DRUMMERS, How many pieces in your kit ?

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Sunday Jul 06, 2008

Back in the day I always played a 7 piece kit, 4 up, 1 down, 1 kick, snare.

On my recent trek back to playing I started with 3 up, 1 down. But I recently put together a new kit for myself (for a blues band) with 1 up and 1 down. I find it more challenging to play, forcing more creativity.

How many drums are in your kit ? And what genre do you play ?

Add opinions as to why you like "x" amount of pieces in your kit.

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Monday Jul 07, 2008

I had an old kit that was literally in pieces one night...

Ive had as many as 8 mounted toms before in my Rush years, i miss having 2 bass drums tuned different but dont miss carrying them. fusion size 5 piece is what I settled with and a double pedal. As far as genre, i can cover what i need from blues to rock to latin and get home by 2:30.

CCdrums · Post by **CCdrums** » Monday Jul 07, 2008

I play a 4 pc. kit. One up and one down. I was playing a 5 pc. kit, but I dropped the smallest tom as of late and I'm liking it. Sort of getting back to my roots when I always played 1 up and 1 or 2 down. With the type of music I'm currently playing (classic rock) and not being miked up too often, the small 10" tom seemed too little to really make a statement. The kit with 13" and 16" toms works well for the music and my style.

I like the simplicity of it for a number of reasons. I'm more of a groove player, so I don't need alot of toms. I like it because I don't have to lug around a bunch of drums, I don't have to buy too many heads and tune them up on a smaller kit, and sound guys love it because it's easy to mic up. If I'm in the studio, I might add an extra tom for some more capabilities for fills, depending on the music. Every once in a while, I'll miss having an extra smaller tom to cover a certain fill in a song, but usually I can cover it with what I have.

HBSPro · Post by **HBSPro** » Monday Jul 07, 2008

my big kit is a yamaha 2 kicks 3 up and 1 down plus a snare

my second kit is DW 1 kick 3 up and 1 down plus a snare

ya there both a bit to move around but its old school for me

DrumAndDestroy · Post by **DrumAndDestroy** » Monday Jul 07, 2008

one kick, one mounted tom, one floor tom, and a snare of course.

that's all i need.

xero380 · Post by **xero380** » Monday Jul 07, 2008

one kick, one floor, 3 mounted toms, and snare

J Michaels · Post by **J Michaels** » Monday Jul 07, 2008

Not that I am really a drummer anymore, but I do still have my kit and play occasionally. Does that count?

Anyway....

double bass, two rack, two floor, and 3 roto toms - 10 pieces total

not to mention 6 crash, 2 china, ride, hats, and splash cymbals

plus a mounted tambourine and a cowbell

I NEED MORE COWBELL!!!!!

yes, I know - it is a TOTAL 80s kit - very much like the classic Tommy Lee Motley kit from 1986. LOVE IT!!!!

rreihart · Post by **rreihart** » Monday Jul 07, 2008

My main kit right now is the Rick Marotta HipGig because of its portability and ease of setup / tear down.

I add a double braced cymbal stand so I can have a ride and crash on it. I use an 8 and 10 inch splash on the two mounted stands. I also trigger the kick with a ddrum trigger and Alesis DM5 for more low punch in the PA.

I also mount a high pitch wood block (the LP plastic kind) to the snare and sometimes play that in place of cross-sticking.

Back in the metal days, I had a 9 Piece Pearl Export Pro, 4 Up, 2 Down, Double kick. Heck of a kit to haul around.

Trucula · Post by **Trucula** » Monday Jul 07, 2008

Same here 9 pc. Pearl kit that is TOO much to haul around.
So I took away the small tom, and the smaller floor tom. I use a LP block (because it cracks more in rock than the x-sticking I use to do in country music), LP rock-ride bell with the plastic edge (love the sound) both mounted to my hi hat stand, LP deep bell on one bass drum, and their chimes mounted to the side. A set of ching-rings for my hi hat needed for one song goes on and off.

When we practice I set up what I call the Beatles set. 3 pc. Playing long rolls on one tom for Metallica is funny!

BUT...my next set will be no bigger than a 5 pc. with a double pedal if it goes that big. As the age goes up, the kit size goes down. And since the mind slowly goes away it's less I have to remember to hit and pack to take along!!

KyleMayket · Post by **KyleMayket** » Monday Jul 07, 2008

I play a 7 piece kit, 3 up, 2 down, snare, kick, double pedal. toms are 10, 12, 13, 14, and 16. I play in a primarily cover band, so having range on toms makes it easier to replicate certain songs. And i like to add little tom accents to certain origionals, kinda like playing a timbale, cuz i keep my 10 cranked pretty high.

randydrummer · Post by **randydrummer** » Monday Jul 07, 2008

Premier Insignia kit: 3 up, one down, one bass drum w/ double pedal, usually only one snare for now, but if I get to play some fusion again any time soon, I'll bring out another snare. Since everything is rack mounted, it takes up exactly the same amount of stage area as the 4 piece I version I use for blues gigs.

