Steve Rinkov and drumming legend Mick Fleetwood.

Is there a preferable finish? Is lacquer a better bet than a wrap, or vise versa?

Steve Rinkov: From my perspective, I prefer a wrap to a lacquer for durability. When taking drums in and out of road cases each night, drums are likely to incur the odd nick or bump. Wrapped drums tend to hold up better than the lacquer.

How many snares is too many on the road?

SR: I don’t know if there’s a rule about how many snare drums one needs. I haven’t worked for anyone who uses more than two on a kit, and I’ve found that one spare for each snare on the kit is enough to get out of any dicey situation quickly. Also, I’ve been lucky in that for the tours on which I have worked, the drummers haven’t made changes to their sound once we left rehearsals, so I didn’t need to carry extra drums for optional sounds.

Is sound or durability the primary concern when choosing head combinations?

SR: My main objective is to help the drummer achieve his or her sound. After that, it’s about finding a balance. I’ve worked with people who like the calf head sound in the studio, but that’s just too hard to control on the road, and they’re just not dependable. All of the major drumhead companies offer such a broad selection of high quality heads with extremely diverse sounds that finding some that are durable, in addition to offering just the right sound, isn’t a problem.

What should be in every touring tech’s toolbox?

SR: Great question. I tour with a fairly large road case filled with a multitude of things ranging from cleaning products, tools, such as a cordless drill and soldering iron, spare drum and hardware parts, cables and whatever will get the job done. However, oftentimes I’ll get to work at a television show, and for one reason or another, my case won’t be with me, so I’ll have to grab just the things that are most crucial. Usually that’s a drum key, gaff tape, a small selection of tools and my flashlight because I’m often working in the dark.

Is heavy-duty hardware overkill or a must?

SR: It’s certainly not overkill. Everyone I’ve worked for plays just a little harder live than they do in rehearsals. Seeing double-braced, heavy-duty hardware hold its ground is a comforting thing. For me, it takes less effort to secure heavy hardware to the drum riser and leaves me with less to worry about.

Which parts should always have spares?

SR: In my workbox, I always have a selection of snare wires, tension rods, drum keys, cymbal stand wing screws, snare string and tape. I also keep a couple of different manufacturers’ hi-hat clutches, snare strainers and bass pedal parts. It’s a good idea to have a little of everything handy if at all possible.

Are sizes relative to each drummer, or are they dictated by sound and venue size?

SR: I have never been in a situation where drum size was determined by venue size. In some cases, drummers use what they have for years, like Mick Fleetwood. Or with Jimmy Paxson, who I happen to be working with now on the upcoming Stevie Nicks tour, he chose drum sizes that best suit the music.

Should drummers and techs be concerned with monitor mixes, or is that strictly left to the audio guys?

SR: I can only say that being well rounded is the key. The more you know about everything happening relative to the gig, the better. When it comes to monitor mixes, I’ve found it best to act as a communication conduit between drummers and monitor engineers. Oftentimes, however, it can be best to just stay out of the way.

What are some tricks to ensure the identical set-up night after night?

SR: This is a tricky one because there are some secrets I can’t give away. I will say that, for me, it’s important to sit behind the drums and get a sense of the spatial relationship between all the drums and cymbals. Also, it’s important to take note of any strange angles. The slightest rotation of a snare drum stand can really throw players off. In some situations, detailed measurements are necessary but most of the time, marking on the drum riser (a.k.a. spike marks) will generally ensure consistent placement each night.