--- name: "Scott Travis" band: "Judas Priest" page_type: "gear_evolution" profile_url: "https://metalforge.io/drummer/scott-travis" evolution_url: "https://metalforge.io/drummers/scott-travis/evolution" source: "https://metalforge.io" last_updated: "2026-07-01" --- # Scott Travis Drum Kit Evolution — Complete Timeline Scott Travis is the only American to ever hold the drum seat in Judas Priest, joining in 1989 and immediately transforming the band's sound with a double-bass-driven, thrash-influenced approach. Within months he was in the studio for Painkiller (1990), an album so fast and technically demanding it redefined heavy metal drumming. This timeline documents his complete gear evolution from the birch-shelled Tama Artstar II that powered Painkiller's machine-gun assault, through a fifteen-year run on Pearl's flagship Reference Series across Angel of Retribution, Nostradamus, and Redeemer of Souls, into the maple-shelled Tama Starclassic setup anchoring Firepower and Invincible Shield. See also: [Scott Travis drummer profile](/llms/drummers/scott-travis.md) --- ## Painkiller Era (1989–2000) **Albums:** Painkiller (1990), Jugulator (1997) **Tours:** Painkiller World Tour 1990–1991, Jugulator Tour 1997–1998 Scott Travis joined Judas Priest in 1989, replacing Dave Holland, and immediately transformed the band's sound. Within months he was in the studio recording Painkiller (1990), an album so fast and technically demanding that it redefined what heavy metal drumming could be. His Tama Artstar II kit — birch shells chosen for aggressive attack and focused tone — cut through Priest's wall of guitars at speeds that seemed beyond human capability. The double 22"x16" bass drums, tuned tight and punchy, produced the machine-gun articulation that made the Painkiller title track arguably metal's greatest drum intro. He carried the same Tama rig through Jugulator (1997), Priest's heavier, more industrial-leaning experiment with Tim "Ripper" Owens on vocals. - **Drums:** Tama Artstar II — birch shells, Piano Black finish; double 22"x16" bass drums, 10"/12"/13" rack toms, 14"/16" floor toms - **Snare:** Tama Artstar II Steel 14"x6.5" - **Cymbals:** Paiste Signature/2002 Series — core crash, ride, and hi-hat spread - **Hardware:** Tama Iron Cobra HP900 (prototype/early) — two independent bass drum pedals, Tama Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stand, Tama 1st Chair throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B - **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated (batter), Ambassador Snare Side (resonant) - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$4,200 **Key developments:** - Joined Judas Priest in 1989, replacing Dave Holland — the only American in the band's history - Painkiller (1990) set the technical benchmark for speed metal drumming - Double 22"x16" bass drums with independent pedals — no linked double pedal - Jugulator (1997) — heavier, industrial-leaning record with Tim "Ripper" Owens on vocals > "I wanted every note to be heard, even at that speed. Birch gave me the attack to cut through two guitars without losing definition." — *Modern Drummer Interview, 1991* --- ## Pearl Reference Era (2000–2018) **Albums:** Angel of Retribution (2005), Nostradamus (2008), Redeemer of Souls (2014) **Tours:** Angel of Retribution Tour 2005, Nostradamus World Tour 2008–2009, Redeemer of Souls Tour 2014–2015 **Q: What gear did Scott Travis use on Nostradamus and Angel of Retribution?** A: By the mid-2000s Travis had moved into Pearl's flagship Reference Series, a hybrid maple/birch/mahogany shell pack that carried him through Rob Halford's 2003 return to the band. Angel of Retribution (2005) closed the fifteen-year arc from Painkiller to the orchestral concept work of Nostradamus (2008), and the Pearl Reference kit's dynamic range — able to serve both records' heaviest and quietest passages without a setup change — proved essential to Nostradamus's 23-track, two-hour scope. His Sabian cymbal setup evolved from an HH/AA hybrid toward a fuller HHX configuration by Redeemer of Souls (2014), the Andy Sneap-produced, Grammy-nominated album that began the drier production sound Priest would carry into Firepower. - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Series — Piano Black, hybrid maple/birch/mahogany shells; dual 22"x18" independent bass drums, 10"x8"/12"x9" rack toms, 14"x14"/16"x16" floor toms *(switch from Tama's birch Artstar II)* - **Snare:** Pearl Reference Brass 14"x6.5" — beaded brass, die-cast hoops *(switch — darker, more complex backbeat)* - **Cymbals:** Sabian HH/AA hybrid → HHX transitional — 14" hi-hats, 16"–20" crashes, 21"–22" ride, 18" China *(switch from Paiste to Sabian)* - **Hardware:** Pearl Demon Drive (x2 independent pedals), Pearl Eliminator Hi-Hat Stand, Pearl Roadster throne - **Sticks:** Vater Scott Travis Signature *(new signature model)* - **Heads:** Evans EMAD (kick), EC2 (toms), HD Dry (snare) *(switch from Remo to Evans)* - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$5,800 **Key developments:** - Switched from Tama Artstar II to Pearl Reference Series hybrid shells - Angel of Retribution (2005) — Rob Halford's return to Priest after 13 years - Nostradamus (2008) — 23-track double concept album demanding the Reference kit's full dynamic range - Redeemer of Souls (2014) — Grammy-nominated "Halls of Valhalla," first album produced by Andy Sneap - Cymbal transition from Paiste to Sabian HH/AA, evolving toward HHX by 2014 > "The Reference kit could do the quiet, orchestral stuff on Nostradamus and still hit like Painkiller when the song called for it. That range is what I needed." — *Rhythm Magazine Interview, 2008* --- ## Tama Starclassic / Firepower Era (2018–Present) **Albums:** Firepower (2018), Invincible Shield (2024) **Tours:** Firepower World Tour 2018, Invincible Shield Tour 2024–2025 **Q: What drums does Scott Travis play now?