV-300H (Volume Pedal)	BOSS	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	Volume Pedal	Used for volume control and expanding expressive range during songs.
BOSS DS-1 (Distortion) *Estimated	BOSS	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	Distortion	Possibly used supplementarily. Adds quick attack response.

Tone Settings, EQ, and Mixing Approaches [BEAT CRUSADERS – Hidaka Toru]

The distinctive feature of Hidaka Toru’s tone creation lies in “emphasizing mid-range while maintaining simplicity, creating a presence that drives the entire song.” Since he handled both guitar and vocals, his guitar sound was adjusted to avoid frequency conflicts with his voice. Consequently, his guitar tone featured suppressed lows and forward mid-to-high frequencies, providing drive to the entire band while maintaining a clear tone that didn’t interfere with vocals.

Basic amp settings likely used the ENGL Invader 150’s clean channel as the foundation, switching to gain channels to create distortion. Rather than maxing out the gain, he probably kept it around 60-70%, with EQ adjustments emphasizing the mid-range. Treble was kept relatively moderate, bass wasn’t overly boosted, and mids were set thicker to achieve both “agility” and “solid presence.”

For example, in “Hit in the USA,” the chord strokes create a sense of speed, requiring tight distortion rather than deep saturation. Conversely, tracks like “DAY AFTER DAY” and “Love Dischord” feature slightly compressed drive tones that push the performance energy forward.

EQ considerations likely involved cleaning up lows below 250Hz during recording to avoid conflicts with the bass guitar, while emphasizing the 500Hz-1kHz range. This allowed the guitar to cut through the ensemble while maintaining the band’s overall thickness. For live PA, there was probably light boosting around 2kHz to increase guitar presence.

Song-specific usage was also important. Up-tempo numbers used settings close to direct-to-amp crunch, while ballad-oriented or groove-conscious songs utilized the volume pedal for micro-adjustments. The dramatic increase in sound pressure during choruses became part of BEAT CRUSADERS’ signature arrangement style. The volume pedal (BOSS FV-300H) was essential for such dynamic range expression.

Mixing considerations involved positioning the guitar closer to center rather than spreading it wide in stereo, since Hidaka’s guitar was often “the only guitar part,” unlike bands with two guitarists. This was intended to utilize the band’s synth and electronic elements while preventing the guitar from getting buried. Additionally, reverb and delay processing was kept extremely light, focusing on dry, punchy textures.

In summary, Hidaka Toru’s tone creation was “mid-range focused straight rock sound,” controlling distortion depth and dynamics according to songs, while applying minimal processing in PA and mixing to achieve completion. The simple yet robust guitar sound that supported the entire band was realized through such thorough EQ balance and playing style, as can be reasonably assumed from his consistent approach to tone shaping.

Affordable Alternatives to Recreate the Tone [BEAT CRUSADERS – Hidaka Toru]

While ENGL’s large amplifiers and Gibson SGs are ideal for faithfully recreating Hidaka Toru’s sound, they are all expensive and present high barriers for beginners. Here we introduce more affordable commercial gear that can recreate Hidaka’s “mid-range emphasized straight rock sound.” The price range targets around 1-5 million yen, summarizing recommended alternatives for beginners and copy band-oriented players.

First, for guitars, the Epiphone SG Standard is the optimal choice. Epiphone is Gibson’s sister brand, and while prices are lower than Gibson SGs, it can faithfully reproduce the mid-range projection and light stroke feel. This single instrument can recreate “Hit in the USA”-style sounds, making it excellent as a first guitar.

For amplifiers, the BOSS Katana 100 MkII is recommended for its wide range from high-gain to crunch. Through BOSS’s unique modeling technology, it can cover everything from ENGL-like high-gain tones to crunch systems. By setting the EQ to push mid-range, you can achieve Hidaka’s characteristic “tight rock sound without over-distortion.” At under $1000, it’s relatively affordable and suitable for live performances.

