Gear

with Trapper Schoepp

Trapper Schoepp’s music is good Ol’ American Rock & Folk with a dash of Country and it made perfect sense to go with that good ol’ American drum company called Ludwig. It just sounds right!

Ludwig Classic Maple – Black/ Black Panther (Vintage Franken-kit)
24×14 kick Black wrap
13×9 rack tom Black Panther wrap
16×16 floor tom – 50% Black wrap
14×6.5 Ludwig Black Beauty (Imperial Lugs)
14″ Big Fat Snare Drum – Snare-bourine-donut (extra Tambo on the shuffles = chef’s kiss)
7.5″ LP Salsa Timbale Cowbell

Impression Cymbals
15″ I-con Hihats
18″ Rock Crash/19″ Crash Ride
20″ I-Con Ride (Promark Sizzler)
16″ Rock China with holes

with Acumen Nation

Surprise! After only playing every other year at Coldwaves Chicago, we’re finally going to do a proper US Tour in 2026. We’ll be sharing backline so I went with something new but also tried and true.

Ludwig Classic Maple – Hybrid Sparkle (2025)
24×14 kick
13×9 rack tom
16×16 floor tom
14×6.5 Ludwig Black Beauty (Imperial Lugs)
14×6.5 Yamaha 9000 Series (like a Super Sensitive style – this drum secretely ruled the 80s)

Sabian Cymbals
14″ HHX Groove Hihats
18″ HHX Stage Crash
18″ HH Thin Crash
21″ Andre Ceccarelli Signature Ride
16″ Holy China
XSR Effeks Clap (stack)

or

Zildjian Cymbals
14″ A Custom Mastersound
18″ K Session Crash
18″ A Custom Crash
21″ K Sweet Ride
18″ K China High

with MIXTAPE MKE

Mixtape MKE is an 80s cover band and needs and “is it live or a drum machine” sound. As it turns out, Pearl Crystal Beats do that sound really well.

Pearl Crystal Beat in Sapphire Blue
22×16 kick
10×7 rack tom
12×8 rack tom
16×16 floor tom
14×6 Sugar Percussion Aluminum snare
14″ Big Fat Snare Drum – 14″ Steve’s Donut (really gives that digital snare thud)
16″ Big Fat Snare Drum – Steve’s Donut (make your floor sound like a second kick!)

Impression Cymbals
15″ I-con Hihats
18″ Rock Crash
20″ I-Con Ride
16″ Rock China with holes

with ZETI

ZETI is experimental art and music so this can vary from show to show

Yamaha Hybrid Maple in Autumn Red
18×14 kick
14×14 floor tom
14×5 Slingerland COB Snare (vintage)

Impression Cymbals
19″ Vintage Crash/Ride with ProMark Sizzler

Percussion
Tabletop cajon (no brand)
Meinl 14″ Frame Drum
Bamboo wind chimes
Assorted tambourines, shakers, mallets, brushes

Electronics
AKAI MPC Sample
Roland JU-06 mini synth

Bye Bye Taye

Thanks to West Wheeler and Todd Trent (longtime Ludwig man) I was blessed to be a Taye Drums endorsee for a decent period of time in the 2010’s until the company stopped distributing in America. The drums always sounded great, and at that time, Yamaha hadn’t re-introduced Recording Customs. If you wanted a Birch kit, options were more limited and these were the best sounding drums according to my ears.

I still have this kit and the 20″ kick sounds like a 24″ when you record it. Good times!

with NINETEEN THIRTEEN

Taye Studio Birch in Autumn Red
20×16 kick
12×9 rack tom
16×16 floor tom
14×7 Taye Specialty Maple/Walnut snare
10″ Latin Percussion Micro Snare
Big Fat Snare Drum – 14″ Steve’s Donut

Impression Cymbals
15″ Mixed hihats
18″ Dry Jazz Crash
20″ Jazz Ride
18″ Rock Crash with 7″ Splash stacked on top

with DEVIL MET CONTENTION

Taye GoKit in Black Metal Flake
18×7 kick
13×13 floor tom
13×7 Yamaha Musashi Oak snare

OR

Taye Studio Birch in Autumn Red
20×16 kick
14×14 floor tom
14×5.5 Chicago Drum Maple snare
Big Fat Snare Drum – “Steve’s Donut” and “The Original”

Impression Cymbals
15″ Mixed hihats
18″ Dry Jazz Crash
20″ Jazz Ride
18″ Rock Crash

 

with DICKIE

Taye Studio Birch in Autumn Red
22×16 kick
12×9 tom
14×14 floor tom
16×16 floor tom
14×5 Yamaha Steve Gadd Signature snare w/wood hoops
13×6.5 Yamaha Steve Jordan Signature snare /wood hoops
Big Fat Snare Drum – 14″ Steve’s Donut & 13″ Snare-Bourine

Impression Cymbals
16″ Dark hihats
19″ Jazz Crash
21″ Smooth Ride
18″ Rock Crash
18″ Trash Crash

Monitors
Future Sonics Spectrum Series G10 in-ear monitors