Mario Duplantier vs Gavin Harrison — Drum Gear Comparison | MetalForge
Side-by-side gear: Mario Duplantier (Gojira) vs Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree / King Crimson). Kits, cymbals, pedals, sticks — compare specs and prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit does Mario Duplantier use?
Mario Duplantier uses Tama Starclassic Bubinga (22"x18" Bass Drums x2, 12"x9" & 13"x10" Toms, 16"x16" Floor Tom) with Zildjian (14" K Sweet Hi-Hats, 14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 18" K Custom Hybrid Crash, 19" A Custom Crash, 20" K Sweet Crash, 21" Z Custom Mega Bell Ride, 18" & 20" Chinas). Mario plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit with dual 22"x18" bass drums and a Tama S.L.P. 14x6.5" G-Maple snare, paired with a sprawling Zildjian A Custom/K Custom cymbal array anchored by a 21" Z Custom Mega Bell Ride, powered by Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide pedals and his own Tama signature sticks. Gavin plays a Sonor SQ2 kit with thin maple shells (a 22"x17" bass drum for articulation over raw power, 10"/12" rack toms, 14"/16" floor toms), his own Sonor Gavin Harrison Signature brass snares (14"x5.25" primary, 12"x5" Protean), and Zildjian K Custom Special Dry cymbals developed in direct collaboration with him, anchored by a 21" Special Dry Ride, plus Vic Firth signature sticks.
What drum kit does Gavin Harrison use?
Gavin Harrison uses Sonor SQ2 Series with Zildjian K Custom Special Dry Series (14" Hi-Hats, 16" & 18" Crashes, 21" Special Dry Ride, 18" Trash China). Mario plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit with dual 22"x18" bass drums and a Tama S.L.P. 14x6.5" G-Maple snare, paired with a sprawling Zildjian A Custom/K Custom cymbal array anchored by a 21" Z Custom Mega Bell Ride, powered by Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide pedals and his own Tama signature sticks. Gavin plays a Sonor SQ2 kit with thin maple shells (a 22"x17" bass drum for articulation over raw power, 10"/12" rack toms, 14"/16" floor toms), his own Sonor Gavin Harrison Signature brass snares (14"x5.25" primary, 12"x5" Protean), and Zildjian K Custom Special Dry cymbals developed in direct collaboration with him, anchored by a 21" Special Dry Ride, plus Vic Firth signature sticks.
Which is better, Mario Duplantier or Gavin Harrison?
Mario Duplantier and Gavin Harrison approach progressive drumming from opposite ends of the dynamics spectrum. Duplantier builds Gojira's tribal death metal around dual-bass-drum power and ritualistic intensity that erupts from near-silence into crushing weight. Harrison builds Porcupine Tree's and King Crimson's complexity around dry, controlled restraint, making impossibly dense polyrhythms sound almost conversational. Both are Grammy-caliber, internationally studied drummers whose signature gear collaborations — Duplantier's Zildjian array, Harrison's Zildjian K Custom Special Dry series — reshaped how their instruments sound in progressive music.