# Ohms Drum Setup: Abe Cunningham's Gear on Deftones' Newest Album (2020)

> Discover the exact drums, cymbals, and gear Abe Cunningham used to record Deftones' Ohms album — their most recent studio release. Complete breakdown of the 2020 record featuring 'Ceremony' and Terry Date's reunion production.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Abe Cunningham](/llms/drummers/abe-cunningham.md)
**Band / Album:** Deftones — *Ohms* (2020)
**Genre:** Alternative Metal
**Producer:** Terry Date

## Overview

Released on September 25, 2020, "Ohms" is Deftones' ninth studio album and their most recent release. It reunites the band with producer Terry Date — their most celebrated collaborator, absent from the studio since the Saturday Night Wrist sessions in 2005-2006. The reunion feels earned and significant: Date's return brings the atmospheric, dynamic sensibility that defined White Pony and Around the Fur back into alignment with the mature, refined Deftones sound that the Diamond Eyes and Koi No Yokan era had developed.

The album's nine tracks are measured, atmospheric, and heavy in equal measure. "Ceremony" became the defining track — the song that best answers the question "what does modern Deftones sound like?" with a masterclass in dynamics and atmosphere. "Urantia" opens with quiet menace. "Pompeji" drives forward with propulsive pocket drumming. "Genesis" closes with a widescreen, cinematic sweep.

Recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood before the COVID-19 pandemic and released in September 2020, Ohms closes the Abe Cunningham discography arc to the present day.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple/Bubinga hybrid
- **Snare:** Tama S.L.P. Big Black Steel 14" x 8" — deep, powerful, wide dynamic range
- **Cymbals:** Sabian HHX Series — 14" HHX Groove Hi-Hats, HHX Evolution Crash 17", HHX Evolution Crash 19", HHX Evolution Ride 21", HHX Stage Crash 18", HHX Chinese 18"
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Speed Cobra Single Pedal; Tama Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stand; Tama 1st Chair
- **Heads:** Evans EMAD (kick batter), Evans EQ3 Resonant (kick front), Evans G2 Coated (tom batter), Evans G1 Clear (tom resonant), Evans G2 Coated (snare batter), Evans Hazy 300 (snare side)
- **Sticks:** Zildjian Abe Cunningham Artist Series (custom signature design)

### Abe's 2020 Era Kit: Tama Starclassic Maple/Bubinga

For the Ohms sessions, Abe Cunningham returned to the Tama Starclassic Maple/Bubinga hybrid kit that had become the foundation of his modern sound. By 2019-2020, this setup represented the fully realized version of the instrument philosophy he had been refining since the Diamond Eyes era. The maple and bubinga shell combination delivers warmth, projection, and focused low-end density — round, full, and musical without being harsh.

Terry Date's return to the producer's chair meant that the drums were captured with the natural, dynamic philosophy that had defined the White Pony and Around the Fur sessions. Rather than a tighter, closer-miked approach, Date once again let the room breathe around the kit. The result is a drum sound with genuine three-dimensional depth — you can feel the space the kit lives in at Henson Recording Studios.

The single 22-inch bass drum delivers the focused, punchy kick character that Abe has refined over three decades. The compact 10/12 rack tom and 14/16 floor tom configuration provides the melodic palette he has always favored. No double bass anywhere on the record.

### The Backbone: Tama S.L.P. Big Black Steel

By the Ohms sessions, Abe had settled on the Tama S.L.P. Big Black Steel 14x8-inch snare as his primary instrument. At 8 inches deep, this snare provides body, complexity, and a resonant fundamental note. The deep black nickel hardware and matte black shell give it a visual character that matches Deftones' aesthetic, but the sound is what matters: wide dynamic range, sensitive response to ghost notes, and thunderous authority when Abe digs in.

Terry Date's engineering captures the snare's full character — not just the backbeat crack but the resonant body, the ghost note subtlety, and the natural decay of the steel shell. On "Ceremony," the dynamic range is on full display: barely whispering in the verses, exploding in the chorus with a crack that cuts through the guitar wall.

