# Saturday Night Wrist Drum Setup: Abe Cunningham's Experimental Era

> Discover the exact drums, cymbals, and gear Abe Cunningham used to record Deftones' Saturday Night Wrist album. Complete breakdown of the 2006 comeback record — the last Deftones album with Chi Cheng on bass.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Abe Cunningham](/llms/drummers/abe-cunningham.md)
**Band / Album:** Deftones — *Saturday Night Wrist* (2006)
**Genre:** Alternative Metal / Experimental Rock

## Overview

Released on October 24, 2006, "Saturday Night Wrist" was Deftones' fifth studio album and one of the most anticipated — and troubled — comebacks in alternative metal history. The recording sessions were notoriously difficult: internal tensions and personal struggles made for a fractured process stretching over years. Several producers came and went before the record took shape with contributions from Terry Date, Bob Ezrin, and the band themselves.

The result is a contradictory, fascinating record — simultaneously the most experimental and most emotionally raw album in the Deftones catalog at that point. Songs like "Hole in the Earth" and "Cherry Waves" offer the atmospheric beauty fans had come to expect; tracks like "Beware" and "Rats!Rats!Rats!" push into darker, heavier territory; "Kimdracula" and "Mein" explore angular directions the band had never taken so explicitly.

For Abe Cunningham, Saturday Night Wrist was a test of character. In the midst of strained, halting sessions, he continued to play with the musicality and taste that define his best work. His drumming here is more stylistically varied than any previous Deftones album, shifting between groove-heavy, atmospheric, angular, and explosive depending on what each track demands.

This era also marks a key transition in Abe's cymbal palette. The Zildjian A series that had defined his sound since Adrenaline was giving way to darker, drier options — moving toward the Sabian HHX palette that would fully define his playing from Diamond Eyes onward. Saturday Night Wrist captures that transitional moment on record.

This is also the last Deftones studio album to feature Chi Cheng playing bass throughout. Cheng was injured in a car accident in November 2008 and passed away in April 2013. His rhythm-section partnership with Abe — built over nearly two decades — is present on every track.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch hybrid
- **Snare:** Tama Steel or Brass, 14" x 6.5" — versatile across aggressive and atmospheric sections
- **Cymbals:** Transitional — Zildjian A/K series giving way to darker Sabian options; 14" A New Beat hi-hats, A Custom 17"/18" and 19" crashes, K Custom 20"/21" ride, A/K 18" China
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Iron Cobra Single Pedal; Tama Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stand; Tama 1st Chair
- **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke 3 Clear (kick batter), Remo Emperor Clear (tom batter), Remo Ambassador Coated (snare batter)
- **Sticks:** Zildjian 5A / Artist Series

### Abe's Saturday Night Wrist Era Kit: Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch

Abe continued his longstanding partnership with Tama for the Saturday Night Wrist sessions, using the Starclassic Maple/Birch hybrid that reflected his evolving preferences in the mid-2000s. The maple and birch shell combination — warmth with focused attack — suited the album's wide sonic range from the dreamlike atmospherics of "Cherry Waves" to the angular aggression of "Beware."

The core kit configuration remained unchanged: a single 22-inch bass drum, two rack toms, and two floor toms. This is the same minimal, focused setup Abe has maintained throughout his career. The sessions were spread across multiple studios involving multiple production teams, which means the drum sound varies somewhat track to track — Terry Date's tracks lean toward the natural, dynamic approach of their earlier records; Bob Ezrin's contributions carry a different character.

### The Transitional Palette: From Zildjian Toward Sabian

Saturday Night Wrist's cymbal setup reflects Abe's evolving preferences during this period. The 14" A New Beat hi-hats remained his anchor; the crash setup moved toward slightly larger, darker options (17-19 inch); the K Custom ride — with its dark, complex wash — is essential to the album's atmospheric sections. "Cherry Waves" in particular depends on that ride's textured, meditative quality. By the time Diamond Eyes was recorded four years later, this transition to Sabian HHX would be complete.

## Key Facts

- Released October 24, 2006 on Maverick Records
- Produced by Terry Date, Bob Ezrin, and Deftones
- Final full Deftones studio album featuring Chi Cheng on bass
- Most experimental Deftones album — multiple styles, fractured production
- Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch hybrid shells throughout
- Single 22" bass drum; no double bass on any track
- Transitional cymbal era — Zildjian A/K giving way to Sabian HHX
- Tama Iron Cobra single pedal
- Estimated kit value: $3,000-5,000 (2006 era Starclassic Maple/Birch shell pack)
- Estimated snare value: $250-400 (2006 era Tama steel/brass snare)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/saturday-night-wrist-drum-setup

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