Bill Ward vs John Otto — Drum Gear Comparison | MetalForge
Side-by-side gear: Bill Ward (Black Sabbath) vs John Otto (Limp Bizkit). Kits, cymbals, pedals, sticks — compare specs and prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit does Bill Ward use?
Bill Ward uses Ludwig Standard / Club Date Series with Zildjian Avedis Series. Ward played a Ludwig Classic Maple kit with a Ludwig Supraphonic 14x6.5" LM402 snare and Zildjian Avedis Series cymbals, including a 20" ride, driven by a single pedal. 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 Professional Series pedals.
What drum kit does John Otto use?
John Otto uses Orange County Drum & Percussion (OCDP) Custom Type 5 Acrylic with Zildjian (13" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 16" & 17" A Custom Projection Crashes, 20" A Custom EFX, 20" FX Oriental Crash of Doom). Ward played a Ludwig Classic Maple kit with a Ludwig Supraphonic 14x6.5" LM402 snare and Zildjian Avedis Series cymbals, including a 20" ride, driven by a single pedal. 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 Professional Series pedals.
Which is better, Bill Ward or John Otto?
Bill Ward and John Otto both prove that jazz training, not raw speed, can define a genre's groove. Ward invented the swung, single-pedal foundation of heavy metal drumming in 1968, prioritizing feel and space over technical display. Otto carried that same jazz-schooled sensibility into 1990s rap-metal, giving Limp Bizkit's riffs a syncopated, hip-hop-informed pocket instead of blast-beat aggression. Both are proof that heavy music's most influential drummers often come from outside metal's technical extremes.