Got drum? Pimp it.
~ 19 September 2008 ~
Okay, so this is totally off-topic, but hey, it’s Friday.
Some of you know I was an avid drummer growing up. I haven’t played much at all the last 7 years, but I’m finally diving back into it after buying a replacement kit and cymbals over the last couple years.
I know some of you who read this site also drum. If you’ve got a drum kit, post a photo here with specs. Or, if you don’t play but have a friend who does, forward this along. Let’s get a good variety of kits represented in the comments.
Here’s my kit:
- Kit: Yamaha Stage Custom. 10” and 14” toms, 22” bass.
- Cymbals: Ziljian 20” A Medium Ride, 20” Ping Ride, 18” A Medium Thin Crash, 8” A Extra Thin Crash, 14” A Custom Hi Hats. Sabian 16” AA Thin Crash.
- Stool: Pearl Speed Saddle.
- Sticks: Vater Teardrop, Zildjian John Riley Concert Jazz.
Your turn. Feel free to use img and ul in the comments.
Update: Sorry about that, didn’t realize img was disabled for comments. It’s enabled now, but please post your image at 320px width or less. (Feel free to link to a larger image.)
42 Comments
Veer: Visual Elements for Creatives.Stock photography, type, and killer tees. Genuinely recommended by Authentic Boredom.
My gear is still in storage from moving but I can at least describe it a bit:
1970 Ludwig classic (matching date tags from Nov. 1970) in silver sparkle. Purchased from an couple’s attic when I was in junior high.
13”, 14”, 16” and 20”. 14.5” free floating Pearl Maple snare. Yamaha hardware. Cymbals are all vintage Paiste (18” thin) & Zildjian (20” ride and med-heavy hats), big fan of the Vater 8a’s. I was a student of Ed Shaughnessy’s in the 1990’s and he taught to have heavier gear, but I was never a hard enough player to get the right sound out of the heavy stuff. My teachers were all Gretsch guys.
Nice set!
I´m designer and drummer too.
Tonight or tomorrow i will post my drum photo and kit.
Welp, I’m not a drummer, but I play guitar. My drummer has a really beautiful custom DW kit. He just bought it a few years back, and it replaced this cool old Pearl kit that really nailed the Bonham sound. Here’s a shot of his kit (for some reason the img tag isn’t showing me any love) while we were recording at Tiny Telephone back in 2005, and a shot of my setup for good measure. Woot!
Kit: Custom built (by me) with parts from American Drum Parts and shells by Keller. 18x22 kick, 9x12 tom, 14x16 floor tom.
Cymbals: All Sabian AA’s. 13” fusion hats, 2 16 inch mediums and a Paiste 20” power ride.
Misc hardware and sticks.
I have have a few pics but they aren’t hosted so I’ve attached a youtube vid of my playing them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yy3d714X5A
- Premier Cabria 10” 14” toms with 22” bass and 14” snare
- Zildjian quick beat hi-hats, 2 - 18” medium crash rides, 1 - 14”
- Vater Super Jazz (I suck at jazz but like the long stick)
Nice!
I’ve done primarily marching percussion over the past decade. Marched DCI and WGI on tenors, and now I mainly teach and write for HS and Independent marching ensembles. Miss drumset though.
The old set has been in storage for 8 years (stupid college/apartment living):
- Drums: Pearl Session birch (22”, 10”, 12”, 14” 16”), 13” piccolo snare
- Cymbals: 14” New Beat, 10” A Custom splash, 18” A Medium crash, 20” Wuhan china, 21” K Custom Dark Ride
- Other: Gibralter hardware, Vic Firth Dave Weckl Evolution sticks, Roc-n-soc hydraulic throne
Really my main gear now-adays is concert stuff since I play with some local symphonies and bands in Raleigh. Can’t wait to build a music studio and have my set back, and maybe a nice 4.3 octave rosewood marimba too.
I’m a bassist actually (Warwick 5s for me!) but my 7 year old son made a request for drums. I could barely conceal my joy.
Although I have nothing but fond memories of my purple glitter Whitehall 3 piece that I had when I was his age, I splurged and got him a Tama Rockstar 5 piece, with the clanky crash/ride and a broken hihat. Fitst perfectly in the basement, and sounds fantastic for recording. :-)
Couldn’t resist…
- Kit: 5 Piece Gretsch USA Maple Custom, Gun-Metal Grey (Set up here as 4-piece)
- Cymbals: Zildjian A Custom: 19” Crash, 17” Crash, 14” Hi-Hats. 21”A Series ‘Sweet Ride” UFIP Splash
- Stool: Tama Leather Ergo Rider
- Hardware: Tama RoadPro Statnds. DW 9000 Series Double Kick pedals and Hi-Hat Stand
What is it with drummers/web designers?
