New Tama Starclassic Performer line, maple/birch

I fear that Tama will be cheapening the “Starclassic” branding to some degree by skimping on the hardware. Pearl did something similar with the venerable “Master’s” line. I do understand the need to compete with the others in the industry though at this price point. They’ll sell a lot more of these kits than Stars.
Still a big shame. Compared to even the Starclassic W/B this is a step down. This really shouldn't be called the Starclassic feature wise. I believe good hardware really makes a kit worth it, but seeing these featues (or lack of) at 1400 dollars really makes me think this is an overpriced kit. The hardware and features are incomparable to other kits of this price range.
 
Did anybody click the link, or are we just ignoring that there are finish options other than the loud Caramel Aurora?

Yeah , I did . I don’t really hate any of them but there’s not many options like there were in the bb performers or the current WB ( although I’m not wild about all the wb colors either. Some more finish options would be nice . I even prefer some of the regular starclassic color options over these . But then again color or finish is a personal thing . But still I think there should be more options , especially if rolling out a new line . JMHO .
 
Still a big shame. Compared to even the Starclassic W/B this is a step down. This really shouldn't be called the Starclassic feature wise. I believe good hardware really makes a kit worth it, but seeing these featues (or lack of) at 1400 dollars really makes me think this is an overpriced kit. The hardware and features are incomparable to other kits of this price range.

I gotta agree with this . I much prefer the appointments and finishes on the bb line and then to a lesser degree ( finish wise ) the WB . You ( tama) roll out a new hybrid shell in the starclassic performer line And you cut corners? And with less finish options to boot ? I’m not feeling it and I don’t think your average tama consumer will either . Just my 2 cents but tama May have taken a wrong turn here ?. Only time and sales will tell ??‍♂️
 
I gotta agree with this . I much prefer the appointments and finishes on the bb line and then to a lesser degree ( finish wise ) the WB . You ( tama) roll out a new hybrid shell in the starclassic performer line And you cut corners? And with less finish options to boot ? I’m not feeling it and I don’t think your average tama consumer will either . Just my 2 cents but tama May have taken a wrong turn here ?. Only time and sales will tell ??‍♂️
They reallly should have kept more B/B finishes, that Twilight Blue Burst was one of my all time favorites.
 
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Anybody remember the Very First Starclassic Performer ??? .. Basswood or Luan shells ... and Plastic Bass Hoops


1994Starclassic_06.jpg
 
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They reallly should have kept more B/B finishes, that Twilight Blue Burst was one of my all time favorites.

Yeah. I mean I’m not really a blue kit lover but I do kinda like that color. But liked others more . Point is , there were more of a range of choices . Color choice/style is a personal thing and more options would be a plus but more than likely still wouldn’t make ME a buyer of this kit but probably , or maybe might with others . A blue( sort of) I did like was the Smokey indigo burst . But I do tend to like a wood grain or faux wood grain under lacquer. Again , color being a very personal thing .

But I did love this finish .......



5DEDFCAA-F51F-4B16-968F-B6278C2E7E6E.jpeg
 
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Anybody remember the Very First Starclassic Performer ??? .. Basswood or Luan shells ... and Plastic Bass Hoops


1994Starclassic_06.jpg

If Tama keeps cutting corners like they have with their Starclassic M/B, this will be their flagship in less than a decade, and people will STILL find a way to defend Tama. "Oh maybe they're just going back to their roots" "What a vintage vibe"
 
Are you telling me this is a brand new kit with Starclassic hardware? Please tell me why this should be a "starclassic" and not a "superstar plus".
The shell sizes are different. The wood/wood-combination is different. The mount is originally a Starcalssic mount and was added to the Superstar Hyperdrive in 2014 or 2015 IIRC. The lugs are different, thus a different mass on the shell. There are too many things that make this drum NOT a Superstar or Superstar+. It is a completely different beast that resembles more the old 2008 Starclassic Performer than the Superstar (Hyperdrive). That does not make the Superstars bad drums (They are really good drums!) at all.

