The drummer has long been relegated to the back of the stage, tucked away in the role of discreet accompanist who mustn’t steal the spotlight from the guitarist or the singer. Yet their instrument is bigger and louder—hardly fair, right? Every now and then, though, some drummers make a point of standing out with a custom kit, a huge rig, or simply an unforgettable look. Many are endorsed, which lets them test the patience of the local custom shop—and shows just how much fun you can have piecing together your kit.
Frank Beard – ZZ Top
Brand: Tama
Okay, Beard isn’t the most jaw-dropping drummer of all time, but ZZ Top is an institution, and their live shows are always worth their weight in barbecue sauce. For recent tours, he’s really leaned into the look of his kit. There was the Tama with ultra-decorated heads, pistons on the sides, and a rounded cymbal rack (the same kind we use in the Woodbrass Store demo studios to move kits around while keeping the same cymbals), but lately he’s stepped it up with two giant metal skulls on his two kick drums. Not exactly subtle, but incredibly effective.
Rick Allen – Def Leppard
Brand: Yamaha
In Rick Allen’s case, the oddity of his kit isn’t diva behavior—it’s a physical necessity. He lost his left arm in 1984, just as the British band was at the height of its popularity, but still decided to keep playing drums. His kit lets him trigger elements usually handled by the left hand using his left foot: the kind of trick that justifies a custom shop better than anything.
Keith Moon – The Who
Brand: Premier
Keith Moon was the first drummer to occupy such a dominant place in a band, sonically and visually. Within The Who, he won everyone over with his explosive playing, and his choice of drum kit matched the vibe: the Premier kit he received in 1967 is one of those instantly recognizable drums that made everyone dream. It’s decorated with British flags and nude women, hence the nickname “Spirit of Lily,” a nod to The Who’s song about adult publications. Premier reissued this legendary kit under the name “Spirit of Lily.”
Lars Ulrich – Metallica
Brand: Tama
Drummers love to hate Lars Ulrich for not being the tightest or most delicate player. But his enthusiasm—and that pachyderm punch on the Black Album—are elements without which Metallica would be just another thrash band instead of the biggest metal band on earth. These days Lars mostly rolls with his green sparkle kit, but the kit we all associate with Metallica is of course the gorgeous white Tama with black hardware, as seen in the video for “One” (with that flashy double-kick pattern), among others. It was his main kit for …And Justice for All and the Black Album, and the only signature drum set Tama has ever offered.
Neil Peart – Rush
Brand: DW
The drummer of Canada’s legendary progressive rock trio Rush is one of those untouchable masters who influenced everyone. He needed a kit to match. He went through many versions that fit each visual era of the band, but the summit is undoubtedly the DW kit he used on the Time Machine tour in 2009. Having seen it up close (it was displayed at NAMM), the attention to detail in this true work of art is jaw-dropping: even the legs are bronze with a base that looks like a Nautilus periscope!
Alex Van Halen – Van Halen
Brand: Ludwig
Eddie Van Halen may be a wildly flamboyant guitarist, but it’s his drummer brother, Alex, who literally plays with fire on stage—lighting his cymbals or sticks! His kits match the persona, and for every Van Halen tour Ludwig builds him a new monster, each one bigger and more sprawling than the last. One of his specialties is the quadruple kick drum—well, you need that to handle the intro of “Hot for Teacher”…
Ringo Starr – The Beatles
Brand: Ludwig
In 1963, The Beatles’ drummer received the kit that would change the world: a Ludwig in its gorgeous Oyster Black Pearl finish. No other kit has inspired so many careers, and few are as instantly recognizable… Fun fact: it was a salesperson at the London shop who sold him the Ludwig who drew the logo on the bass-drum head—yes, the Beatles logo with the stretched B and T that everyone knows. Just goes to show: trust your salespeople’s good taste.
John Bonham – Led Zeppelin
Brand: Ludwig
Legendary drummer, legendary drums: few kits can rival the fame of Led Zeppelin’s powerhouse and his sublime Ludwig Vistalite. The amber-tinted transparent shells give it an instantly recognizable look that’s still tied to him today. And of course, the runic symbol on the bass-drum head and the gong behind him are almost as iconic…
Mike Portnoy – ex Dream Theater
Brand: Tama
Mike Portnoy is one of those drummers who truly made the most of his endorsement—and his road crew—to build an out-of-the-ordinary kit. Purists may argue Mike isn’t the legend that Ringo or Bonham is and that he borrowed heavily from Neil Peart, but his various kits through his Dream Theater years and beyond show real aesthetic sense and serious thought. Portnoy developed the “Monster” in the early 2000s from a simple idea: two kits in one. On one side, a metal kit with two kick drums and enough toms to open a shop; on the other, a simpler rock kit with a smaller kick and a single rack tom. The result? Three kick drums, a massive footprint on stage, and a different finish for every tour!
Terry Bozzio
Brand: DW
Plenty of session drummers put out a solo record or two, invite a bunch of stars, and don’t think much beyond that. Not Bozzio. Beyond playing with Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Steve Vai, and Korn, he took his solo career in a highly experimental direction and built a kit of mind-boggling proportions to match. He plays melodically, like a marimba, and sets up two full octaves across his toms—that’s 24 toms. Yes, 24. He also has six kick drums and a good thirty-odd cymbals. It’s wild, but it’s not just for show: he wrings out music that’s fascinating and truly original.
