New Tama Starclassic Performers

jimmiehendricks · #1 05-21-2009, 12:13 PM

New kit. Tama Starclassic, appears to be a Performer from the 90's with Mahogany shells. The snares were changed around between shots for reasons I'm still not too sure of. Maybe it was to show them off :P
Specs:
10x12, 11x13, 16x16 Toms.
18x22 Bass.
6.5x14 Brass Starclassic Snare, 4x14 SJC Piccolo Snare, 6x14 Lazer Snare.
Just replaced the 2nd hand skins on them with Coated G2's, they sound pretty nice. Now I just gotta swap out the reso heads and get some cymbals.
Pictures of my SJC kit are below the also included. I swapped that kit for the Starclassic because the short-stack toms were not so much to my liking sound-wise. That kit is now in a box ready to find a new owner.
Back to the Starclassic, I am having trouble positioning the rack tom properly and I personally think it looks kinda gay being so deep so I'm thinking of cutting a bit off the bottom of the tom to about a 8" depth. I can imagine how to go about it but does anyone have experience on this and can give some advice?
Oh and I don't recommend buying a circular drum rack, the gibraltar one pictured can't hold my toms up. As soon as I attach the tom the clamp will slide downwards, even if I tightern the clamp as tight as I can. That's why it is on the side only holding cymbals.
Thanks for looking.

eddiehimself · #2 05-21-2009, 12:18 PM

Now then. I actually have exactly the same sort of kit, GRP hoops and all. I'm not surprised you don't like those short stack toms. They do look as if they suck. However i don't think you should get those toms cut down. Mine are square sizes, 12x12 and 14x14 and i've never had a problem with positioning so i don't think it's really worth it. Plus the badge would look weird.

vinngadd · #3 05-21-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddiehimself

Now then. I actually have exactly the same sort of kit, GRP hoops and all. I'm not surprised you don't like those short stack toms. They do look as if they suck. However i don't think you should get those toms cut down. Mine are square sizes, 12x12 and 14x14 and i've never had a problem with positioning so i don't think it's really worth it. Plus the badge would look weird.

Yeah, if the badge couldn't be repositioned, it might look weird, but what's more imprtant, you being comfortable at your drumset, or the badge being closer to the bottom rim than the top rim? And, the short stack toms sound awesome. Don't go by what they look like. What do they sound like? Lot's of people are using short toms these days. Vinnie Colaiuta has been using them for a long time. His drums sound good. Others include Brian Frasier-Moore, George "Spanky" McCurdy, Ronald Bruner, Jr., Dan Torelli, Chad Butler and John Blackwell. Their drums all sound good. Take a listen.

If your drums are hard to position considering the size, do what you need to do in order to make yourself feel more comfortable.

jimmiehendricks · #4 05-21-2009, 12:53 PM

Yeah I've thought about the badge but don't think it'll be a big deal. My SJC kit had the badges on the far top of the tom because of the awkward nature of the 50%offset lugs.
My first kit was a Tama Superstar with a 8x12 tom and I loved that thing, had just the right amount of sustain and I could position it anywhere I wanted, whereas I have the Starclassic rack tom considerably higher and farther to the left than I normally would.
My biggest concern is the amount of D.I.Y. neseccary to complete the job and a plan B if I were to drill a hole in the wrong place or something.

jimmiehendricks · #5 05-21-2009, 12:56 PM

Oh and and sorry about the lack of clarity on my first post,I was trying to say that I thought the short-stack toms on my SJC looked awesome but the unfortunate thing was that I found them really difficult to tune and when in tune they had too much sustain and were too tight were my liking, me playing mainly pop/rock.

Trigger · #6 05-21-2009, 02:00 PM

Hey mate, saw those SJCs on trademe, probably the only SJCs in NZ. Glad to see you sold them, if i had 2000 bucks to spare i woulda bought them.

Bram · #7 05-21-2009, 03:20 PM

That rack problem is weird, I have never heard of someone who had the same problem. Almost everybody who has a gibraltar rack likes it. I have no experience with racks, but this is what I heard from rack owners. Nice kit(s) by the way :)

Bram

slingerland755 · #8 05-21-2009, 03:56 PM

Love the kit! I would just go with straight stands. Nice and tight!

mind_drummer · #9 05-21-2009, 05:40 PM

Those Starclassic were Philipinine Mahogany shell with inner plies of birch. They were introduced in 1996 and were manufactured for two years only.

jimmiehendricks · #10 05-22-2009, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trigger

Hey mate, saw those SJCs on trademe, probably the only SJCs in NZ. Glad to see you sold them, if i had 2000 bucks to spare i woulda bought them.

I still haven't sold them actually, nobody wants to buy them :(
I'd probably sell them for $1100 with the Lazer snare if you're keen?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mind_drummer

Those Starclassic were Philipinine Mahogany shell with inner plies of birch. They were introduced in 1996 and were manufactured for two years only.

