# Top 10 Metal Drummers Playing Tama Kits — Complete Ranked Guide > **Last updated:** 2026-07-07 · **Source:** [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io) · [View full list →](https://metalforge.io/lists/best-metal-drummers-playing-tama-kits) --- ## Overview MetalForge's gear-angle lists have already ranked cymbal brands and signature snares — this one turns to the drum kit itself, starting with Tama, the manufacturer with the deepest documented roster across MetalForge's gear guides, price-history features, and biographies. Lars Ulrich anchors the list: a Tama endorser since the mid-1980s, his Tama Starclassic Maple kit and signature Tama LU1465 snare have defined Metallica's cymbal-cutting attack for over three decades. Dave Lombardo has run Tama Starclassic shells for most of his post-Slayer career, currently a Starclassic Walnut/Birch kit paired with a Tama S.L.P. G-Maple snare, while Mike Portnoy's Tama relationship bookends a 1994-2010 stretch on DW Collector's Maple — he started on a Tama Artstar II in Dream Theater's earliest years and returned to Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch for his current setup. Charlie Benante and Mario Duplantier both run Tama Starclassic kits with matching Tama Iron Cobra double pedals, Eloy Casagrande brings Tama's Starclassic Bubinga into Slipknot's drum chair, and Gene Hoglan's formative decade on a Tama Superstar Classic kit with Dark Angel and Death predates the long Pearl chapter that made him "The Atomic Clock." Hannes Grossmann's Starclassic Maple setup closes out Obscura's technical death metal sound, while Jay Weinberg and Vinnie Paul round out the list with fully documented but time-bounded Tama chapters — Weinberg's decade on a Tama STAR Classic Maple kit during his 2014-2023 Slipknot tenure before a move to SJC Custom Drums, and Vinnie Paul's brief but real Tama stint during Pantera's breakthrough "Cowboys from Hell" era before he moved on to Remo, Pearl, and finally ddrum. Ranked by how extensively and currently each drummer's Tama relationship is documented in MetalForge's own gear data. The metal drummers with verified Tama drum kit setups, ranked. Lars Ulrich's Starclassic Maple, Dave Lombardo, Mike Portnoy, Charlie Benante, Mario Duplantier, Eloy Casagrande, Gene Hoglan, Hannes Grossmann, Jay Weinberg, and Vinnie Paul — sourced from MetalForge's own gear guides, not guesswork. --- ## Rankings Ranked by documented performance records, genre-defining influence, and technical contribution. Top entries: Lars Ulrich, Dave Lombardo, Mike Portnoy, Charlie Benante, Mario Duplantier, and more. ### 1. Lars Ulrich **Band:** Metallica **Highlight:** Tama Starclassic Maple — metal's defining kit since the mid-1980s **Why ranked here:** Lars Ulrich has been a Tama endorser since the mid-1980s, running a Tama Starclassic Maple kit in custom black finish alongside his signature Tama LU1465 14"x6.5" steel snare, engineered specifically to cut through Metallica's wall of guitars. Paired with a Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide double pedal, it's the exact setup that has anchored Metallica's sound from "Master of Puppets" through "72 Seasons." Ulrich earns rank #1 as the most recognizable and longest-documented Tama artist in metal, having played the brand exclusively for over three decades. Lars Ulrich (Metallica) earns rank #1 for: tama starclassic maple — metal's defining kit since the mid-1980s. Lars Ulrich has been a Tama endorser since the mid-1980s, running a Tama Starclassic Maple kit in custom black finish alongside his signature Tama LU1465 14"x6.5" steel snare, engineered specifically to cut through Metallica's wall of guitars. Paired with a Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide double pedal, it's the exact setup that has anchored Metallica's sound from "Master of Puppets" through "72 Seasons." Ulrich earns rank #1 as the most recognizable and longest-documented Tama artist in metal, having played the brand exclusively for over three decades.. Full drummer profile: [Lars Ulrich on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/lars-ulrich) ### 2. Dave Lombardo **Band:** Slayer **Highlight:** Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch — Slayer's founding drummer's modern rig **Why ranked here:** Dave Lombardo has been a Tama endorser for most of his career, running a Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14"x6.5" G-Maple snare and Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal in his current work, including his time in Pantera's reunion lineup. Lombardo earns rank #2 as one of thrash metal's most influential drummers and a documented Tama artist across multiple bands and decades. Dave Lombardo (Slayer) earns rank #2 for: tama starclassic walnut/birch — slayer's founding drummer's modern rig. Dave Lombardo has been a Tama endorser for most of his career, running a Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14"x6.5" G-Maple snare and Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal in his current work, including his time in Pantera's reunion lineup. Lombardo earns rank #2 as one of thrash metal's most influential drummers and a documented Tama artist across multiple bands and decades.. Full drummer profile: [Dave Lombardo on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/dave-lombardo) ### 3. Mike Portnoy **Band:** Dream Theater / The Winery Dogs **Highlight:** Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch — bookending a career that also spent 16 years on DW **Why ranked here:** Mike Portnoy has been a Tama endorser since Dream Theater's earliest years, starting on a Tama Artstar II 8-piece custom kit for 1992's "Images and Words" before a 1994-2010 stretch on DW Collector's Maple and a return to Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch — paired with his signature Tama Mike Portnoy Melody Master 14"x5.5" snare and Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide double pedal — for his current work. Portnoy earns rank #3 for the most extensively documented Tama relationship of any drummer whose career has also touched a rival brand. Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater / The Winery Dogs) earns rank #3 for: tama starclassic maple/birch — bookending a career that also spent 16 years on dw. Mike Portnoy has been a Tama endorser since Dream Theater's earliest years, starting on a Tama Artstar II 8-piece custom kit for 1992's "Images and Words" before a 1994-2010 stretch on DW Collector's Maple and a return to Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch — paired with his signature Tama Mike Portnoy Melody Master 14"x5.5" snare and Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide double pedal — for his current work. Portnoy earns rank #3 for the most extensively documented Tama relationship of any drummer whose career has also touched a rival brand.. Full drummer profile: [Mike Portnoy on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/mike-portnoy) ### 4. Charlie Benante **Band:** Anthrax / S.O.D. **Highlight:** Tama Starclassic Maple — Anthrax's Big Four foundation **Why ranked here:** Charlie Benante has endorsed Tama drums and hardware since Anthrax's late-1980s rise, running a Tama Artstar II for 1987's "Among the Living" before settling into his current Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama Charlie Benante signature snare. He also switched from a vintage Camco-style pedal to the Tama Speed Cobra in 2010, one of the longest single-pedal tenures documented in MetalForge's gear data. Benante earns rank #4 as one of the Big Four's two Tama-endorsing drummers. Charlie Benante (Anthrax / S.O.D.) earns rank #4 for: tama starclassic maple — anthrax's big four foundation. Charlie Benante has endorsed Tama drums and hardware since Anthrax's late-1980s rise, running a Tama Artstar II for 1987's "Among the Living" before settling into his current Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama Charlie Benante signature snare. He also switched from a vintage Camco-style pedal to the Tama Speed Cobra in 2010, one of the longest single-pedal tenures documented in MetalForge's gear data. Benante earns rank #4 as one of the Big Four's two Tama-endorsing drummers.. Full drummer profile: [Charlie Benante on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/charlie-benante) ### 5. Mario Duplantier **Band:** Gojira **Highlight:** Tama Starclassic Bubinga — Gojira's dual-kick attack **Why ranked here:** Mario Duplantier is a Tama Drums and Zildjian Cymbals endorser, running dual 22"x18" Tama Starclassic Bubinga bass drums for visual impact and tonal reasons rather than a single kick with a double pedal, paired with a Tama S.L.P. 14"x6.5" G-Maple snare and Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide double pedal. Duplantier earns rank #5 for one of progressive death metal's most recognizable dual-bass-drum Tama setups, built behind Gojira's "From Mars to Sirius" and "Magma." Mario Duplantier (Gojira) earns rank #5 for: tama starclassic bubinga — gojira's dual-kick attack. Mario Duplantier is a Tama Drums and Zildjian Cymbals endorser, running dual 22"x18" Tama Starclassic Bubinga bass drums for visual impact and tonal reasons rather than a single kick with a double pedal, paired with a Tama S.L.P. 14"x6.5" G-Maple snare and Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide double pedal. Duplantier earns rank #5 for one of progressive death metal's most recognizable dual-bass-drum Tama setups, built behind Gojira's "From Mars to Sirius" and "Magma.". Full drummer profile: [Mario Duplantier on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/mario-duplantier) ### 6. Eloy Casagrande **Band:** Sepultura / Slipknot **Highlight:** Tama Starclassic Bubinga — Slipknot's new drum chair **Why ranked here:** Eloy Casagrande is a Tama Drums and Paiste Cymbals endorser, running a dual-bass Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit (22"x16" and 24"x14") with a Tama Bell Brass 14"x5.5" snare and Tama Iron Cobra double pedal, a setup built across his Sepultura years and carried into his move to Slipknot's drum chair. Casagrande earns rank #6 for bringing a fully-documented Tama rig into one of metal's highest-profile touring bands. Eloy Casagrande (Sepultura / Slipknot) earns rank #6 for: tama starclassic bubinga — slipknot's new drum chair. Eloy Casagrande is a Tama Drums and Paiste Cymbals endorser, running a dual-bass Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit (22"x16" and 24"x14") with a Tama Bell Brass 14"x5.5" snare and Tama Iron Cobra double pedal, a setup built across his Sepultura years and carried into his move to Slipknot's drum chair. Casagrande earns rank #6 for bringing a fully-documented Tama rig into one of metal's highest-profile touring bands.. Full drummer profile: [Eloy Casagrande on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/eloy-casagrande) ### 7. Gene Hoglan **Band:** Death / Testament / Dethklok **Highlight:** Tama Superstar Classic — a formative decade before Pearl **Why ranked here:** Gene Hoglan played a Tama Superstar Classic kit through his early Dark Angel and Death years from 1983 to 1993, years before he became the long-time Pearl Reference Pure endorser known as "The Atomic Clock." Hoglan earns rank #7 for a well-documented early Tama chapter that predates one of extreme metal's most recognizable drumming careers. Gene Hoglan (Death / Testament / Dethklok) earns rank #7 for: tama superstar classic — a formative decade before pearl. Gene Hoglan played a Tama Superstar Classic kit through his early Dark Angel and Death years from 1983 to 1993, years before he became the long-time Pearl Reference Pure endorser known as "The Atomic Clock." Hoglan earns rank #7 for a well-documented early Tama chapter that predates one of extreme metal's most recognizable drumming careers.. Full drummer profile: [Gene Hoglan on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/gene-hoglan) ### 8. Hannes Grossmann **Band:** Obscura / Necrophagist **Highlight:** Tama Starclassic Maple — Obscura's technical death metal clarity **Why ranked here:** Hannes Grossmann is a Tama Drums endorser, running a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14"x6" G-Maple snare and Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide double pedal, a setup that replaced the DW Collector's Series kit he played on Obscura's 2009 breakthrough "Cosmogenesis." Grossmann earns rank #8 for a documented brand transition from DW to Tama that mirrors Mike Portnoy's in reverse. Hannes Grossmann (Obscura / Necrophagist) earns rank #8 for: tama starclassic maple — obscura's technical death metal clarity. Hannes Grossmann is a Tama Drums endorser, running a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14"x6" G-Maple snare and Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide double pedal, a setup that replaced the DW Collector's Series kit he played on Obscura's 2009 breakthrough "Cosmogenesis." Grossmann earns rank #8 for a documented brand transition from DW to Tama that mirrors Mike Portnoy's in reverse.. Full drummer profile: [Hannes Grossmann on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/hannes-grossmann) ### 9. Jay Weinberg **Band:** Slipknot / Suicidal Tendencies **Highlight:** Tama STAR Classic Maple — a decade in Slipknot's drum chair **Why ranked here:** Jay Weinberg played a Tama STAR Classic Maple kit (22"x18" bass, 10"x8", 12"x9", 14"x12" toms) as an official Tama endorsee throughout his 2014-2023 tenure in Slipknot, before moving on to SJC Custom Drums after his departure from the band. Weinberg earns rank #9 for a fully documented, decade-long Tama chapter in one of metal's most visible drum chairs. Jay Weinberg (Slipknot / Suicidal Tendencies) earns rank #9 for: tama star classic maple — a decade in slipknot's drum chair. Jay Weinberg played a Tama STAR Classic Maple kit (22"x18" bass, 10"x8", 12"x9", 14"x12" toms) as an official Tama endorsee throughout his 2014-2023 tenure in Slipknot, before moving on to SJC Custom Drums after his departure from the band. Weinberg earns rank #9 for a fully documented, decade-long Tama chapter in one of metal's most visible drum chairs.. Full drummer profile: [Jay Weinberg on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/jay-weinberg) ### 10. Vinnie Paul **Band:** Pantera / Damageplan / Hellyeah **Highlight:** A brief but real Tama chapter during Pantera's breakthrough **Why ranked here:** Vinnie Paul played Tama drums during Pantera's 1990-1992 "Cowboys from Hell" era, an early chapter in an equipment evolution that later moved through Remo and Pearl before he settled on ddrum for the rest of his career, including his own ddrum Vinnie Paul Signature Series. Paul earns rank #10 for a well-documented, time-bounded Tama stint at the start of groove metal's most influential band. Vinnie Paul (Pantera / Damageplan / Hellyeah) earns rank #10 for: a brief but real tama chapter during pantera's breakthrough. Vinnie Paul played Tama drums during Pantera's 1990-1992 "Cowboys from Hell" era, an early chapter in an equipment evolution that later moved through Remo and Pearl before he settled on ddrum for the rest of his career, including his own ddrum Vinnie Paul Signature Series. Paul earns rank #10 for a well-documented, time-bounded Tama stint at the start of groove metal's most influential band.. Full drummer profile: [Vinnie Paul on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/vinnie-paul) --- ## Frequently Asked Questions --- ## Related Lists - [Top 10 Metal Drummers Playing Pearl Kits](https://metalforge.io/lists/best-metal-drummers-playing-pearl-kits) — [LLM Reference](https://metalforge.io/llms/lists/best-metal-drummers-playing-pearl-kits.md) - [Top 7 Metal Drummers Playing DW Kits](https://metalforge.io/lists/best-metal-drummers-playing-dw-kits) — [LLM Reference](https://metalforge.io/llms/lists/best-metal-drummers-playing-dw-kits.md) - [Top 7 Metal Drummers Playing Zildjian Cymbals](https://metalforge.io/lists/best-metal-drummers-playing-zildjian-cymbals) — [LLM Reference](https://metalforge.io/llms/lists/best-metal-drummers-playing-zildjian-cymbals.md) - [Top 10 Metal Drummers' Signature Snare Drums](https://metalforge.io/lists/metal-drummers-signature-snare-drums) — [LLM Reference](https://metalforge.io/llms/lists/metal-drummers-signature-snare-drums.md) ## More Resources - [Top 10 Metal Drummers Playing Tama Kits — Full List](https://metalforge.io/lists/best-metal-drummers-playing-tama-kits) - [All MetalForge Top-10 Lists](https://metalforge.io/lists) - [Top-10 Lists Overview (LLM)](https://metalforge.io/llms/lists.md) - [All Metal Drummers](https://metalforge.io/drummers) --- *Last updated: 2026-07-07 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*