Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch in Satin Purple Atmosphere Fade

We have just filmed this Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch Drum Kit in Satin Purple Atmosphere Fade, and it is a brilliant example of why the Walnut/Birch series has become such a dependable professional option. There is plenty of that immediate Tama attack, but the sound is not all edge. The walnut inner plies add weight and warmth underneath it, so the kit feels full without losing definition.

In the video below, you can hear the exact five-piece configuration we currently have available. Rather than simply describe the kit with a string of catalogue terms, this gives you the chance to hear how the shells respond and decide whether that balance of punch, clarity and warmth is right for you.

Watch and hear the kit

What we like about the Walnut/Birch sound

The whole idea behind this version of the Starclassic is the balance between the two woods. Birch supplies the clear attack and projection, while the inner American Black Walnut plies bring in more low-to-mid warmth. You still get the focus and quick response that Tama players expect, but there is a darker, rounder body behind each note.

For us, that is what makes the kit such a useful all-rounder. It has enough definition to stay clean in a busy mix, but it does not feel thin or one-dimensional. It is equally convincing when tuned down for a larger, weightier sound or brought up for a quicker and more articulate response.

The Starclassic details matter

A professional kit is about more than the shell recipe. The aluminium Star-Cast mounting system keeps the rack toms secure without unnecessarily choking them, and the Quick-Lock brackets make repeated setup far less of a faff. Once you have found your preferred position, the locking section stays in place when the drum is removed.

Tama's zinc die-cast hoops are another important part of the Starclassic feel. They make tuning consistent, sharpen the attack and give rimshots real authority. The floor toms sit on Air Pocket rubber feet to reduce vibration loss into the floor, while the bass drum uses rubber-spaced claw hooks to protect the wooden hoops and prevent unwanted rattles.

The factory head specification is properly usable too. The toms are fitted with Evans Genera G2 clear batter heads and Tama Power Craft II clear resonant heads, while the bass drum comes with an Evans Genera EQ4 clear batter head. You can take the kit out of the boxes, tune it properly and hear what the shells are capable of without immediately budgeting for a full replacement set.

Who would we recommend it to?

We would point this kit towards a drummer looking for one professional setup that can move comfortably between studio work, rehearsals and live playing. The birch keeps everything focused and articulate, while the walnut adds enough body to stop the sound becoming hard or clinical.

The Satin Purple Atmosphere Fade finish is also a large part of the appeal. It is unmistakably a special kit, but the satin surface keeps the purple fade refined rather than overly glossy. Combined with the chrome hardware and die-cast hoops, it looks every bit as professional as it sounds.

Our verdict

The Starclassic Walnut/Birch gets the fundamentals right before you even reach the extra features. The sound has punch, warmth and definition, the sizes make sense, and the hardware is designed for drummers who will regularly set the kit up, play it and pack it away again.

Have a listen to the video through a good pair of headphones. If the balance of attack and low-end body is what you have been looking for, this is a kit we would be very happy to recommend.

Key features and specification

• Five-piece Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch shell pack
• Satin Purple Atmosphere Fade lacquer finish
• 22" x 16" bass drum
• 10" x 7" and 12" x 8" rack toms
• 14" x 12" and 16" x 14" floor toms
• Tom and floor tom shells: 6mm, four plies of birch with two inner plies of American Black Walnut
• Bass drum shell: 8mm, five plies of birch with two inner plies of American Black Walnut
• Aluminium Star-Cast rack tom mounting system
• Quick-Lock tom and floor tom brackets
• Zinc die-cast hoops
• Air Pocket rubber floor tom feet
• Rubber-spaced bass drum claw hooks
• Evans Genera G2 clear tom batter heads
• Tama Power Craft II clear tom resonant heads
• Evans Genera EQ4 clear bass drum batter head
• Two MC69 single tom attachments included
• Model: WBS52RZS-SAF
• Snare drum, cymbals, stands and pedals are not included

View the Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch Drum Kit

Written by Joel Smith for Graham Russell Drums.