truerecs
Explore truerecs
Log inFor artists
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by John Bonham.Are you John Bonham? Claim this page
John Bonham, Photo: Dina Regine (Wikimedia Commons)

Photo: Dina Regine (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 2.0

Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by John Bonham. Every item links to its public source.
6 items · Last checked

What drums does John Bonham play?

John Bonham, who died in 1980, played a Slingerland kit on Led Zeppelin's first album, then Ludwig: a maple kit on Led Zeppelin II, Green Sparkle kits through Physical Graffiti, the Amber Vistalite kit seen in The Song Remains the Same, a silver sparkle kit and finally a stainless steel kit.

Shop the gear
AllTop 5Drum kits
Top 5

Where to start with John Bonham's gear.

01
02
03
04
05

What drums John Bonham uses: a sourced gear guide

Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.

Drum kits

6 items
Questions

About John Bonham's gear.

What drum kit does John Bonham play?

Mostly Ludwig. Far Out's history of his kits lists a Slingerland kit on the first album, then a Ludwig maple kit on Led Zeppelin II, green sparkle kits on III, IV, Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti, an Amber Vistalite, a silver sparkle kit and a stainless steel kit.

What was John Bonham's Vistalite kit?

A custom Ludwig Vistalite in amber with the intersecting circles symbol on the kick, seen in The Song Remains the Same. Bonedo notes he played his orange Vistalite at Led Zeppelin's three Madison Square Garden nights in summer 1973.

What was John Bonham's last drum kit?

A Ludwig stainless steel kit from 1977, which Far Out says he played at Knebworth in 1979 and on the Presence and In Through the Out Door tours.

Did John Bonham use many cymbals?

Not by his own account. In a 1973 interview quoted by Far Out he said he had never used cymbals much, using them to crash into a solo and out of it, and that he preferred the actual drum sound.

JB
John Bonham
About this guide · Last checked

John Bonham was the drummer of Led Zeppelin from 1968 until his death on September 25, 1980, at 32. This legacy guide traces the drum kits he was seen playing, from a Slingerland kit on the first album to Ludwig maple, Green Sparkle, Amber Vistalite, silver sparkle and stainless steel kits.

truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. John Bonham didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.

Report an error or ask for removal. We fix or remove within 72 hours. You don't need to sign up.

Are you John Bonham?

Claim this page to make it yours: verify with your Instagram, TikTok or YouTube, keep what's right, drop what isn't, and add your own.

Claim this page
truerecs gear guides are independent research from public sources, not made or approved by the artist. Store buttons on this page may be affiliate links: truerecs may earn a commission when you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. John Bonham isn't paid for them. Report an error or ask for removal. Full disclosure.