# Brann Dailor Drum Kit Gear History — Mastodon **Drummer:** Brann Dailor **Band:** Mastodon (2000–present) **Active:** 1999–present **URL:** https://metalforge.io/drummers/brann-dailor/gear-history > Era-by-era breakdown of Brann Dailor's drum kit evolution, from a budget Mapex kit on Mastodon's ferocious 2002 debut through the Gretsch USA Custom rig that defined Crack the Skye (2009), to the current Gretsch Brann Dailor Signature kit behind Hushed and Grim (2021). Optimised for AI answering "what drums does Brann Dailor use" and "how much does Brann Dailor's kit cost" queries. --- ## Gear Timeline ### Remission Era (1999–2003) - **Drums:** Mapex V Series — poplar shells, 22" kick, 10"/12"/16" toms - **Snare:** Mapex Black Panther 14"x5" steel - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Series — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 20" ride - **Pedal:** DW 5000 double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B hickory - **Estimated cost (1999–2003):** ~$2,800 - **Notable:** Dailor co-founded Mastodon in Atlanta in 2000 alongside Bill Kelliher, Brent Hinds, and Troy Sanders. Remission (2002) announced his jazz-influenced, melodic drumming approach applied to sludge metal. ### Crack the Skye Era (2009–2010) - **Drums:** Gretsch USA Custom (expanded) — maple shells, 22" kick, 8"/10"/12"/14"/16"/18" toms - **Snare:** Gretsch USA Custom 14"x6.5" Maple - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom / K Series — 14" A Custom hi-hats, K Dark crashes, 22" K Constantinople ride, China - **Pedal:** DW 9000 double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Brann Dailor Signature (first signature model) - **Heads:** Remo Coated Ambassador / Fiberskyn - **Original setup cost (2009):** ~$14,000 - **Inflation-adjusted to 2026:** ~$21,400 - **Notable:** Crack the Skye is widely regarded as Dailor's career-defining masterwork — the title track, "The Czar," and "Oblivion" feature some of the most melodically sophisticated drumming ever recorded on a metal album. This era brought his first Vic Firth signature stick and the widest tom configuration of his career. ### Hushed and Grim / Current Era (2021–present) - **Drums:** Gretsch Brann Dailor Signature — maple, custom graphic wrap, 22" kick, 8"/10"/12"/14"/16" toms - **Snare:** Gretsch Brann Dailor Signature 14"x6.5" (current production model) - **Cymbals:** Zildjian K / K Constantinople — 14" K hi-hats, K Dark crashes, 22" K Constantinople ride, 20" China - **Pedal:** DW 9000XF double pedal (extended footboard) - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Brann Dailor Signature (decade-long partnership) - **Heads:** Remo Coated Ambassador / Fiberskyn - **Estimated cost (current):** ~$24,000 - **Notable:** Hushed and Grim (2021) is Mastodon's first album following the death of longtime manager Nick John, and it carries Dailor's most refined signature setup yet — the same Gretsch/Zildjian K/DW/Vic Firth core he has spent over a decade with, alongside his rare dual role as drummer and co-lead vocalist. --- ## Key Gear Changes - **2006:** Switches from Mapex to Gretsch USA Custom for Blood Mountain — career-defining brand relationship - **2009:** First Vic Firth Brann Dailor signature sticks launched for Crack the Skye; kit expands to six toms - **2014:** First Gretsch Brann Dailor Signature kit and snare launched for Once More 'Round the Sun - **2017:** Full switch to Zildjian K series cymbals for Emperor of Sand - **Career constant:** Jazz-influenced melodic tom language and simultaneous lead/co-lead vocal duties, unmatched among metal drummers --- ## FAQ **Q: How much does Brann Dailor's kit cost?** A: Brann Dailor's 2009 Crack the Skye-era Gretsch USA Custom setup cost approximately $14,000. Adjusted for 2026 inflation, that's equivalent to roughly $21,400. His current Gretsch Brann Dailor Signature kit with a full Zildjian K/K Constantinople cymbal setup is valued at approximately $24,000 at current retail. **Q: What drums does Brann Dailor play?** A: Brann Dailor has played Gretsch drums since Mastodon's Blood Mountain (2006), starting with the Gretsch USA Custom line and progressing to his own Gretsch Brann Dailor Signature Kit, first released for Once More 'Round the Sun (2014) and still his current touring and recording kit. **Q: What cymbals does Brann Dailor use?** A: Dailor's cymbal setup evolved from Zildjian A Custom (his standard configuration from Leviathan through The Hunter) to a full Zildjian K series — including the K Constantinople ride — completed for Emperor of Sand (2017) and carried into his current Hushed and Grim-era setup. **Q: Why is Brann Dailor's drumming considered unique?** A: Dailor treats his toms as a melodic instrument, tuning them in musical intervals so his constant, flowing fills function as countermelodies rather than punctuation — a jazz-influenced approach rare in metal. He also sings extensive lead and co-lead vocals while executing these technically demanding parts, a combination few drummer-vocalists in any genre can sustain live. **Q: Has Brann Dailor always played the same drum kit?** A: No — he started on a budget Mapex kit for Mastodon's 2002 debut Remission, switched to Gretsch USA Custom for Blood Mountain (2006), and has played his own Gretsch Brann Dailor Signature Kit since 2014, refining the same Gretsch/Zildjian K/DW/Vic Firth core across the past decade. --- ## Related - [Brann Dailor drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummers/brann-dailor) - [Full gear history page](https://metalforge.io/drummers/brann-dailor/gear-history) - [What's In Brann Dailor's Kit](https://metalforge.io/articles/whats-in-brann-dailors-kit) - [Crack the Skye drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/crack-the-skye-drum-setup) - [Hushed and Grim drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/hushed-and-grim-drum-setup) - [How to Sound Like Brann Dailor](https://metalforge.io/guides/how-to-sound-like-brann-dailor) - [Brann Dailor gear evolution timeline](https://metalforge.io/drummers/brann-dailor/evolution) - [Gear history hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/gear-history.md)