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Studio Drums Bonzo Used


NYR

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Kind of new here. I read some really good posts & good points from a lot of you. I'm a drummer & been totally idolizing Bonzo since I can remember. I have a question. I was interested to know if Bonzo used the same drums in the studio as he did on tour. For example for PG & Presence did he use the orange vistalite kit & the 4th album did he record that using the green sparkle kit. I was just curious. Thanks

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His main recording kit was the green sparkle, this was his favorite kit period and the one he used for the Presence & ITTOD sessions. However it is also believed he MAY have used a second drum kit as well during the ITTOD sessions, possibly a silver sparkle which he never toured with.

Also, had the 80'-81' North American Tour happened Bonzo would have used a brand new black sparkle kit for that tour which he had ordered from Ludwig.

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It's also said that the ITTOD sessions Bonzo used his stainless steel kit minus a reso head. I've heard that on the ITTOD drum tracks on boots, you can hear two drums:

1.) Green sparkle kit with reso & newspaper bits inside drum, also minus reso head

2.) Stainless steel kit minus reso head

I'm just going from memory here, but I'll go through the drums album by album - I'm probably not 100% accurate so if anyone knows please correct me

Led Zeppelin I

Ludwig black diamond pearl kit (this is what I remember)

- 5.5" Ludwig Supraphonic snare

- 22" kick drum

- Zildjian cymbals instead of the usual Paistes

Led Zeppelin II

Ludwig maple thermogloss kit

-minus 16x16 floor tom, only 16x18 on the ground

Led Zeppelin III, IV, & Houses of the Holy

Ludwig green sparkle kit, no vistalite kit because HOTH was recorded (Jan-August 1972) before Bonzo ordered his kit (received May 1973)

Physical Graffiti

Ludwig green sparkle kit, I've heard he used the vistalite kit in the studio for this album but I doubt it

Presence

Again, Ludwig green sparkle kit, also rumored silver sparkle kit in the studios

ITTOD

Ludwig green sparkle kit and Ludwig stainless steel kit

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It's also said that the ITTOD sessions Bonzo used his stainless steel kit minus a reso head. I've heard that on the ITTOD drum tracks on boots, you can hear two drums:

1.) Green sparkle kit with reso & newspaper bits inside drum, also minus reso head

2.) Stainless steel kit minus reso head

I'm just going from memory here, but I'll go through the drums album by album - I'm probably not 100% accurate so if anyone knows please correct me

Led Zeppelin I

Ludwig black diamond pearl kit (this is what I remember)

- 5.5" Ludwig Supraphonic snare

- 22" kick drum

- Zildjian cymbals instead of the usual Paistes

Led Zeppelin II

Ludwig maple thermogloss kit

-minus 16x16 floor tom, only 16x18 on the ground

Led Zeppelin III, IV, & Houses of the Holy

Ludwig green sparkle kit, no vistalite kit because HOTH was recorded (Jan-August 1972) before Bonzo ordered his kit (received May 1973)

Physical Graffiti

Ludwig green sparkle kit, I've heard he used the vistalite kit in the studio for this album but I doubt it

Presence

Again, Ludwig green sparkle kit, also rumored silver sparkle kit in the studios

ITTOD

Ludwig green sparkle kit and Ludwig stainless steel kit

I believe he used the same kit for the Rockestra recording in Oct 1978 (at Abbey Road) and for ITTOD (Nov - Dec 1978) sessions. Jimmy did confirm during interviews for promotion that record at the time that he recorded Bonzo without the front skin on the bass drum. (first time) If you listen to the isolated drum tracks from ITTOD they are very loud. (They are dulled down during the mix) That specific drum kit with it tubular extensions definitely provide a unique sound.

Could Bonzo just have used his regular kit and just removed the skin? Yes, but there is one problem.

Listen to "Fool In The Rain". About 2.5 minutes in, Bonzo overdubs drum fills that could only be played on small tom toms. The kit he used at Abbey Road has them, his regular kit only has one tom tom (like a jazz kit) of which you can't achieve the same sound.

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It's also said that the ITTOD sessions Bonzo used his stainless steel kit minus a reso head. I've heard that on the ITTOD drum tracks on boots, you can hear two drums:

1.) Green sparkle kit with reso & newspaper bits inside drum, also minus reso head

2.) Stainless steel kit minus reso head

I'm just going from memory here, but I'll go through the drums album by album - I'm probably not 100% accurate so if anyone knows please correct me

Led Zeppelin I

Ludwig black diamond pearl kit (this is what I remember)

- 5.5" Ludwig Supraphonic snare

- 22" kick drum

- Zildjian cymbals instead of the usual Paistes

Led Zeppelin II

Ludwig maple thermogloss kit

-minus 16x16 floor tom, only 16x18 on the ground

Led Zeppelin III, IV, & Houses of the Holy

Ludwig green sparkle kit, no vistalite kit because HOTH was recorded (Jan-August 1972) before Bonzo ordered his kit (received May 1973)

Physical Graffiti

Ludwig green sparkle kit, I've heard he used the vistalite kit in the studio for this album but I doubt it

Presence

Again, Ludwig green sparkle kit, also rumored silver sparkle kit in the studios

ITTOD

Ludwig green sparkle kit and Ludwig stainless steel kit

Good information! The upcoming super deluxe releases will hopefully solidify what was used for the last 3 albums.
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Those fills are on timbales, I would imagine.

You are referring to the section where the tempo is speeding up (starts with Jones piano then the rest of the band follows). That is not it. The fills I refer to are after this section where the regular rhythm riff comes back into play. Its right before the Jimmy Page's solo. Right at 3:44.

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