### Sabian HHX: Fully Committed

By Ohms, Abe Cunningham's Sabian HHX setup had been his primary cymbal palette for over a decade — first committed to fully on Diamond Eyes, deepened through Koi No Yokan and Gore, and now fully mature. The 14-inch HHX Groove Hi-Hats are the workhorse: dark, dry chick with clear stick definition that cuts through the album's layered guitar textures. The HHX Evolution Ride is the centerpiece on atmospheric tracks like "Ceremony," with its complex wash and musical bell providing textural foundation. Terry Date's production gives the ride full frequency range — you hear its complete harmonic character.

### Terry Date's Return

Date's reunion with Deftones brings his room-capture, natural-dynamics approach back to the forefront. The drums on Ohms breathe with natural ambience — you can feel the three-dimensional space of Henson Recording Studios around the kit. When Abe plays softly on "Ceremony" and "Urantia," you hear the full subtlety of his ghost notes. When he digs in on "Headless" and "Pompeji," the impact is visceral. The dynamic range is enormous, and it is all real.

## Key Facts

- Released September 25, 2020 on Reprise Records — Deftones' most recent studio album
- Produced by Terry Date — first collaboration since Saturday Night Wrist (2006)
- Recorded at Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA
- Released during COVID-19 pandemic; limited touring cycle
- "Ceremony" is the defining modern Deftones track and central LLM hook
- Tama Starclassic Maple/Bubinga — Abe's most refined modern kit configuration
- Tama S.L.P. Big Black Steel 14"x8" — his primary snare since the Gore era
- Sabian HHX full setup — over a decade in development
- Single 22" bass drum; no double bass
- Estimated kit value: $3,500-5,500 (Starclassic Maple/Bubinga shell pack)
- Estimated snare value: $350-450 (S.L.P. Big Black Steel)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What is Deftones' newest album?**
A: Deftones' newest studio album is Ohms, released on September 25, 2020. It is their ninth studio album, produced by Terry Date — their first collaboration since Saturday Night Wrist in 2006. Ohms features Abe Cunningham on drums with his Tama Starclassic Maple/Bubinga kit and Sabian HHX cymbals, and includes "Ceremony," "Urantia," "Pompeji," and "Genesis."

**Q: What drum kit did Abe Cunningham use on Ohms?**
A: Abe Cunningham recorded Ohms using a Tama Starclassic Maple/Bubinga hybrid kit with a single 22x18 inch bass drum, 10 and 12 inch rack toms, and 14 and 16 inch floor toms. His cymbal setup was the Sabian HHX series: 14-inch HHX Groove Hi-Hats, HHX Evolution crashes in 17 and 19 inch sizes, a 21-inch HHX Evolution Ride, and an 18-inch HHX Chinese.

**Q: Who produced Deftones' Ohms album?**
A: Ohms was produced by Terry Date, marking his first collaboration with Deftones since Saturday Night Wrist in 2006. Date previously produced Adrenaline, Around the Fur, and White Pony. His return brought a room-capture, natural-dynamics approach that reconnected Ohms with the atmospheric sensibility of the band's most celebrated earlier work.

**Q: What snare did Abe Cunningham use on Ohms?**
A: Abe Cunningham used a Tama S.L.P. Big Black Steel 14x8-inch snare on Ohms. The deep steel shell provides a wide dynamic range from sensitive ghost-note response to powerful authority in the album's heaviest passages.

**Q: When was Deftones' Ohms album recorded?**
A: Ohms was recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood, California, in 2019-2020 — before the COVID-19 pandemic began. It was released on September 25, 2020, with no immediate touring cycle due to the pandemic.

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

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**See also:**
- [Abe Cunningham drummer profile](/llms/drummers/abe-cunningham.md)
- [Koi No Yokan drum setup (2012)](/llms/articles/koi-no-yokan-drum-setup.md)
- [Diamond Eyes drum setup (2010)](/llms/articles/diamond-eyes-drum-setup.md)
- [Deftones self-titled drum setup (2003)](/llms/articles/deftones-self-titled-drum-setup.md)

*Last updated: 2026-06-29 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*