Toshiya
Encyclopedia
Toshiya is a Japan
ese musician and the bassist of Dir en grey
. He has been with the band since its inception in 1997, although he was not in La:Sadie's, as the other four previously had been. Unlike his fellow band members Kaoru and Die
, Toshiya has only composed a handful of Dir en grey's songs, such as "Erode" and "Bottom of the Death Valley". Unsurprisingly, his compositions tend to have a distinct, bass-driven sound.
guitar. These signatures had a verse written by Toshiya on the headstock instead of the standard Killer logo. The third model he used from Killer was a custom bass called the 3epo.
Toshiya is currently endorsed by ESP in Japan, who provides most of his basses, picks, and straps. His endorsement began with P-bass
style guitars, used for most of the bands songs, and Lakland
5-string guitars used for low-tuned songs such as "Obscure". He used to use his signature-series basses from the ESP Custom Shop called the RU-Drive until 2009 which is a copy of the Gibson RD
body shape. Now he has two custom basses with 00 and 01 written on the headstock. They feature a flying V design at the bottom of the body and horns resembling something close to a Fender Stratocaster at the top. It has a V headstock.
Replicas of the discontinued Beelze series were once available through Killer, who still offers a non-signature version of it under the series name Simmony. ESP currently offers replicas of the 22-fret RU-Drive in both the ESP and Edwards artist series.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese musician and the bassist of Dir en grey
Dir en grey
Dir En Grey is a Japanese metal band formed in 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. As of 2011, they have recorded eight full-length records...
. He has been with the band since its inception in 1997, although he was not in La:Sadie's, as the other four previously had been. Unlike his fellow band members Kaoru and Die
Die (musician)
Die is a Japanese musician and one of the guitarists of Dir en grey. He has been with the band since its inception in 1997 and was previously a member of La:Sadie's and before that he was in Ka･za･ri...
, Toshiya has only composed a handful of Dir en grey's songs, such as "Erode" and "Bottom of the Death Valley". Unsurprisingly, his compositions tend to have a distinct, bass-driven sound.
Equipment
Near the beginning of the band's career, Toshiya was endorsed by Killer Guitars in Japan. During this period he primarily used guitars with the company's Kumovi body and later his signature-series bass, the Beelze, which is similar to a reverse version of a typical RickenbackerRickenbacker
Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California...
guitar. These signatures had a verse written by Toshiya on the headstock instead of the standard Killer logo. The third model he used from Killer was a custom bass called the 3epo.
Toshiya is currently endorsed by ESP in Japan, who provides most of his basses, picks, and straps. His endorsement began with P-bass
Fender Precision Bass
The Fender Precision Bass is an electric bass.Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on...
style guitars, used for most of the bands songs, and Lakland
Lakland
Lakland Guitars is a Chicago, Illinois-based manufacturer of electric bass guitars. The company's first bass combined elements of the Fender Jazz Bass and the Music Man StingRay. The company's current line-up includes basses inspired by classics like the Fender Precision Bass and Jazz Bass as...
5-string guitars used for low-tuned songs such as "Obscure". He used to use his signature-series basses from the ESP Custom Shop called the RU-Drive until 2009 which is a copy of the Gibson RD
Gibson RD
The Gibson RD series solid body electric guitars were launched in 1977 as a complementary range to Gibson's existing guitars. They were designed to be brighter sounding than the existing models and as such were longer scale , maple-bodied, and with state-of-the-art pre-amplified electronics...
body shape. Now he has two custom basses with 00 and 01 written on the headstock. They feature a flying V design at the bottom of the body and horns resembling something close to a Fender Stratocaster at the top. It has a V headstock.
Replicas of the discontinued Beelze series were once available through Killer, who still offers a non-signature version of it under the series name Simmony. ESP currently offers replicas of the 22-fret RU-Drive in both the ESP and Edwards artist series.