Here’s the obligatory overhead shot of the drums…this is a set I use pretty often:
More info on it is here.
God I’m such a sucker for the gear geekout. ;)
I wish I stall had my kit. It was a beautiful 1963 Gretsch Round Badge in champagne sparkle:
- 5”x14” snare- 9” & 16” toms
- 20” kick
- Zildjian 20” K Dark Ping Ride
- Zildjian 14” A Custom Hats
- Zildjian 17” A Custom Medium Crash
- Zildjian 8” A Splash
- DW 5000 hardware
- Aquarian coated heads
- Vic Firth 5B’s
Oops, sorry about that everyone, I must have turned off img for the comments. Back on now.
Please post the image at 320px width or less (comments won’t let you add “width=” to your image.)
My acoustic kit is stored, thanks to lack of space in my apartment, but here’s the specs (off the top of my head),
GMS CL-series, clear blue finish
2 Rack Toms, Floor Tom
22” Bass
5.5x14” DW rock maple snare
Evan heads all-around
DW Hardware, incl 7000series double pedal.
Zildjian Cymbals,
A Custom 14” Hats, A-Custom 15” & 18” Crashes,
21” K Heavy Ride
Pearl Throne.
Sticks: Vater Fusion, a few sets of Zildjian and VF sticks
—-
At Christmas I bought myself a Roland V-Drum kit (TD-3) so I could get playing again. A lot of fun, especially with 30 kits to choose from, most of which sound great, plus it’s easy to pipe the sound into your Mac… but the feel kinda sucks, especially on the cymbals. Mesh head snare and kick are pretty decent. Dynamics are seriously hit or miss. But, still recommended if, like me, you’re short of space where you can make a lot of noise.
Too many to list, but suffice it to say that:
1) my garage is full ‘em
2) most of them are older than me
3) they get used often in mostly random configurations
4) I’d like to have more, more cymbals that is
This is a cool set that I borrowed once for a session I did a few years back. Old Lugwig WFL’s. So sweet. So nice.
Awesome vid, Kirk! Give me another year or so before I get back up around that level :)
Wow, who knew drums was a popular instrument of choice for designers! Here’s me with my kit in the studio.
The kit is a set of DW Custom in green sparkle. 12”, 14” and 16” toms, 20” bass drum and 12” x 6” Premier maple piccolo snare. All hardware is double-braced DW brand except for a couple pieces of miscellaneous Gibraltar cymbal arms.
Cymbals are all Zildjian - 14” Hi-hats, two 18” crashes, 20” ride (+ 22” Sabian Paragon), two 18” china cymbals, two 6” A-custom splash cymbals.
DW 4-piece with Gretsch snare, 18” Zildjian crash, big ??” Sabian ride, Custom A Zildjian hi-hats, xylophone, and 22” vintage timpani. Drums for Grun-Tu-Molani.
I’m not really a drummer but I’ve got a couple because I always wanted to be. I think that’s the secret goal of every guitar player. Mine mains are a set of Taye Tour Pro’s. Cheap but 60’s sounding and really fun. Now that I have a house, I can finally get around to learning how to play them
Not designer anymore, info sec guy, but also avid drummer. I also have the Yamaha Stage custom setup similar to yours. Mines the green one made in Japan. Love the Yamaha hardware too, real chunky.
10” & 14” Yamaha Stage Custom Toms
22” Yamaha Stage Custom Kick Drum
14” Gretsch Maple Snare
14” Sabian HHX Groove Hats
22” Sabian Prototype Ride
18” Sabian HHX Ozone Crash
18” Sabian AA Heavy Crash
Vic Firth 5Bs
This is unfortunately the best pic of my kit that I can find! Not a great one, I know. Kit details:
Pearl Masters MMX in Emerald Mist
22” kick
10”,12”,14”,16” rack toms
14” Pearl Chad Smith Signature snare
Drum Workshop DW5000 pedals
Pearl hardware
Sabian 20” AAX Metal ride
Sabian 18” AAX Stage crash
Sabian 17” AAX Stage crash
Sabian 16” Bright crash
Sabian 13” AAX Fusion hats
Sabian 14” AAX China
Sabian 9” Mike Portnoy Signature Max Stax
Sabian 8” HH splash
Sabian 10” AA China splash
Bit excessive really, I’m thinking of changing it up soon. But still, sooo much fun to play!
I’m still in love with my ol’ Gretsch… here without all the cymbals.
- Drums : Gretsch Round Badge from ‘58, in Champagne Sparkle. 22/13/16
- Snare : Ludwig Acrolite from 1972
- Cymbals : 14’ Zildjian A Custom Hats, 18’ Zildjian A Custom Crash, 20’ Zildjian K Crash/Ride (awesome), 22’ Zildjian A Ping Ride
I don’t like videos of drummers playing solo… so here are two songs I’m playing during a tour in Slovakia : Goggy and Mad Club.
