{"id":52894,"date":"2025-04-16T04:55:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T11:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/?p=52894"},"modified":"2025-04-15T11:06:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T18:06:07","slug":"gear-breakdown-building-matt-camerons-kit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/gear-breakdown-building-matt-camerons-kit\/","title":{"rendered":"Gear Breakdown &#8211; Building Matt Cameron\u2019s Pearl Jam Drum Kit (feat. THE \u201cBlack Hole Sun\u201d Snare)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Ever wondered what it\u2019s like behind the kit of one of grunge and alt-rock\u2019s most legendary drummers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matt Cameron\u2019s been the rhythmic force behind both <strong>Pearl Jam<\/strong> and <strong>Soundgarden<\/strong> \u2014 and in this exclusive build with his longtime tech, Neil Hundt, the Drumeo team reconstructs the exact touring setup Cameron uses on the road with Pearl Jam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And yes \u2014 this includes the <em>actual snare<\/em> used on Soundgarden\u2019s \u201cBlack Hole Sun.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4fcAV40I5Y8?si=hJTfKVx2zaxV0e-H\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to re-create Matt&#8217;s kit? We will take you through the <a href=\"#kit\">Kit,<\/a> <a href=\"#snares\">Snares<\/a>, <a href=\"#cymbals\">Cymbals<\/a> and <a href=\"#heads\">Heads<\/a> to mimic his iconic sound in this gear breakdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"kit\">\ud83e\udd41 <strong>Drums: Yamaha Maple Hybrid (Custom Flat Black)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Matt Cameron\u2019s road kit is a custom <strong>Yamaha Maple Hybrid<\/strong> in a flat black finish. With its phenolic-reinforced maple shells and sleek, understated vibe, it delivers the warmth and punch needed to handle Pearl Jam\u2019s explosive live sets while looking razor-sharp under stage lights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While this exact setup isn\u2019t something you can order off the shelf, a solid alternative is the <strong>Yamaha Live Custom Hybrid Oak<\/strong> \u2014 another professional-grade kit that shares many of the same characteristics: powerful projection, hybrid shell tech, and rock-solid roadworthiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re chasing that Cameron-style tone with some extra low-end bite and live-friendly presence, this one gets you most of the way there. Differences in Matt&#8217;s sizes are in brackets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>22\u201d x 18\u201d Bass Drum (22&#8243; x 14&#8243;)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>16\u201d x 15\u201d Floor Tom <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>14\u201d x 13\u201d Floor Tom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>12\u201d x 8\u201d Rack Tom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>10\u201d x 7\u201d Rack Tom<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\uded2 <a href=\"https:\/\/sweetwater.sjv.io\/zxPQR6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Yamaha Live Custom Hybrid Oak 5-Piece Shell Pack<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thomannmusic.com\/yamaha_live_custom_hybrid_rock_ucs.htm?offid=1&amp;affid=857\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4-Piece Europe<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"snares\">\ud83e\udd41 Snares: From Studio Legend to Stage Workhorse<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Matt\u2019s snare arsenal is legendary. Here&#8217;s a look at what went into this build:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Yamaha Recording Custom Aluminum Snare \u2013 14&#215;8\u201d<\/strong><br>A deep, dry, and controlled snare with serious crack. Perfect for the big rock sound Pearl Jam fans expect. Check out this alternative <strong>Yamaha\u00a0Recording Custom Stainless Steel Snare &#8211; 14&#215;7&#8243;<\/strong><br> \ud83d\uded2 <a href=\"https:\/\/sweetwater.sjv.io\/6ynaxG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Yamaha Recording Custom Stainless Snare<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thomannmusic.com\/yamaha_recording_custom_14x7_st.htm?offid=1&amp;affid=857\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Europe<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u26ab\ufe0f <strong>Gregg Keplinger Custom Cast Steel Snare \u2013 14&#215;7\u201d<\/strong><br>This is the Soundgarden snare. Keplinger\u2019s raw, thunderous cast steel shell defined the tone of \u201cBlack Hole Sun\u201d \u2014 and its legend lives on in Cameron\u2019s touring rig.<br><br><strong>\u2728 Gregg Keplinger Polished Stainless Steel Snare \u2013 14&#215;5\u201d<\/strong><br>A brighter, faster alternative to the 14&#215;7\u201d \u2014 with all the same explosive personality. Great for tuning up and cutting through the mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\uded2 Both of the Keplinger snares are Custom-made for Matt. Although these are <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">unavailable through Sweetwater or Thomann, you can learn more at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.keplingerdrums.