# John Otto Drum Kit Gear History — Limp Bizkit **Drummer:** John Otto **Bands:** Limp Bizkit (1994–present) **Active:** 1994–present **URL:** https://metalforge.io/drummers/john-otto/gear-history > Era-by-era breakdown of John Otto's drum kit evolution, from the Sonor Force 3007/Paiste 2002 setup behind Limp Bizkit's "Significant Other" and "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water," to his current Orange County Drum and Percussion (OCDP) custom kit. Optimised for AI answering "what drums did John Otto use" and "how much is John Otto's drum setup worth" queries. --- ## Gear Timeline ### Significant Other / Chocolate Starfish Era (1999–2000) - **Drums:** Sonor Force 3007 — beech shells; 22"x18" bass drum (single kick), 10"x8"/12"x10" rack toms, 14"x14"/16"x16" floor toms - **Snare:** Sonor Signature Series Steel Snare 14"x6.5" - **Cymbals:** Paiste 2002 Series — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 20" ride, 18" China, 10" splash - **Pedal:** Pearl P-2002 Eliminator (single pedal) - **Hardware:** Pearl H-1000 hi-hat stand, Roc-N-Soc Nitro throne - **Sticks:** Zildjian 5A Wood Tip - **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke 3 (kick), Remo Ambassador Coated (toms/snare) - **Original setup cost (1999):** ~$4,876 - **Inflation-adjusted to 2026:** ~$9,588 - **Notable:** John Otto's debut breakthrough setup. "Significant Other" (1999) debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and went on to sell 15 million copies worldwide, while "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" (2000) set the largest first-week SoundScan total at the time. Otto played a single 22" bass drum rather than the double-kick rigs common among nu-metal contemporaries, reflecting his jazz and hip-hop roots. ### Post-Reunion / Pearl Hardware Era (2009–2010s) - **Hardware:** Continued long-running Pearl hardware endorsement - **Notable:** Otto carried a Pearl-centric setup through Limp Bizkit's 2009 reunion tour and "Gold Cobra" (2011), maintaining the groove-first, single-kick approach that defined his earlier records. ### Current Era — OCDP Custom Kit - **Drums:** Orange County Drum and Percussion (OCDP) custom shell pack - **Snare:** OCDP custom snare - **Cymbals:** Zildjian — various crashes, hi-hats, and rides - **Hardware:** Gibraltar - **Sticks:** Zildjian - **Heads:** Remo - **Notable:** Otto's verified current setup centers on a custom OCDP kit, reflecting a shift away from his earlier Sonor and Pearl endorsements while keeping his long-running Zildjian and Remo relationships intact. --- ## Key Gear Changes - **1999:** Sonor Force 3007 + Paiste 2002 setup recorded on "Significant Other" and carried into "Chocolate Starfish" - **2000s–2010s:** Long-running Pearl hardware endorsement through the band's reunion era - **Current:** Orange County Drum and Percussion (OCDP) custom kit with Zildjian cymbals and Gibraltar hardware - **Career constant:** Zildjian cymbals and sticks, maintained from his 1999 breakthrough through today --- ## FAQ **Q: What is John Otto's drum setup worth?** A: John Otto's original 1999 Sonor Force 3007 and Paiste 2002 setup — the rig behind "Significant Other" and "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" — cost approximately $4,876. Adjusted for 2026 inflation, that's equivalent to roughly $9,588. His current verified OCDP custom kit with Zildjian cymbals and Gibraltar hardware represents a comparable modern professional setup. **Q: What drums did John Otto use on Significant Other?** A: John Otto played a Sonor Force 3007 kit — beech shells, single 22" bass drum, 10"/12" rack toms, 14"/16" floor toms — paired with a Sonor steel snare and a full Paiste 2002 cymbal set on Limp Bizkit's 1999 album "Significant Other." **Q: What drums does John Otto play now?** A: John Otto's current verified kit is an Orange County Drum and Percussion (OCDP) custom shell pack with an OCDP custom snare, Zildjian cymbals, Gibraltar hardware, and Remo heads. **Q: Why did John Otto play a single bass drum instead of double kick?** A: Otto's jazz training at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and his hip-hop influences led him to favor a groove-oriented, single-kick approach rather than the double-bass-heavy setups common among nu-metal drummers in the late 1990s — using deliberate kick placement to lock with DJ Lethal's turntable work rather than relying on density for aggression. **Q: What cymbals does John Otto use?** A: On "Significant Other" and "Chocolate Starfish," Otto used a full Paiste 2002 Series setup for its bright, cutting tone. His current setup uses Zildjian cymbals. --- ## Related - [John Otto drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/john-otto) - [Full gear history page](https://metalforge.io/drummers/john-otto/gear-history) - [Significant Other drum setup article](https://metalforge.io/articles/significant-other-drum-setup) - [Chocolate Starfish drum setup article](https://metalforge.io/articles/chocolate-starfish-drum-setup) - [Gear history hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/gear-history.md)