It is just a more affordable version of the Starclassic and if people like it, so be it. I would not badmouth products that tons of people dig for - especially if they sound good (and the DCP video shows that this drumset sounds really good). Not everyone can afford a Starclassic W/B let alone a Starclassic Maple. Those people now have an additional alternative next to the Superstar and Superstar Hyperdrive. What's so bad about that?

Sometimes drummers are like hobby-photographers. Always mourning and badmouthing new products because they don't have all the bells and whistles that they want but clearly don't need. I do remember that every now and then, when Canon launched a new EOS camera, people said: Uh, it does not have eye-control, it does not have 1 million focus points and it does not have 500.000 Megapixel with ISO 2,9 Million and cannot shoot with 60 frames per second. That camera is a bust and won't sell. That kind of people are for me - beg your pardon - annoying idiots. Products like the new Performer do have a market. Otherwise, Tama would have never launched the product. They do some market research, like every other company, before launching a product. Rest assured.
 
All the complaints about this kit are aesthetic based. Number of lugs, finishes, hardware, etc. I noticed there were almost no disparaging comments about the sound of the kit.
As for bashing the 8 lug kick, some of us have never owned a kick with more than 8 and have no problems. $1400 seems pretty good for these.
 
Don't know about 8 lug bass drums but just recently I've been listening to 8 vs 10 lug black beauties via headphones on YouTube and I'll take the 8
 
The shell sizes are different. The wood/wood-combination is different. The mount is originally a Starcalssic mount and was added to the Superstar Hyperdrive in 2014 or 2015 IIRC. The lugs are different, thus a different mass on the shell. There are too many things that make this drum NOT a Superstar or Superstar+. It is a completely different beast that resembles more the old 2008 Starclassic Performer than the Superstar (Hyperdrive). That does not make the Superstars bad drums (They are really good drums!) at all.

It is just a more affordable version of the Starclassic and if people like it, so be it. I would not badmouth products that tons of people dig for - especially if they sound good (and the DCP video shows that this drumset sounds really good). Not everyone can afford a Starclassic W/B let alone a Starclassic Maple. Those people now have an additional alternative next to the Superstar and Superstar Hyperdrive. What's so bad about that?

Sometimes drummers are like hobby-photographers. Always mourning and badmouthing new products because they don't have all the bells and whistles that they want but clearly don't need. I do remember that every now and then, when Canon launched a new EOS camera, people said: Uh, it does not have eye-control, it does not have 1 million focus points and it does not have 500.000 Megapixel with ISO 2,9 Million and cannot shoot with 60 frames per second. That camera is a bust and won't sell. That kind of people are for me - beg your pardon - annoying idiots. Products like the new Performer do have a market. Otherwise, Tama would have never launched the product. They do some market research, like every other company, before launching a product. Rest assured.
The sizes are almost taken from the Superstar Classics if we don't count the rack tom depth, which varies by 1". That style of mounting hardware was adopted by the Superstar sure, but the Starclassics have since adopted a new design with memory locks. Where did that go, on this supposed Starclassic? Superstars may be good, but they are not Starclassics. Let's not forget that.

Not everything good about a kit is the sound. It's how it stands up over time, how long it lasts, how sturdy its hardware is... It just doesn't live up to the Starclassic name. The only thing starclassic about it, like I said, are the lug design and badge. Nothing else. The shell is new and not comparable to any other kit except other hybrid kits with the same shell composition, like the Mapex Armory (costs like 500 dollars less? And has the same features?) Let's not forget this is a 1400 dollar shell pack. Sound wise? Sure it may sound great, but at this price point with very tight competition, what sets other brand kits apart is the hardware. And Tama loses to every single other competitor, be it the Renowns, Tour Customs, Saturn V Tours, Pearl Session Studios, even Ludwig Neusonics, in that regard.

