Yamaha Rock Tour vs Tama Silverstar (Quality, construction differences)

Eddie_Ramirez

Junior Member
Aside from wood difference, is one superior to the other in quality or features?

I have a couple of deals... Yamaha Rock tour 12x9, 14x13, 16x15, 14x6 snare, 22x18 bass.
Tama Silverstar 10x8, 12x9, 14x12, 16x14, 14x5 snare, 22x18 bass drum.

Thank You for your replies.
 
I can't speak to the Yamaha kit, but I have a Silverstar. I can tell you that the built quality is excellent where it counts, the shells are superb, and they sound fantastic. The only negatives I have encountered concern the wrap - it has kind of bubbled in a couple of places. It's not bad enough to be noticed onstage, but I know it's there.
 
I own the Rock Tours, and I can say it's a great kit, but it has one big drawback that you likely wouldn't run into with the Silverstars: No replacement parts. They were discontinued in 2010 (I believe) and since then, most retailers have sold their leftover stock for nearly half price. If a shell becomes damaged or you just want to add the 10" tom later down the road, you'll be out of luck. The batter side hoop on my kick drum recently split. I'm never going to find a textured ash hoop in that finish unless I get it custom made for an absurd price.

I don't have any experience with Silverstars, but I can say that my Yamaha kit is awesome for the price I paid. I constantly get compliments on how good it sounds. That being said, if I could go back, I would probably save up a little extra and pick up a kit that has more parts and add-on drums readily available. Heck, I've been looking for that 10" tom for my kit since I got the thing, and I haven't found a single one.
 
Thanks to all for taking some time to reply.

I know it's kinda tough call, I do like yamaha hardware but with tama I get an extra drum and a better pedal. That's why I asked which is better? (shell, hoops, suspension system, etc.) I have to really think abou this.
 
If you're looking at both of these kits 'new', give a moments consideration the the Pearl Export EXL as well.

As far as which of the Yamaha versus Tama, They're both great kits. Go for whichever one sounds better, looks better, and gives you more drum for your $$$.
 
If you're looking at both of these kits 'new', give a moments consideration the the Pearl Export EXL as well.

Ouch, that hurts. I can't speak for the Tama, but the Rock Tours are far, faarrrr beyond the quality of Exports.

How's the snare? can you tell me a little bit about it? Thanks.

My kit didn't come with the snare. I just bought the three piece (kick/rack/floor) kit. I've seen clips of it online though, and it seems like a pretty good snare.
 
Ouch, that hurts. I can't speak for the Tama, but the Rock Tours are far, faarrrr beyond the quality of Exports.

I get where you're coming from, and I would say the same about the <2013 Exports. The 2014/2015 EXL's are quite different, and I was shocked when I tried one out.

I was under the assumption that the rock-tour was a cosmetically upgraded stage-custom. Forgive my ignorance if that is wrong.
 
I get where you're coming from, and I would say the same about the <2013 Exports. The 2014/2015's are quite different, and I was shocked when I tried one out.

I was under the assumption that the rock-tour was a cosmetically upgraded stage-custom. Forgive my ignorance if that is wrong.


I've read a couple of posts where people say that rock tours are like stage customs with an upgraded shell. I don't know if this is true.
 
I get where you're coming from, and I would say the same about the <2013 Exports. The 2014/2015 EXL's are quite different, and I was shocked when I tried one out.

I was under the assumption that the rock-tour was a cosmetically upgraded stage-custom. Forgive my ignorance if that is wrong.

From what I can tell (I've never played a stage custom), they share the same hardware and mounting systems, but the shells are very different. Being that Stage Customs employ a primarily birch shell construction, while Rock Tours are big leaf mahogany shells. The outer two plies of the textured finish models are ash, as well. They're a more full, deep, punchy sound than birch, in my experience (though they don't project quite as well as birch).

I've played one of the new Export kits at my local GC, and I HATED it. I much preferred the early 2000s export kits to that one. At the same time, in my instructor's lesson studio, there are two export kits. One is an 80s (I believe) and the other is a 2014. I prefer the sound of the 2014 kit to the 80s kit, but I credit a lot of that to the shell sizes of the newer kits being what I prefer. In addition, the older kit seems to have never really been tuned, like at all, while the new kit sounds like it's been tuned pretty well.

But that's just my opinion on Exports. I'd more readily compare the Rock Tours to Pearl Visions, which are imo, a huge bang for the buck.
 
Well, that's what is available for the moment. That I like, of corse.

The Yamaha Rock Tour (Textured Brown Sunburst) in mint condition.
Tama Silverstar (Dark Mocha Fade) NEW!

both with hardware for a similar price.

2cenq09.jpg


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The yamaha pic, that's the actual kit. (minus a 10" tom)
The tama is just to give you an idea of what the color looks like.
 
That Tama in Mocha Fade is a heck of a bargain, IMO. The lacquer finishes are beautifully done, and you would have none of the issues I had with the wrap.

My personal preference in sound is birch, so I would easily choose the Tama in this case. The big leaf "mahogany" doesn't float my boat. If the Yammies still used birch shells it would be a tougher choice.
 
OK...Here's my take. I would say to deffinately go with the silverstar over the rock tour. With the rock tour, the shells aren't the greatest from what I've read up on and heard for myself and the shell penetrating mount isn't the best either (at least I think it still penetrates the shell). Where as the silverstars have a super quality shell because tama does not even have a high end all birch kit, so they have no need to downgrade the wood. It is the same shell that was in the old star classic all birch shells which I used to have until I upgraded to a maple. All the hardware is super quality on the silverstars as well and the finish (in my opinion) is way better than the rock tours. That's just my two sense, hope all goes well!
 
My mistake... it's not a 12x9 on the yamaha's, it's a 12x8.
Is a 10" tom a necessity for a more versatile kit?

No, I don't think a 10 is a necessity. I LIKE a 10 inch tom, but I haven't had one on either of my kits for at least five years now and it's fine. I like the simplicity and convenience of a 4 piece.
 
Unfortunately I cannot speak for the Yamaha's. I own a nice set of Silverstar's though and have had a blast with them. I will say that it took me a while to find the perfect head/tuning combination. But once there, they deliver a big sound with a lot of punch. I've also gotten some nice compliments on them in the recording studio. Again, I'm biased here, but my experience with the Silverstar's has been nothing but the best.
 
For some reason I was thinking stage customs but if it's the Tour customs in the pic than it would be a no brainer IMO. I have played and heard one of those exact kits in black and it was surprisingly boomy. If you played both you would no doubt pick the yamaha. Not impressed at all with the SS, I bought one a few years back and sold it a month later. I think the thin hoops may have had something to do with it, I thought about changing them to a thicker 2.3mm but did not love the kit enough to invest more money into it.

Check out this video on the rock tour,
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/drums/ac-drumsets/rock_tour_color_variaion/
 
For some reason I was thinking stage customs but if it's the Tour customs in the pic than it would be a no brainer IMO. I have played and heard one of those exact kits in black and it was surprisingly boomy. If you played both you would no doubt pick the yamaha. Not impressed at all with the SS, I bought one a few years back and sold it a month later. I think the thin hoops may have had something to do with it, I thought about changing them to a thicker 2.3mm but did not love the kit enough to invest more money into it.

Check out this video on the rock tour,
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/drums/ac-drumsets/rock_tour_color_variaion/

Yeah, it's the discontinued Rock Tour since 2010. The rock tour custom, that's another thing.
 
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