Jon Dette vs Gene Hoglan — Drum Gear Comparison | MetalForge
Side-by-side gear: Jon Dette (Slayer) vs Gene Hoglan (Death / Testament / Dethklok). Kits, cymbals, pedals, sticks — compare specs and prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit does Jon Dette use?
Jon Dette uses Ludwig Classic Maple with Sabian AAX / Zildjian A Series (14" Hi-Hats, 16" & 18" Crash, 20" Ride, 18" China). Jon Dette has played Ludwig Classic Maple drums since 1996 — with 14"x6.5" metal or maple snares, Sabian or Zildjian cymbals, and DW 9000 or Tama Iron Cobra double pedals. Gene Hoglan has been a longtime Pearl Drums endorser, playing a Pearl Reference Pure kit with a Pearl Reference 14"x6.5" Brass snare, Sabian AAX cymbals (15" hi-hats, crashes to 20", 22" ride), and a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal. Both drummers share a preference for Promark 5B sticks — one of the few gear overlaps between a fill-in specialist's ever-changing rig and a career endorser's dialed-in setup.
What drum kit does Gene Hoglan use?
Gene Hoglan uses Pearl Reference Pure with Sabian AAX Series (15" Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" Crashes, 22" Ride, 20" China). Jon Dette has played Ludwig Classic Maple drums since 1996 — with 14"x6.5" metal or maple snares, Sabian or Zildjian cymbals, and DW 9000 or Tama Iron Cobra double pedals. Gene Hoglan has been a longtime Pearl Drums endorser, playing a Pearl Reference Pure kit with a Pearl Reference 14"x6.5" Brass snare, Sabian AAX cymbals (15" hi-hats, crashes to 20", 22" ride), and a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal. Both drummers share a preference for Promark 5B sticks — one of the few gear overlaps between a fill-in specialist's ever-changing rig and a career endorser's dialed-in setup.
Which is better, Jon Dette or Gene Hoglan?
Jon Dette and Gene Hoglan sit at opposite ends of the same profession — both built careers as some of thrash and extreme metal's most in-demand touring and session drummers, and both have held Testament's drum chair at different points. Dette is the consummate professional fill-in, prized for reliability and rapid adaptation. Hoglan is a genre-defining innovator whose gravity blast technique and four-decade, 20-plus-band career made him one of metal's most influential drummers. Dette keeps the machine running; Hoglan built the machine.