# Ride the Lightning Drum Setup: Lars Ulrich's 1984 Tama Kit Breakdown

> Discover the exact drum kit Lars Ulrich used to record Metallica's Ride the Lightning in 1984. Tama Artstar II birch shells, Zildjian A cymbals, and the double-bass patterns behind thrash metal's most dynamic early record.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Lars Ulrich](/llms/drummers/lars-ulrich.md)
**Band / Album:** Metallica — *Ride the Lightning* (1984)
**Genre:** Thrash Metal

## Overview

Released on July 27, 1984, Metallica's second album "Ride the Lightning" demonstrated that thrash metal could carry weight beyond pure aggression. The band had recorded Kill 'Em All just a year earlier in a budget Rochester studio with a minimal touring kit. For Ride the Lightning, they crossed the Atlantic to Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark — and the gear story shifted dramatically.

Lars Ulrich arrived in Copenhagen with an upgraded Tama Artstar II kit, his first professional-grade birch-shell rig, and began his working relationship with producer Flemming Rasmussen — who would guide Metallica's studio sound through Master of Puppets (1986) and ...And Justice for All (1988). The combination of better gear, a better room, and a producer with genuine drum-recording expertise produced a sonic leap that registers clearly over four decades later.

The drumming on Ride the Lightning spans the widest dynamic range of any early Metallica album. "Fight Fire with Fire" opens at full speed — relentless 16th-note hi-hat patterns and single-bass-drum work at 220 BPM. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" builds its entire architecture around Lars's double-bass kick pattern on a single pedal, locking with Cliff Burton's distorted bass at 100 BPM to create one of the heaviest mid-tempo grooves in 1984 metal. "Fade to Black" introduced Metallica to dynamics that Kill 'Em All never explored — from a near-silent clean intro to a shattering thrash climax in a single continuous performance.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Artstar II 5-piece (birch shells, black wrap finish)
- **Snare:** Ludwig Supraphonic LM402, 14" x 6.5" (seamless aluminum "Ludalloy" shell)
- **Cymbals:** All-Zildjian A series (no formal endorsement)
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama single pedal (Iron Cobra precursor); Tama Titan hardware
- **Heads:** Remo Ambassador Coated (batter snare), Remo Ambassador Clear (toms and kick)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension for maximum crack and cut

### Lars's 1984 Kit: The Tama Artstar II Upgrade

The Tama Artstar II was Tama's professional-grade offering in the mid-1980s — a significant upgrade from the budget Imperial Star Lars used on Kill 'Em All. The Artstar II featured birch shells rather than the Philippine mahogany of the Imperial Star, producing a tighter, brighter tone with better projection and attack.

The shell construction upgrade mattered at Sweet Silence Studios. Flemming Rasmussen understood how to capture birch drums — tight, focused, and responsive. The Artstar II's birch shells gave him something to work with that the Imperial Star's warmer mahogany tone could not provide.

Lars maintained his compact 5-piece configuration: single 22-inch bass drum at 16-inch depth, 12 and 13 inch rack toms, 16-inch floor tom. The deeper kick provided punch and projection for the relentless kick work on "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Fight Fire with Fire."

### The Snare Upgrade: Ludwig Supraphonic LM402

Lars's snare situation improved dramatically between Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning. The warm Tama wood snare from the Imperial Star era gave way to the Ludwig Supraphonic LM402 — an aluminum-shell drum producing the bright, cutting crack that became a Lars Ulrich signature and carried through to the Master of Puppets sessions. At 14x6.5 inches, the LM402 offered brightness with added body, cutting through the guitar walls in even the densest arrangements. This Ludwig Supraphonic is one of the most consequential pieces of equipment in the early Metallica catalog.

### All-Zildjian A Series

By Ride the Lightning, Lars consolidated into an all-Zildjian A series cymbal setup, replacing the mixed Paiste/Zildjian approach of Kill 'Em All:

- **14" New Beat Hi-Hats** — crisp 16th-note definition at high tempos
- **16" Medium Thin Crash** — fast attack and decay for tight thrash accents
- **18" Medium Crash** — fuller weight for "Fade to Black" climax moments
- **20" Medium Ride** — controlled riding surface for "Escape" and "Creeping Death"
- **18" China Boy** — trashy riff punctuation throughout the record

This all-Zildjian A setup carried directly into the Master of Puppets sessions in the same studio.

### Single Pedal, Double-Bass Musical Idea

Lars used a Tama single bass drum pedal — a precursor in the Iron Cobra lineage. Critically, the double-bass patterns on "For Whom the Bell Tolls" were executed with this single pedal through foot technique, not double hardware. Lars did not adopt a double pedal until ...And Justice for All (1988). The RTL double-bass ideas are single-pedal mastery applied to a musical concept.

## Key Facts

- Recorded September–October 1984 at Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Producer Flemming Rasmussen — first Metallica collaboration, also produced Master of Puppets and ...And Justice for All
- Tama Artstar II 5-piece: birch shells, professional Tama lineup (above Superstar; below later signature series)
- Significant upgrade from Kill 'Em All's budget Tama Imperial Star (mahogany)
- Ludwig Supraphonic LM402 snare — the same snare carried through to Master of Puppets
- All-Zildjian A series cymbals — no formal endorsement at this stage
- Tama single pedal (Iron Cobra precursor) — all double-bass patterns executed with one pedal
- No triggers — completely acoustic recording throughout
- 6× Platinum in the US — widely considered Metallica's most technically demanding early album
- Tempo range from 60 BPM ("Fade to Black" intro) to 220 BPM ("Fight Fire with Fire")
- Estimated kit value: $1,200–1,800 (1984) / $2,500–5,000 (vintage today)

## Related Articles

- [Kill 'Em All Drum Setup](/articles/kill-em-all-drum-setup) — Lars's 1983 budget Tama Imperial Star, where it all began
- [Master of Puppets Drum Setup](/articles/master-of-puppets-drum-setup) — Lars's vintage Camco maple era, 1986
- [...And Justice for All Drum Setup](/articles/and-justice-for-all-drum-setup) — Tama Artstar II birch, double pedal adopted, 1988
- [Black Album Drum Setup](/articles/black-album-drum-setup) — Lars's transition to the modern endorsement era
- [Lars Ulrich Drummer Profile](/drummer/lars-ulrich) — full career and gear timeline

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/ride-the-lightning-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-25 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*