TAMA Drums is a top drum brand that develops, manufactures and markets drum shells, snares, hardware, percussion and other drum accessories.  TAMA is owned by the Hoshino Gakki Group who also owns the Ibanez guitar brand.  TAMA maintains operations in three locales; Seto, Japan where R&D and high end professional drums are produced, Guangzhou, China where beginner and more affordable drums are manufactured and Bensalem, Pennsylvania where drums destined for the US market are assembled and stocked.  Like other major drum brands, TAMA has progressed drumming over the years and has dozens of high profile endorsers that support the brand.

 

History of TAMA Drums

In 1965 TAMA Drums began and were originally manufactured at an Ibanez guitars and amplifiers facility.  They were first called Star Drums after the Hoshino family name.  Only one year later drum demand became large enough to warrant a standalone space.  Hoshino Gakki made the decision to move the guitars and amps out of the facility.  Two high end drum lines, the Imperialstar and Royalstar, became successful low-cost alternatives to the more costly American made drums at the time.

The Star name was replaced by TAMA in 1974 when Hoshino made a purposeful effort to make higher end drum shells and hardware.  In 1977 when drum brand Camco Drum Co. went under, TAMA stepped in with DW (Drum Workshop) to buy the operation.  While DW received the Camco tooling and machinery, TAMA purchased the Camco brand name,  designs, engineering and patent rights.

What resulted was two versions of Camco’s best drum pedal the Camco 5000. Utilizing the tooling, DW was able to rebrand it as the DW 5000.  TAMA on the other hand recreated a version under the Camco name but it became referred to in the drumming community as the Tamco.  With the addition of Camco’s engineering, TAMA’s quality in both hardware and drums changed abruptly to a higher level.  TAMA had aimed at utilizing both brand names to sell to both low and high end drummers.  However because the quality increase was dramatic, even professionals began to use the TAMA drums due to the high level of quality hardware.

Spring boarding off this success, TAMA became one of the first drum brands to offer super heavy-duty hardware and mounting systems independent from the drum shell.  The undrilled drums provided for a deeper and more powerful sound.  The combination of heavy hardware and powerful drums made TAMA an instant success with rock and metal drummers.  Additionally in 1978 TAMA invented the Octoban drum or tube tom, which features a 6” diameter and long depth.

 

TAMA Drum Lines

Like other large drum brands, TAMA features drums sets for beginners, semi-professional drummers and high end professional drums.  TAMA also features its own snare line, produces drums for marching percussion and markets other drum counterparts such as sticks, hardware, pedals, thrones and other drum accessories.

TAMA Drums: Beginner and Semi-Professional Sets

TAMA competes with other major drum brands via pre-packaged kits that range from $500 to $1500 brand new.  These kits are mass produced in TAMA’s Guangzhou, China facility and have seen many iterations over the past 30 years, with the common theme of “Star” in all their names.

Swingstar – Entry level 5pc drum kit with hardware, pedals, throne and two cymbals included.  The Swingstar can typically be purchased new for around $500.

Imperialstar – This is TAMA’s mid-ranged kit that offers several pre-packaged variations dubbed as “READY-TO-ROCK” kits.  The variations affect the size of the bass drum as well as number and size of toms.  Included with this sets are MEINL HCS cymbals, a bass pedal and all the hardware needed to set the kit up.  The Imperialstar is one of TAMA’s most popular drum sets and can be purchased new for between $650 and $900.

Silverstar – The Silverstar kit features a high quality yet affordable setup with variations from a 4pc to 6pc kit.  Included is a slide-able tom holder usually found on higher end kits.  Not included are additional accessories such as cymbals, pedals and a throne.  Drum shells only can range from $400 to $1000.

Superstar Hyperdrive – The Superstar is the higher end of the semi-pro kits TAMA produces, featuring 100% birch shells, shorter tom-depths and a longer bass drum depth.  The Superstar also features tom mounting separate from the bass drum and comes in both 5pc and 6pc configurations.  Although cymbals are not included both a boom and straight cymbal stand come with the kit, along with a snare stand, hi-hat stand and single kick pedal.  With hardware, these kits range from $1,000 to $1,500 brand new.

