tama superstar classics? maple?

So they're essentially maple Silverstar with the old lugs and badges.

I guess Mapex Armory and Gretsch Catalina are getting too much of the intermediate market.

I like Tama's drums a lot and I'm sure these are well made for the price but I wish they'd stop putting old pro-level names on new entry and mid-level stuff. And if you're going to go retro with the lugs and badges, why not be brave enough to do retro sizes too?
 
I like Tama's drums a lot and I'm sure these are well made for the price but I wish they'd stop putting old pro-level names on new entry and mid-level stuff. And if you're going to go retro with the lugs and badges, why not be brave enough to do retro sizes too?
^ This.

I assumed this thread was about the early 80's classic Super Stars, which were birch.

Now we have Superstar classics that are maple. Confusing!
 
This whole re-using names for new Tama drum lines started with the early-mid 2000s Superstars (that are still available in some countries?), then renaming the Swingstar the Imperialstar.

Is it that hard to come up with new prefixes and suffixes?

C'mon Tama!

It makes seeking out the vintage Superstars and Imperialstars of the 80s really difficult, and honestly, kind of dilutes the legacy of them. So weird.
 
This whole re-using names for new Tama drum lines started with the early-mid 2000s Superstars (that are still available in some countries?), then renaming the Swingstar the Imperialstar.

Is it that hard to come up with new prefixes and suffixes?

C'mon Tama!

It makes seeking out the vintage Superstars and Imperialstars of the 80s really difficult, and honestly, kind of dilutes the legacy of them. So weird.

they already own the names and trademarks, so it saves them zillions of dollars in legal fees and marketing and eliminates delays in knocking out new lines

i think Yamaha does the same
 
Ah, but wouldn't they have to also trademark each new instance of it, as well? Superstar Classic Maple is not the same as Superstar. Example: Artstar II was separately trademarked, from what I can recall - even though it was still essentially "Artstar."

The fact that it could save them any money on the marketing side baffles me. Every time they've resurrected a name for a new line of drums, it is essentially a new product that they have to educate the dealer and consumer about anyway. It should cost them as much as marketing any other new product they put on the market. Possibly even more, because of the confusion between the original iteration that was put to bed years ago and the fact that this is not a reissue of that line, but rather, a whole new product with just the same name.

Moving on from the name game...

I'm wondering what grade of maple is going into this. For the price, it can't be the Canadian Rock Maple that goes into Starclassic Maple shells.

Perhaps it's the same grade of Asian-sourced maple that's getting used on the Gretsch Catalinas or the now-discontinued PDP X7s? I'm not saying that the non-premium grade maple sounds bad, for the record. I can't imagine it's just the cheaper hardware that they're cutting costs with on this.
 
Ah, but wouldn't they have to also trademark each new instance of it, as well? Superstar Classic Maple is not the same as Superstar. Example: Artstar II was separately trademarked, from what I can recall - even though it was still essentially "Artstar."

The fact that it could save them any money on the marketing side baffles me. Every time they've resurrected a name for a new line of drums, it is essentially a new product that they have to educate the dealer and consumer about anyway. It should cost them as much as marketing any other new product they put on the market. Possibly even more, because of the confusion between the original iteration that was put to bed years ago and the fact that this is not a reissue of that line, but rather, a whole new product with just the same name.

Moving on from the name game...

I'm wondering what grade of maple is going into this. For the price, it can't be the Canadian Rock Maple that goes into Starclassic Maple shells.

Perhaps it's the same grade of Asian-sourced maple that's getting used on the Gretsch Catalinas or the now-discontinued PDP X7s? I'm not saying that the non-premium grade maple sounds bad, for the record. I can't imagine it's just the cheaper hardware that they're cutting costs with on this.

Its def not gonna be the same maple used on the starclassics. Remember, they are probably made in china thats cuts the cost down alot, they dont come with diecast hoops, probably unfinished insides (raw wood), smaller hardware than the previous superstar.
 
Has anyone played on these?
I'm curious since I have some 2005 Superstars and there are none of the things here that I like about mine.
I don't see any connection to anything previously called superstars.
 
Has anyone played on these?
I'm curious since I have some 2005 Superstars and there are none of the things here that I like about mine.
I don't see any connection to anything previously called superstars.

They are "suppose" to be like the original superstars of the 70/80's. Only thing is that original ones were birch.

these are imo an attempt to compete in the intermid market with the pdp maple concept , gretsch catalinas, and mapex armory birch/maple kit.
 
Has anyone played on these?
I'm curious since I have some 2005 Superstars and there are none of the things here that I like about mine.
I don't see any connection to anything previously called superstars.

There is no connection.

There really isn't.

Tama just ran out of names, and started re-using them.
 
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