John Bonham's Ludwig
This kit shown hereunder is John Bonham's famous Vistalite kit seen on film such as "The Song Remains the Same".
He has used other kits as well depending on period.
Kit
Model Name : Vistalite
Configuration :
  • Bass Drum:14"x26"
  • Floor Tom:16"x16", 16"x18"
  • Tom Tom:12"x15"
Color : Amber Vistalite
Year obtained : approx. 1973
Snare Drum
Model name : Supra Phonic #402
Estimated year of manufacture : 1973
Shell  : all metal seamless shell (Ludialloy?)
Badge : Blue/Olive
Feature : P-85 strainer, round knob internal muffler
Above description may be inaccurate. This is just an inference drawn from catalog data.
Hard Ware
Snare Drum stand : Atlas Drum Stand No.1364-5
Hi-Hat stand : Rogers Swiv-O-Matic Hi-Hat stand
Cymbal stand : Atlas cymbal stand No.1402
Tom Tom holder : Single Tom Tom Holder No.782-1
Bass Drum pedal : Speed King No.201
Throne : Rogers
Cymbal
Hi-Hat : Paiste(15") Depends on the period
Ride, Crash : Paiste2002(16"~24") Depends on the period
Also, Timpanis, Gong and misc. percussions were part of his set

 
Hereunder is the list of the kits, percussion, and equipments John Bonham used.
This list has been contributed by the courtesy of Osama no Senbei.

Kits

Ludwig-Green Sparkle 3ply(A Way Of A Life & Band Of Joy)

  • Bass Drum:14"x22"
  • Floor Tom:16"x16"
  • Tom Tom:9"x13"

Slingerland-Sparkle　（New YardBirds～1968）

  • Bass Drum:14"x24"
  • Floor Tom:16"x16"
  • Tom Tom:9"x13"

Ludwig Black Diamond Pearl（1968～1969）

  • Bass Drum:14"x24"
  • Floor Tom:16"x16", 16"x18"
  • Tom Tom:9"x13"

Ludwig-Natural Maple 3ply（1969～1970） had 2 kits

  • Bass Drum:16"x26"(obviously deeper than 14". It must be 16".)
  • Floor Tom:16"x16", 16"x18"
  • Tom Tom:12"x14" & 12"x15"

Ludwig-Green Sparkle 3ply（1970～1973） had 4 kits

  • Bass Drum:14"x26" （It is said he also had 14"x24", though not sure.）
  • Floor Tom:16"x16", 16"x18"
  • Tom Tom:10"x14"

Ludwig-Amber Vistalite（1973～1975）

  • Bass Drum:14"x26"
  • Floor Tom:16"x16", 16"x18"
  • Tom Tom:10"x14"

Ludwig-Stainless Steel（1977～）

  • Bass Drum:14"x26"
  • Floor Tom:16"x16", 16"x18" & 18"x20"
  • Tom Tom:12"x15" （10"x14"after 1980）

Ludwig-Silver Glitter 6ply（Obtained in 1975. He used this for recording use only. TT measures 15"）
Ludwig-Black & White Spiral Vistalite　(http://www.harris-hire.co.uk/)
Hayman-Midnight Blue (late 1960's）
North-Black （bugle shaped shell drum It is possible that this had been rented）
Gretch-(owned Jazz kit）

Snare (all Ludwig)

  • Supra Phonic 1970's Chrome LM402 (1968～1973 & 1979～1980)
  • Supra Phonic 1970's Black Beauty LB417 (1975～1977)
  • Supra Phonic 1960's & 1970's Chrome LM400 (1960's～)
  • Ludwig & Ludwig 20's～30's COB tube lug (～1968)

Snappy Wire

Ludwig 18 Strand Thin Wire Snares, Metal End

Gretsch Power Snares

Percussion

Ludwig Machine Timpani 29"(1972～1978)

Ludwig Universal Timpani 30"(Barcus Berry Pickups taped to the head )(1972～)

Ludwig Gold Tone Cow Bell

Ralph Kester T.M. REG. Ching Ring

Conga,Bongo,Timbales,Castanets,Tambourine,shaker, floor & Others

Cymbals (all Paiste)

Giant Beat

  • 24",20",18"&15"

602

  • Medium Ride 20"
  • Sound-Edge Hi-Hats 15"

2002

  • Ride 24" 22" 20"
  • Medium 20" 18" 16"
  • Medium Ride 18"
  • Crash 18"
  • Sound-Edge Hi-Hats 15"

Symphonic Gong

  • 36"or 38"（1973～75は、22"?）

Hardware

Pedal

  • Ludwig Speed King Foot Pedal (Rogers Beater)

Hi-Hat Stands

  • Rogers Swiv-O-Matic（～1973）
  • Rogers Supreme（1975）
  • Rogers Supreme(Big-R)（1977～）

Snare Stands

  • Ludwig Atlas Flat steel legs (～1975)
  • Ludwig Atlas Hercules Leg (1977～)

Cymbal Stands

  • Rogers Swiv-O-Matic Cymbal Stands (～1970)
  • Ludwig Atlas Cymbal Stands Flat steel legs (1970～1975）
  • Ludwig Atlas Cymbal Stands Hercules legs (1977～）
  • Ludwig Shell Mount Symbal Holder
  • Ludwig Cow Bell Holder

Throne

  • Rogers, Ludwig... etc.

Drum Head

Ludwig

  • Weather Master

Remo

  • Control Sound & Clear Ambassador
  • Coated Ambassador & Emperor

Sticks

Premier→Ludwig→？→Pro-mark (2A or 5A)

Stage Monitor System

  • Mavis 15"x6" Paramatic Desk
  • Crown Power Amps
  • Showco Cabnets (x2)
  • Showco F horn Bass bins (x2)

Spirits

Heineken Beer


Long live John Bonham !!

Supplement

Regarding the size of drum kits, it is limited to the kits which were used for live performances.
During the time immediately after Led Zeppelin was formed, there are some live performances in which Bonham borrowed kits, due to the performances by two or more artists.
Besides this, Disc and Music Echo magazine (June 27 1970) writes ; Bonhama said " I bought him (Jason) a tiny Japanese drum kit. Bass drum is 14"." (There is a photo in which Bonham is sitting behind the white toy kit in front of laundry.)
It is said that white cortex kit was existing, though it is unidentified.
There are other unidentified kits like the one he played while he was in Tim Rose band.
It is also said that he endorsed Staccato, but it is not confirmed, either.
In 1989, Mr. William F. Ludwig the president of Ludwig co. said
Natural Maple kit was TT 12",13" FT 16" BD 22"
Vistalite kits were both TT 6",8",10",13",14",15" FT 16",18",20" BD 20",22",26"
Stainless Steel was TT 8",9",10",12" FT 16,18 BD 26"
However, there are many points that do not match the fact. (Later, he also said that there are no documents left about the kits.)
It can be the case of mistranslation, but I guess 9" should not have been used.
I have to add that the testimony is quite interesting in terms of the fact that you can hear the sound of small diameter drum in Bonzo's Montreux, and it is inferred that the miniature kit which Jason played in a movie "The Song Remains the Same" was a part of the Vistalite kits.

Osama no Senbei