TAMA STARPHONIC SNARES

EXCLUSIVE
S
tarphonic snares were devised
in the wake of the success of Tama’s
Warlord collection of
snare drums. While the Warlord
snares were universally praised for their
sound and uncompromising quality, their
looks placed them very fi rmly in metal
Lord
Of The Rings
territory. The new Starphonic
drums are Tama’s attempt to create a set
of modern classic snares with more
conventional looks.
A quartet of Starphonic snares was
launched at the summer NAMM show
consisting of brass, aluminium, maple and
bubinga drums, with each model only
available in one 14"x6" size. Of the four
drums,
Rhythm was sent the brass and
aluminium-shelled examples.
Build
In a nod to classic snare design, the drums
feature a single central horizontal bead. Both
share an identical 1.2mm shell thickness. The
aluminium shell is spun, therefore seamless,
while the brass drum is cut from a single sheet
of brass and bent into shape before being
nickel coated. The shell of the aluminium
drum has been simply brushed to a satin
lustre. In contrast, the brass drum is polished
to a liquid-like gloss. The nickel coating mutes
the typical hues of brass to the extent that the
shell is only slightly warmer in colour than the
chrome-plated lugs and hoops.
Tama is renowned for its engineering
prowess, so it’s no surprise to fi nd the
Starphonic drums bristling with technical
innovations. Most noticeable are the Grooved
TAMA STARPHONIC SNARES
From £549 With their new Starphonic range, Tama aim to compete with the best snares
out there by creating a set of modern, classic drums. Adam Jones judges the results
Hoops which have been developed exclusively
for the Starphonic range. Grooved Hoops
differ at a fundamental level from normal
hoops as they are completely undrilled. At the
point where the hoop is angled to fl ow over
the edge of the drum, the fold dips down
towards the inside of the shell, forming a
groove. Tama’s Claw Hooks – a chunky update
of those found on vintage snares – do as their
name suggests and hook over the side of the
hoops, locating fi rmly in the groove. The
tension rods are fed through the Claw Hooks,
leaving the hoops untouched by a drill.
The absence of drill holes makes for
remarkably strong hoops that, though they
are only fl anged, have the feel of die-cast
hoops. The top of the Grooved Hoops differs
as well; rather than curving away from the
RECOMMENDS
88 RHYTHM DECEMBER 2009
PRICES
Tama Starphonic
snare drums:
14"x6" nickel-plated
brass, £649
14"x6" aluminium,
£549
SHELL MATERIAL
Metal: nickel-plated
brass/aluminium
CONSTRUCTION
METHOD
Welded (brass)/spun
(aluminium)
NUMBER OF
PLIES
One, 1.6mm thick
BEARING EDGES
45 degrees
HOOPS/RIMS
Tama 1.6mm flanged
Grooved Hoop
SHELL
AVAILABILITY
14"x6" only
SUPPLIED HEADS
Evans G1 batter and
Hazy 300 resonant
LUGS PER DRUM
20 Freedom Lugs
joined by tubing to
make full-length lugs
SNARE STRAINER
Tama Linear-Drive
strainer, chrome-
plated
SNARE WIRES
Tama hi-carbon
Snappy snare wires
(20 strands)
CONTACT
Headstock
Distribution Ltd
Steelpark Road
Coombswood
Industrial Estate West
Halesowen
West Midlands
B62 8HD
Tel: [phone]
Website: www.head-
stockdistribution.com/
www.tama.com
ESSENTIAL SPEC
ABSENCE OF DRILL
holes makes for remarkably
strong hoops
CLAW HOOKS ARE
a chunky update of those
found on vintage snares
RHY171.gear_tama 88 29/10/09 4:37:7 pm