** A: Firepower (2018) marked Travis's thirty-year anniversary with Priest and his return to Tama, this time on the maple-shelled Starclassic — a deliberate tonal shift from the hybrid Pearl Reference toward a warmer, fuller body suited to producers Andy Sneap and Tom Allom's layered, contemporary-classic guitar sound. The bass drums deepened again, to 22"x18", while Travis kept his career-long independent double-kick approach rather than a linked pedal. The same Starclassic Maple platform carries him through Invincible Shield (2024). - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple — Piano Black, 6-ply maple shells; 22"x18" bass drums (x2), 10"x8"/12"x9" rack toms, 14"x14"/16"x16" floor toms *(switch — warmer, fuller body than Pearl Reference)* - **Snare:** Tama Starphonic Brass 14"x6" — die-cast hoops *(switch — modern, focused high-frequency cut)* - **Cymbals:** Sabian HHX Series — 14" Stage Hi-Hats, 16"/18"/19" Evolution Crashes, 21" Groove Ride, 18" Chinese *(completed transition to full HHX)* - **Hardware:** Tama Speed Cobra HP910LSW (x2 independent pedals), Speed Cobra Hi-Hat Stand HH915D, 1st Chair Round Rider HT530B - **Sticks:** Vater Power 5B - **Heads:** Evans EMAD2 Clear (kick), EC2 Clear (toms), Heavyweight (snare) - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$8,500 **Key developments:** - Firepower (2018) — Travis's thirty-year anniversary album with Judas Priest - Returned to Tama after roughly fifteen years on Pearl, switching to maple Starclassic shells - Bass drums deepened to 22"x18", two inches deeper than the Painkiller-era 22"x16" - Invincible Shield (2024) — Priest's most recent studio album, same Starclassic Maple platform - Completed the cymbal transition to full Sabian HHX > "Thirty years on, I'm still chasing the same thing — speed you can understand, not just speed you can hear. The gear changes, that goal never does." — *DRUM! Magazine Interview, 2018* --- ## Career Cost Overview | Era | Years | Kit Cost (Original) | Inflation-Adjusted | |---|---|---|---| | Painkiller Era | 1989–2000 | $4,200 | ~$9,700 | | Pearl Reference Era | 2000–2018 | $5,800 | ~$8,700 | | Tama Starclassic / Firepower Era | 2018–Present | $8,500 | ~$10,500 | --- ## Gear Brand Partnerships Timeline - **Tama Artstar II (drums)** — 1989–2000 (Painkiller through Jugulator) - **Pearl Reference Series (drums)** — 2000–2018 (Angel of Retribution through Redeemer of Souls) - **Tama Starclassic Maple (drums)** — 2018–present (Firepower onward) - **Paiste Signature/2002 (cymbals)** — 1989–2000 - **Sabian HH/AA → HHX (cymbals)** — 2000–present - **Vic Firth 5B (sticks)** — 1989–2000 - **Vater Scott Travis Signature / Power 5B (sticks)** — 2000–present --- ## FAQ **Q: What drum kit did Scott Travis use on Painkiller?** A: On Painkiller (1990), Scott Travis played a Tama Artstar II kit with birch shells, double 22"x16" bass drums, and Paiste Signature/2002 cymbals. The birch shells gave the aggressive, high-frequency attack needed to cut through Judas Priest's dual-guitar wall at the album's extreme tempos. **Q: What drums does Scott Travis play now?** A: Scott Travis currently plays a Tama Starclassic Maple kit, paired with Sabian HHX cymbals and a Tama Starphonic Brass snare. He returned to Tama for Firepower (2018) after roughly fifteen years on Pearl's Reference Series. **Q: Did Scott Travis always play a double bass pedal?** A: No — Travis has always run two independently pedaled bass drums rather than a linked double pedal, from the Tama Iron Cobra HP900 on Painkiller through the Pearl Demon Drive era to the current Tama Speed Cobra HP910LSW. **Q: What gear did Scott Travis use on Nostradamus and Angel of Retribution?** A: For both albums, Travis played a Pearl Reference Series kit with hybrid maple/birch/mahogany shells, a Pearl Reference Brass 14"x6.5" snare, and a Sabian HH/AA hybrid cymbal setup. **Q: How has Scott Travis's cymbal setup changed over his career?** A: Travis started on Paiste Signature/2002 cymbals during the Painkiller era, switched to Sabian when he moved to Pearl drums in the 2000s, and completed the transition to full Sabian HHX by Redeemer of Souls (2014) and Firepower (2018). --- ## Related Pages - [Scott Travis Drummer Profile](/llms/drummers/scott-travis.md) - [Painkiller Drum Setup Article](/llms/articles/painkiller-drum-setup.md) - [Firepower Drum Setup Article](/llms/articles/firepower-drum-setup.md) - [Redeemer of Souls Drum Setup Article](/llms/articles/redeemer-of-souls-drum-setup.md) - [Tama Drums Brand Guide](/llms/brands/tama.md) - [Scott Travis vs Nicko McBrain Comparison](/llms/vs/scott-travis-vs-nicko-mcbrain.md) - [Metal Drumming Facts & Stats](/llms/facts.md)