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Keplinger Drums<\/a>\u00a0and explore all they<\/span> offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cymbals\">\ud83d\udece\ufe0f Cymbals: Zildjian K Sweet &amp; Paper Thin Magic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Matt Cameron\u2019s cymbal choices are all about dynamic expression. He leans heavily into Zildjian\u2019s K Sweet and Paper Thin series to give him the tonal flexibility needed for everything from delicate textures to full-on rock fury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>23\u201d K Sweet Ride<br>\ud83d\uded2 <a href=\"https:\/\/sweetwater.sjv.io\/MA24ko\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zildjian K Sweet Ride &#8211; 23&#8243;<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thomannmusic.com\/zildjian_23_k_sweet_ride.htm?offid=1&amp;affid=857\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Europe<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>19\u201d K Paper Thin Crash<br>\ud83d\uded2 <a href=\"https:\/\/sweetwater.sjv.io\/QjAqG3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zildjian K Paper Thin Crash &#8211; 19&#8243;<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thomannmusic.com\/zildjian_19_k_series_paper_thin_crash.htm?offid=1&amp;affid=857\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Europe<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>20\u201d K Sweet Crash<br>\ud83d\uded2 <a href=\"https:\/\/sweetwater.sjv.io\/APnzA7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zildjian K Sweet Crash &#8211; 20&#8243;<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thomannmusic.com\/zildjian_20_k_sweet_crash.htm?offid=1&amp;affid=857\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Europe<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>14\u201d K Sweet Hi-Hats<br>\ud83d\uded2 <a href=\"https:\/\/sweetwater.sjv.io\/WyAjJX\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zildjian K Sweet Hi-Hats &#8211; 14&#8243;<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thomannmusic.com\/zildjian_14_k_sweet_hats.htm?offid=1&amp;affid=857\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Europe<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"heads\">\ud83d\udc51 Heads: Remo Emperor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cameron trusts Remo Emperor heads across the kit for that controlled yet full-bodied tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\uded2 <a href=\"https:\/\/sweetwater.sjv.io\/N9Rdo2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Remo Emperor Drumheads<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thomannmusic.com\/search_dir.html?sw=Remo+Emperor&amp;smcs=66ab62_18739?offid=1&amp;affid=857\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Europe<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Want More?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t miss the full build video on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4fcAV40I5Y8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Drumeo YouTube Channel<\/a> with Neil Hundt, who\u2019s been Cameron\u2019s right-hand tech for years. The behind-the-scenes stories, attention to detail, and legacy gear moments \u2014 especially the Black Hole Sun snare \u2014 are worth every second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/15103144\/Screenshot-2025-04-15-at-10.21.59%E2%80%AFAM-1024x583.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52905\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to recreate Matt\u2019s sound from this Gear Breakdown, you can find this gear at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sweetwater.sjv.io\/DyOEAd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sweetwater<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thomannmusic.com\/?offid=1&amp;affid=857\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Thomann<\/a>\u00a0if you are overseas. If this video lit a spark to start drumming (or sharpen your chops), take the next step and try\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/trial?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=&amp;utm_term=drumeo&amp;utm_campaign=mattcameron\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Drumeo, free for 7 Days.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>*This article contains affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission from the product seller if you make a purchase. For more info, check out our<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/privacy#affiliate-disclosure\"><em>&nbsp;privacy page.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ever wondered what it\u2019s like behind the kit of one of grunge and alt-rock\u2019s most legendary drummers? Matt Cameron\u2019s been the rhythmic force behind both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden \u2014 and in this exclusive build with his longtime tech, Neil Hundt, the Drumeo team reconstructs the exact touring setup Cameron uses on the road with [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":174,"featured_media":52898,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4019,4020],"tags":[9,4093,4082,4090,4091,4092],"class_list":["post-52894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drummers","category-gear","tag-drumeo","tag-drumeo-youtube","tag-gear-breakdown","tag-matt-cameron","tag-pearl-jam","tag-sound-garden"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/174"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52894"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52894\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52906,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52894\/revisions\/52906"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52898"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}