Premier Natural Birch custom kit

The Premier Natural Birch custom drum kit (a.k.a. the Premier Soundwave kit) is one of many kits played by Phil Collins during his musical career.

This kit differs to others most significantly in that it has a 22-inch bass drum, rather than the 20" size that Phil normally used. It has a natural finish with birch shells (chosen for their resonance and pliability), and Soundwave-type double-headed tom-toms. Although often called the 'Premier Soundwave kit', it is more accurately a cross between the D717 outfit and the regular Soundwave kit.

The original drum kit was made for Phil in 1977 based around the Premier D717 outfit with concert toms. Phil played the first configuration of this drum kit during a series of Brand X gigs in September 1977, with six concert toms and two roto-toms on the side. Another configuration of the same kit was utilised for Genesis concerts during the lengthy ...And Then There Were Three tour in 1978, this time with eight concert toms and the rototoms.

Sometime during 1979, Phil had all eight concert toms converted to Soundwave-type double-headed toms. Duke was one of the first albums Phil recorded on this new kit, alternating between this and the Premier black concert tom kit (usually used for songs that demanded heavier playing). Both kits had eight toms, so he'd also change the number of toms & sizes on each kit from song to song: to either four, six or eight and so on. Alongside Duke, he used the double-headed kit for recording work with John Martyn, as Phil felt its "leathery" sound suited John's mellow music. He also used it for recording work with Brand X.

A configuration of the Soundwave tom-tom kit was played on the Duke tour with Genesis in 1980, this time with six tom-toms (removing the 13" and 15" rack toms).

Specs
Drums:
 * 22" bass drum
 * 8" rack tom
 * 10" rack tom
 * 12" rack tom
 * 13" rack tom
 * 14" rack tom
 * 15" rack tom
 * 16" floor tom
 * 18" floor tom