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 Classic Maple with Paiste 2002 & Giant Beat Series (15" Giant Beat Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" 2002 Crashes, 24" 2002 Ride, 18" 2002 China). 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 G Class 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 G Class 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.