# Diamond Eyes Drum Setup: Abe Cunningham's Cathartic Comeback

> Discover the exact drums, cymbals, and gear Abe Cunningham used to record Deftones' Diamond Eyes album. Complete setup breakdown with recording techniques and track analysis from the 2010 recovery record.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Abe Cunningham](/llms/drummers/abe-cunningham.md)
**Band / Album:** Deftones — *Diamond Eyes* (2010)
**Genre:** Alternative Metal

## Overview

Released on May 4, 2010, "Diamond Eyes" arrived after one of the darkest chapters in Deftones' history. Bassist Chi Cheng had been left in a semi-comatose state following a November 2008 car accident, halting work on an album the band had nearly finished — the now-legendary "Eros." Rather than push forward with a record overshadowed by tragedy, the band shelved Eros, recruited Quicksand's Sergio Vega on bass, and started over with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush, Mastodon) at the helm.

The result is one of the most direct, melodic, and cathartic records in the Deftones catalog. Where "Saturday Night Wrist" (2006) had been sprawling and tense, "Diamond Eyes" is concise and triumphant — ten tracks that pivot between bone-crushing weight and shimmering melodicism without ever losing momentum. The album debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200, earned RIAA Gold certification in the US, and reaffirmed Deftones as one of heavy music's most important bands.

At the rhythmic core of all of it is Abe Cunningham. With Sergio Vega's punchy, propulsive bass playing pushing him forward, Abe leans into the pocket like never before. The opening hit of "Diamond Eyes" — that simple, monstrous half-time groove — is a thesis statement: the band is alive, the drums are huge, and restraint is still the most powerful tool in the kit.

Raskulinecz's production gave Abe's Tama kit room to breathe while still hitting hard. The bass drum has weight without flab, the toms are tuned for melody as much as impact, and the cymbals — Abe's longtime Sabian HHX setup — sit beautifully in a mix that prizes clarity. The result is a drum sound that feels both modern and timeless, anchoring a record that closed the door on tragedy and opened a new chapter for the band.

This article explores the gear Abe used during the Diamond Eyes sessions, the techniques that defined its sound, and what made this album a turning point for Deftones drumming.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Tama Starclassic Bubinga / Birch hybrid (Custom dark finish)
- **Snare:** Tama Tama Bell Brass 14"x6.5" / Tama Starphonic Brass, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Sabian — Sabian HHX Series
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Iron Cobra / Speed Cobra Single Pedal; Tama Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stand; Tama 1st Chair; Vic Firth Signature / 5B-equivalent
- **Heads:** Remo Ambassador Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tuning with controlled overtones

### Abe's Diamond Eyes Era Kit: Tama Starclassic

For the Diamond Eyes sessions, Abe Cunningham continued his longstanding partnership with Tama, tracking the record on a Starclassic kit built around a single 22" bass drum — Abe is a documented single-kick player, and that philosophy is central to how Diamond Eyes feels. The album is heavy without ever sounding busy, and a big part of that is the controlled, articulate low end of one well-tuned kick rather than the constant rumble of doubles.

Nick Raskulinecz famously tracks drums in the room, with the player having space to breathe, and Abe's kit was set up to project. The Starclassic bubinga/birch hybrid shells provided the best of both worlds — bubinga's deep, focused low-end punch with birch's clean attack and brightness on top. That combination is why the toms on "CMND/CTRL" and "You've Seen the Butcher" can cut through the wall of guitar without losing weight.

The 22" x 18" bass drum delivers the foundation. On the title track's opening hit, the kick lands like a closing door — round, decisive, and immediately recognizable. Raskulinecz miked it for clarity rather than the sub-only "thud" that was common in 2010 metal production, which is why the kick still feels alive on a real stereo more than fifteen years later.

The 10/12 rack toms and 14/16 floor toms give Abe a melodic span without ever turning the kit into a furniture warehouse. "Beauty School" and "Sextape" both use tom melodies as part of the song's hook, and the tuning intervals are carefully chosen — not just descending pitches but musical ones.