Not sure about the camera world and have no interest in expanding into there, but I can tell you that this kit, for what it's worth, is a bad value. You may criticise me for criticising this kit, but can you actually defend the product? Why does every mid to high end modern inspired drum kit have 10 lugs on the bass drum, even Tama's kits? Why are they putting 8 lugs on it and then saying "it makes no difference"? Why does Tama not put 8 lugs on their Star line kits so we can save a couple bucks with no compromise according to them? The Starclassic lineup has had iconic features that separated it from competition and lower priced Tama kits, like the memory lock tom holders, bass drum spurs, 10 lugs on even the 20" bass drum, but this new Maple/Birch defies all those features while retaining the name. I don't see why. Is it to lure less experienced drummers into buying their new product simply because it says Starclassic on it and they probably think Starclassic=good? Is Tama really going to do that? Is Tama really "returning to its roots" and re-releasing a 2008 Starclassic kit with new shell and inferior hardware for some reason? I mean the W/B is only 300 bucks difference and you get all the high end features, and the various finishes that are arguably better, and if you're paying that kind of money, there shouldn't be any compromise.

In regard to your last point about how manufacturers do homework, that's not really the case. There are a lot of kits that didn't sell well at all, I can tell you that. I'm seeing more disappointed people on this thread than people who think this is the dog's bollocks, and this forum has a tendency to not lie. We'll have to see how long this kit lasts. I'm reckoning a few years tops.
 
If Tama keeps cutting corners like they have with their Starclassic M/B, this will be their flagship in less than a decade, and people will STILL find a way to defend Tama. "Oh maybe they're just going back to their roots" "What a vintage vibe"
“Oh, maybe Tama is closing down the Chinese factory, using up all the excess inventory, wood & glue, and setting up shop in Costa Rica.”

Personally, I never liked the idea of mixing woods in a shell. Not even for the cheap stuff made with basswood & floor shavings. It’s not ‘cuz I’m a woodworking wizard, but because it doesn’t make that much of an acoustic difference to me. I sat in front of a maple kit, a birch kit and a birch/bubinga kit while a shop employee “demonstrated the tonal differences”. We spent an entire afternoon checking things out. We used an Evans coated G1 on the 14” tom and snare. We tuned to about the same note (this was before the Tune-Bot era) and hit and hit and hit. They all sounded great. We both came away with the suspicion that the dual-wood was a marketing scheme developed to level out wood inventories.

But 8-lugs on a 22” drum, not 10? That’s almost a 20% savings on hardware alone! But we all know that In the current music climate, an open, resonating bass drum is not the trend. A modern bass drum sound can easliy be had with 8-lugs.

The head—scratcher for me—is the amount of finishes available. They’ve pulled back on offering 10+ lacquer and 4+ wrap finishes for a prime product line, but offering only four tells me Tama is trying to save money. I hope the Hoshino family is okay. The pandemic might’ve caused them financial problems.
 