All small drums, 8, 10, 12, 14 toms, 13 snare, 20 bass. I'm playing stuff from The Beatles, to Phish, so the 8" tom is nice for the jam band stuff where I can open up a little.

For acoustic gigs, I use a Yamaha Al Foster model Hip Gig. Fits nicely in small venues and is very portable. Looks classy, too with the white marine pearl!!

Hoping to find some jazz gigs to bring out the 4 piece early 60's Ludwig kit!

Also hoping to find someone interested doin doingg drum 'n' bass stuff so I can use my Sonor Jungle Kit. Very cool sounding 4 piece with a 16" bass drum.

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Tuesday Jul 08, 2008

I think most of the dudes here have seen my kit. Yamaha Stage Custom in high gloss Marina Green. (J Michaels and I are on the same wavelength here...) classic metal kit, double kicks, 2 racks (12" and 13"), 2 floors (2 @ 16", one tuned high, one tuned low), and snare for a total of 7 pieces. And of course, my full setup of custom-made Saluda cymbals.

When subbing for most bands, I'll just bring a 5-piece, 2 up, one down, snare and bass with double pedal.

Here's a few pics:

And a diagram:

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Jul 08, 2008

Kevin, I'm sorry, I keep forgetting the name of your Yamaha Drum site . Will you give us the link. Thanks !

nightcrawler_steve · Post by **nightcrawler_steve** » Tuesday Jul 08, 2008

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ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Tuesday Jul 08, 2008

Sure, Bill.

For any Yamaha Players out there, I run a group on Yahoo for Yamaha drummers. You can find it at:

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ya ... m_players/

There are a number of cool people there, including Clint Carothers, also Jim Haler of Yamaha USA and Yamaha endorser Dave Mattacks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Mattacks). It's become kind of a clearing house to get your questions regarding Yamaha acoustic drums answered. I started the group in 2003, and I never imagined it would last one year, much less five.

It is kind of restricted, in that the only discussions allowed are Yamaha related, but if you're curious about Yamaha, or a Yamahead (like me), feel free to join up! It only takes a few minutes, and all you need is a free Yahoo! ID.

Cheers!

Skate Toad · Post by **Skate Toad** » Tuesday Jul 08, 2008

4 piece for me! Well i guess mine is more like 5 or 6. DW Drums 1 up(13"),1 down(16"),kick(22"),snare(14"),2nd snare(pearl Omar Hakim 13") and a Roland Spds sample pad(packed with tons of percussion and fun samples....endless possibilities!)
I tend to lean towrads the 4 piece jazz kit. I would like a nice funk fusion kit with higher pitched tones and like 4 or 5 toms etc. etc. but that would stay still and not travel much. There is a flow of a 4 piece jazz setup that i just can't get away from. Even when i play on a big kit i tend to skip alot of the toms. But i admit it is fun to have all those colors on the palette from time to time.
Here is my setup. (i have replaced all the hardware with DW since this shot.....still using the pearl pedals tho)

Diavolo · Post by **Diavolo** » Tuesday Jul 08, 2008

For the past two years I've been using a four-piece configuration after years of playing a big kit.

For jazz gigs I use a '60's era Gretsch round badge kit - 20" kick, 12" rack and 14" floor with HH, 2 rides, and sometimes one crash.

For rock, jam and blues kick I use the same configuration except with a 22" kick and power depth toms, HH, ride, 2 crashes.

Occasionally, I'll bring out a 10" tom, a second snare, and an 18" china when I'm playing more prog/experimental stuff.

RamRod 1 · Post by **RamRod 1** » Tuesday Jul 08, 2008

5 piece set of "60's Whitehalls". I'm not a real drummer but if I need to record or get company, there always around.

slackin@dabass · Post by **slackin@dabass** » Tuesday Jul 08, 2008

5 peice pdp x7... yea, the one that comes as a 7 peice... i use a 12" up, 14 floor, 16 floor, 22 kick, 14 snare... i play classic rock mostly, so this works well... i did have an 8 and 10 up to the side of the bass drum (you know, not mounted on the bass, but off the the hihat side) the 12 on my left and the 14 and 16 on my right... but who wants to carry all that shit around. of course... now i really don't play drums... sucks. i miss it. any classic rock bands looking for a drummer?

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Tuesday Jul 08, 2008

An older pic of it, but pretty much the same setup, except I use another hat on the right....thanks to slackin@dabass....

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Wednesday Jul 09, 2008

6 piece Pearl 10,12,13 14-snare 16 FT and 22 kick works well for me

Trucula · Post by **Trucula** » Wednesday Jul 09, 2008

Rob, I really like the color of that kit!...Blue has always been a favorite of mine and prob my next set choice... NICE!

BDR · Post by **BDR** » Wednesday Jul 09, 2008

Don't let him fool ya ... this is what Bonsell actually plays at gigs ...

That effer even has a cowbell! Schweet!

r:>)

nightcrawler_steve · Post by **nightcrawler_steve** » Wednesday Jul 09, 2008

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RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Wednesday Jul 09, 2008

Trucula!

It's actually purple, but for some reason pictures of it usually turn out blue. Here's another pic under better lighting.