What Drum Kits Did Pink Floyd Nick Mason Famously Use?

Okay, short and fan-level: Nick Mason is most closely linked with Ludwig kits, especially through the '70s Floyd era — those big, roomy drums that helped create the band’s spacious sound. Early on he used British kits like Premier and sometimes Gretsch-style setups, swapping things out as tours and studio needs changed.

He also incorporated rototoms, timpani and other percussion to add color, and his cymbal choices tended toward the brighter, clearer side (you’ll hear both Paiste and Zildjian flavors across different years). Later touring rigs used more modern hardware for stability, but the core idea remained the same: a warm, resonant shell sound with tasteful percussion accents. If you want to copy his vibe, start with a large bass drum, roomy toms, a solid vintage-style snare, and add a few rototoms or timpani samples — then focus on tuning and restraint rather than flash.

Man, talking about Nick Mason’s drum kits always gets me a little giddy — he’s one of those drummers whose gear choices are part of the band’s whole personality. Over the years he’s most famously associated with Ludwig kits: during Pink Floyd’s classic 1970s period you’ll see him behind big Ludwig shells, the kind that give those warm, roomy hits on records like 'The Dark Side of the Moon' and 'Wish You Were Here'. He leaned into larger toms and deep bass drums for that almost-orchestral rock sound, and he wasn’t shy about adding rototoms, gongs and timpani for color — those extra percussion textures are a huge part of Floyd’s cinematic vibe.

Before and alongside the Ludwigs, photos and footage from the late '60s and early '70s show him with British-made kits like Premier and occasionally Gretsch-style setups; he changed hardware and finishes a lot depending on tour needs. Cymbal-wise he favored bright, cutting tones — you’ll hear elements of both Paiste and Zildjian flavors in different eras — and he used a mix of vintage snares and more modern snares for studio clarity. For live shows later on he adapted to more modern hardware (think more stable stands and hybrid kits) while still keeping the vintage-sounding shells.

If you dig into his recorded sound and live rigs, what thrills me is how Mason’s choices were always about texture and space rather than flash. He picked tools that supported the songs: roomy Ludwig shells for sustain, extra percussion for atmosphere, snares and cymbals that sit perfectly behind Gilmour’s guitar. If you’re recreating a Floyd kit, start with a roomy 22"-24" bass, a couple of floor toms, add rototoms and a gong or timpani sample — and don’t forget the tasteful restraint.

I’ll be blunt — when I look at Nick Mason’s setups, I see a drummer who matched gear to mood. In the studio years (late '60s into the '70s) he gravitated toward Ludwig kits for that thick, resonant tone you hear on albums like 'Animals' and 'Atom Heart Mother'. Those shells give long sustain and a polished low end, which is perfect for songs that need a steady, lush foundation. He augmented the basic kit with orchestral percussion elements — rototoms, timpani, and occasional gongs — which made his kit more of a palette than just a rhythm machine.

On the other hand, early photos capture him with British brands such as Premier, and he swapped out snares and heads to suit the track. That experimental mindset is key: different heads, riveted vintage snares for rattle, or a crisper modern snare when a track required snap. For cymbals, Mason’s choices aimed for clarity rather than wash, so you’ll often hear cuts that suggest both Paiste and Zildjian cymbals in different live eras. Touring rigs evolved too — later decades show him using more modern hardware for reliability but still chasing that classic shell sound. If you’re after authenticity, pay as much attention to the percussion extras and tuning as you do to the shell brand; Mason’s magic was in how he tuned his kit to the song, not just what badge was on the bass drum.