Alex Van Halen
Latest Alex Van Halen news, guitars, gear, music, performances, and collaborations covered by Guitar Radar.
Guitar Radar has 1 story about Alex Van Halen, tracking new music, tours, collaborations and gear. Most of it sits under music. The most recent story, from Sep 10, 2026, is “Van Halen’s unreleased 1974 demo ‘Glitter’ is getting its first official release”.
About Alex Van Halen
Alex Van Halen is the drummer of Van Halen and the older brother of Eddie Van Halen, and his kit history is well documented. His drums were mostly Ludwig, built on classic maple shells and modified constantly, with Remo Rototoms early on. The 1979 tour kit added Tama 8-inch clear acrylic Octobans around the kit and all-Paiste 2002 cymbals, with 26-inch bass drums in the late 1970s, and for 1980 he built a heavily customized white Ludwig set. A striped Vistalite kit came in 1981, with a Tama 6.5x14 rosewood snare that was a mainstay in the studio and live into the 1990s.
A Paiste endorser since March 1983, he developed a signature 24-inch 2002 Big Ride with the company, introduced at Winter NAMM in 2010. His 2012 kit was a custom Ludwig set that he used for the 60 shows on that tour, and one such tour kit has been auctioned. His final show with the band was on October 4, 2015 at the Hollywood Bowl.
Guitar Radar covers him mainly in connection with Eddie Van Halen's guitars and the band's gear.
Sources: Van Halen Gear: 1979 tour kit · Far Out: Every Alex Van Halen drum kit · Blabbermouth: Alex Van Halen drum kit from the A Different Kind of Truth tour auctioned
