I'm glad you're here and are interested in my drum set. I like to change the configuration from time to time, utilizing the entire drum set or a smaller portion of it pending on the amount of shows on a certain tour. Plus, I must be honest. Sometimes I'll just get tired of a certain setup and change it all around to combat boredom. I actually learn new patterns because the change will make the drum set "feel" different. I play differently if the drums and cymbals are close in. With that setup, I'll be faster and a little more precise. When I spread the kit out, then I'm pounding and driving a groove! To me, it depends on what type of gig I'm going to be playing as to how I set up my drums. Bottom line is, it doesn't matter how big or small the drum set is, or what style of music you play. What matters most as a drummer is tempo, a good feel for the groove. A consistent one and three on the kick drum and a driving two and four on the snare drum will get 'em going every time!!
Well, let's get to the drums. I have two sets. One stays on the road, the other I keep at home for practice or when I do local shows with other musicians. First we'll get to the set that I've used for the past twenty five years. 

This is the set up I've used on most of the Thackery records. 

This is the current live set up.

1977 TAMA Superstar series
The shells are birch with a cherry wine finish.

BASS DRUM:   16x 24

PEDALS:  Drum Workshop DW 5000. I keep two pedals. One primary and one backup.

DRUM HEADS:  for the batter side I use the Aquarian SK2. And for the front, a REMO coated Ambassador with a HOLZ ring. For live shows, I put no damper inside the drum.

SNARE DRUMS: 

8 1/2 x 14 Tama Superstar as primary. (wood shell)

 1948 12 x 15  WFL (Ludwig) White Marine Pearl finish on a mahogany shell. A great old drum!

DRUM HEADS: For the Tama snare drum I use a REMO coated Ambassador on the batter side and a REMO clear Diplomat on the bottom.
For the WFL snare drum, I am currently using a REMO Black Dot on the batter side with the REMO Diplomat on the bottom. I use twenty strand snare wires on both drums.

TOM TOMS: 

10x10, 14 x 14,  14 x 15  rack mounted, (14 x 15 not shown in pictures)
16 x 16,  16 x 18  floor tom toms

DRUM HEADS:

 For all of the toms I use the REMO coated Ambassador, single ply on the batter side and the REMO Diplomat on the bottom.

CYMBALS: I have always played Zildjian A series. I have begun using the Zildjian A Custom series. I find them a little "brighter" sounding than the A series. The brilliant finish is a little harder to clean and care for, but they sure sound great!! So I am using part A's and A Customs on the tours.

Zildjian:

one 22' medium ride

one 18' A Custom crash

one 18 A Custom Projection crash

one 17' medium crash

one 17' A Custom fast crash

two 15' New Beat hi-hats, heavy bottom, medium top.

Sabian: 

one 17' studio crash (used in recording only)

 

HARDWARE:

four Drum Workshop 9700 series straight-boom stands

one Drum Workshop 9700 series snare drum stand

two Ludwig Low Profile series snare drum stands

one Tama Titan series Hi- Hat stand

one Tama Titan series double tom-tom stand with Tama clamp for cymbal attachment

one Pearl cymbal boom arm

one Tama First Chair drum seat & stand

one Pro-Mark clamp on stick caddy

 

STICKS: 

Pro-Mark 2B Nylon, hickory. I have been an endorse of Pro-Mark drumsticks for over eighteen years now. They are a great group of people, and have treated me well. My hat's off to them! They roll out a helluva stick. I keep three stick caddies. One fabric Zildjian bag for the home kit. For the road, I carry a fabric Pearl stick bag and a flight case for sticks made by Coffin Cases.

 

CASES:

 Anvil ATA Flight (8 cases for the Tama drum kit)

Humes & Burg Cases

 SKB Cases.

Well, is that enough equipment talk? No? Good, now we'll start on the second drum set! I affectionately call it my "Heinz 57" kit.   I've had them since 1978.  I'm using  and rebuilding them at the same time! The kit had been recovered twice by the time I acquired them. Once in white and once in black!  I took them to a guitar repair man and he stripped them down to the wood and painted them in a sunburst! I used this kit during the recording of the Tricks, Ruffryder and the Ira White records. Yes, records! Ya'll remember them don't you?

1965 LUDWIG Standard
the shells are birch with a custom sunburst finish
BASS DRUM:    14 x 22

PEDALS:  DW 5000, Tama King Beat

DRUM HEADS: REMO clear Pinstripe on the batter side and the REMO coated Ambassador on the front, with the Holz ring.

TOM TOMS:

 8 x 12,   9 x 13 rack toms
16 x 16  floor tom tom

DRUM HEADS: On all tom toms I currently use the REMO coated Ambassador, single ply on the batter side, and the REMO Diplomat on the bottom.

SNARE DRUMS:

 1968 Slingerland 5 1/2 x 14, (metal shell)

 1968 Preimer 5 1/2 x 14, (metal shell)

DRUM HEADS:

 I use the REMO coated Ambassador, single ply on the batter side and the REMO clear Diplomat on the bottom. I also use twenty strand snare wires for these drums.

CYMBALS: I play all Zildjian A series cymbals on this kit.
One 22' medium ride
four 18' medium crash
two 17' medium thin crash
one 8' splash
two 15' hi-hats medium heavy
one Latin Percussion Jam Block
assortment of cowbells

HARDWARE: Again, the hardware is an assortment of pieces from all over!
Tama Titan series cymbal stands, Tama clamps and cymbal boom arms. Tama drum seat stand with a custom made seat (fattass).
Ludwig standard straight and boom cymbal stands.
Rogers hi-hat stand.
Slingerland snare drum stand, Ludwig Low Profile snare stand.

CASES:

 Anvil fiberboard, Anvil ATA Cymbal Flight Case,
Impact cymbal caddy                                                        

That's about it for the equipment I use for now. Isn't that enough to carry around?? I can always use more!!
Thanks for taking the time to read through my page. I hope it was informative. 
Until we meet again, remember to "protect the beat". Ya'll keep the faith!
Love & Peace,
Mark

 

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second.