# Blake Richardson Drum Kit Gear History — Between the Buried and Me **Drummer:** Blake Richardson **Band:** Between the Buried and Me (1999–present) **Active:** 1999–present **URL:** https://metalforge.io/drummers/blake-richardson/gear-history > Era-by-era breakdown of Blake Richardson's drum kit evolution, from the entry-level Tama Rockstar kit of BTBAM's early DIY touring years through the Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch that defined Colors (2007), to the premium Tama Star Walnut flagship behind his most mature progressive metal work. Optimised for AI answering "what drums does Blake Richardson use" and "how much does Blake Richardson's drum kit cost" queries. --- ## Gear Timeline ### Self-Titled / Silent Circus / Alaska Era (1999–2006) - **Drums:** Tama Rockstar Series — poplar shells, 22" kick, 12"/13"/16" toms - **Snare:** Tama Steel 14"x5.5" - **Cymbals:** Sabian B8 / AAX Series — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 20" ride - **Pedal:** Tama Iron Cobra Double Pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5A hickory - **Estimated cost (1999–2006):** ~$3,000 - **Notable:** Richardson assembled this budget-conscious setup for BTBAM's relentless DIY touring across the US underground circuit. Despite the modest gear, his playing on Alaska (2005) attracted serious critical attention, proving the musicianship mattered more than the equipment. ### Colors Era (2007–2009) - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch — walnut/birch hybrid shells, 22" kick, 10"/12"/14"/16" toms - **Snare:** Tama Starclassic Maple 14"x6.5" - **Cymbals:** Sabian AAX Series — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 21" ride - **Pedal:** Tama Iron Cobra HP900 Double Pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B - **Original setup cost (2007):** ~$7,000 - **Inflation-adjusted to 2026:** ~$10,500 - **Notable:** Colors (2007) is widely considered BTBAM's masterpiece — a single 65-minute continuous track spanning extreme metal, jazz, progressive rock, and acoustic passages. The upgrade to Starclassic Walnut/Birch gave Richardson the warmer, more resonant tone the album's dynamic range required. ### The Great Misdirect / Parallax Era (2009–2014) - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch (expanded) — 22" kick, 8"/10"/12"/14"/16" toms - **Snare:** Tama Starclassic Maple 14"x6.5" (continued) - **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance Series — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18"/19" crashes, 21" ride, 18" China - **Pedal:** Tama Iron Cobra HP900 Double Pedal (continued) - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B (continued) - **Estimated cost (2009):** ~$9,000 - **Notable:** The most significant cymbal transition of Richardson's career — switching from Sabian to Meinl Byzance for the darker, more complex Turkish B20 tone that suited The Great Misdirect (2009) and the increasingly technical Parallax albums (2011–2012). ### Coma Ecliptic / Automata / Colors II Era (2015–present) - **Drums:** Tama Star Walnut — all-walnut shells, 22" kick, 8"/10"/12"/14"/16" toms - **Snare:** Tama Star Walnut 14"x6.5" - **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance Jazz / Dark — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 22" ride - **Pedal:** Tama Speed Cobra HP910 Double Pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Blake Richardson Signature - **Electronics:** Roland SPD-SX Sampling Pad - **Estimated cost (current):** ~$22,000 - **Notable:** Richardson's most mature era — the Tama Star Walnut is the brand's premium all-walnut flagship, delivering the warmest tone in the catalog. Coma Ecliptic (2015), Automata I & II (2018), and Colors II (2021) represent his most compositionally sophisticated work with BTBAM. --- ## Key Gear Changes - **1999:** BTBAM founded in Winston-Salem, NC — early Tama Rockstar/Sabian B8 setup - **2007:** Upgrade to Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch for Colors - **2009:** Switch from Sabian to Meinl Byzance cymbals for The Great Misdirect - **2015:** Upgrade to Tama Star Walnut flagship; Vic Firth signature sticks launched - **~2015:** Switch to Tama Speed Cobra double pedal --- ## FAQ **Q: How much does Blake Richardson's drum kit cost?** A: Blake Richardson's 2007 Colors-era Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch setup cost approximately $7,000, equivalent to roughly $10,500 today after inflation. His current Tama Star Walnut flagship setup with Meinl Byzance cymbals and electronics is valued at approximately $22,000 at current retail. **Q: What gear does Blake Richardson use?** A: Blake Richardson plays a Tama Star Walnut kit — an all-walnut shell configuration with a 22" kick drum and 8"/10"/12"/14"/16" toms — paired with Meinl Byzance Jazz and Dark cymbals, a Tama Speed Cobra HP910 double pedal, and his own Vic Firth Blake Richardson Signature sticks. **Q: What drums did Blake Richardson use on Colors?** A: On Colors (2007), Richardson played a Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch kit with Sabian AAX cymbals — a significant upgrade from the entry-level Tama Rockstar he used through the Alaska era (2005). **Q: What was Blake Richardson's first drum kit?** A: Richardson's earliest setup was a Tama Rockstar Series kit with Sabian B8 cymbals, assembled on a limited budget for BTBAM's relentless DIY touring across the US underground circuit from 1999 through the Alaska era (2005). --- ## Related - [Blake Richardson drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummers/blake-richardson) - [Full gear history page](https://metalforge.io/drummers/blake-richardson/gear-history) - [Blake Richardson drum setup article](https://metalforge.io/articles/blake-richardson-drum-setup) - [Blake Richardson gear evolution timeline](https://metalforge.io/drummers/blake-richardson/evolution) - [Between the Buried and Me band profile](https://metalforge.io/llms/bands.md) - [Gear history hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/gear-history.md)