Shannon Larkin vs Vinnie Paul — Drum Gear Comparison | MetalForge
Side-by-side gear: Shannon Larkin (Godsmack / Ugly Kid Joe / Amen) vs Vinnie Paul (Pantera / Damageplan / Hellyeah). Kits, cymbals, pedals, sticks — compare specs and prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit does Shannon Larkin use?
Shannon Larkin uses ddrum Dios Series with Sabian AAX & HHX Series (14" AAX Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" AAX X-Plosion Crashes, 21" HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride, 10" AAX Splash, 18" AAX Chinese). Shannon Larkin plays a ddrum Dios Series kit with a ddrum Dios 14x6.5" Maple snare and Sabian AAX Series cymbals (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" X-Plosion Crashes, 21" Raw Bell Dry Ride, 18" AAX Chinese), driven by a DW 9000 Series double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. Vinnie Paul played a ddrum Vinnie Paul Signature Series kit with his own deep 14x8" ddrum signature snare and Sabian AA & AAX Series cymbals (14" Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Crashes, 21" Ride, 18" China), powered by a ddrum double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks.
What drum kit does Vinnie Paul use?
Vinnie Paul uses ddrum (brand confirmed; specific kit series unverified) with Sabian (brand per secondary sources; specific models unverified). Shannon Larkin plays a ddrum Dios Series kit with a ddrum Dios 14x6.5" Maple snare and Sabian AAX Series cymbals (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" X-Plosion Crashes, 21" Raw Bell Dry Ride, 18" AAX Chinese), driven by a DW 9000 Series double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. Vinnie Paul played a ddrum Vinnie Paul Signature Series kit with his own deep 14x8" ddrum signature snare and Sabian AA & AAX Series cymbals (14" Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Crashes, 21" Ride, 18" China), powered by a ddrum double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks.
Which is better, Shannon Larkin or Vinnie Paul?
Vinnie Paul essentially invented the modern groove metal drum vocabulary with Pantera's "Cowboys from Hell" and "Vulgar Display of Power," a thunderous, half-time-driven template that Shannon Larkin later adapted into Godsmack's more radio-ready alternative metal attack. Paul built the blueprint across a defining decade of American heavy metal; Larkin proved it could still fill arenas and sell multi-platinum records two decades later. Both are essential architects of American groove metal drumming.