TAMA STARPHONIC SNARES

DECEMBER 2009 RHYTHM 89
drum they do the opposite and turn inwards.
According to Tama, this enhances the natural
tone of the drum. This shape is defi nitely
kinder to sticks, so your Pro-Marks won’t be
reduced to fi rewood at quite the same rate.
Partnering the Claw Hooks are Tama’s
Freedom Lugs, two sets of single point lugs
that are connected by a length of tubing. The
tension rods thread into a bar in each lug
which ‘fl oats’ in a hollow cavity. This means
heads can be changed with only a minimal
amount of tension being dialled out of the
rods. Once the Claw Hooks have been eased
out of the Grooved Hoops the rods can be
tilted away from the drum, allowing the hoop
to be lifted clear. Leaving the rods attached to
the drum means there’s no chance of spilling
them from the hoop during a head change.
Hands On
Unsurprisingly, the brass drum is heavier than
the aluminium model. The choice of metal and
its weight translates into a bright, hard-edged
sound. To say it’s loud is an understatement,
as strokes seem to end in detonations. Any
energy directed towards the drum appears to
be doubled on impact and then fl ung back
with four times the force. I’m not the hardest
hitter but I soon found it dominating a loud
backline. It’s the kind of drum that would bite
the bass player’s arse when he wasn’t looking.
By comparison the aluminium drum is
house trained, but still an absolute belter.
Aluminium makes for a naturally drier sound,
but if the drum is slightly less cutting it makes
up for it with a huge, stadium-sized note. Crisp
attack leads to a fat, gutsy core – the classic
rock snare sound. There’s more to both drums
than sheer power. The degree of sensitivity
and spectrum of responses is nothing short of
exquisite. That said, if you rimshot either on a
regular basis you’ll need to learn to lip-read…
Verdict
Space permits me from fully describing just
how wonderful these drums are. Tama clearly
set out to build serious high-end snare drums
and what it has achieved is close to perfection.
They are beautifully made and a pleasure to
play, with no crackles, buzzes or dead spots.
While I tested both drums with a loud band it
should be stressed just how versatile they are.
On the strength of their performance I’m
itching to hear the two wooden Starphonic
models. As with all high-end gear, the price
tags are reassuringly expensive. To my ears,
though, they represent good value.
Rating ✪✪✪✪✪
TRY IT WITH...
A HARDCASE
14" snare case to help keep your
precious Starphonic snare in
pristine condition.
THE WEIGHT OF THE
brass translates into a bright,
hard-edged sound
DRUM IS CUT FROM
a single sheet of brass bent
into shape and nickel coated
TAMA’S STAR-CAST
Air-Ride snare stand – effectively
a suspension mount attached to a
tripod – for maximum resonance.
It’s the kind of drum that would
bite the bass player’s arse when
he wasn’t looking
RHY171.gear_tama 89 29/10/09 4:37:10 pm