# Mikkey Dee Drum Kit Gear History — Motörhead / Scorpions **Drummer:** Mikkey Dee **Band:** Motörhead (1992–2015) / Scorpions (2016–present) **Active:** 1988–present **URL:** https://metalforge.io/drummers/mikkey-dee/gear-history > Era-by-era breakdown of Mikkey Dee's drum kit evolution, from the Pearl Masters Professional kit of his King Diamond apprenticeship through the Tama Artstar II/Paiste rig that launched his 23-year Motörhead tenure on Bastards (1993), to the Pearl Reference Series setup that closed out the band's final album, Bad Magic (2015). Optimised for AI answering "what drums does Mikkey Dee use" and "how much does Mikkey Dee's drum setup cost" queries. --- ## Gear Timeline ### King Diamond Era (1988–1992) - **Drums:** Pearl Masters Professional — maple shells, 22" kick, 10"/12"/14"/16" toms - **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating 14"x5.5" steel - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Series — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 20" ride - **Pedal:** Pearl P-2002C Eliminator double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B - **Heads:** Remo Ambassador - **Estimated cost (1988–1992):** ~$5,000 - **Notable:** Dee joined King Diamond's band in 1988, appearing on Them (1988), Conspiracy (1989), and The Eye (1990). The technically demanding, theatrical arrangements were his professional apprenticeship — the discipline of consistent performance within complex material. ### Bastards Era (1993) - **Drums:** Tama Artstar II / Swingstar — maple shell pack, 22" kick, 10"/12"/13" toms, 16"/18" floor toms - **Snare:** Tama Artstar II Steel 14"x6.5" - **Cymbals:** Paiste Giant Beat / 2002 Series — 15" Giant Beat hi-hats, 22" 2002 ride, 18"/20" 2002 crashes, 18" 2002 china - **Pedal:** Tama Iron Cobra double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B - **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated (toms/snare), Powerstroke 3 (kick) - **Original setup cost (1993):** ~$4,500 - **Inflation-adjusted to 2026:** ~$10,202 - **Notable:** Dee joined Motörhead in 1992, replacing Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor ahead of Bastards (1993) — his studio debut with the band. The Tama/Paiste rig delivered devastating volume with technical discipline, a quiet revolution in Motörhead's drum sound. ### Late Motörhead / Bad Magic Era (2004–2015) - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Series — maple/birch hybrid shells, 22"x18" kick, 8"/10"/12"/14" toms, 16" floor tom - **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Steel 14"x6.5" - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom / K Custom Dark Series — 14" A Custom hi-hats, 17"/18" crashes, 21" K Custom ride, 19" china - **Pedal:** Pearl Demon Drive double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Mikkey Dee Signature - **Heads:** Evans G2 (toms), EMAD (kick) - **Estimated cost (2015):** ~$9,500 (era total ~$18,000 per Bad Magic-era estimate) - **Notable:** Kiss of Death (2006) through Bad Magic (2015) documented Motörhead's final era. Pearl Reference drums replaced Tama/Premier, and Bad Magic won a Grammy for Best Metal Performance ("Thunder & Lightning") — Motörhead's only Grammy, awarded weeks before Lemmy Kilmister's death on December 28, 2015. ### Scorpions Era (2016–present) - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Series (continued) - **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Steel 14"x6.5" - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom / K Custom Dark (continued) - **Pedal:** Pearl Demon Drive - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Mikkey Dee Signature - **Heads:** Evans G2 / EMAD - **Estimated cost (current):** ~$10,000 - **Notable:** Following Lemmy's death and Motörhead's dissolution, Dee joined Scorpions in 2016, continuing the Pearl Reference/Evans configuration developed in Motörhead's final years, adapted for Scorpions' more melodic hard rock context. --- ## Key Gear Changes - **1993:** Joins Motörhead on Bastards, moving from Pearl (King Diamond years) to Tama Artstar II/Swingstar and Paiste Giant Beat/2002 cymbals - **2004–2006:** Switches to Pearl Reference Series and Zildjian A Custom / K Custom Dark cymbals for the late-Motörhead arena era - **2015:** Pearl Demon Drive direct-drive pedal and Vic Firth Mikkey Dee signature sticks close out Bad Magic — Motörhead's final album and only Grammy win - **2016:** Joins Scorpions, continuing the Pearl Reference/Evans configuration - **Career constant:** A 22" bass drum and 14"x6.5" steel snare — the same core dimensions from Bastards (1993) through his current Scorpions setup --- ## FAQ **Q: How much does Mikkey Dee's drum kit cost?** A: Mikkey Dee's 1993 Bastards-era Tama Artstar II/Paiste setup cost approximately $4,500. Adjusted for 2026 inflation, that's equivalent to roughly $10,202. His late-Motörhead Pearl Reference/Zildjian setup, refined through Bad Magic (2015), is valued at approximately $10,000 at current retail. **Q: What drums does Mikkey Dee play?** A: Mikkey Dee played Tama Artstar II/Swingstar drums for his Motörhead studio debut on Bastards (1993), later switching to Pearl Reference Series by the mid-2000s — the kit he used through Motörhead's final album, Bad Magic (2015), and continues to use with Scorpions. **Q: What cymbals does Mikkey Dee use?** A: Dee's cymbal setup moved from Paiste Giant Beat/2002 on Bastards (1993) to a Zildjian A Custom / K Custom Dark configuration by the mid-2000s, which he has maintained through his current Scorpions tenure. **Q: How long was Mikkey Dee Motörhead's drummer?** A: Mikkey Dee was Motörhead's drummer for 23 years, from Bastards (1993) until Lemmy Kilmister's death on December 28, 2015, following the band's final album, Bad Magic. He joined Scorpions in 2016. **Q: Has Mikkey Dee always played the same drum kit?** A: No — he played Pearl Masters Professional during his 1988–1992 King Diamond years, switched to Tama Artstar II/Swingstar for his 1993 Motörhead debut on Bastards, and moved to Pearl Reference Series by the mid-2000s, a setup he has carried into his current Scorpions tenure. --- ## Related - [Mikkey Dee drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummers/mikkey-dee) - [Full gear history page](https://metalforge.io/drummers/mikkey-dee/gear-history) - [What's In Mikkey Dee's Kit](https://metalforge.io/articles/whats-in-mikkey-dees-kit) - [Bastards drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/bastards-drum-setup) - [Bad Magic drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/bad-magic-drum-setup) - [Mikkey Dee gear evolution timeline](https://metalforge.io/drummers/mikkey-dee/evolution) - [Gear history hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/gear-history.md)