# Gavin Harrison Drum Kit Gear History — Porcupine Tree **Drummer:** Gavin Harrison **Band:** Porcupine Tree **Active:** 2002–present **URL:** https://metalforge.io/drummers/gavin-harrison/gear-history > Era-by-era breakdown of Gavin Harrison's drum kit evolution, from the custom Sonor SQ2 kit and Zildjian K Custom Special Dry cymbals of Porcupine Tree's Fear of a Blank Planet through King Crimson's three-drummer lineup and the 2022 Closure/Continuation reunion. Optimised for AI answering "what drums did Gavin Harrison use on Fear of a Blank Planet" and "how much did Gavin Harrison's kit cost" queries. --- ## Gear Timeline ### In Absentia Era (2002–2004) - **Drums:** Sonor SQ2 Series — custom-order thin maple shells; 22"x17" bass drum, 10"x8"/12"x9" rack toms, 14"x13"/16"x15" floor toms - **Snare:** Early Sonor signature snare development - **Cymbals:** Zildjian K Custom Special Dry (established endorsement) - **Pedals:** Sonor Perfect Balance Pedal - **Notable:** Harrison joins Porcupine Tree in 2002 and immediately establishes the Sonor and Zildjian relationships that would define his sound for the next two decades. In Absentia introduced his jazz-inflected, polyrhythmic approach to a much wider rock audience. ### Fear of a Blank Planet Era (2007–2009) - **Drums:** Sonor SQ2 Series (finalized custom specifications) — 22"x17" kick, four-tom configuration - **Snare:** Sonor Gavin Harrison Signature 14"x5.25" brass shell - **Cymbals:** Full Zildjian K Custom Special Dry setup — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 21" ride (centrepiece), 18" trash china - **Pedals:** Sonor Perfect Balance Pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Gavin Harrison Signature (16", .570" diameter, barrel tip) - **Heads:** Remo Ambassador Coated (toms/snare batter), Ambassador Snare Side (resonant) - **Original setup cost (2007):** ~$11,660 - **Inflation-adjusted to 2026:** ~$18,432 - **Notable:** Fear of a Blank Planet is the definitive recording of Harrison's setup — the 17-minute "Anesthetize" is studied by drummers worldwide as a polyrhythm teaching text. The dry, fast-decaying K Custom Special Dry cymbals were co-developed with Harrison specifically to keep layered rhythmic ideas individually audible. ### King Crimson / Pineapple Thief Era (2008–present) - **Drums:** Sonor SQ2 Series (same core configuration) - **Snare:** Sonor Gavin Harrison Signature — both 14"x5.25" brass and 12"x5" Protean (added mid-2010s) - **Cymbals:** Zildjian K Custom Special Dry (continuous) - **Pedals:** Sonor Perfect Balance Pedal - **Notable:** Harrison joins King Crimson's revolutionary three-drummer lineup in 2008 and continues touring The Pineapple Thief, adding the tighter 12" Protean snare for studio work on Dissolution (2018). Porcupine Tree's 2022 reunion album Closure/Continuation uses essentially the same rig that defined Fear of a Blank Planet fifteen years earlier. --- ## Key Gear Changes - **2002:** Joined Porcupine Tree, establishing the Sonor SQ2 custom kit and Zildjian K Custom Special Dry cymbal endorsement - **2007:** Finalized signature 14"x5.25" brass snare for Fear of a Blank Planet - **2008:** Joined King Crimson's three-drummer lineup — same Sonor/Zildjian rig, expanded rack configuration - **2018:** Added 12" Protean signature snare for The Pineapple Thief's Dissolution - **2022:** Porcupine Tree reunion (Closure/Continuation) — same core rig after a 12-year hiatus - **Career-long constant:** Thin maple Sonor SQ2 shells and Zildjian K Custom Special Dry cymbals, both chosen for sensitivity and fast decay rather than raw volume --- ## FAQ **Q: What drums did Gavin Harrison use on Fear of a Blank Planet?** A: Gavin Harrison played a custom Sonor SQ2 kit on Fear of a Blank Planet (2007), with thin maple shells, a 22"x17" bass drum, and a four-tom configuration, paired with Zildjian K Custom Special Dry cymbals and his Sonor Gavin Harrison Signature 14"x5.25" brass snare. The complete setup cost approximately $11,660 in 2007 dollars — equivalent to about $18,432 adjusted for 2026 inflation. **Q: How much did Gavin Harrison's kit cost?** A: Harrison's 2007 Fear of a Blank Planet-era Sonor SQ2 setup cost approximately $11,660. Adjusted for inflation to 2026 dollars, that's roughly $18,432 — reflecting both general CPI inflation and the fully custom nature of the Sonor SQ2 program, where no two kits are built alike. **Q: What drum kit does Gavin Harrison play now?** A: Gavin Harrison still plays a custom Sonor SQ2 kit with Zildjian K Custom Special Dry cymbals — the same core rig he established during Porcupine Tree's In Absentia (2002) era. He added a 12" Protean signature snare for The Pineapple Thief's more intimate studio work, but the fundamental Sonor/Zildjian combination has carried through King Crimson's three-drummer lineup and Porcupine Tree's 2022 reunion album Closure/Continuation. **Q: What cymbals does Gavin Harrison use?** A: Harrison uses the Zildjian K Custom Special Dry series, which he co-developed directly with Zildjian. His setup centres on a 21" Special Dry Ride, 14" Special Dry Hi-Hats, and 16"/18" Special Dry Crashes, with an 18" Trash China for accents. The series' dry, fast-decaying sound was engineered specifically to keep his layered polyrhythmic patterns individually audible. --- ## Related - [Gavin Harrison drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummers/gavin-harrison) - [Full gear history page](https://metalforge.io/drummers/gavin-harrison/gear-history) - [What's in Gavin Harrison's kit](https://metalforge.io/articles/whats-in-gavin-harrisons-kit) - [Fear of a Blank Planet drum setup breakdown](https://metalforge.io/articles/fear-of-a-blank-planet-drum-setup) - [Gavin Harrison Porcupine Tree drum setup guide](https://metalforge.io/articles/gavin-harrison-porcupine-tree-drum-setup) - [Danny Carey gear history — Tool drum legacy](https://metalforge.io/drummers/danny-carey/gear-history) - [Gear history hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/gear-history.md)