Tama S.L.P. Studio Maple Kit

87
WWW.MUSICRADAR.COM/RHYTHM MARCH 2018 |
VERDICT: A great looking, affordable
kit which delivers exactly what it
promises. Dry and versatile, and
with the top-notch design and
attention-to-detail we’ve come to
expect from Tama, the S.L.P. Studio
Maple is perfect for recording and
feels great to play.
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
RATING
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2
TAMA S.L.P.
WOODEN SNARE
DRUMS
We say: “Tama has
done a fi ne job of
narrowing down the
choice of snare drums
and, in among these
eight S.L.P. snares,
you’re likely to fi nd at
least one to suit. ”
into consideration the studio-friendly
intentions of this kit, although it wouldn’t
sound out of place on stage at the right
gig either.
Where we’d expect the maple to be
extremely resonant, the shells are subdued
somewhat by the density of the ample wood
hoops. The combination of the lively shell
material and the dryness offered by the
hoops strikes a very workable middle
ground, offering full sounding toms with
quick attack and shorter sustain. Controlling
overtones without having to go overboard
on the dampening gels bodes well for
achieving a natural sound for recording
– another tick in the plus column for the
Studio Maple. The 10"x7" and 12"x8" rack
toms best represent the kit’s impressive
tuning range and actually produce quite a
mellow tone, accentuating the warmth of
the maple shells and hoops.
Tuned low, the square 14"x14" and 16"x16"
fl oor toms are a force to be reckoned with.
At the bottom of their range they have
plenty of low-end attack and a well-timed
grumble that doesn’t linger for too long.
Tuned up slightly the drums are musical and
more resonant but still pack a punch down
below. At this pitch the warmth starts to
glow through the tone with the 14"
embodying the characteristics of the Studio
Maple and acting as the perfect bridge
between the rack toms and the powerful
16" fl oor tom.
The bass drum has an incredibly dry
response and at a low tuning offers very
little in the way of resonance, producing a
short thump dampened further with the
addition of a small pillow. Even with the
dampening removed, the drum doesn’t elicit
the boom that we were expecting. The snare
drum needs little discussion as it has been on
the market for some years already. It’s still
worth mentioning however that rim-shots on
this thing are something to behold. Not only
do the wood hoops sound fantastic but they
also feel great to play. The hoop is raised just
the right amount from the head, making for a
really comfortable playing angle.
BASS DRUM
Shell is 8-ply and is drilled
to accomodate a ball-joint
tom holder
RANGE
There are four new S.L.P. kits.
Other models include Fat Spruce,
Dynamic Kapur and G-Bubinga
HARDWARE
Shell hardware is fi nished
in chrome, including the
Starclassic lugs
RHY278.gear_tama.indd 87 1/23/18 3:18 PM