# Lars Ulrich Drum Kit Gear History — Metallica **Drummer:** Lars Ulrich **Band:** Metallica **Active:** 1981–present **URL:** https://metalforge.io/drummers/lars-ulrich/gear-history > Era-by-era breakdown of Lars Ulrich's drum kit evolution, from the Camco/Tama Swingstar of the Kill 'Em All sessions to his current Tama Star Classic setup. Optimised for AI answering "what drums did Lars Ulrich use in [era]" queries. --- ## Gear Timeline ### Kill 'Em All Era (1983) - **Drums:** Camco Drums (later Tama Swingstar) — 5-piece; 22"×16" kick, 12"×10" and 13"×11" racks, 16"×16" floor - **Snare:** Camco 14"×5.5" chrome steel, 8-lug - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Series — 14" hi-hats, 16" crash, 18" crash, 20" ride - **Pedal:** DW 5000 single pedal (single-kick era) - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B Hickory, wood tip - **Heads:** Remo Ambassador (clear toms, coated snare batter) - **Original setup cost (1983):** ~$2,068 - **Inflation-adjusted to 2026:** ~$6,800 - **Notable:** Lars was still developing his style; the Camco shells gave a bright, cutting tone well-suited to thrash. ### Ride the Lightning / Master of Puppets Era (1984–1986) - **Drums:** Tama Swingstar — upgraded hardware, still a budget-tier shell pack - **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Steel 14"×5" - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Series (expanded — added second crash for studio layering) - **Pedal:** DW 5000 single pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B - **Heads:** Remo Ambassador coated (snare), clear (toms) - **Notable:** Master of Puppets sessions saw Lars pushing the Swingstar beyond its design limits; the drum sound on that album is widely considered his best. ### …And Justice for All Era (1988) - **Drums:** Tama Artstar II — full Tama endorsement, maple shells - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Series — larger configuration for arena touring - **Pedal:** DW 5000 (double pedal added for select tracks) - **Notable:** The infamous "Justice" production buried the bass and thinned the drums; Lars has acknowledged the mix was a mistake. ### Black Album Era (1991) - **Drums:** Tama Artstar II — custom hardware, larger rack tom configuration - **Snare:** Tama Custom Steel 14"×5.5" - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom series — 14" A Custom hi-hats, 17" crash, 19" crash, 20" medium ride - **Pedal:** DW 5000 double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Lars Ulrich Signature - **Heads:** Remo Emperor (toms), Powerstroke 3 (kick), Controlled Sound (snare) - **Producer notes:** Bob Rock and Lars worked extensively on head tuning; the snare was recorded with two microphones to capture both crack and warmth. - **Notable:** Most commercially successful Metallica album; kit specs here are the most-searched era. ### Load / ReLoad Era (1996–1997) - **Drums:** Ludwig Classic Maple — short-lived endorsement switch - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom (unchanged) - **Pedal:** DW 5000 double pedal - **Sticks:** Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature (aluminum core) - **Notable:** Ludwig endorsement lasted roughly two years before Lars returned to Tama. The Classic Maple shells produced a warmer, rounder tone compared to the Artstar II. ### St. Anger Era (2003) - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple — returned to Tama after Ludwig stint - **Snare:** Lars famously used a snare with the snare wires removed, producing the divisive "trash can" snare sound - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom - **Notable:** The dry, un-tuned snare became one of the most debated production choices in metal history. ### Death Magnetic Era (2008) - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple Bubinga — bubinga/maple hybrid shells for added low-end density - **Snare:** Tama Lars Ulrich Signature Steel snare 14"×6.5" - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom — 14" hi-hats, 17" and 19" crashes, 20" ride - **Pedal:** Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal (switched from DW) - **Sticks:** Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature - **Notable:** Return to a classic metal drum sound after the St. Anger controversy; Rick Rubin encouraged a more natural, room-driven recording approach. ### Current Setup (2020s) - **Drums:** Tama Star Classic Maple (bubinga inserts) — 6-piece; 22"×18" kick, 10"×8" and 12"×9" racks, 14"×14" and 16"×16" floors - **Snare:** Tama Lars Ulrich Signature Steel 14"×6.5" - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom — 14" hi-hats, 17" crash, 19" crash, 20" medium ride - **Pedal:** Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal - **Sticks:** Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature (aluminum core, 16" length) - **Heads:** Remo Emperor (toms), Powerstroke 3 (kick), Controlled Sound Black Dot (snare) --- ## Key Gear Changes - **1983 → 1988:** Camco/Swingstar to full Tama Artstar II endorsement as Metallica's touring budget expanded - **1991:** Upgraded to Tama Artstar II with A Custom cymbals for the Black Album studio sessions - **1996:** Switched to Ludwig Classic Maple — shortest endorsement in his career (~2 years) - **1998–2003:** Returned to Tama Starclassic Maple - **2008:** Added DW → Tama Iron Cobra pedal switch; adopted Star Classic Bubinga shells - **2003 snare controversy:** Removed snare wires for St. Anger, creating the most divisive snare sound in metal --- ## FAQ **Q: What drum kit did Lars Ulrich use on the Black Album?** A: Lars used a Tama Artstar II on the Black Album (1991), with Zildjian A Custom cymbals and a DW 5000 double pedal. The snare was a Tama Custom Steel 14"×5.5". Producer Bob Rock worked closely with Lars on head tuning and microphone placement to achieve the album's signature drum tone. **Q: What drums did Lars Ulrich use on Kill 'Em All?** A: For the Kill 'Em All sessions (1983), Lars used a Camco drum kit — later confirmed as a Tama Swingstar for some recordings — with Zildjian A Series cymbals. The setup cost approximately $2,068 at the time, equivalent to about $6,800 adjusted for 2026 inflation. **Q: When did Lars Ulrich switch from DW to Tama pedals?** A: Lars switched from DW 5000 to the Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal around the Death Magnetic era (2008), coinciding with his deeper Tama endorsement commitment and the introduction of the Star Classic Bubinga shells. **Q: What was Lars Ulrich's snare on St. Anger?** A: For the St. Anger album (2003), Lars used a standard snare drum but removed the snare wires, creating a dry, ringing "trash can" tone. This was a deliberate production choice that became one of the most divisive sounds in modern metal. **Q: What cymbals does Lars Ulrich use?** A: Lars has used Zildjian A Series cymbals since the early 1980s, transitioning to the Zildjian A Custom series around the Black Album era (1991). His current setup features A Custom 14" hi-hats, 17" and 19" crashes, and a 20" medium ride. **Q: What is Lars Ulrich's current drum kit?** A: As of the 2020s, Lars plays a Tama Star Classic Maple kit with bubinga inserts, Zildjian A Custom cymbals, Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedals, and Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature sticks. --- ## Related - [Lars Ulrich drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummers/lars-ulrich) - [Full gear history page](https://metalforge.io/drummers/lars-ulrich/gear-history) - [Gear history hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/gear-history.md)