Here I have compiled a list of all the percussion equipment that I’ve been using for several years. Some pieces have been involved with every recording and live show I have done and others are still projects in the making. So, for those of you who are interested, here we go and feel free to drop any questions or comments you may have.
Drums
My current kit is a Pearl Masters Custom MMX, which is finished in Sheer Blue lacquer paint. Shells are 4ply maple w/5mm re-rings. The sizes are as follows:
18x22 bass drum
6.5x14 snare drum
8x8 mounted tom
10x10 mounted tom
10x12 mounted tom
12x14 floor tom
16x16 floor tom
3.5x14 Pearl Free Floating Piccolo Snare in Natural Finish
I do not prefer to carry all these drums to gigs and I have not done so in about 5 years but it is a luxury to have the option of multiple setup choices. I like using a 5 piece kit however sometimes space is tight and I will use a 4 piece. Either way the core of the setup consists of the kick, snare and hi hat with a variation of the tom and cymbal setup.
Cymbals
As for cymbals, I have been using Zildjian since I was a kid. I have had quit a few different makes and models over the years and I have loved them all. Listed is my current cymbal lineup:
10” Splash
13” A Custom Hi Hats
14” New Beat Hi Hats
16” A Custom Crash
17” A Custom Projection Crash
18” A Custom Crash
19” K China
20” K Custom Ride (My favorite)
20” K Heavy Ride
Again, I do not carry all of these because I have limited cymbal stands and it would be a total mess. My cymbal setup has stayed the same however I do like to swap out different sizes from time to time. The only cymbal that never changes in the setup is of coarse the 20” K Custom Ride. I really like the A Custom hi hats as well due to the fact that they cut through so well. What can I say, I likes ‘em all!
Electronics
This is a new area for me but I currently use the Alesis DM5 drum module. I was using this rig to trigger my kick drum in live situations. It proved to be a better sounding solution than traditional kick drum miking and it’s a faster setup. My bastard electric setup is:
Alesis DM5 Drum Module
Roland PD6 Drum Pads
Pintech Electronic Cymbals
Pintech Kick Pad
Roland V-Club Rack
I used this electronic setup to record “Smile” and “Morphine” which can be heard here:
These are a great way to practice at low volumes or with headphones and they sound great to. I should have got my hands on these years ago.
Pedals/Hardware
I like DW pedals for the simple fact that they have given me absolutely no problems over the years and they are one of the most innovative companies I have every seen. They should pay me for what I just said about them, huh? Makes are as follows:
DW 5000 Double Bass Pedal
DW 5000 Hi Hat Stand
Both pedals are chain drive and have stood up to a lot of abuse. As for stand hardware, I use a variation of Pearl, Yamaha, DW and Gibraltar. The hardware setup is definitely the melting pot of my kit.
Heads
I have tried just about all of them. As for my favorites the list is:
Snare batter - Remo Coated Ambassador of Evans Genera Coated w/dry vents
Snare bottom - Remo Clear Ambassador Snare
Bass Batter - Aquarian Super Kick I or Evans Genera G2
Bass Resonant- Aquarian Ported w/4” offset hole
Tom Batter – Remo Coated Emperor or Aquarian Clear Studio X Series
Tom Resonant – Remo Clear Ambassador
As for tuning, I prefer an “open” sound which means limited of no muffling of the drum. In other words I do not like a BIG pillow in the bass drum along with a bunch of foam jammed up inside the toms. By doing this one might as well invest in some nice cardboard boxes because it sounds about the same. Coated heads and two ply coated heads on the toms provide the right amount of muffling to control overtones. The Aquarian Super Kick bass drum heads have a felt ring that floats inside the head, which produces great attack, and just enough sustain. In addition I due use a rolled up towel inside the bass drum to further dampen the batter head. As for the snare I crank it up just about as high as the top head will go. The bottom is a little loser to achieve a more sensitive snare sound. Tuning technique is something that I have always worked on and still pay attention to.
In The Works
I am currently on the process of building a custom kit, which consists of Keller Maple Shells finished in emerald green pearl wrap. The shells are 8 ply maple w/o re-rings. Sizes are:
14x24 bass drum
8x10 mounted tom
10x12 floor tom
12x14 floor tom
This is my first time to actually build a kit and it has been a blast. The process up to this point has been ordering raw drum shells and hardware, drilling shells for hardware, applying the wrap finish and assembling the drums. I just completed the 14” floor tom and for time being I will be using my Pearl Piccolo snare to complete the setup.