This is my daughter Jess on my practice kit in our basement a few years back. It’s one of my favorite drumkit photos!
The kit is comprised of:
- Premier Olympic 20” kick
- Remo brass picollo snare
- 10” Pearl Masters high tom
- 13” Yamaha Stage Custom floor tom
My main kit is a Pearl Masters with a 22” kick, and 10,12,14” toms again DW pedals, random stands, and Zildjians all ‘round.
I like the fact that my main kit is a silver metalflake just like my first Slingerland kit! What’s old is new again!
-Ben
Hey guys. Nice post Cameron :)
I’m not really a drummer, I play guitar and a little piano, but I’ll be buying one (or at least some parts of the kit) in a few months to have fun with my daughter.
I agree with Wade, it seems every guitar player wants to become a drummer at some time :)
It’s kinda logical that most web designers play some instrument, we just like to create stuff.
No drums here, but I got back into skateboarding a couple of years ago after being bored as a ‘responsible adult’.
I love it - everybody needs to carry a childhood passion into adulthood - it keeps life exciting :)
- Kit: Yamaha DTX 2
- Kick: Roland KD-120 V-Kick Trigger Pad
- Pedal: Iron Cobra Power Glide Double Bass Drum Pedal
- Throne: Roc-n-Soc
- Sticks: Pro-Mark VTX420N
Mike Portnoy nylon tip - Coach: RMP-1 Rhythm Coach Pack
I’ve never considered myself a “drummer” but I’ve hacked on this one for almost 20 years now. It’s an old Gretsch set from the 50’s or 60’s I think. It was always a beater set but in college I needed a project for my printmaking class so I did some linoleum cuts on rice paper and covered with cheap clear contact paper.
I’m looking to “dive back” to the drums too.
At the moment I’m doing warm-ups and some excercises on the pad daily.
My acoustic set is:
Tama Starclassic Performer
Kick Drum 22”
Toms: 12” 14” 16”
14” Sabian Crash
13” Zildjian K (top) Alpha (bottom) hi-hat
16” Zildjian Alpha Crash
8” + 10” Zildjian Alpha Splash
16” K Zildjian China
20” K Zildjian Ride
I usually use Vic Firth Dave Weckl (5B) and Peter Erskine Original (love the tip) sticks.
Sorry no Photo… I also haven’t seen/played my kit in a while unfortunately.
I play a custom-made Pearl kit with maple shells. 20” Bass Drum. My toms are 10, 13, and 16-inches. I have a 13” Piccolo snare and a 14” x 6”-deep Maple Snare.
Most of my cymbals are in bad shape because I was in a punk band and didn’t have any money to replace them when I left the band :(
All cymbals are Sabian HH Series except my B8 Pro Hats (which are junk). 16” Crash, 16” China, 8” Splash, 12” Splash, and a 20” Dry Ride (I think).
Accessories/Hardware are a mix, but standouts are my DW Double-Bass Pedal and a LP Rock Cowbell (cuz you can never have too much cowbell)!
Count me in as another former drummer with a kit rusting away in storage. Pearl Export with a selection of pawn shop cymbals:
- 22” kick
- 8” 10” 12” 13” 16” toms
- 16” Sabian AA crash
- 20” Sabian B8 Ride
- 18” Sabian B8 China
- 20” Zildjian Crash Ride
- 13” Cambridge Hi-hat
- LP Cowbell
- Vater 5A sticks
- Low end Tama double pedal
I’ve recently been feeling the itch to play again too, maybe I’ll go get myself kicked out of Guitar Center after work tonight :D
I’m a drummer, but not a gear head at all (though I loooove my Ludwigs). Here’s my rough specs (no great shots off hand):
- Kit 1: 1970 Blue Sparkle Ludwig Classic (stamped from Oct. 1970)
- Kit 2: Pearl Session Custom SRX – Red stain
- Kit 3: Yamaha Electric Drums (don’t remember what model)
- Cymbals: I forget off the top of my head, but a bunch… most of them are made of metal and are gold in colour.
- Tama Iron Cobra pedals
- A whole crapload of Pearl and Ludwig hardware
Nice sets all around. Here’s what I play:
- Drums: Pearl Session Series in a pretty blue fade
- Snare: Pork Pie 12x5”
- Cymbals: Zildjian 13” K Custom Dark HiHats, 20” A Custom Projection Crash, Sabian 16” AAX China, 20” AA Raw Ride, 17” HHX Legacy Crash, 17” Vault Crash.