The sizes are almost taken from the Superstar Classics...
...and 99% of all the other Rockdrumssets that are availably on the market.
That style of mounting hardware was adopted by the Superstar sure, but the Starclassics have since adopted a new design with memory locks.
Still the mounting System IS a Starclassic mounting system. Period.
Superstars may be good, but they are not Starclassics.
Did anyone state than? No.
Not everything good about a kit is the sound.
It is the MOST IMPORTANT THING!
It's how it stands up over time, how long it lasts, how sturdy its hardware is...
If that's your concern, you should be more concerned about old Ludwigs, Gretschs, Slingerlands and Rogers drumsets. They have comparably crappy hardware and still keep on rolling and sounding great.
The
only thing starclassic about it, like I said, are the lug design and badge. Nothing else.
Bull.
The shell is new and not comparable to any other kit
So, it is NOT comparable to the Superstar. :p
Sure it may sound great, but at this price point with very tight competition, what sets other brand kits apart is the hardware. And Tama loses to every single other competitor, be it the Renowns, Tour Customs, Saturn V Tours, Pearl Session Studios, even Ludwig Neusonics, in that regard.
How many of those drumsets have you owned and played over the past decade? Let me guess... None of them? Well definitely not the new Starclassic. So why are you giving a final verdict on a product that you haven't even touched yet? Sorry, your whole post is outright childish and ridiculous.
but I can tell you that this kit, for what it's worth, is a bad value.
... says the guy hwo has not played, seen or touched the product...
You may criticise me for criticising this kit, but can you actually defend the product?
I don't have to defend it, it will defend itself - or not. I don't care. I have enough drumsets.
Why does every mid to high end modern inspired drum kit have 10 lugs on the bass drum, even Tama's kits?
Then the George Way drums must be amateurish crap... good to know.
Why does Tama not put 8 lugs on their Star line kits so we can save a couple bucks with no compromise according to them?
Well, their Star Snaredrums have 8 instead of 10 lugs per side. Must be some cost-cutting measure for sure.
The Starclassic lineup has had iconic features that separated it from competition and lower priced Tama kits, like the memory lock tom holders, bass drum spurs, 10 lugs on even the 20" bass drum, but this new Maple/Birch defies all those features while retaining the name.
Iconic features. You know that tons of Tama drumers dislike the new quick-lock bracket, don't you?
I mean the W/B is only 300 bucks difference and you get all the high end features, and the various finishes that are arguably better, and if you're paying that kind of money, there shouldn't be any compromise
THink of it: Some people cannot afford those 300 bucks extra. For those people, the new Performer is a valid option. The offering simply fills a void in the Tama lineup.
In regard to your last point about how manufacturers do homework, that's not really the case.
Are you really that uninformed? Oh my...
There are a lot of kits that didn't sell well at all, I can tell you that.
So, why are ther still STAR and SQ2 and Pearl Reference and Gretsch Brooklyn drums and PHX and Recording Customs? Those drums get sold in MUCH! lower quantities than a Pearl Export or Superstar, Stage Custom or Catalina.
I'm seeing more disappointed people on this thread than people who think this is the dog's bollocks
I see mostly you ranting. The others on here were first and foremost not in love with the colour options.
, and this forum has a tendency to not lie.
Best joke ever. Made my day. :ROFLMAO:
 
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22 bass drum with 8 lugs screams mid level / cheap just as 16 floor tom with 6 lugs screams cheap (on other lines and brand). I’m surprised by this choice. Otherwise scaling down the choice of colour & configurations isn’t that shocking, DW has done the same with the Design serie. The superstar hardware was strong and reliable. It shouldn’t be a problem.
I definitely appreciate the fact that they gave up on the 18” deep bass drum.
 
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Re: bass drum lugs... I get it with snares, where, when reaching for higher tensions, distributing total tension among 10 points rather than 8 makes it easier to get there and reduces stress on each lug. On bass drums, where typically there isn't a lot of tension on the heads, it seems to me it makes more sense to purposely have a little more tension on each lug, so they'll collectively hold that lower total tension better. Bass drum hoops don't flex vertically very much, especially under these low tensions, so I don't imagine add'l lugs are needed for that reason either... My bottom line is, I've never had an issue getting exactly the bass drum sound I want (full, punchy, and, well, bass-y), usually with a P3 front & back and a piece of acoustic foam lying on the bottom, touching neither head (only there to reduce some wonky overtones bouncing around, so as to make EQing easier), on an 8 lug bass drum.

However, those spurs, although adequate on my 1991 Rockstar kit, I'd expect to be better on a Starclassic-branded drum. :unsure::confused:?‍♂️
 
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Re: bass drum lugs... I get it with snares, where, when reaching for higher tensions, distributing total tension among 10 points rather than 8 makes it easier to get there and reduces stress on each lug. On bass drums, where typically there isn't a lot of tension on the heads, it seems to me it makes more sense to purposely have a little more tension on each lug, so they'll collectively hold that lower total tension better. Bass drum hoops don't flex vertically very much, especially under these low tensions, so I don't imagine add'l lugs are needed for that reason either... My bottom line is, I've never had an issue getting exactly the bass drum sound I want (full, punchy, and, well, bass-y), usually with a P3 front & back and a piece of acoustic foam lying on the bottom, touching neither head (only there to reduce some wonky overtones bouncing around, so as to make EQing easier), on an 8 lug bass drum.

