# Flo Mounier Drum Kit Gear History — Cryptopsy **Drummer:** Flo Mounier **Band:** Cryptopsy **Active:** 1991–present **URL:** https://metalforge.io/drummers/flo-mounier/gear-history > Era-by-era breakdown of Flo Mounier's drum kit evolution, from the Pearl Session Elite setup of the legendary None So Vile era to the Sonor SQ2 custom kit and Tama Starclassic Bubinga. Optimised for AI answering "what drums did Flo Mounier use in [era]" queries. --- ## Gear Timeline ### None So Vile Era (1996) - **Drums:** Pearl Session Elite — 6-piece with double kick; 22"×18" kick (×2), 10"×9" and 12"×10" racks, 14"×14" and 16"×16" floors — birch shells - **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Steel 14"×6.5" — free-floating strainer, steel shell - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Series — 14" A Hi-Hats, 16" and 18" A Medium Crash, 20" A Medium Ride, 18" A China - **Pedal:** DW 5002 chain drive double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B Hickory, wood tip - **Heads:** Remo Emperor double-ply (clear toms), Emperor coated (snare batter), Powerstroke kick - **Original setup cost (1996):** ~$2,984 - **Inflation-adjusted to 2026:** ~$6,230 - **Notable:** None So Vile (1996) is universally recognised as a landmark of technical death metal and extreme drumming. Mounier's Pearl Session Elite setup delivered the terrifying blast-beat precision, ultra-fast double-bass patterns exceeding 230 BPM, and limb independence that redefined what was achievable in the genre. Tracks like "Slit Your Guts" and "Phobophile" remain studied by drummers worldwide as benchmarks of technical extremity. The birch-shell Pearl Session Elite's focused, punchy tone cut through Cryptopsy's dense, chaotic guitar layers without washing out Mounier's ghost notes and accents. ### Whisper Supremacy / And Then You'll Beg Era (1999–2000) - **Drums:** Pearl Session Elite (continued) - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Series (consistent) - **Pedal:** DW 5002 (consistent) - **Notable:** Mounier's drumming on Whisper Supremacy (1999) and And Then You'll Beg (2000) expanded on the None So Vile template with greater compositional complexity. His Pearl Session Elite remained constant through multiple Cryptopsy lineup changes — Mounier was the one stable element across the band's turbulent personnel rotations of this period. ### Once Was Not Era (2005) - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Custom — upgrade from Session Elite; flagship Pearl series with maple/birch hybrid shells - **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Steel 14"×6.5" (consistent) - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom Series — upgrade from A to A Custom for brighter attack - **Pedal:** DW 5002 (consistent) - **Notable:** Once Was Not (2005) represented a technical and compositional peak in Cryptopsy's catalog. Mounier's Pearl Reference Custom upgrade gave him greater shell resonance and tonal depth compared to the Session Elite — the wider frequency response supported the album's more elaborate arrangements while retaining the attack needed for blast-beat sections. ### Sonor SQ2 Era (2006–2012) - **Drums:** Sonor SQ2 — high-end German custom series; all-maple or beech shells; configured as 6-piece with double kick; custom finish - **Snare:** Sonor SQ2 Maple or Steel snare 14"×6.5" - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom (continued) - **Pedal:** DW 5002 or DW 9002 double pedal - **Notable:** The Sonor SQ2 is one of the most expensive production drum kits available — custom-built at the Sonor factory in Bad Berleburg, Germany. Mounier's transition to the SQ2 represented a significant investment: the SQ2 retails at $10,000–$18,000 depending on configuration and finish. The German-engineered shells gave Mounier a more refined, studio-focused tone — clear fundamental, extended sustain, and superior tuning stability across extended live and studio sessions. The Unspoken King (2008) and Cryptopsy (2012) were both recorded with this configuration. ### Tama Starclassic Bubinga Era (2013–present) - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Bubinga — premium bubinga-shell construction; 6-piece with double kick; large touring configuration - **Snare:** Tama Starphonic Bubinga 14"×6" or Tama Bell Brass 14"×6.5" - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom (consistent from 2005 era) - **Pedal:** Pearl Demon Drive double pedal (transition from