Have a look at what lurks in the drum studio. This is a guide and explanation of what I use, and why.
My drums are basic Pearl Export series toms and bass drum. The sizes are 8x7, 10x7, 12x8, 14x14, 16x16, and 22x18. Nothing usual, nothing spectacular. They have all had new, better heads fitted. For me this is the single most important upgrade of this kit.
All drums can improved tonally. I rarely use anything other than Remo Drum Heads, because they offer the tone that I prefer, which is much higher pitched than modern convention, and generally without any dampening, the exception being the 16" floor tom which needs a single blob of moongel.
The two snare drums are a Premier Royal Ace 14x4 snare drum from circa 1968, and one of the popcorn snares from the newly relauched (resurrected?) Premier brand. There is a a 1966 Ludwig LM400 but that is not currently being used.
The most critical components of any drum kit are the ones that in constant use - namely the throne, seat, or stool; and the bass drum pedal. I use Yamaha pedals - the bass drum pedal is the cheapest one they make. I discovered this by accident at the drum session I organised a couple of weeks ago. One of the players, Aoife, has a quite stunning Yamaha Stage Custom kit (puts this dull old thing in its place!) and trying it, I noticed her bass drum pedal allowed me to do things my much more expensive DW pedal did not. I ordered one that evening. The Hi Hat stand - Yamaha HS1200 - is typical Yamaha quality - supremely well engineered and excellent value for money. This is not going to let me down.
I have owned many bass pedals, and they have all offered me different benefits. I have had DW 5000s and 9000s, I have also had Premier 252s, and the peculiar PDP BOA flexible footboard pedal, the Premier EDP Elastomer pedal (remarkably forward thinking), I have also owned Ludwig Speedkings because it work worked for John Bonham and PC, and if it's good enough for them then it should be good enough for any of us! Currently though, the Yamaha FP7210A is all I need. Brilliant bit of kit, and mega value for money.
I have altered my set-up quite a bit recently, and the newest change is to move the toms from left to right. They are also significantly lower than they were previously. I am all about efficiency around the kit, and this will hopefully make a bit of a difference. Previously I have raised my seat as I have always sat far too low, and despite not having had back problems as a result, am keen to avoid having any back problems.
As for the cymbals, these are mostly Zildjian of various vintages, with a rogue Paiste thrown in for good measure.
Hi Hats are Zildjian 15" K Sweets. The Zildjian K range of cymbals has always been feted for its darker, richer sound in comparison to Zildjian's A, Avedis, and A Custom Range.
I have two crash cymbals, a Zildjian 19" K Sweet, which is probably my favourite cymbal ever, and a Zildjian 17" K Custom Fast Crash, which sits with the 19" Sweet really rather well. The K Custom range is brighter in tone than the K, but without going as far as an A or similar.
The ride cymbal is a Zildjian 21" K Sweet and is an intoxicating mix of wash and warmth. The bell is more cutting from the listening side of the kit than my own perception suggests.
Accent cymbals are assorted. The curio is the Paiste 14" Swiss Flanger Stack, which I tend to use more a snare substitute than a an accent cymbal. Amazingly thin cymbals with holes, paired and clamped together with a massive variety of sounds availalble depending on how tightly they are clamped. I was in the past an habitual user of splash cymbals, but these do not fit into my current set up which favours darker, louder cymbals. Splash cymbals are extremely delicate little things, although a Zildjian 8" A Splash is a thing of beauty!
Finally I am currently using a vintage Zildjian 20" Avedis Pang cymbal, that dates from approximately 1970, so pre A and A Custom ranges. It is magnificent, trashy without the aural assault that characterises many china types. Lucky to have found this because I am pretty sure they wouldn't have been very numerous when new. I have in my collection a Zildjian 19" A Ultra Hammred China (simply put, sonic devastation) and a Zildjian 18" A China Boy Low (traditional clangy style chinese cymbal)
You may notice also that I use the No Nuts cymbal mounts for the crash and ride cymbals as it means no wingnuts to lose, and they also allow the cymbal to move freely which should also make for better resonance and reduce the likelihood of splitting damage.
Finally sticks. This is intensely personal. For pupils at the beginning of their playing journey, I have most types from 7As through the 2Bs, but one thing I don't ever use, is nylon tipped sticks, as I find the sound too bright. My current favourites are the Vic Firth Gavin Harrison signature sticks, but I have ordered a set of customer made sticks from the London Drumstick Co, and are a marginally heavier 2B (round wood tip, naturally). I am looking forward to getting hold of them.