I hear this all the time...

So then.. All mid and upper level drums need to knock it off with this silly 10 lug on the kick and 8 lug on the floor.. LOL .......

Tama and Yamaha even put 10 lugs on the 20" mid and upper level bass drums.
 
...and 99% of all the other Rockdrumssets that are availably on the market.
Still the mounting System IS a Starclassic mounting system. Period.
Did anyone state than? No.
It is the MOST IMPORTANT THING!
If that's your concern, you should be more concerned about old Ludwigs, Gretschs, Slingerlands and Rogers drumsets. They have comparably crappy hardware and still keep on rolling and sounding great.
The Bull.
So, it is NOT comparable to the Superstar. :p
How many of those drumsets have you owned and played over the past decade? Let me guess... None of them? Well definitely not the new Starclassic. So why are you giving a final verdict on a product that you haven't even touched yet? Sorry, your whole post is outright childish and ridiculous.
... says the guy hwo has not played, seen or touched the product... I don't have to defend it, it will defend itself - or not. I don't care. I have enough drumsets.
Then the George Way drums must be amateurish crap... good to know.
Well, their Star Snaredrums have 8 instead of 10 lugs per side. Must be some cost-cutting measure for sure. Iconic features. You know that tons of Tama drumers dislike the new quick-lock bracket, don't you?
THink of it: Some people cannot afford those 300 bucks extra. For those people, the new Performer is a valid option. The offering simply fills a void in the Tama lineup.
Are you really that uninformed? Oh my...
So, why are ther still STAR and SQ2 and Pearl Reference and Gretsch Brooklyn drums and PHX and Recording Customs? Those drums get sold in MUCH! lower quantities than a Pearl Export or Superstar, Stage Custom or Catalina.
I see mostly you ranting. The others on here were first and foremost not in love with the colour options.
Best joke ever. Made my day. :ROFLMAO:

Although you and Fritz make some valid points here and some things relating to this new roll out by tama are debatable. ( everyone’s allowed an opinion) . Can’t agree with you hating on him though. I don’t think he was hating on Tama so much as he was critiquing giving his opinion or view as it relates to being offered/called a “Tama starclassic performer” . I gotta agree with this. Regardless of what the starclassic was years ago , improvements were made to what has become and known as the starclassic today . Better hardware and such . If you go back to what it was ( and not that it was bad at all ) you can’t really in ( IMO) call it a what it is today . It’s not a superstar but it’s also not a starclassic performer either . I like tama ( I own a sc bb kit) , they make great stuff , but can’t agree with them representing this as what a SC has become . If they improve something
( any company) In a particular line or product it ( again IMO) can be called by that name or even something different with an elevated price tag , but not if you detract from it . It may fill an in between area and be a viable option for people and it may not ( totally debatable)
( many products and or drums have failed for various reasons) , only time will tell , but I think tama representing this as an SC to that in between demographic that may buy it is a little disingenuous is all . Again just my opinion , not purposely being mean to tama .
 
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate him, it is just that his argumentation is absolutely ... How can I say it in one word? Surreal? Faulty? Contradicting itself? Screwed?

I don't dig those new drums, but I can see that people will like those drums. Of course they could have called the drums differently but they called it Performer because it gets pretty close to what the old Performer was, both in hardware and the "idea" behind it. And after all, Tama owns the names, not us, so who are we to decide what IS a Starclassic and what not? :unsure:

I guess, Gretsch should rename the Broadcaster immediately, before the music-cops find out that the Broadcaster is different from the old Broadcaster...
 