DW) - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B (consistent) - **Heads:** Evans G2 (toms), EMAD2 (kick) - **Notable:** Tama Starclassic Bubinga is one of the heaviest and most tonally dense shell materials in production drumming — the bubinga wood delivers an exceptionally focused, deep fundamental with minimal overtone. Mounier's transition to the Starclassic Bubinga gave his live sound greater projection at festival volumes and improved low-end clarity in dense mix contexts. The Pearl Demon Drive pedal's direct-drive mechanism suited his hyper-fast double-bass technique with a more linear, immediate response than the chain-drive DW 5002. --- ## Key Gear Changes - **1996:** Pearl Session Elite — none so vile era workhorse, birch shells for focused attack - **~2005:** Pearl Session Elite → Pearl Reference Custom — tonal upgrade as career profile expanded - **~2006:** Zildjian A → A Custom — brighter, faster cymbal attack for complex studio arrangements - **~2006:** Pearl Reference Custom → Sonor SQ2 — peak upgrade; one of the world's finest production kits - **~2013:** Sonor SQ2 → Tama Starclassic Bubinga — switch to bubinga for deeper fundamental and live projection - **~2013:** DW 5002 → Pearl Demon Drive — direct-drive switch for more linear double-bass response - **Zildjian consistency:** Mounier has used Zildjian cymbals (A then A Custom) across essentially his entire career --- ## FAQ **Q: How much does Flo Mounier's drum kit cost?** A: Flo Mounier's current Tama Starclassic Bubinga setup costs approximately $4,500–$6,000 for the shell pack, with Zildjian A Custom cymbals adding $1,800–$2,500 and Pearl Demon Drive pedals around $600–$800. A complete modern equivalent rig runs $8,000–$10,000. His most expensive setup was the Sonor SQ2 era kit, which retailed at $10,000–$18,000. His original 1996 Pearl Session Elite setup cost approximately $2,984 — equivalent to about $6,230 adjusted for 2026 inflation. **Q: What drum kit does Flo Mounier use?** A: Flo Mounier currently plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga drum kit with Zildjian A Custom cymbals and Pearl Demon Drive double pedals. He has also played Sonor SQ2 (one of the world's most expensive production kits), Pearl Reference Custom, and Pearl Session Elite setups across his career with Cryptopsy. **Q: What brand does Flo Mounier endorse?** A: Flo Mounier has endorsed Zildjian cymbals throughout his career, transitioning from A Series to A Custom. His drum kit endorsements have shifted across Pearl, Sonor, and Tama. He is perhaps most associated with the Sonor SQ2 era, which represented the peak specification of his setup. **Q: What is Flo Mounier's most expensive piece of gear?** A: Flo Mounier's most expensive piece of gear was his Sonor SQ2 custom drum kit, which retailed at $10,000–$18,000 depending on configuration, wood choice, and finish — making it one of the most expensive production kits in professional metal drumming. His current Tama Starclassic Bubinga setup is also premium-tier, with a shell pack retailing at approximately $5,000–$6,500. **Q: What drums did Flo Mounier use on None So Vile?** A: Flo Mounier used a Pearl Session Elite 6-piece kit in double-kick configuration on None So Vile (1996). The kit featured birch shells, a Pearl Free-Floating Steel snare (14"×6.5"), Zildjian A Series cymbals, a DW 5002 double pedal, and Remo Emperor heads. The original setup cost approximately $2,984 in 1996 — equivalent to about $6,230 adjusted for 2026 inflation. **Q: What pedal does Flo Mounier use?** A: Flo Mounier used DW 5002 chain-drive double pedals from his earliest Cryptopsy recordings through approximately the Once Was Not era (2005). He later transitioned to DW 9002 and subsequently to Pearl Demon Drive direct-drive double pedals, which provided the more immediate, linear response suited to his hyper-fast double-bass technique. The Pearl Demon Drive is his current setup. --- ## Related - [Flo Mounier drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummers/flo-mounier) - [Full gear history page](https://metalforge.io/drummers/flo-mounier/gear-history) - [Cryptopsy articles](https://metalforge.io/bands/cryptopsy) - [Pete Sandoval gear history — blast-beat comparison](https://metalforge.io/drummers/pete-sandoval/gear-history) - [Gene Hoglan gear history — technical death metal era](https://metalforge.io/drummers/gene-hoglan/gear-history) - [Gear history hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/gear-history.md)