# John Otto vs Ben Koller — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between John Otto (Limp Bizkit) and Ben Koller (Converge / Mutoid Man / Killer Be Killed). **Category:** Alternative / Nu-Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/john-otto-vs-ben-koller Limp Bizkit's John Otto vs Converge's Ben Koller. Hip-hop-infused nu-metal precision compared to mathcore's unpredictable intensity. Gear, technique, and legacy analyzed. --- ## John Otto Setup - **Drums:** Orange County Drum & Percussion (OCDP) Custom Type 5 Acrylic - **Cymbals:** Zildjian (13" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 16" & 17" A Custom Projection Crashes, 20" A Custom EFX, 20" FX Oriental Crash of Doom) - **Snare:** OCDP 14x6.5" 40-ply Vented, OCDP 10x6" 20-ply - **Pedals/Hardware:** Gibraltar G Class Bass Drum Pedals, Gibraltar Custom Racks - **Sticks:** Zildjian Artist Series ## Ben Koller Setup - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple - **Cymbals:** Zildjian (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China) - **Snare:** Tama S.L.P. 14x6" Brass - **Pedals/Hardware:** Tama Iron Cobra 900 Double Pedal, Tama Throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5B ## Playing Style John Otto has been Limp Bizkit's drummer and founding member since 1994, blending hip-hop-influenced grooves and funk-inspired beats that helped define the rap-metal sound on hits like "Rollin'" and "Break Stuff." Ben Koller joined Converge in late 1999 and became central to the band's mathcore evolution, bringing a chaotic, improvisational intensity to landmark records including "Jane Doe" (2001) and "The Dusk in Us" (2017). ## Technique Otto studied jazz at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, using syncopated patterns and funky ghost notes over a single-pedal setup to give Limp Bizkit's grooves their distinctive pocket. Koller favors a loose, explosive attack built for maximum unpredictability, thriving on Converge's sudden tempo shifts and dynamic swings with gut-level feel over rehearsed precision. ## Key Differences Otto plays an Orange County Drum & Percussion (OCDP) Custom Type 5 Acrylic kit with dual signature OCDP snares and Zildjian A Custom cymbals, driven by Gibraltar G Class pedals. Koller plays a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14x6" Brass snare and Zildjian K Dark Series cymbals, powered by a Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal. Otto studied jazz at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, using syncopated patterns and funky ghost notes over a single-pedal setup to give Limp Bizkit's grooves their distinctive pocket. Koller favors a loose, explosive attack built for maximum unpredictability, thriving on Converge's sudden tempo shifts and dynamic swings with gut-level feel over rehearsed precision. ## Influence & Legacy Otto's jazz-meets-hip-hop grooves gave Limp Bizkit's sound instant recognizability, helping drive one of the best-selling records of the nu-metal era in "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water." Koller is widely regarded as one of the most respected drummers in extreme and hardcore music, with Converge's "Jane Doe" routinely cited as a genre-defining mathcore record. ## Verdict John Otto and Ben Koller show just how differently groove and chaos can define heavy music drumming. Otto's hip-hop-informed pocket made Limp Bizkit's rap-metal commercially unstoppable through disciplined, song-serving restraint. Koller's raw, unpredictable mathcore assault with Converge thrives precisely because it feels like it could fly apart at any second. Both are foundational to their respective scenes — Otto as nu-metal's groove architect, Koller as hardcore-adjacent extreme music's most respected chaos agent. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between John Otto's and Ben Koller's drum kits?** A: John Otto plays Orange County Drum & Percussion (OCDP) Custom Type 5 Acrylic with Zildjian cymbals, while Ben Koller uses Tama Starclassic Maple with Zildjian cymbals. Otto plays an Orange County Drum & Percussion (OCDP) Custom Type 5 Acrylic kit with dual signature OCDP snares and Zildjian A Custom cymbals, driven by Gibraltar G Class pedals. Koller plays a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14x6" Brass snare and Zildjian K Dark Series cymbals, powered by a Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal. **Q: What drums does John Otto play vs Ben Koller?** A: John Otto plays Orange County Drum & Percussion (OCDP) Custom Type 5 Acrylic. Ben Koller plays Tama Starclassic Maple. **Q: Who is the better alternative / nu-metal drummer, John Otto or Ben Koller?** A: Both are legends in their own right. John Otto and Ben Koller show just how differently groove and chaos can define heavy music drumming. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/john-otto-vs-ben-koller](https://metalforge.io/vs/john-otto-vs-ben-koller). **Q: What cymbals do John Otto and Ben Koller use?** A: John Otto uses Zildjian (13" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 16" & 17" A Custom Projection Crashes, 20" A Custom EFX, 20" FX Oriental Crash of Doom). Ben Koller uses Zildjian (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/john-otto-vs-ben-koller](https://metalforge.io/vs/john-otto-vs-ben-koller)* *[John Otto drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/john-otto)* *[Ben Koller drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/ben-koller)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-07 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*