- Sticks: Vic Firth 5A (wood tip)
- Hardware: A Mixture of mostly Pearl and DW
Kinda beat up Tama Kit, that I’ve had forever. But hey, it’s punk rock.
Originally a 5 piece, I’ve broken it down to a 4 piece.
- Zildjian HiHats
- 2 Zildjian Crash Cymbals
- 1 Zildjian Ride Cymbal
- Double Kick Pedal (Pacific)
- Hardware - whatever was cheapest
What can I say I’m poor… I truly believe however, a true musician can play on anything and make music.
A link to a song in the band I play drums for here:
80*D - IHTWIHM
I got your twitter post… and found it cool to know you played the drums too.
This is the set I kept after beeing a professional musican for some 15 years:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66288710@N00/228111159/
Then one day the web-bug bit me and I started learning about webdesign. Now finally I arrived at mobile web design, so my “viewport” has shrunk to about 240x320 px :-) I wear glasses now…
1961 Ludwig Oyster set (5 peice, but I only use 3). I own the original hardware, but for practical reasons I use DW5000 pedals. Custom snare drum, Zildjian New Beat hi-hats, Z & A Custom ride & crash cymbals. This is 1 of 3 sets, but of course my favorite. Old picture… I’ll have to clean them up and take some better shots.
Drummer? Check. Web Designer? Check.
Kit: Spaun Drums Maple Kit, black finish (10x12, 12x13, 14x14, 16x16, 22x18)
Snare: SonorLite 7.25 x 14
Cymbals:
- Paiste Signature Dark Crisp 14” hi-hats
- Paiste Signature 18” crash
- Paiste Signature 16” crash
- Zildjian Z Custom 19” crash
- Zildjian Z Custom 20” ride
- Paiste 20” 2002 Novo China
- Paiste Signature 10” splash
- Paiste Signature 8” bell
- Paiste Signature 12” Flanger Bell
DW 2002 double bass pedals
Pearl rack and hardware
Tama throne
Since we’re pimping our own stuff, if you want to hear these things in action, go here:
Designing and drumming seems to go hand in hand. lol.
My RMV Road Lacquer - nice drum made in Brazil by RMV
Details and set-up on Flickr. And a ball with a Palmeiras brand, the soccer club of my heart =)
Cheers from Brazil,
Camilo Oliveira
Ayotte w/three 21” Agop-Agop cymbals…from Seattle, but now in Norway. More on www.coffeeanddrums.com
Ah but the question then becomes, who are your drum heros?
1) Zac Starkey - Ringo’s Boy & current Who & Oasis drummer
2) Keith Moon - gave Zac his first drum kit!
3) Nick Mason
4) Al Jackson of Booker T & The MGs
5) Stephen Morris of Joy Division
Cool post, now if I was only co-ordinated, I play a mean steering wheel drum on the road with some classic 70s music on…
aww hell yeah
-sonor 20” kick w/ aquarian super kick ii heads
-bosphorus traditional ride 18” (favorite cymbal ever)
-istanbul light somethingorother 13” hats
-sabian aax studio thin crash 16”
-ludwig toms 14” / 16” w/ aquarian studio x heads
-some ludwig sparkly snare i bought on ebay…evans g2 vented head
-either my friend’s paiste crash ride or some shitty cymbal i bought on ebay that sounds badass…changes frequently
I’m a musician of sorts - I play the guitar and am very intrigued by the type of music you play on these drums? Do you play jazz? Blues?
Just asking for some clues to figure out do these drums get dusty from Highway To Hell or Take Five :)
This is the set I gave my son.
Yamaha Stage Custon in Fade Raven Black.
8,10,12,13,14,15 toms, 2 16s on floor (1 tuned lower) twin 22s on bass.
Remo Weatherking Pins on the Toms.
Remo Weatherking Powersonic on Bass.
Evans black resonants for Toms.
Zildjian A Custom 18in China
Zildjian A Custom 20in ride
Zildjian A Custom 16in Crash
Zildjian ZHT 8in Splash
Zildjian Scimitar 18in Crash
Zildjian Pitch Black 15in Mastersound Hihats
Tama Iron Cobra Double on right Bass.
Tama Iron Cobra Single on left Bass.
Yamaha Steel snare with 14in Aquarian
Hi velocity head.
And a Yamaha SubKick (looking to get another).
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1 Moritz ~ 19 September 2008
Here my setup.. I have no photo of the complete kit, but I think thats ok:
Tama Starclassic Performer
20″
14″ Hihats, 16″ Crash, 20″ Rock Ride
Evans Coated or Remo Coated,
Tomtoms:
Evans G2, Remo Emperor (Coated), Remo Pinstripe,
Bassdrum:
Remo Powerstroke 3, Remo Pinstripe