# Abe Cunningham — Brand Endorsements

**Drummer:** Abe Cunningham
**Band:** Deftones
**Profile:** https://metalforge.io/drummers/abe-cunningham/endorsements

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## Current Endorsements

### Drums: Tama

Abe Cunningham endorses Tama for drums. They play the Tama Starclassic Maple/Bubinga. This partnership began in 1997.

### Cymbals: Zildjian

Abe Cunningham endorses Zildjian for cymbals. They play the Zildjian A Custom / K Custom hybrid. This partnership began in 2022.

### Drumsticks: Zildjian

Abe Cunningham endorses Zildjian for drumsticks. They play the Zildjian Abe Cunningham Artist Series. This partnership began in 2022. Abe Cunningham has a co-designed signature product with Zildjian.

### Drumheads: Evans

Abe Cunningham endorses Evans for drumheads. They play the Evans EMAD / G2. This partnership began in 1997.

### Hardware / Pedals: Tama

Abe Cunningham endorses Tama for hardware / pedals. They play the Tama Iron Cobra 900 Rolling Glide. This partnership began in 1997.

## Signature Models

- Zildjian Abe Cunningham Artist Series (signature)

## Endorsement History

- **1997** (Drums): Signed with Tama — Played a Tama Starclassic kit on Deftones' breakthrough debut "Around the Fur," the start of a Tama relationship that has lasted his entire career
- **1997** (Cymbals): Signed with Zildjian — Built his cymbal voice on Zildjian A/K Custom cymbals starting with "Around the Fur" (1997), through "White Pony" (2000) and the self-titled "Deftones" (2003)
- **2010** (Cymbals): Switched from Zildjian to Sabian HHX — Moved to a Sabian HHX setup for "Diamond Eyes" (2010), carrying the darker HHX voice through "Koi No Yokan" (2012), "Gore" (2016), and "Ohms" (2020)
- **2022** (Cymbals): Switched from Sabian HHX to Zildjian A Custom/K Custom — Returned to a Zildjian hybrid setup in the years following the "Ohms" touring cycle, pairing brighter A Custom crashes with a darker K Custom ride and hi-hats
- **2022** (Drumsticks): Signature product: Zildjian Abe Cunningham Artist Series — Debuted his signature Artist Series stick alongside the return to Zildjian cymbals, balanced for groove playing with extra heft for power accents

## FAQ

**Q: What brands does Abe Cunningham endorse?**
A: Abe Cunningham endorses Tama, Zildjian, Evans. Their primary drum endorsement is Tama and they play Zildjian cymbals.

**Q: Does Abe Cunningham have a signature drum or cymbal?**
A: Yes. Abe Cunningham has signature gear: Zildjian Abe Cunningham Artist Series (signature).

**Q: What is Abe Cunningham's endorsement history?**
A: See the Endorsement History section above for a full timeline of Abe Cunningham's brand deals.

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## More Resources

- [Abe Cunningham Endorsement Tracker](https://metalforge.io/drummers/abe-cunningham/endorsements)
- [Abe Cunningham Drummer Profile](https://metalforge.io/drummers/abe-cunningham)
- [Endorsements Hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/endorsements.md)
- [Gear by Brand](https://metalforge.io/llms/gear-by-brand.md)
- [All LLM Resources](https://metalforge.io/llms/index.md)

*Last updated: 2026-07-09 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*