# Best Drum Hardware for Metal — MetalForge **Guide URL:** https://metalforge.io/guides/best-drum-hardware-for-metal ## Who This Guide Is For Metal drummers who want to know which racks, stands, and thrones actually survive double bass abuse and touring — and what Lars Ulrich, Abe Cunningham, John Otto, and George Kollias actually use. Covers DW 9000 Series, Tama Titan Series, Sonor 600 Series, Gibraltar Road Series racks, and Pearl D-Series thrones across all budgets. --- ## Why Hardware Matters More in Metal Than Any Other Genre Hardware is the least glamorous part of a metal drummer's rig — and the most likely to fail at the worst possible moment. Sagging cymbal stands during a blast beat, a bass drum that creeps forward on every kick, a throne that wobbles mid-fill: none of that happens because of a bad drum or cymbal. It happens because the hardware underneath wasn't built for the abuse metal drumming puts on it. Abe Cunningham (Deftones) and Ray Luzier (Korn) both run DW's heaviest stands for exactly this reason. Lars Ulrich has anchored his Tama kit on a Tama 1st Chair Throne for decades, while John Otto (Limp Bizkit) builds his entire OCDP kit around a Gibraltar custom rack system. George Kollias (Nile) and Inferno (Behemoth) both sit on Pearl's D-Series throne line for the stability their extreme technique requires. --- ## Recommended Drum Hardware for Metal ### 1. DW 9000 Series Hardware Pack — Best Overall - **Material:** Double-braced heavy-gauge steel - **Price range:** €900–€1100 - **Best for:** Touring metal drummers who need hardware that never fails **Who uses it:** - **Abe Cunningham** ([/drummer/abe-cunningham](https://metalforge.io/drummer/abe-cunningham)) — Deftones; DW 9000 hardware across Deftones' touring rig - **Ray Luzier** ([/drummer/ray-luzier](https://metalforge.io/drummer/ray-luzier)) — Korn; DW hardware anchoring Korn's arena setup Oversized tripod bases and reinforced tension bolts hold cymbal angles dead-steady through the hardest crashes, while DW's memory-lock system lets a touring drummer rebuild an identical setup at every soundcheck. --- ### 2. Tama Titan Series Hardware — Best for Technical Precision - **Material:** Double-braced steel - **Price range:** €500–€700 - **Best for:** Progressive and technical metal drummers needing exact cymbal placement **Who uses it:** - **Lars Ulrich** ([/drummer/lars-ulrich](https://metalforge.io/drummer/lars-ulrich)) — Metallica; Tama 1st Chair Throne and hardware across four decades of touring - **Blake Richardson** ([/drummer/blake-richardson](https://metalforge.io/drummer/blake-richardson)) — Between the Buried and Me; Tama hardware for progressive metal cymbal precision Oversized double-braced tripod bases and precise memory locks hold complex cymbal arrays in place through technically punishing sets. --- ### 3. Sonor 600 Series Hardware — Best for Complex Setups - **Material:** Double-braced steel - **Price range:** €400–€600 - **Best for:** Wide, complex progressive/extreme metal cymbal setups **Who uses it:** - **Gavin Harrison** ([/drummer/gavin-harrison](https://metalforge.io/drummer/gavin-harrison)) — Porcupine Tree / King Crimson; Sonor 600 Series across a complex progressive metal cymbal setup - **Martin Axenrot** ([/drummer/martin-axenrot](https://metalforge.io/drummer/martin-axenrot)) — Opeth; anchors his twin-bass-drum Sonor SQ2 kit since 2006 German-engineered precision that balances weight and portability while resisting creep under blast beats. --- ### 4. Gibraltar Road Series Rack System — Best for Wide Double-Kick Kits - **Material:** Steel tube rack + clamps - **Price range:** €300–€450 - **Best for:** 6+ cymbal setups and elaborate double-kick, multi-tom rigs **Who uses it:** - **John Otto** ([/drummer/john-otto](https://metalforge.io/drummer/john-otto)) — Limp Bizkit; Gibraltar custom rack anchoring his OCDP acrylic kit A single tubular frame carries every cymbal and tom mount, eliminating a forest of individual stands and dramatically reducing floor clutter and setup time. --- ### 5. Pearl D-Series Throne — Best Throne - **Material:** Double-braced round base - **Price range:** €150–€250 - **Best for:** Extreme tempo stability **Who uses it:** - **George Kollias** ([/drummer/george-kollias](https://metalforge.io/drummer/george-kollias)) — Nile; Pearl D-3000 Throne for 240+ BPM blast beat stability - **Inferno** ([/drummer/inferno](https://metalforge.io/drummer/inferno)) — Behemoth; Pearl D-2000 Throne anchoring extreme metal live sets - **Ray Luzier** ([/drummer/ray-luzier](https://metalforge.io/drummer/ray-luzier)) — Korn; Pearl D-2000 Roadster Throne A wide, double-braced round base and locking height collar keep the seat rock-solid even at extreme blast beat tempos. --- ## Rack System vs Standalone Stands for Metal **Rack Systems (Gibraltar Road Series — John Otto's approach):** - Best for 6+ cymbals or elaborate double-kick, multi-tom setups - Dramatically reduces stand count and floor clutter - Fast, repeatable soundcheck setup once configured **Standalone Stands (DW 9000, Tama Titan, Sonor 600):** - Best for compact 4-5 piece kits and smaller cymbal arrays - More portable and modular - The touring standard for Lars Ulrich, Abe Cunningham, and Gavin Harrison **Verdict:** Choose a rack system once your setup grows beyond what standalone stands can cleanly support. For most metal drummers running a standard kit, heavy-duty standalone hardware from DW, Tama, or Sonor remains the simpler, more flexible choice. --- ## FAQ **What hardware do metal drummers use?** Touring metal drummers favor heavy, double-braced hardware from DW (9000 Series — Abe Cunningham, Ray Luzier), Tama (Titan Series — Lars Ulrich, Blake Richardson), and Sonor (600 Series — Gavin Harrison, Martin Axenrot). Rack systems like Gibraltar's Road Series (John Otto) are common for wide double-kick setups, and Pearl's D-Series thrones (George Kollias, Inferno) are popular for their stability at extreme tempos. **Do I need a rack for metal?** Not necessarily. A rack system like Gibraltar's Road Series makes sense once you're running 6+ cymbals or an elaborate double-kick, multi-tom setup. For a standard 4-5 piece metal kit, heavy-duty standalone stands from DW, Tama, or Sonor are simpler, more portable, and just as stable. **Double-braced vs single-braced hardware for metal?** Double-braced is essential for gigging metal drummers. Single-braced legs flex and slowly creep under the lateral force of hard rimshots and sustained double bass vibration. **Best drum throne for metal drummers?** Pearl's D-Series thrones are the most common pro pick — George Kollias uses the D-3000, Inferno uses the D-2000, and Ray Luzier uses the D-2000 Roadster. **How do I stop my bass drum from moving during double bass?** Use hardware with adjustable spurs and rubber or spiked feet, tightened to full contact with the floor or a drum rug, combined with a properly weighted bass drum and a stable throne. --- ## Related Guides - [Best Bass Drum Pedals for Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-bass-drum-pedals-for-metal) - [Best Drum Kits for Thrash Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-drum-kits-for-thrash-metal) - [Best Snare Drums for Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-snare-drums-for-metal)