Tama Starclassic Date/Type

[dgdrums]

Hi all,

Purchased this Tama Starclassic kit recently. Off-white wrap, 22/12/13/16 with matching brass snare.

Can anyone tell me the year/series and shell type? I’m guessing it’s maple, and with one serial number showing 047381, my guess is early 2000’s (04 = 2004, if some Tama serial # theories are correct)?

Die cast hoops and Tama Starcast mounting system.

Always wanted a Starclassic kit, so stoked to have one. Needs a cleanup, but should turn out well.

Appreciate any insight from you all. Thanks!

 

[drums1225]

My educated guess is Starclassic Performer birch. Not sure about the era. My 2000 Performer had all "brass" colored badges.

 

[KQED]

Those are Starclassic Performers from around 1996. Shells are Phillipine Mahogany with an inner ply of birch and the wrap is called Pearl White.
Nice pickup, especially with the brass snare!

 

[brhythm]

Those are Starclassic Performers from around 1996. Shells are Phillipine Mahogany with an inner ply of birch and the wrap is called Pearl White.
Nice pickup, especially with the brass snare!

Philipine Mahogany, huh? I was thinking Tama used basswood with inner and outer birch on the Performer line, then switched to all birch.

 

[brhythm]

Just checked the catalogs. Low and behold the first Starclassic catalog says "hardwood" shells. Learned something today! I thought the first year was Starclassic Maple and Birch, and the Performers came later. All three are listed in what appears to be the first catalog.

http://www.hoshinogakki.co.jp/pdf/tama/catalog/1994Starclassic.pdf

 

[Polska]

Nice kit! I have a set of Performer's that I bought new back in 1995-96 that are the same composition. I gigged them steady for 20 years and they always sounded fantastic. Enjoy!

 

[KQED]

Philipine Mahogany, huh? I was thinking Tama used basswood with inner and outer birch on the Performer line, then switched to all birch.

To be honest, I initially couldnt remember the shell composition off the top of my head so went back to check catalog's.
According to the '96 general catalog it is Phillipine Mahogany with an inner ply of birch.

Looks like it was the following year (change to wooden BD hoops and the gold badge - "Serial No") where it states Basswood with inner/outer plies of Birch.

 

[dgdrums]

Thanks all! Really appreciate the insight I get from this forum. And those links are super helpful too!

 

[aarono2690]

You can also email Tama, they’ve helped me with questions like this before.

 

[crash]

From the badges, I’d say birch. No matter what, they will be great sounding drums. Took a couple lessons with Kenny Aronoff. Apologized for my birch Starclassics. He said it didn’t really matter, the only difference he thought we would hear his head and tuning. And yes, I let him pick heads and help tune!

 

[crash]

From the badges, I’d say birch. No matter what, they will be great sounding drums. Took a couple lessons with Kenny Aronoff. Apologized for my birch Starclassics. He said it didn’t really matter, the only difference he thought we would hear was head and tuning. And yes, I let him pick heads and help tune!

 

[dgdrums]

From the badges, I’d say birch. No matter what, they will be great sounding drums. Took a couple lessons with Kenny Aronoff. Apologized for my birch Starclassics. He said it didn’t really matter, the only difference he thought we would hear his head and tuning. And yes, I let him pick heads and help tune!

To be honest, I really hope so! I’m not a huge fan of luan (Philippine mahogany), but that’s probably because I’ve seen it used on a lot of poorly made drums in the past!
I’ll remove the heads and post some pics of the plys to give a better look at what I have.

 

[Rhyma Hop]

Those are Starclassic Performers from around 1996. Shells are Phillipine Mahogany with an inner ply of birch and the wrap is called Pearl White.
Nice pickup, especially with the brass snare!

This is exactly correct.. Mostly philippine mahogany shell and that finish is only from that 1995-6 time.... AND.. Your kick has the Plastic hoops and that was only 95-96

Page 10 here : http://www.hoshinogakki.co.jp/pdf/tama/catalog/1996_2EU.pdf

 

[dgdrums]

Yep, so as predicted, it’s a mahogany/birch kit. Wrap is quite thick, which surprises me. Should still sound great though