Tama Rockstar 8 piece

[stabmasterarson]

Hi everyone, it's my first post on this site, glad to be here. I am a long time metal bassist that has decided to get serious about drumming after screwing around on my drummer's kits for too long and deciding I like drumming more than bass. I am jamming with some buds and we are doing melodic death metal sort of swedish style, with a lot of double kick and some blasting but mostly not. I play a double pedal on single kick drum right now and think I could go faster with 2 separate kicks....am I right?

I just purchased one of those tama rockstar 8 piece shell only kits for sale from musician's friend for 899. It's still back ordered until mid july. I live in Canada, and I can't find a deal like that anywhere up here, I would be paying more than double for that through Long and mcquade, plus their service sucks for the most part.

Anyway, I had a few questions hopefully you guys can help me out

The rockstar is discontinued now I think, so are these basically equivalent to the new superstar model drums, but with the full depth toms?

I played some imperialstars at the music shop, and they sounded like crap. The rockstars don't sound like that do they?

Anyone with any experience with these drums let me know what I'm in for, or if I'm making a bad choice, let me know!

[stabmasterarson]

damn, noone has any info on these drum????

[Ironcobra]

Well, if you've already purchased the drums I don't supposed it will make a difference now.

The Rockstars are about the same as the Imperialstars. The Rockstars are %100 poplar, the Imperials are birch/basswood. They are both beginner kits, although I think you will get better sound and quality out of the Rockstars. It is true that you can attain higher speeds on a double kick kit, but having two kicks will not make you any better.

The Rockstars are not equivalent to the Superstars. They aren't far off though, and sound similar, because of the same shell composition. Rockstars are an entry lever kit where as the Superstars are an intermediate kit.

[metal overlord]

Well, if you've already purchased the drums I don't supposed it will make a difference now.

The Rockstars are about the same as the Imperialstars. The Rockstars are %100 poplar, the Imperials are birch/basswood. They are both beginner kits, although I think you will get better sound and quality out of the Rockstars. It is true that you can attain higher speeds on a double kick kit, but having two kicks will not make you any better.

The Rockstars are not equivalent to the Superstars. They aren't far off though, and sound similar, because of the same shell composition. Rockstars are an entry lever kit where as the Superstars are an intermediate kit.

woah woah woah woah. No.

Imperialstars are 100% poplar.
Rockstars are birch/basswood, and are NOT discontinued.

Rockstar and Superstar are basically the same kits, although the superstar has better finish options. Both are intermediate kits. Where as Imperialstars are beginner.

Yes, your kit will sound better than an Imperialstar. Althoug, that's not always true. Right heads and tuning can make any kit sound good.

Yes, You can obtain a higher speed with 2 kicks because you c an never get the slave pedal exactly the same as the master. But with double kick, even the most percise tuning will never get them to sound *exactly* the same. Although, to most it will be unnoticable, even when mic'ed.

So good luck!

[Ironcobra]

woah woah woah woah. No.

Imperialstars are 100% poplar.
Rockstars are birch/basswood, and are NOT discontinued.

Rockstar and Superstar are basically the same kits, although the superstar has better finish options. Both are intermediate kits. Where as Imperialstars are beginner.

Yes, your kit will sound better than an Imperialstar. Althoug, that's not always true. Right heads and tuning can make any kit sound good.

Yes, You can obtain a higher speed with 2 kicks because you c an never get the slave pedal exactly the same as the master. But with double kick, even the most percise tuning will never get them to sound *exactly* the same. Although, to most it will be unnoticable, even when mic'ed.

So good luck!

Superstars are twice the price of Rockstars, and Rockstars are under $500. Beginners kit.

[stabmasterarson]

The info on the site says the rockstars are made of basswood and birch. The superstars are made of basswood and birch. The imperialstars are made of poplar. I played the imperial stars and they sounded really bad. I played what I think were rockstars about 5 years ago and they sounded decent, that's another reason I went for these drums specifically.

I'm not sure why they are so cheap if they are made of the same wood as the superstars, that's why I am theorizing that maybe they aren't being made anymore. The new Tama brochure doesn't have rockstars in them, only superstars, imperialstars and star classics.

Here is the site I got em from. The reason I'm asking is I can cancel the deal if I want to since they are back ordered.I just wanted some feedback from folks who have actually played the kit.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Tama-Rockstar-8Piece-Double-Bass-Shell-Pack?sku=490845

[metal overlord]

The info on the site says the rockstars are made of basswood and birch. The superstars are made of basswood and birch. The imperialstars are made of poplar. I played the imperial stars and they sounded really bad. I played what I think were rockstars about 5 years ago and they sounded decent, that's another reason I went for these drums specifically.

I'm not sure why they are so cheap if they are made of the same wood as the superstars, that's why I am theorizing that maybe they aren't being made anymore. The new Tama brochure doesn't have rockstars in them, only superstars, imperialstars and star classics.

Here is the site I got em from. The reason I'm asking is I can cancel the deal if I want to since they are back ordered.I just wanted some feedback from folks who have actually played the kit.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Tama-Rockstar-8Piece-Double-Bass-Shell-Pack?sku=490845


Rockstar is like the superstars little bro. It has less finnish options, and the Superstars harware mimics more of a Starclassic more than a lower end kit.

But, it's not a bad kit at all for the price. It won't sound horrible. Just get the right heads and tuning and it will sound great.

[razorx]

Rockstars are good drums. Ive played them over most of my druming career which is 10 years. ive had superstars for about six months and love them. Ive played on the old rockstars and the rockstar customs. They are good drums.

[funkutron]

It's funny that nowadays they refer to the Superstars as a mid-level kit, because I've got some older Superstars and they are solid birch, I believe, but top of the line for their time. This was before Artstars or Starclassics even existed. But it's funny they would bring back the Superstar line as anything less than what they were. The older Superstars need the suspension mounts on the toms to make them happen, and the shells are rather thick, but they are made well.

I also have a Mid-eighties Swingstar kit, and those sound great and very deep as well. I think those are solid Mahogany. All oversized drums and power shells. It's a Japanese made kit and the kick has 10 lugs, unllike a lot of 8 lug kicks today.

I played some Rockstars last night, and that's what got me interested in this subject. The shells are thin and resonant, but the smaller toms could use Rims style mounts as well to make them sing. Birch and Basswood, eh? Seems o/k....the shells are thin and very good bearing edges, and that seems to be the thing now....