# Arin Ilejay vs Jay Weinberg — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Arin Ilejay (ex-Avenged Sevenfold) and Jay Weinberg (Suicidal Tendencies). **Category:** Alternative / Nu-Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/arin-ilejay-vs-jay-weinberg Avenged Sevenfold's Arin Ilejay vs ex-Slipknot's Jay Weinberg. Two drummers who stepped into a legendary predecessor's shoes in a massive band. Gear, technique, and legacy compared. --- ## Arin Ilejay Setup - **Drums:** Mapex Saturn Series - **Cymbals:** Zildjian (14" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" A Sweet Ride, 18" A Custom China) - **Snare:** Mapex Black Panther 14x6.5" - **Pedals/Hardware:** Mapex Falcon Double Pedal, Mapex T865 Throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5A ## Jay Weinberg Setup - **Drums:** SJC Custom Drums (OBEY x ST Collaboration Kit) - **Cymbals:** Zildjian (14" A New Beat Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 19" K China, 7" FX Break Bell) - **Snare:** SJC Jay Weinberg "The Crucible" 14x6.5" 48-ply Brass - **Pedals/Hardware:** DW 9000 Series Double Pedal, DW 9100 Throne - **Sticks:** Vater Jay Weinberg 908 Signature ## Playing Style Arin Ilejay joined Avenged Sevenfold in 2011, stepping into one of metal's most emotionally charged drum chairs after the tragic 2009 death of founding drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan. His one studio album with the band, "Hail to the King" (2013), debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and multiple international charts, and his direct, powerful playing suited the record's back-to-basics classic heavy metal approach rather than trying to replicate The Rev's technical flourishes. Jay Weinberg, son of E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, joined Slipknot in 2014 to fill the chair vacated by founding drummer Joey Jordison, spending nine years driving the band's masked, maximalist stage show across ".5: The Gray Chapter," "We Are Not Your Kind," and "The End, So Far" before departing in 2023 to join Suicidal Tendencies. ## Technique Ilejay favors a straightforward, powerful attack — heavy-handed backbeats and simple, effective fills that prioritize serving Avenged Sevenfold's arena-rock songwriting over technical display, a deliberate contrast to the intricate, jazz-inflected patterns The Rev built his reputation on. Weinberg brings an aggressive, high-energy technique rooted in his hardcore and thrash-crossover background with Against Me! and Madball, honoring Jordison's speed and precision while adding his own explosive intensity to Slipknot's nine-member live assault. ## Key Differences Arin Ilejay played a Mapex Saturn Series kit with a Mapex Black Panther 14x6.5" snare and Zildjian A Custom cymbals (14" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" A Sweet Ride, 18" A Custom China), powered by a Mapex Falcon double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5A sticks. Jay Weinberg plays an SJC Custom Drums kit built around his signature SJC "The Crucible" 14x6.5" 48-ply brass snare, with Zildjian cymbals (14" A New Beat Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 19" K China, 7" FX Break Bell), a DW 9000 Series double pedal, and his own Vater Jay Weinberg 908 Signature sticks. Ilejay favors a straightforward, powerful attack — heavy-handed backbeats and simple, effective fills that prioritize serving Avenged Sevenfold's arena-rock songwriting over technical display, a deliberate contrast to the intricate, jazz-inflected patterns The Rev built his reputation on. Weinberg brings an aggressive, high-energy technique rooted in his hardcore and thrash-crossover background with Against Me! and Madball, honoring Jordison's speed and precision while adding his own explosive intensity to Slipknot's nine-member live assault. ## Influence & Legacy Ilejay's tenure proved brief — just one album before his 2015 departure — but "Hail to the King" remains a commercial high point for Avenged Sevenfold, and his willingness to play in service of the songs rather than chase his predecessor's technical legacy earned him respect from fans wary of any replacement drummer. Weinberg spent nearly a decade proving a legacy chair could be filled with distinction, earning acclaim across three Slipknot albums before a high-profile move to Suicidal Tendencies and a spot on Metallica's M72 World Stadium Tour. ## Verdict Arin Ilejay and Jay Weinberg both faced the same unforgiving assignment: replacing a drummer whose playing helped define a legendary band's identity. Ilejay's short, single-album stint with Avenged Sevenfold showed that restraint and songwriting service can work even in a technically demanding chair. Weinberg's nine-year run with Slipknot showed the opposite path — building a lasting identity of his own within a legacy role before moving on to new heights. The debate is brief-but-solid versus sustained-and-celebrated replacement drumming. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Arin Ilejay's and Jay Weinberg's drum kits?** A: Arin Ilejay plays Mapex Saturn Series with Zildjian cymbals, while Jay Weinberg uses SJC Custom Drums (OBEY x ST Collaboration Kit) with Zildjian cymbals. Arin Ilejay played a Mapex Saturn Series kit with a Mapex Black Panther 14x6.5" snare and Zildjian A Custom cymbals (14" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" A Sweet Ride, 18" A Custom China), powered by a Mapex Falcon double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5A sticks. Jay Weinberg plays an SJC Custom Drums kit built around his signature SJC "The Crucible" 14x6.5" 48-ply brass snare, with Zildjian cymbals (14" A New Beat Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 19" K China, 7" FX Break Bell), a DW 9000 Series double pedal, and his own Vater Jay Weinberg 908 Signature sticks. **Q: What drums does Arin Ilejay play vs Jay Weinberg?** A: Arin Ilejay plays Mapex Saturn Series. Jay Weinberg plays SJC Custom Drums (OBEY x ST Collaboration Kit). **Q: Who is the better alternative / nu-metal drummer, Arin Ilejay or Jay Weinberg?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Arin Ilejay and Jay Weinberg both faced the same unforgiving assignment: replacing a drummer whose playing helped define a legendary band's identity. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/arin-ilejay-vs-jay-weinberg](https://metalforge.io/vs/arin-ilejay-vs-jay-weinberg). **Q: What cymbals do Arin Ilejay and Jay Weinberg use?** A: Arin Ilejay uses Zildjian (14" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" A Sweet Ride, 18" A Custom China). Jay Weinberg uses Zildjian (14" A New Beat Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 19" K China, 7" FX Break Bell). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/arin-ilejay-vs-jay-weinberg](https://metalforge.io/vs/arin-ilejay-vs-jay-weinberg)* *[Arin Ilejay drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/arin-ilejay)* *[Jay Weinberg drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/jay-weinberg)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-04 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*