For effects, introducing at least the BOSS FV-30H (Volume Pedal) would be beneficial. This can simply recreate the dynamic control that Hidaka frequently used. Additionally, if you want to supplementarily introduce distortion effects, the classic BOSS DS-1 is effective. Despite its affordable price, it provides quick attack response and crisp distortion, making it easy to recreate Hidaka’s characteristic hardness when added lightly to amp distortion.

For spatial effects, they’re not essential, but if you want to create a live feel, lightly applying BOSS RV-6 (Reverb) is sufficient. While Hidaka’s sound is basically dry, using a small amount of reverb according to the environment helps blend more naturally into the band sound.

Overall, combining these alternative pieces of gear allows fairly faithful recreation of BEAT CRUSADERS-style sound with a budget around $1000. The combination of “Epiphone SG + BOSS Katana + BOSS FV-30H” particularly offers a high-reproduction setup that allows beginners to immediately experience Hidaka Toru’s straight rock sound.

Type	Gear Name	Brand	Amazon Search URL	Artist	Guitarist	Notes
Guitar	Epiphone SG Standard	Epiphone	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	Budget version of Gibson SG. Strong mid-range projection, great for strumming.
Amp	BOSS Katana 100 MkII	BOSS	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	Modeling amp. Can recreate ENGL-like high-gain tones.
Volume Pedal	BOSS FV-30H	BOSS	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	For dynamic expression. Compact successor to FV-300H.
Distortion Pedal	BOSS DS-1	BOSS	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	Effective for supplemental distortion. Affordable and classic choice.
Reverb	BOSS RV-6	BOSS	Search on Amazon	BEAT CRUSADERS	Hidaka Toru	For adding spatial dimension when needed. Key is not to overdo it.

Summary and Conclusion [BEAT CRUSADERS – Hidaka Toru]

Looking back at Hidaka Toru’s guitar sound, its essence can be summarized in “simplicity” and “mid-range presence.” Rather than relying heavily on effects, he maintained a style that maximized the natural characteristics of guitars and amps, delivering straight-ahead rock. As a result, he could support a wide range of expressions, from driving pop-punk tracks to heavy alternative songs.

As evident from his gear choices, his mains were the Gibson SG and YAMAHA SG-45, both “guitars with solid mid-range output,” paired with the ENGL Invader + E412 Vintage setup offering “high output with wide range and sticky mid-range projection.” These combinations ensured that even rough chord strokes wouldn’t get buried, creating the commanding presence that dominated the entire band. The effects setup, centered on tuner and volume pedal with minimal configuration, demonstrated how “stripped-down clarity” became the strength of his sound.

From a tone creation perspective, the key points were EQ processing that thickens the mid-range and switching between crunch and distortion without over-saturation. Additionally, dynamic control using volume pedals was a crucial element supporting the unique live atmosphere that Hidaka created. In mixing, keeping reverb and delay minimal while pushing forward dry, tight sounds helped establish “simple yet exceptionally band-friendly tones.”

Overall, Hidaka Toru’s tone creation didn’t rely on “flashy techniques” or “complex gear setups,” but rather emphasized thoroughly maximizing the basic guitar + amp combination. This approach offers valuable lessons for guitar beginners. Before accumulating lots of gear, focusing on “mid-range conscious tone creation” and “performance dynamics” is the shortcut to establishing presence in band sounds.

If readers want to “recreate BEAT CRUSADERS’ sound,” expensive gear isn’t necessarily required. Using relatively affordable equipment like Epiphone SG and BOSS Katana, setting thick mid-range, and adding song dynamics with volume pedals can provide sufficient experience of Hidaka Toru’s straight rock sound. What matters isn’t the price of the gear, but how it’s used and one’s “attitude toward sound.”

In conclusion, the keywords to remember when recreating Hidaka Toru’s tone creation are “mid-range,” “simplicity,” and “dynamics.” By centering on these three points, your guitar should be able to deliver the same agile yet powerful rock that BEAT CRUSADERS was known for.