Star is the flagship line for Tama drums. It takes the knowledge and research developed for the Starclassic series to the next level, re-examining every detail to enhance shell resonance.

Star Bubinga features a much thinner shell than Starclassic Bubinga. In addition, every shell comes equipped with 9mm-thick Sound Focus Rings (SFR) for structural support. This shell configuration provides clear projection and resonance while highlighting the distinct sound of bubinga.

5mm, 5-ply bubinga with one inner ply of Cordia; 5-ply bubinga with one outer ply of Australian Acacia and one inner ply of Cordia for SAC/PBA; 4-ply bubinga with one outer ply of Indian Laurel and one inner ply of Cordia for LNTI; or 4-ply bubinga with one outer and one inner ply of Cordia for CDKG/CDKR. All configurations feature 9mm Sound Focus Rings.

Drum Configuration

• 10" x 7" Rack Tom
• 12" x 8" Rack Tom
• 16" x 16" Floor Tom
• 22" x 16" Bass Drum

Shells

Bubinga wood, which Tama introduced to the market, has become increasingly popular as a drum shell material. Because of its ultra-high density, bubinga provides a rich, full low end alongside deep, dark tones.

Star Bubinga shells are crafted to be much thinner than their Starclassic counterparts. All the shells are 4.5mm thick, including the bass drums and snare drums. These thinner shells allow the bubinga to vibrate more freely, which greatly enhances resonance. All Star Bubinga shells feature 9mm-thick Sound Focus Rings, providing clear projection and sustain alongside structural reinforcement.

Drum Heads

Tom Toms and Floor Toms: REMO® Coated Ambassador batter heads and REMO® Clear Ambassador resonant heads.

Bass Drums: REMO® Coated Powerstroke 3 batter head and REMO® Fiberskyn Powerstroke 3 Diplomat resonant head.

Snare Drums: REMO® Coated Ambassador batter head and REMO® Snare Ambassador snare-side head.

Hold Tight Washers

Hold Tight washers are designed to prevent the tension rods from loosening. They consist of a cup-shaped stainless-steel washer containing a rubber ring.

The vibration caused when playing can create space between the tension rods and hoops, which may cause the rods to loosen over time. The rubber rings help absorb this vibration and keep the tension rods in constant contact with the hoops.

Die-Cast Hoops

Hoops are a crucial element of a drum’s sound and ease of tuning. Star drums feature die-cast zinc hoops, manufactured by injecting molten metal into moulds. Die-cast hoops are denser and more consistent in shape than triple-flanged hoops, which are manufactured by bending metal plates.

Sonically, die-cast hoops provide a crisper attack, greater projection and a more focused, powerful tone. Their density and consistent shape also make tuning easier and help the drums remain in tune for longer. These hoops combine with the rich, resonant Star shells to produce a balanced, full-bodied sound.

Every piece of hardware attached to a shell affects the drum’s resonance and sound. When developing the Star line, Tama carefully considered each detail to maximise resonance and optimise the sound.

The newly designed Star lugs have an extremely low-mass bridge construction to minimise shell contact. The bass drum claw hooks follow the same principle by “floating” on the surface of the bass drum hoops. Star drums also feature an imprinted badge and a small wooden air-hole grommet, further reducing the weight of the components attached to each shell.

Bass Drum Spurs

The bass drum spurs follow the same concept as the floor tom legs. As they receive the horizontal impact created by the bass drum pedal, properly absorbing this movement is important for both the natural resonance of the bass drum shell and a comfortable pedal response. Tama therefore designed the Star bass drum spurs with soft, high-mass rubber feet.

Most bass drum spurs also feature metal spikes to prevent the drum from slipping while being played. To retain this feature while reducing vibration transfer, Star bass drum spurs use a unique two-piece construction. Rubber separates the spike from the rest of the spur, absorbing the impact without transferring it directly to the spike and allowing the bass drum shell to resonate more freely.

Floor Tom Legs

Floor toms are positioned vertically and struck with downward force, meaning the legs receive much of this impact directly. The tips of the Star floor tom legs feature a special hollow, soft-rubber construction that helps absorb the impact while emphasising the drum’s natural resonance and sustain.

This construction also provides a comfortable feel and response when playing the floor tom.

Quick-Lock Tom Brackets

The Quick-Lock tom brackets fitted to the Super Resonant Mounting System and Star floor toms provide quick and easy setup and breakdown.

Once the drum has been positioned on a tom stand or its floor tom legs, there is no need to attach and adjust separate memory locks. Sliding the switch on the tom bracket separates it into two parts. When the drum is removed, the memory-lock section remains attached to the stand or floor tom leg, retaining its position for the next setup.

These brackets also provide acoustic benefits. Rubber lining helps isolate the drum from the tom stand or floor tom legs, reducing vibration transfer and allowing the shell to resonate more freely.

Super Resonant Mounting System

To maximise natural resonance, rack toms should be mounted with minimal stress on their shells and hoops. Star drums use Tama’s Super Resonant Mounting System to achieve this.

The mounting system has three contact points with the drum. Two are located on the batter hoop and one on the bottom hoop. These points create the largest possible theoretical triangle across the drum. The two contact points on the batter hoop support the drum vertically, while the third supports its horizontal weight once the angle has been set.

Positioning the third contact point farther away means less support is required when setting the angle. By placing this point on the bottom hoop and using the support arm, Tama has reduced stress on the shell and hoops while increasing natural resonance.

If the drum is tilted beyond a certain angle, the bottom hoop no longer rests against the lower contact point. A fourth point on the batter hoop then comes into play. Although the resulting triangle is smaller, the angle prevents it from applying additional strain to the batter hoop, preserving the drum’s natural resonance.

Rubber is also used at each point of contact between the drum and the mounting system. This helps isolate the shell and reduces the amount of vibration transferred into the tom stand.

Inside Finish

In a time-consuming process, the bearing edges and interiors of all Star drum shells are meticulously finished by hand with oil. Star Bubinga shells feature an oil-finished inner ply of Cordia, while Star Maple drums feature oil-finished maple interiors.

The vibration produced when a drum is played transfers from the drumhead into the shell through their point of contact. The shape of the bearing edge is therefore one of the most important factors in the drum’s sound.

Bearing Edges

Star drums feature a bearing edge with a rounder peak than Tama’s traditional bearing edge. This provides greater contact between the drumhead and shell, allowing vibration to travel from the head into the shell more efficiently.

The peak of the bearing edge is positioned 3.5mm from the shell’s outer surface, further improving contact between the drumhead and shell.

Buy this Tama Star Bubinga Drum Kit in Dark Green Cordia from Graham Russell Drums and receive next working day delivery when ordered before 2pm.