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drums1225
Very well Known Member
I consider myself sort of an unofficial and, of course, uncompensated Tama endorser. I've owned and played Tama kits almost exclusively since 1985, with the exception of my 1996 Modern Drum Shop bop kit. When it comes to snares, I have no particular loyalty to Tama, although I have two great Tama snares (1986 Artwood and 2021 STAR Maple) and one unspectacular one (2000 Starclassic Performer birch).
My first personal experience with Tama was around 1980 at the conservatory where my private teacher held annual summer workshops/recitals. I'm pretty sure their kit was an Imperialstar, because I remember the "Zola coat" on the inside of the shells. To a kid who owned a Keystone Badge Ludwig kit with a rail mount and tom bracket that literally required a wrench to adjust, the Omni-Sphere tom holder was a revelation. I knew I would own a Tama kit someday.
In 1985, I bought my first Tama kit; a used 13pc Imperialstar with concert toms in every size from 6"-16", plus 16" and 18" floor toms. In the throes of my Neil Peart phase, I wanted so badly to have a (big) Tama kit that I looked past the concert toms, but aside from the 6, 8, and 10, I just didn't like the way they sounded. I began saving for a brand new Candy Apple Red Superstar kit with power toms. My 10pc Superstar kit arrived in 1987 and an ever-shrinking portion of it has been on 90% of my gigs for the past 35 years.
37 years and 6 Tama kits later, I'm still a loyal customer. For all those years, I never got along with Tama's bass drum pedals. I almost bought a Camco, but I was playing DW5000s at the time. The Iron Cobra got my attention, and they were well built, but always felt too heavy or "power-oriented" for me. I like a light feeling pedal that I can play with a great degree of control and speed at a wide range of dynamics. Then they went and produced the Speed Cobra, which is my "soulmate" of bass drum pedals; I own 3 singles and a double.
I'm not affiliated with Tama in any official way, but I'm certainly open to it! You listenin' Tama?
My first personal experience with Tama was around 1980 at the conservatory where my private teacher held annual summer workshops/recitals. I'm pretty sure their kit was an Imperialstar, because I remember the "Zola coat" on the inside of the shells. To a kid who owned a Keystone Badge Ludwig kit with a rail mount and tom bracket that literally required a wrench to adjust, the Omni-Sphere tom holder was a revelation. I knew I would own a Tama kit someday.
In 1985, I bought my first Tama kit; a used 13pc Imperialstar with concert toms in every size from 6"-16", plus 16" and 18" floor toms. In the throes of my Neil Peart phase, I wanted so badly to have a (big) Tama kit that I looked past the concert toms, but aside from the 6, 8, and 10, I just didn't like the way they sounded. I began saving for a brand new Candy Apple Red Superstar kit with power toms. My 10pc Superstar kit arrived in 1987 and an ever-shrinking portion of it has been on 90% of my gigs for the past 35 years.
37 years and 6 Tama kits later, I'm still a loyal customer. For all those years, I never got along with Tama's bass drum pedals. I almost bought a Camco, but I was playing DW5000s at the time. The Iron Cobra got my attention, and they were well built, but always felt too heavy or "power-oriented" for me. I like a light feeling pedal that I can play with a great degree of control and speed at a wide range of dynamics. Then they went and produced the Speed Cobra, which is my "soulmate" of bass drum pedals; I own 3 singles and a double.
I'm not affiliated with Tama in any official way, but I'm certainly open to it! You listenin' Tama?
