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Jason Mehler

Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.

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Zendé Murdock of The Runarounds

Raised backstage and cast in a television band that actually plays their own music, Zendé Murdock was prepared for the musical demands of The Runarounds. Becoming someone else on camera was another story.  When Prime Video’s The Runarounds arrived, it broke with…

By Jason Mehler
Sep 1, 2026

Thumb Thang

Thumb Thang  Getting a live shaker sound into what you are playing has generally meant giving something up. Hold one and that hand is doing nothing else. Attach one to a stick and you kill the rebound that makes the stick work.…

By Jason Mehler
Sep 1, 2026

Amedia Felipe Torres Signature Cymbal set  

In the world of cymbal makers, Amedia is a relatively young name, but its roots run deep in the centuries-old tradition of Turkish cymbal making. Founded in Istanbul in 2005, the company continues to build its cymbals by hand using traditional methods. Drummer Felipe…

By Jason Mehler
Sep 1, 2026

Zendé Murdock’s Runarounds Touring Kit 

Drums — Tama: Starclassic Maple in Turquoise Pearl finish with black nickel hardware: 8×10 rack tom, 9×12 rack tom, 16×16 floor tom, 16×18 floor tom, 16×24 kick drum. Snare — Tama: 6.5×14 main snare, 6.5×14 backup snare. Heads — Remo: Powerstroke P77 Coated (snare…

Photos by Jason Mehler
Aug 1, 2026

Ben Sharp’s Yungblud Touring Kit

Drums: Gretsch USA Custom – 9X13 RackTom, 16×16 Floor Tom, 16×18 Floor Tom, 16×22 Kick Drum. Snares: Gretsch 6.5×14 Bell Brass (A snare,)6.5×14 Phosphorus or Bronze (B snare and spare.) Heads: All Evans – Snare Batter Power Center Reverse Dot,Tom…

Photos by Jason Mehler
Jul 1, 2026
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Isaac Carpenter’s Guns N’ Roses Touring Kit (B-Rig) 

Drums: DW Collector’s Series Pure Maple with Black Ice Finish: 18 x 24 Bass Drum, 9 x 12 Rack Tom, 10 x 13 Rack Tom, 16 x 16 Floor Tom, 16 x 18 Floor Tom, 6 x 14 Snare Drum.  Cymbals: Zildjian: 14” K Light Hi-Hats, 20” A Ping Ride,17” K…

Photos by Jason Mehler
Jun 1, 2026

Speed-A-Beat: Universal Bass Drum Pedal Roller-Ball Module 

Can you double your foot speed? That’s what John Crocken’s Speed-A-Beat sets out to answer. The patented module is built around a single mechanical idea: replace the friction between foot and footboard with a bed of free-spinning steel bearings and see what happens. John Crocken, known…

By Jason Mehler
Jun 1, 2026

Yamaha EAD50 Part 2: It Feels Like Home 

In Part 1 of this series, David Frangioni and I brought the Yamaha EAD50 into Markee Music in Deerfield Beach, Florida, to evaluate its most basic configuration in a professional studio environment. With the DSU50 drum sensor mounted to the bass drum, the system…

By Jason Mehler and David Frangioni
Jun 1, 2026

Payton Taylor’s Zara Larsson Touring Kit 

Drums: Pearl Reference One: 16×22 Bass Drum, 7×10 Rack Tom, 8×12 Rack Tom, 16×16 Floor Tom.  Snares: 5×14 Pearl Sensitone Black Nickel over Brass (Main Snare,) 8×14 Professional Maple (Deep Snare,) 3×13 Maple Piccolo Snare.  Cymbals: Zildjian (from stage left to stage right): 20” K…

Photos by Jason Mehler
May 1, 2026

Felix Lehrmann’s Steve Hackett Touring Kit 

Drums: Gretsch USA Custom in Mystic Blue Lacquer – 16 x 22 Kick, 6.5 x 8 tom, 7 x 10 tom, 7.5 x 12 tom, 14 x 14 floor tom, 16 x 16 floor tom.  Snare:  6 X 14 Gretsch USA Custom Snare.  Cymbals: Paiste – 14” 602 Medium Hi-hat, 22” Signature Mark 1 Ride, 18” 602 Paper thin…

Photos by Jason Mehler
Apr 1, 2026

Yamaha EAD50 – Part 1: Redefining the Starting Point 

Where does drum recording begin? The fundamentals haven’t changed; however, Yamaha’s Electronic Acoustic Drum (EAD) concept has quietly reshaped how drummers approach recording. With the introduction of the EAD10, capturing a full kit sound quickly and musically, without the demands of a multi-mic setup, became a practical…

By Jason Mehler and David Frangioni 
Apr 1, 2026

Sean T. Lane’s Heart Touring Kit 

Ludwig Drums – Classic Maple 2017 Mod Orange Finish: 9×13 Rack Tom, 14×14 Floor Tom, 16×16 Floor Tom, 14×22 Bass Drum. Snares – 7×14 Keplinger Black Iron Snare, 6.5X14 Keplinger Stainless Steel Snare (swap between for main snare.)  Paiste Cymbals: 19” Formula 602 Modern Essentials Crash, 20” Formula 602 Modern…

Photos by Jason Mehler & Alex Kluft
Mar 1, 2026
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Roland VAD516

Roland VAD516 V-Drums Kit  If you‘ve followed Roland’s Acoustic Design lineup of V-Drums over the past few years, you already know the story: full size shells, premium hardware, and an e-kit that looks like it belongs in front of a large audience rather than in the…

By Jason Mehler
Mar 1, 2026

Artstruments MR1 Drum Mounting Bracket

In a previous review of Artstruments products, I explored the full display experience of the 5PK-L Drum Mounting Kit with its multiple brackets and LED lighting designed to turn a drum set into an elaborate art installation. The reality is…

By Jason Mehler
Mar 1, 2026
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