Thanks for that. The guy I bought it off didn't know a thing about this kit. He even claimed the rack toms were 11x11 and 13x13...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bram

That rack problem is weird, I have never heard of someone who had the same problem. Almost everybody who has a gibraltar rack likes it. I have no experience with racks, but this is what I heard from rack owners. Nice kit(s) by the way :)

Bram

Yeah I'm quite surprised myself especially when I see drummers like Thomas Lang and Thomas Pridgen among others, using circle racks with no problems.

Cypriss · #11 05-22-2009, 12:55 AM

HEY These were on Trade me right? As with your SJC? Nice to see another Kiwi on here. Nice kit.

ermghoti · #12 05-22-2009, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmiehendricks

Yeah I'm quite surprised myself especially when I see drummers like Thomas Lang and Thomas Pridgen among others, using circle racks with no problems.

Never had any trouble myself, and for a while, I had my 11x14 mounted over/left of the kick. Clamp didn't budge.

Solaris · #13 05-22-2009, 03:23 AM

I have a 12x10 positioned right over my kick drum and have no problem with it. Either tilt it a little more towards you or sit a bit higher. Resizing a tom is a complicated process, unless you knew exactly what you were doing I wouldn't recommend it. Besides, I think that extra inch on depth makes the drums sound so much better.

joshisaces · #14 05-22-2009, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solaris

I have a 12x10 positioned right over my kick drum and have no problem with it. Either tilt it a little more towards you or sit a bit higher. Resizing a tom is a complicated process, unless you knew exactly what you were doing I wouldn't recommend it. Besides, I think that extra inch on depth makes the drums sound so much better.

I also have a 12x10. It'd be cool if it was an 8" depth but it works out for me.

It's exactly where I want it positioned. Same exact sizes and setup as you too. Try moving the tom to the left more then lowering it.

Trigger · #15 05-22-2009, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmiehendricks

I still haven't sold them actually, nobody wants to buy them :(
I'd probably sell them for $1100 with the Lazer snare if you're keen?

Thanks for that. The guy I bought it off didn't know a thing about this kit. He even claimed the rack toms were 11x11 and 13x13...

Yeah I'm quite surprised myself especially when I see drummers like Thomas Lang and Thomas Pridgen among others, using circle racks with no problems.

Hmm, maybe for 1000 with no lazer snare Do you have msn?

jimmiehendricks · #16 05-22-2009, 05:37 AM

Yeah I'll probably keep as is for now, it's probably a fair compromise considering the risk of screwing up the tom when I'm cutting it down. I usually like my toms quite flat and the kit really low to the ground so that may be why I can't get it positioned the way I want it.
And yes my msn is jimmiehendricks@hotmail.com
I would probably be keen on 1k so hit me up. Cheers.

zambizzi · #17 05-22-2009, 05:49 AM

Are you sure that's not deeper than you originally posted? Those look like "power tom" sizes to me...12x11" and 13x12". I had an 80's Ludwig kit w/ those sizes and yours look identical, size-wise. I played a 12x10" recently and it didn't look that deep. The pictures could be deceiving, who knows.

Here's the kit I had:

http://drummerworld.com/forums/album.php?albumid=106

Like joshisaces said - if you just move to the left a few inches you can take the height down...it's more accessible and doesn't look so tall.

Trigger · #18 05-22-2009, 05:49 AM

Sweet, Just added you man.

jimmiehendricks · #19 05-22-2009, 08:51 AM

Actually yep sorry it IS a 11x12 and 12x13 configuration. I was in a hurry last time when I was measuring them so I probably got some parallax error in there.

eddiehimself · #20 05-22-2009, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmiehendricks

Actually yep sorry it IS a 11x12 and 12x13 configuration. I was in a hurry last time when I was measuring them so I probably got some parallax error in there.

Usually holding the measuring tape up to the drum helps reduce parallax error! Yeah looks about the same size as my 12" which is 12x11 shell as well.

eddiehimself · #21 05-31-2009, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinngadd

Yeah, if the badge couldn't be repositioned, it might look weird, but what's more imprtant, you being comfortable at your drumset, or the badge being closer to the bottom rim than the top rim? And, the short stack toms sound awesome. Don't go by what they look like. What do they sound like? Lot's of people are using short toms these days. Vinnie Colaiuta has been using them for a long time. His drums sound good. Others include Brian Frasier-Moore, George "Spanky" McCurdy, Ronald Bruner, Jr., Dan Torelli, Chad Butler and John Blackwell. Their drums all sound good. Take a listen.

If your drums are hard to position considering the size, do what you need to do in order to make yourself feel more comfortable.

yeah but in terms of sound as well i just love deep toms, the sustain is just great. Plus i feel very comfortable on my kit which is literally the same size.