What you don't see is as important as what you do: no second kick, no cowbells, no octobans, no gimmicks. Just a focused four-piece-plus-floor-tom rock kit, played by a drummer who knows that taste beats clutter every time.

### The Backbone: Bell Brass Crack and Body

Diamond Eyes' snare sound is one of the most identifiable in modern Deftones — a brassy, weighty crack that sits beautifully against Stephen Carpenter's downtuned guitars without ever getting buried. For these sessions Abe leaned on a Tama bell brass 14"x6.5" (with the Starphonic Brass as a frequent alternate), drums that give him the bright top-end snap he loves while still delivering body on the bottom.

Bell brass shells are prized for their projection and tonal complexity. Unlike standard brass, the higher copper content adds a metallic ring and articulation that translates incredibly well to tape (or in this case, hard drive). On a track like "Rocket Skates," that snare cuts through the chaos without needing aggressive top-end EQ — it's already there in the source.

Raskulinecz's engineering approach on the snare is dynamic-friendly. Rather than slamming it with a fast compressor and a noise gate, he captures the natural decay of the shell so that Abe's ghost notes — particularly on "Beauty School" — actually translate to the listener. When he digs in on the big choruses, the contrast is real, not manufactured.

For heavier moments like "Royal" and "This Place Is Death," the snare gets cranked tighter and hit harder, and the bell brass shell pays it back with a knife-sharp accent. For more atmospheric tracks like "Sextape," looser tuning brings out the shell's body and overtones. Same drum, different role — exactly how Abe approaches the entire kit.

### Sabian HHX: Dark, Complex, and Cutting

By 2010 Abe had become one of Sabian's most visible artists, and his Diamond Eyes cymbal setup leaned heavily on the HHX line — darker, drier cymbals that complement his pocket-first approach without dominating the mix. Where his White Pony era used Zildjian, the Diamond Eyes era is firmly Sabian HHX territory.

The 14" HHX Groove Hi-Hats anchor most of the album's grooves. They have a tight, dry chick and a strong stick definition that cuts through Stephen Carpenter's eight-string downtuning without ever sounding shrill. On the title track and "Risk," the hat work is essential to the song's forward motion.

The HHX Evolution Ride is the secret weapon. Designed in collaboration with Dave Weckl, it offers complex wash, clear ping, and a beautifully musical bell — perfect for the textured ride patterns on "Beauty School" and the bridge of "Sextape." It's not a "metal ride" in any traditional sense, and that's exactly the point.

For crashes, Abe sticks with the HHX Evolution line in 17" and 19" sizes, plus an 18" HHX Stage as a crash/ride hybrid. They're fast, dark, and musical — the kind of crashes that punctuate rather than overpower. Raskulinecz's mix gives them full frequency range without harshness, and they sit beautifully in the stereo field.

The 18" Chinese is used sparingly — a sharp accent on the heaviest moments of "Rocket Skates" and "Royal." Like the China cymbal on White Pony, its restraint is what makes it effective.

## Key Facts

- Recorded 2009-2010 with producer Nick Raskulinecz
- Started from scratch after the shelved "Eros" sessions and Chi Cheng's 2008 accident
- Sergio Vega (ex-Quicksand) joined on bass — his first Deftones studio album
- Debuted at #6 on Billboard 200; RIAA Gold certified in the US
- Singles "Diamond Eyes" and "Rocket Skates" reasserted the band on rock radio
- Abe leaned into pocket-first playing with Tama Starclassic kit and Sabian HHX cymbals
- Tama Starclassic Bubinga/Birch — focused punch with bright attack
- Single 22" bass drum — Abe is a documented single-kick player
- 10/12 rack toms and 14/16 floor toms for a wide melodic span
- Tuned for melody as much as impact
- Raskulinecz miked the kit for clarity, not just sub-low weight
- Estimated kit value: $3,500-5,500 (Starclassic Bubinga/Birch shell pack, 2010 era)
- Estimated snare value: $500-900 (Tama Bell Brass / Starphonic Brass, 2010 era)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/diamond-eyes-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-26 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*