What's In Charlie Benante's Anthrax Kit: The Big Four's Technical Pioneer | MetalForge
Complete breakdown of Charlie Benante's drum setup — the Big Four thrash pioneer who invented double bass drumming and popularized blast beats. Tama Starclas...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit does Charlie Benante use in Anthrax?
Charlie Benante plays a Tama Starclassic Maple kit configured with dual 22x18 inch bass drums, 10, 12, and 13 inch rack toms, and 14 and 16 inch floor toms. The shells are all-maple and mounted using Tama's Star-Cast system, which minimizes shell contact for better resonance. He also uses his own signature Tama snare, a 14x6.5 inch model designed to cut through the dense, fast riffing that defines Anthrax's sound.
What cymbals does Charlie Benante use in Anthrax?
Charlie Benante uses a mixed Paiste setup drawing from the 2002, Signature, and RUDE series. His setup includes Paiste 2002 14 inch Sound Edge hi-hats, a Signature 16 inch Fast Crash, a 2002 18 inch and 22 inch Heavy Ride, a RUDE 19 inch Crash/Ride, a 2002 18 inch China, and a 2002 10 inch Splash. The combination of these series gives him both aggressive attack and nuanced tonal variation across his setup.
How much does Charlie Benante's Anthrax drum kit cost?
Charlie Benante's current Tama Starclassic Maple kit runs approximately $5,000 to $7,000 depending on configuration and finish. His signature Tama snare adds another $400 to $500. The Paiste cymbal setup, mixing 2002, Signature, and RUDE pieces, can add $2,000 to $4,000 or more. All in, replicating his full rig would likely cost between $8,000 and $12,000 for a professional-grade build.