I hear this all the time...

So then.. All mid and upper level drums need to knock it off with this silly 10 lug on the kick and 8 lug on the floor.. LOL .......

Tama and Yamaha even put 10 lugs on the 20" mid and upper level bass drums.
For BD sizes up to whatever size would have enough vertical flex in the hoops to necessitate going to 10 lugs, sure, they should knock it off. Do you have an explanation as to why it's necessary? Have you personally experienced, or have you seen where anyone else put the information out there, how 10 lugs does the job better? Toms are a different subject due to metal rims that flex significantly more under varied tensions per lug. (That said, Gretsch's use of 5 lugs on rack toms and compensating for the hoop flex with a die-cast hoop is pretty tried-and-true.)

You hear this "all the time"...? Curious.
 
...and 99% of all the other Rockdrumssets that are availably on the market.
Still the mounting System IS a Starclassic mounting system. Period.
Did anyone state than? No.
It is the MOST IMPORTANT THING!
If that's your concern, you should be more concerned about old Ludwigs, Gretschs, Slingerlands and Rogers drumsets. They have comparably crappy hardware and still keep on rolling and sounding great.
The Bull.
So, it is NOT comparable to the Superstar. :p
How many of those drumsets have you owned and played over the past decade? Let me guess... None of them? Well definitely not the new Starclassic. So why are you giving a final verdict on a product that you haven't even touched yet? Sorry, your whole post is outright childish and ridiculous.
... says the guy hwo has not played, seen or touched the product... I don't have to defend it, it will defend itself - or not. I don't care. I have enough drumsets.
Then the George Way drums must be amateurish crap... good to know.
Well, their Star Snaredrums have 8 instead of 10 lugs per side. Must be some cost-cutting measure for sure. Iconic features. You know that tons of Tama drumers dislike the new quick-lock bracket, don't you?
THink of it: Some people cannot afford those 300 bucks extra. For those people, the new Performer is a valid option. The offering simply fills a void in the Tama lineup.
Are you really that uninformed? Oh my...
So, why are ther still STAR and SQ2 and Pearl Reference and Gretsch Brooklyn drums and PHX and Recording Customs? Those drums get sold in MUCH! lower quantities than a Pearl Export or Superstar, Stage Custom or Catalina.
I see mostly you ranting. The others on here were first and foremost not in love with the colour options.
Best joke ever. Made my day. :ROFLMAO:
Damn, the level of name calling reminds me of reddit, are you really going to swoop that low?

The "Starclassic mounting system" that is not found on any other current starclassics, how strange...

These days drums all sound great, the real difference is in hardware and finishes. I'm sorry but it is like this. And compared to competition, this has inferior hardware. This kis is not comparable to any Starclassic, hardware wise, only to a Superstar. It is nowhere near the hardware level of the Starclassics. Are you really going to defend Tama for making an inferior instrument? Do they pay your taxes? What do you owe them?
Have I given a final verdict? I don't think so. This is an initial impression. That's why I have no idea how long it will last and I never said I didn't want to play it. Again, you seem overly defensive.
George Way drums are vintage inspired drums, obviously they're going to have 8 lugs. Now explain to me why all other MODERN INSPIRED DRUM KITS (don't misunderstand that again) have 10 lugs on 22" bass drums. Hell, even 20" drums have 10 lugs! What is Tama's excuse this time? Have you seen other 1400 dollar shell packs? How many of them have 8 lugs? I would expect 8 lugs from an Export, not a Starclassic.
How many people dislike memory locks? You say "tons of Tama drummers", where are they? Because I haven't heard bad things about memory locks from any Tama owner. Not even a rant.

You seem overly defensive, we were pointing out lacking features of this so called Starclassic. I see many people agree with me. Maybe Tama paid you, I don't know, but please consider that we're not forced to like everything a corporation puts out on the market.

Have a great day, why don't you.
 
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