# Lars Ulrich's Drum Setup on Metallica's Hardwired...to Self-Destruct (2016)

> Lars Ulrich's most uptempo Metallica recording since the Black Album era — how the DW Collector's Series Maple kit, Zildjian cymbals, and Tama Speed Cobra pedals powered the Hardwired sessions at Metallica's own HQ studio in San Rafael.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Lars Ulrich](/llms/drummers/lars-ulrich.md)
**Band / Album:** Metallica — *Hardwired...to Self-Destruct* (2016)
**Genre:** Thrash Metal

## Overview

Released on November 18, 2016, "Hardwired...to Self-Destruct" was Metallica's tenth studio album and the band's most uptempo recording since the Black Album era. An ambitious double album spread across two discs and twelve tracks, Hardwired debuted at #1 in 57 countries — confirming that even three decades into their career, Metallica still commanded the global metal conversation. The lead single, "Hardwired" itself, was a sub-three-minute thrash assault that signaled the band's intent: more speed, more aggression, and a deliberate reach back toward the energy of their classic-era output.

For Lars Ulrich, Hardwired marked a return to relentless tempos. After the slower, more atmospheric "Death Magnetic" (2008) sessions and the long touring cycle that followed, Lars approached the new material with the most sustained uptempo playing he had committed to tape since the early 1990s. Tracks like "Spit Out the Bone," "Atlas, Rise!," and the title track demand the kind of double-bass stamina that Lars had relied on during the "...And Justice for All" era — and the recording captures him in remarkable form.

The production setup itself was a significant departure from previous Metallica records. Where "Death Magnetic" had Rick Rubin at the helm, Hardwired was co-produced by Greg Fidelman alongside James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich themselves. The album was recorded at HQ — Metallica's own studio facility in San Rafael, California — giving the band complete control over the sonic environment and the time to dial in exactly the drum sound they wanted.

This article covers the gear Lars used to make Hardwired, the HQ studio recording philosophy, and how this album fits within the broader Black Album → Death Magnetic → Hardwired arc of Lars's modern career.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** DW Collector's Series Maple (dual 22" x 18" bass drums, 12" rack tom, 14" and 16" floor toms)
- **Snare:** DW Collector's Series Maple 14" x 6.5" with die-cast hoops
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom + Z Custom mix (14" A Custom hi-hats; 16", 19" A Custom and 18" Z Custom crashes; 20" A Custom ride; 18" A Custom China)
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Speed Cobra HP910 (used as two singles on dual kick); Tama Iron Cobra Lever Glide Hi-Hat Stand; Roc-N-Soc Nitro Original throne; Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature Sticks
- **Heads:** Evans EC2 Clear (toms batter), Evans Heavyweight Coated (snare batter), Evans EMAD2 Clear (kick batter)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension for attack and clarity, resonant head slightly looser for body

### Lars's Hardwired Kit: DW Collector's Series Maple

For Hardwired...to Self-Destruct, Lars Ulrich anchored his setup on the DW Collector's Series Maple kit — the kit that defined his sound across the Death Magnetic touring cycle and into the Hardwired sessions. Where the earlier Tama Starclassic Birch had emphasized attack and punch, the DW Collector's Series Maple offered a wider tonal palette: warmer fundamentals, longer sustain, and the kind of fullness that suited Hardwired's heavier, riff-dense arrangements.

The defining choice for Hardwired was the move to dual 22" × 18" bass drums. Lars had spent decades running a single 22" kick with a double pedal, but the dual-kick configuration on Hardwired delivered tonal consistency and visual presence that matched the album's renewed thrash ambitions. Each bass drum could be tuned independently, allowing subtle character differences between the two.

DW's VLT (Vertical Low Timbre) shell construction, where the outer ply is cut so the grain runs vertically rather than horizontally, produces a lower fundamental pitch than traditional horizontal-grain shells. The result on Hardwired is a kit that hits with more low-end body than the Starclassic Birch of Death Magnetic — fuller toms, kick drums with deeper thump, and a snare drum that sat in a more cushioned environment.

### The DW Collector's Maple Snare

For Hardwired, Lars Ulrich's snare drum was a DW Collector's Series 14" × 6.5" maple snare — a continuation of the DW direction he had moved toward through the Death Magnetic touring cycle. The maple shell delivered a fuller body and slightly longer decay than the steel-shell Tama LU1465 of Death Magnetic, sitting beautifully in Greg Fidelman's room-conscious production at HQ.

The 6.5" depth gave the snare enough body to register through the densely layered guitar parts that characterize tracks like "Moth Into Flame" and "Halo on Fire," while die-cast hoops kept rimshots tight and consistent throughout the album's most punishing passages. The maple's natural warmth balanced the brightness of the Zildjian cymbal array, producing a snare voice that cut without being harsh — exactly the tonal balance Hardwired's mix demanded.

### The Zildjian A Custom and Z Custom Arsenal

Lars's cymbal setup for Hardwired blended the Zildjian A Custom series — his go-to range since the Death Magnetic era — with select Z Custom pieces for added weight. Zildjian has been Lars's endorsement since the Master of Puppets era, and by 2016 the A Custom range had become his established core.

The 14" A Custom hi-hats remained the rhythmic anchor of the setup. Their tight, bright character cut through the densely layered guitars on tracks like "Hardwired" and "Atlas, Rise!." A 16" A Custom delivered fast accents, an 18" Z Custom contributed heavier projection for major section endings, and a 19" A Custom provided full-wash sustain for climactic moments throughout "Spit Out the Bone" and "Halo on Fire."

The 20" A Custom Ride carried the rhythmic load during the ride-driven passages, while the 18" A Custom China supplied the explosive, trashy accents that have been a Metallica signature since "Master of Puppets" — used for riff endings and dramatic punctuation throughout the album.

### Tama Speed Cobra: The Pedal Switch

For Hardwired, Lars moved to Tama Speed Cobra HP910 pedals — a notable gear shift from the DW 9000 pedals he had used during the Death Magnetic touring cycle. The Speed Cobra's long footboard and Cobra Coil spring system delivered fast rebound and effortless response, well suited to the sustained double-bass passages on "Spit Out the Bone" and "Atlas, Rise!." Used as two single pedals on the dual-kick rig, the Speed Cobras gave Lars the consistent feel across both feet that demanding uptempo arrangements require.

## Key Facts

- Released November 18, 2016 on Blackened Recordings — Metallica's own label
- Recorded at HQ, Metallica's own studio facility in San Rafael, California
- Co-produced by Greg Fidelman, James Hetfield, and Lars Ulrich
- Double album: 12 tracks across 2 discs
- Debuted at #1 in 57 countries
- Most uptempo Lars Ulrich recording since the Black Album era
- DW Collector's Series Maple kit with dual 22" × 18" bass drums
- DW Collector's Maple 14" × 6.5" snare with die-cast hoops
- Zildjian A Custom + Z Custom cymbal blend
- Tama Speed Cobra HP910 pedals replaced previous DW 9000 pedals
- Evans heads across all drums (EC2, Heavyweight, EMAD2)
- Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature aluminum-core sticks (consistent since late 1990s)
- Estimated kit value: $5,500-7,500 (2016) for DW Collector's Maple configuration
- Estimated snare value: $550-750 (2016)

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

**More LLM resources:** [Site index](/llms.txt) · [Full database](/llms-full.txt) · [Master FAQ](/llms/faq.md) · [Drummer index](/llms/index.md)

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