TAMA Drums: Starclassic Series (Professional Line)

The Starclassic series by TAMA is their high end drum line, however like Fender guitars there are two major variations.  Fender guitars have made in Mexico and made in America versions, while TAMA has drum shells hand crafted in Japan and drum shells produced in their Chinese factory.  The result is that Chinese TAMA drums have vent holes drilled while the Japan versions remain undrilled.  The Starclassic mounting system comes with a more streamlined version of TAMA’s Star-Cast system made from aluminum.  Other upgrades include Evans drum-heads among other quality improvements.  The Starclassic series comes in one of five variations as listed below.

• Bubinga ELITE – 8ply bubinga with outer ply of either maple or cordia ($2,500 – $5,000)
• Bubinga – 9 plies of African bubinga ($2,500 – $4,000)
• Bubinga Omni-Tune – Made of 100% bubinga with lugs that allow for tuning both heads simultaneously
• Maple – Shells made from 100% maple ($2,000 – $2,500)
• Performer B/B – Shells made from mix of birch and African bubinga ($1,500 – $2,000)

 

 TAMA Starclassic Maple – 6pc Configuration in Plano White

 

TAMA Snare Drums, Hardware, Pedals & Accessories

Like all major drum brands, TAMA manufactures counterparts to accompany their drum shells.  This includes snares to accompany their drum kits, standalone snares, hardware, pedals, sticks, replacement parts and other drum accessories.

TAMA Snares

TAMA produces snares that accompany each of the drum kits they manufacture.  In the Starclassic series they also manufacture two metal snares the Starclassic Copper and Starclassic Brass.  TAMA also makes a metal snare drum called the Metalworks which comes with Evans heads and black nickel-plated hardware.  TAMA also offers signature series snares for Mike Portnoy, John Blackwell, Charlie Benante, Stewart Copeland, Simon Phillips, Lars Ulrich, John Tempesta and Kenny Aronoff.

TAMA’s S.L.P. (Sound Lab Project) is a series of snare drums designed for individual unique sounds and includes Classic Maple, Super Aluminum, Power Maple, Vintage Steel, G-Maple, Black Brass, G-Bubinga and Sonic Steel.  The Starphonic snare series features TAMA’s patented “Groove Hoops” and “Freedom Lugs” as well as a Linear Drive strainer system which allows for quieter snare deployments.

TAMA Hardware

On top of drum shells and snares, TAMA manufactures drum pedals, hi-hat stands, snare stands, cymbal stands, thrones, tom holders, clamps, and rack systems along with other hardware accessories.  The major hardware lines are as follows.

• RoadPro – Top of the line hardware for traveling musicians
• Stage Master – Bottom of the line hardware
• Power Tower Rack – TAMA’s drum rack system
• 1st Chair Throne Systems – Set of high end thrones including Round Rider, Ergo-Rider and Wide Rider
• Speed Cobra – Lighter weight hi-hat stand and both single and double bass pedals
• Iron Cobra Pedals – Top of the line bass drum pedals including the Power, Rolling and Flexi Glide
• Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stands – Top of the line hi-hat stands including the Lever-Glide and Velo-Glide

 

TAMA Accessories

TAMA manufactures many popular drum accessories including the Rhythm Watch a metronome and practice tool as well as the Tension Watch a drum head tuning tool.  TAMA also makes, sticks, practice pads, mutes, gloves and drum carrying cases.

TAMA Original and Marching Percussion

TAMA is world famous for their Octoban and have developed many other percussive instruments to accompany their drum sets.  This includes the Gong Bass Drum, Steel Mini-Tymps and Black Cowbell.  TAMA marching percussion includes snare drums, tenor drums, bass drums, silver armor carriers, stands, covers and cases.

 

TAMA Drums Review

With prolific endorsers like Bill Ward of Black Sabbath, Abe Cunningham of the Deftones and Daniel Svennsson of In Flames, TAMA has firmly secured its place in the heavy rock and metal genres.  TAMA’s high quality, heavy duty hardware and deep resonance shells have been the choice by heavy music drummers for over 30 years.  A testament to the quality of TAMA’s drums is that many of the endorsers use out of the box setups when touring with their bands.  This is the case for Nick Pierce of Unearth and Billy Rymer of The Dillinger Escape Plan who both use the Starclassic Performer B/B on the road.  It is safe to say that TAMA is one of the best drum brands on the market, especially for those looking for heavyweight hardware and powerful drums.

For more info on TAMA Drums check out their website at tama.com

• Did we miss anything?
• Can we improve this TAMA Drums summary?
• Please leave it in the comments below.