# Ray Luzier vs Scott Travis — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Ray Luzier (Korn) and Scott Travis (Judas Priest). **Category:** Alternative / Nu-Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/ray-luzier-vs-scott-travis Korn's Ray Luzier vs Judas Priest's Scott Travis. Two technically accomplished replacement drummers who outlasted their bands' original eras — nu-metal groove vs classic heavy metal power compared. --- ## Ray Luzier Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Series - **Cymbals:** Sabian AAX Series (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" X-Plosion Crashes, 21" Stage Ride, 18" AAXtreme China) - **Snare:** Pearl Reference 14x6.5" Brass - **Pedals/Hardware:** DW 9002 Double Pedal, Pearl D-2000 Roadster Throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Ray Luzier Signature ## Scott Travis Setup - **Drums:** ddrum Dominion Series - **Cymbals:** Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" RUDE Crashes, 22" RUDE Power Ride, 18" RUDE China) - **Snare:** ddrum Scott Travis Signature 14x6.5" - **Pedals/Hardware:** DW 9000 Series Double Pedal, Gibraltar Rack System - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5B ## Playing Style Ray Luzier has been Korn's drummer since 2007, replacing founding member David Silveria and bringing a session-honed versatility built through years with David Lee Roth's band (1997–2005) and Army of Anyone alongside Stone Temple Pilots' DeLeo brothers. A Musicians Institute graduate, Luzier learned 30 Korn songs for an audition when asked to prepare only 5, and has since recorded "Korn III: Remember Who You Are" (2010) through "Requiem" (2022). Scott Travis has been Judas Priest's drummer since 1989, replacing Dave Holland and immediately reshaping the band's sound on "Painkiller" (1990) — widely regarded as one of the greatest metal drumming performances ever recorded. Before Priest, Travis was a founding member of neoclassical shred band Racer X alongside guitarist Paul Gilbert. ## Technique Luzier fuses technical precision with groove-heavy playing suited to Korn's syncopated, hip-hop-influenced rhythms, drawing on jazz and funk influences (Vinnie Colaiuta, Dennis Chambers, Steve Gadd) to deliver complex double bass patterns without sacrificing pocket. Travis is defined by relentless, machine-like double bass technique — his performance on "Painkiller"'s title track set a new standard for speed married to groove and dynamics, drawing on drum corps rudiments and influences like Neil Peart and Dave Lombardo to sustain extreme tempos across entire albums. ## Key Differences Ray Luzier plays a Pearl Reference Series kit with a Pearl Reference 14"x6.5" Brass snare and Sabian AAX Series cymbals (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18"/19" X-Plosion Crashes, 21" Stage Ride, 18" AAXtreme China), powered by a DW 9002 double pedal and his signature Vic Firth Ray Luzier sticks. Scott Travis endorses a ddrum Dominion Series kit with a ddrum Scott Travis Signature 14"x6.5" snare and Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series cymbals (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18"/19" RUDE Crashes, 22" RUDE Power Ride, 18" RUDE China), driven by a DW 9000 Series double pedal mounted in a Gibraltar Rack System, with Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks and Remo heads. Luzier fuses technical precision with groove-heavy playing suited to Korn's syncopated, hip-hop-influenced rhythms, drawing on jazz and funk influences (Vinnie Colaiuta, Dennis Chambers, Steve Gadd) to deliver complex double bass patterns without sacrificing pocket. Travis is defined by relentless, machine-like double bass technique — his performance on "Painkiller"'s title track set a new standard for speed married to groove and dynamics, drawing on drum corps rudiments and influences like Neil Peart and Dave Lombardo to sustain extreme tempos across entire albums. ## Influence & Legacy Both drummers are technically accomplished replacement players who outlasted the eras that preceded them. Luzier has now held Korn's drum chair for nearly two decades — longer than founding drummer David Silveria's tenure — while also leading supergroup KXM with George Lynch. Travis has been Judas Priest's drummer for over 35 years, longer than any previous Priest drummer, carrying the band from "Painkiller" through the Tim "Ripper" Owens era, the Halford reunion, and into "Invincible Shield" (2024). Both represent metal drumming longevity at its most complete: technically gifted successors who became inseparable from their bands' modern identities. ## Verdict Ray Luzier and Scott Travis are metal's definitive examples of replacement drummers who equaled or outlasted the legacy era they joined. Luzier brought session-musician versatility to Korn's alt-metal groove, proving himself over nearly two decades in a genre built on rhythm-section chemistry. Travis brought neoclassical shred precision to Judas Priest's classic heavy metal, delivering "Painkiller" and then sustaining the band across 35-plus years and seven studio albums. Different musical contexts, same defining trait: drumming longevity built on technical accomplishment. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Ray Luzier's and Scott Travis's drum kits?** A: Ray Luzier plays Pearl Reference Series with Sabian cymbals, while Scott Travis uses ddrum Dominion Series with Paiste cymbals. Ray Luzier plays a Pearl Reference Series kit with a Pearl Reference 14"x6.5" Brass snare and Sabian AAX Series cymbals (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18"/19" X-Plosion Crashes, 21" Stage Ride, 18" AAXtreme China), powered by a DW 9002 double pedal and his signature Vic Firth Ray Luzier sticks. Scott Travis endorses a ddrum Dominion Series kit with a ddrum Scott Travis Signature 14"x6.5" snare and Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series cymbals (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18"/19" RUDE Crashes, 22" RUDE Power Ride, 18" RUDE China), driven by a DW 9000 Series double pedal mounted in a Gibraltar Rack System, with Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks and Remo heads. **Q: What drums does Ray Luzier play vs Scott Travis?** A: Ray Luzier plays Pearl Reference Series. Scott Travis plays ddrum Dominion Series. **Q: Who is the better alternative / nu-metal drummer, Ray Luzier or Scott Travis?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Ray Luzier and Scott Travis are metal's definitive examples of replacement drummers who equaled or outlasted the legacy era they joined. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/ray-luzier-vs-scott-travis](https://metalforge.io/vs/ray-luzier-vs-scott-travis). **Q: What cymbals do Ray Luzier and Scott Travis use?** A: Ray Luzier uses Sabian AAX Series (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" X-Plosion Crashes, 21" Stage Ride, 18" AAXtreme China). Scott Travis uses Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" RUDE Crashes, 22" RUDE Power Ride, 18" RUDE China). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/ray-luzier-vs-scott-travis](https://metalforge.io/vs/ray-luzier-vs-scott-travis)* *[Ray Luzier drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/ray-luzier)* *[Scott Travis drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/scott-travis)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-02 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*