Bass guitars
| Brand | Model | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ESP Guitars ESP Guitars , located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation... |
D-TR-290 RU-Drive | Toshiya's signature model from ESP. The bass was made in alternating combinations of white and black, much like the Beelze, along with multiple fret amounts. This model was originally referred to as the "RD Type." It now features a sunburst Sunburst Sunburst is a type of finish for musical instruments such as electric and acoustic guitars and electric basses. At the center of a sunburst-finished surface is an area of lighter color that darkens gradually towards the edges before hitting a dark rim... finish, like the original Gibson RD. The sunburst finish has a PJ style pick-ups, and the green-burst finish has two ESP Custom Lab Jazz pick-ups with plastic covers. Both newer models feature a 35" scale length instead of the usual 34". |
| ESP Guitars ESP Guitars , located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation... |
D-TR Prototype | Precursor to the RU-Drive series. It features a modified version of a left-handed P-bass Fender Precision Bass The Fender Precision Bass is an electric bass.Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on... body and has the same headstock as the RU-Drive models, including Toshiya's custom ESP logo. It can be seen on the The Code of Vulgar[ism] DVD, i.e. during the performance of "Child Prey Child prey "Child Prey" is a single released by Dir En Grey on July 31, 2002. It is the band's first single to feature live recordings, which were taken during the Rettou Gekishin Angya tour. The title track was also used in the anime series Baki the Grappler as an opening theme.-Track listing:... ". |
| ESP Guitars ESP Guitars , located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation... |
Halibut - ash | Recently replaced his Lakland Lakland Lakland Guitars is a Chicago, Illinois-based manufacturer of electric bass guitars. The company's first bass combined elements of the Fender Jazz Bass and the Music Man StingRay. The company's current line-up includes basses inspired by classics like the Fender Precision Bass and Jazz Bass as... Bass. A standard stock 5 string bass that is available in the new Japanese 08 ESP catalog. |
| Seymour Duncan Seymour Duncan Seymour Duncan is a company that is best known for manufacturing of guitar pickups, and currently has a line of effects pedals. The company was founded in 1976 by guitarist and luthier Seymour W. Duncan and his then-wife Cathy Carter Duncan in Goleta, California, USA... |
DP-100 RSV | Like many of the artist's guitars, it became heavily decorated with stickers and electrical tape over time, leading to confusion whether it was still the same model. Later replaced by the ESP Prototype. |
| Lakland Lakland Lakland Guitars is a Chicago, Illinois-based manufacturer of electric bass guitars. The company's first bass combined elements of the Fender Jazz Bass and the Music Man StingRay. The company's current line-up includes basses inspired by classics like the Fender Precision Bass and Jazz Bass as... |
55-94 Classic | Alternating models with either a white or black finish. |
| Gibson Gibson Guitar Corporation The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names... |
Flying V Gibson Flying V -External links:*, , , , and , from the Gibson website*, a June 2001 article from Guitar Collector magazine*, a tribute site that lists all models and re-issues and most notable players**... |
Has a white finish with white pickguard. |
| Killer | Beelze | Toshiya's signature Killer bass. Used several models with either a black and white finish. One can be seen broken in the Ware photo book. |
| Killer | 3epo | A custom bass designed by Toshiya with a biomechanical look, the body resembling that of a reptile or insect. Has a primarily purple finish with details in white. The guitar can be seen on Dir En Grey's 1999.12.18 Osakajo Hall release and the "Myaku MYAKU is a single released by Dir En Grey on February 16, 2000. Its B-side was previously released as a music video on the Kaede ~If Trans...~ VHS. The final track is a remix of the first and was later featured on the remix album Kai and as a hidden music video on the video collection Kimon.-Track listing:... " music video Music video A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings... , available on the Kimon compilation. It has since been retired. |
| Killer | Vulture | Alternating models with either a see-thru blue finish or a matte black finish. |
| Killer | Eve | Used multiple versions. |
| Killer | Stone Blue | none |
| Rickenbacker Rickenbacker Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California... |
4003 | Has red finish with white pickguard. |
| Fender | J-bass Fender Jazz Bass The Jazz Bass was the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. The bass is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on the fundamental harmonic... |
Has a sunburst Sunburst Sunburst is a type of finish for musical instruments such as electric and acoustic guitars and electric basses. At the center of a sunburst-finished surface is an area of lighter color that darkens gradually towards the edges before hitting a dark rim... finish. |
Pickups and other accessories
- AmpegAmpegAmpeg is primarily a musical instrument amplifier manufacturer headquartered in Woodinville, Washington, though they also manufacture guitars to a small extent...
SVT-2 Pro Bass Amp - Ampeg SVT-810E Bass Cabinet
- Eden WP100 Navigator Bass Preamp
- Eden 2x Eden D810RP Bass Cabinets
- Seymour Duncan SJB-1n a neck and SJB-1b at bridge on older RU-Drive basses
- ESP Custom Lab Jazz Pickups on green-burst RU Drive
- ESP custom-printed picks
- ESP Dir En Grey series guitar strap