New for 2023 from Tama

vyacheslav

Senior Member
New cool finishes and slight redesigns for some. I really like the new accessory tray, but holy moly! $90 for a 10" x 10" plastic tray!

I'm also digging the two new wraps for the Superstar Classics: Ice Ash and Ebony Tiger. Classy looking!

They reintroduced the entry level Stagestar drums. It says "A lineup of highly scalable and easy-to-use configurations is available." but only lists 1 (same as the Imperialstar). Basically it looks like the Club Jam series in "normal" sizes.

Check it out!

 
Last edited:
Vintage finishes seem to be the hype these days.

Btw nice typo Tama ;)

1674990368899.png

Gonga Bass
I like that haha
 
I looked at that last night and though...what is Tama thinking with the Starclassic finishes. I didn't say anything. Glad to see it's not just me who thinks they totally missed it! To each his own I suppose..
 
The “peanut butter & chocolate” wrap:

pen_CK52KRS_NET.png
 
Last edited:
New cool finishes and slight redesigns for some. I really like the new accessory tray, but holy moly! $90 for a 10" x 10" plastic tray!

I'm also digging the two new wraps for the Superstar Classics: Ice Ash and Ebony Tiger. Classy looking!

They reintroduced the entry level Stagestar drums. It says "A lineup of highly scalable and easy-to-use configurations is available." but only lists 1 (same as the Imperialstar). Basically it looks like the Club Jam series in "normal" sizes.

Check it out!


If you poke around their website you'll see they use the "A lineup of highly scalable and easy-to-use configurations is available." phrasing for every product line regardless of if there is one single kit or multiple options. It's just blatant lazy "copy/paste" web editing. But yes, they did offer some cool new finishes and the stagestar drums are perfectly acceptable entry level drums and great if someone wants a solid reliable "beat it up" gig kit that doesn't say Export on the badge. They last time they offered the stagestar kit they included an 18" bass drum option and it came with a really awesome 13" steel snare. Now it looks like the US only gets a 22" option however their European/Asian markets get an 18" this time around. The new red sparkle on the club jam kits looks really nice.
 
Last edited:
Sometimes I feel like Tama's finishing department has access to my nightmares and uses them for their finish ideas. Like, I viscerally hate most of their finishes. I love their drums, but holy wow.
Good news is their lower end kits have wraps that come off SUPER easily and usually have surprisingly nice looking wood grain underneath. Pick up a used Tama kit, strip the wrap, and you are good to go!
 
the Turquoise Pearl finish looks like something Gretsch introduced 1.5 year ago.
the Ice Ash Wrap finish looks like the Sky Blue finish Slingerland/ Ludwig have had since the mid 60s (or earlier)
the Red Oyster finish almost a Gretsch 60s Red Wine pearl

(I'm seeing a trend here) But that's ok.
Imitation the sincerest form of flattery (is an ethos...
And I like Tama. I've bought over the years twice - 1982 and 1997- new sets from them.
 
Last edited:
They last time they offered the stagestar kit they included an 18" bass drum option and it came with a really awesome 13" steel snare.
I had one of those and it was a fun little kit but it wouldn't stay in tune for more than a couple of hours at a time. I cleaned it up and sold it for a small profit. Photo below is the kit after cleaning and before assembly:

20190407_162947.jpg
 
I had one of those and it was a fun little kit but it wouldn't stay in tune for more than a couple of hours at a time. I cleaned it up and sold it for a small profit. Photo below is the kit after cleaning and before assembly:

View attachment 129919

Nice, I would have bought that in a heartbeat. I really enjoyed the 13" and 14" steel snares Tama was putting out with their budget kits around that time.
 
I know I'm in the minority on this opinion but I was really hoping for more 16" bass drum options. They did that limited run SC walnut birch 3pc shell pack with the 16" bass drum so I was hoping by now they would be more of a standard offering. I also was hoping for a 18" superstar kit again like they used to offer. I know they offer a bunch of micro kits in the cocktail jam and club jam lines but having a higher end offering would be great.
 
You can say what you want about those other finishes, but in my opinion this is one of the best they've had, and it's on a limited edition Starclassic Performer. A bit surprised they don't seem to promote these more, but I guess they never do on ltd. edition kits. At least they got me thinking about converting with this one... And to think this is a ltd. edition and the god-awful Caramel finish in the same line keep on existing...
 
Last edited:
You can say what you want about those other finishes, but in my opinion this is one of the best they've had, and it's on a limited edition Starclassic Performer. A bit surprised they don't seem to promote these more, but I guess they never do on ltd. edition kits. At least they got me thinking about converting with this one... And to think this is a ltd. edition and the god-awful Caramel finish in the same line keep on existing...
That is a cool finish but I always have this problem with non-chrome hardware... I hate when my stands and drum hardware don't match.
 
Back
Top