TAMA STARCLASSIC BUBINGA KIT

Adam Groves, Headstock Product specialist
response in this year’s Tama
2010 product presentation.”
Have the lower prices created
the anticipated rise in demand?
“Most defi nitely, we are all happy
that the Tama prices have
dropped whilst still keeping the
build quality and high-grade
fi nishes at a peak level.”
MAY 2010 RHYTHM 85
From the Horse’s Mouth
BUBINGA IS
50 percent harder than birch or maple
so the drums are distinctly heavy
BASS DRUM ANCHORED
every stroke, beat and accent, giving
a deep and powerful response
A
t the end of last year Tama
transferred the production of its
Starclassic Bubinga and Starclassic
Maple kits to China. With
Starclassic Performer Bubinga/Birch already
being made in China, only the series-topping
Starclassic Bubinga Omni-Tune and Starclassic
Bubinga Elite lines remain Japanese-
manufactured. The fi ve-piece shell pack sent
for review was the fi rst Chinese-made
Starclassic Bubinga kit to enter the UK.
Build
Tama has built its reputation on engineering
prowess, design innovation and high quality
end products. While China has become a
destination of choice for countless
manufacturers at lower price levels,
production of high-end pro ranges such as
the Starclassic is less common. What lies
behind the switch is the perennial need to
keep costs down, and the price difference
between this new Chinese-manufactured
Starclassic Bubinga and an equivalent
made-in-Japan Starclassic Elite tops £1,200.
The new Bubinga kit is also over £500
cheaper than the Japanese kit it replaces.
With Starclassic Bubinga kits now being
supplied as snareless shell packs, the
fi ve-piece review kit is made up of an
undrilled 22"x20" bass drum, 10"x8" and
12"x9" rack toms and 14"x12" and 16"x14"
fl oor toms. Two alternative shell packs are
also available, while kits can be built from
individual drums. With a single exception (the
18" fl oor tom), each diameter of drum can be
supplied in at least two and as many as four
different depths, including Tama’s super-short
Hyperdrive sizes.
Immediately noticeable is the striking
fi nish, one of nine new lacquer fi nishes for
2010. The Silver Snow Racing Stripe
(pictured) is absolutely stunning. Only one
fi nish, Piano Black, has been kept on from
the previous fi nish options.
The shells are all-bubinga and are nine
plies thick with the toms and fl oor toms
coming in at 6mm while the bass drum is
7mm. Bubinga is an extremely dense wood –
over 50 percent harder than maple and birch
and so the drums are distinctly, though not
uncomfortably, heavy. The bearing edges are
cut at 45° with a tiny amount of rounding off.
One of bubinga’s defi ning characteristics is
precise attack so the rounding off is probably
intended to add smoothness to the sound.
Inside the shells the rich, tobacco-dark hues
of the bubinga are complemented by black
nuts and washers.
All Starclassic kits are fi tted with zinc
TAMA
STARCLASSIC
BUBINGA KIT
£2,799 Adam Jones has an exclusive early listen to the new
Chinese-made version of Tama’s Starclassic Bubinga kit
Is this the fi rst Chinese-
manufactured Starclassic
Bubinga kit?
“Yes. However, we began
production of Starclassic
Performer B/B more than
a year ago at the factory.
The factory is our own and
already manufactures
Superstar and Starclassic
Performer B/B series.”
Why has production been
transferred to China?
“We judged that the factory
has enough skill, experience
and the manufacturing system
to produce high-end drums.
Considering the current
economic situation, we believe
it is one of our missions to
deliver the highest quality of
Tama drums while making
them more accessible.”
How have the new fi nishes
been going down with those
who have seen them?
“Great, the new Racing Stripe
fi nishes especially had a great
Adam Groves
5 S TA R RE V I E W
RHY176.gear_tama 85 23/3/10 6:36:19 pm