Gregg Bissonette’s David Lee Roth Drum Kit: The Story Behind a One-of-One Yamaha

Gregg Bissonette’s custom one-of-one Yamaha kit, played on his first tour as David Lee Roth’s drummer, is one of the most recognizable kits in 1980s rock. I owned it for many years, and in this video Gregg tells the story of how it was designed, built and played night after night.

Gregg Bissonette has one of the great careers in drumming, and his biggest break came as the drummer for David Lee Roth from 1985 to 1992. When Gregg came to the museum to sit with this kit again, the stories came pouring out. The video has passed 118,000 views in its first weeks, which tells me how much this era still means to drummers and fans.

A Kit Built for a Stadium Stage

In the video, Gregg walks through how the kit was designed and built and how it was used on stage. Roth’s shows were among the biggest and most theatrical of the decade, and the kit had to look the part as well as play it. Gregg also talks about drum artist Pat Foley, whose work helped give the kit its identity, and about his former drum tech Andre McDougall, who kept it ready for every show.

Gregg and Dave, Every Night

One of my favorite stories is how Dave would join Gregg on the drums every night. We captured a short version of that story too:

Why Kits Like This Matter

A historic drum kit is more than wood, metal and finish. It carries the sound of the records and tours it was part of, and the story of the drummer who played it. I explain what makes a kit like this valuable, from provenance to condition to the music it made, in What Makes a Historic Drum Kit Valuable. For more from the collection and the drummers I work with, see drums and drumming, and read Modern Drummer’s coverage of the great players at moderndrummer.com.

After years in my care, this kit is now available to a new owner. If you are a collector, the details are in the YouTube video description.

FAQ

Who played drums for David Lee Roth in the 1980s?

Gregg Bissonette was David Lee Roth’s drummer from 1985 to 1992, a run that became his biggest break and one of the most celebrated chapters of his career.

What drum kit did Gregg Bissonette play with David Lee Roth?

On his first tour with Roth, Gregg played a custom, one-of-one Yamaha drum kit. He explains how it was designed, built and used on stage in the video with David Frangioni.

Is Gregg Bissonette’s David Lee Roth drum kit for sale?

Yes. David Frangioni owned the kit for many years and has made it available for sale. Details are in the description of the YouTube video.

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David Frangioni