Tama Starclassic
The TAMA Starclassic series holds a special place in the hearts of those of us who cut our teeth drumming in the 1990s. Out of nowhere, Hoshino’s TAMA brand — the Simon Phillips-endorsed drum company from the East — launched its TAMA Starclassic drum series and left an indelible mark on the industry forever. Not only did these handcrafted kits meet players where they lived, with rock- and metal-sized power toms and gorgeous piano-grade lacquered finishes, but they soon set the bar for what an off-the-shelf drum kit would come to mean in coming decades.
Handcrafted for over 25 years
TAMA’s master craftsmen have been building their own Starclassic shells in-house (formerly in Japan, today in TAMA’s Chinese factory) for over 25 years. In an age of outsourcing and corner cutting, TAMA’s Starclassic shells continue to shine as a beacon of steadfast quality across the industry.
TAMA Starclassic Maple
The classic Starclassic recipe is paper-thin, cross-laminated plies of premium maple. This configuration is alive and well in today’s Starclassic Maple series. From cutting tracks in the studio to cutting loose onstage, TAMA’s Starclassic Maple kits and snare drums pack the performance and output needed to craft a memorable take.
TAMA Starclassic Walnut/Birch
The newest kid on the Starclassic block is TAMA’s Walnut/Birch series. As you might infer from its name, these shells change up the Starclassic all-maple formula with a hybrid construction of outer birch and inner walnut. The result is a decidedly sweeter, punchier, mellower tone — all with the flexibility and response players have come to expect in the TAMA Starclassic series.
Star-Cast hoops and hardware
A hallmark of any TAMA Starclassic kit, modern or antique, is its Star-Cast hardware. From its die-cast zinc hoops which are molded for strength and consistency to its Star-Cast tom mounts, which maximize resonance while minimizing crosstalk, today’s Starclassic kits flaunt the very cream of TAMA’s hardware crop.
Exotic veneer options
Every kit and snare lucky enough to bear the TAMA Starclassic badge leaves the line set to stun. But for players and collectors who want something truly extraordinary, there’s TAMA’s Starclassic Exotix lineup. These kits and snares blend Starclassic shells with decadent exotic wood veneers hand finished to perfection for a one-of-a-kind look. The results have to be seen to be believed.
A star-studded legacy
The TAMA Starclassic’s impressive artist roster continues to grow by the day, today including studio legends and session greats Kenny Aronoff, Mike Portnoy, Charlie Benante, Lars Ulrich, and Stewart Copeland. If you’re interested in adding your name to the proud TAMA Starclassic lineage, reach out to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 and let us know how we can make that happen for you.