Talk me out of Starclassic W/B

[rungeflash]

Ok….I admit it, I have wandering eyes and ears. Lol.

I made a bad mistake going by a drum store and seeing a molten brown walnut/birch in person and got a chance to bang on ‘‘em a bit. I was really impressed. Tough to make great comparisons in a store setting, especially without my kit there to directly compare….but none the less I was impressed. My current set is a beautiful renown rn2 burnt orange sparkle in every size they make…and 2 complete sets of hoops (302 and die cast).

I have always considered rn2’s the undisputed best brand new, bang for buck in the world….but these tama’s have my attention they might stake their own claim to that. I do not gig, this is a home set only….so carrying weight, tear down, memory locks, etc….are not big concerns at all. However, the tama hardware is very impressive.

What does DW think? My main priority is strictly sound. The tama’s had a great, full sound, strong low end rumble. Just not sure they would be worth the hassle of making a swap. Hate to go thru with this then get disappointed once setup in my drum room.

 

[rungeflash]

One more curve ball…a local place to me has this starclassic maple in stock and has made me a deal via phone…but I have not hit these in person. But damn, that ruby pacific burst finish is beautiful. Just not sure how the starclassic maple sounds versus the w/b…maple is more $$$…hardware looks practically identical. Big upcharge

 

[NackAttack]

As the owner of 2 Starclassic kits, I’m not a good person to talk you out of it. I have a Molten Brown B/B and a Limited Finish MIJ Birch. The W/B and the Maple are identical other than wood. I like the sound of birch more, so for me it wouldn’t be worth the higher price on the maples.

I have never played the Renown’s but everyone raves about them. If you have the shell bank and extra hoops I would be careful. It may end up a “side grade” instead of an upgrade (minus the shell bank and hoops). So if you plan on selling the rn2 kit I would say no. If you’re just getting an extra kit, green light from me!

 

[rungeflash]

As the owner of 2 Starclassic kits, I’m not a good person to talk you out of it. I have a Molten Brown B/B and a Limited Finish MIJ Birch. The W/B and the Maple are identical other than wood. I like the sound of birch more, so for me it wouldn’t be worth the higher price on the maples.

I have never played the Renown’s but everyone raves about them. If you have the shell bank and extra hoops I would be careful. It may end up a “side grade” instead of an upgrade (minus the shell bank and hoops). So if you plan on selling the rn2 kit I would say no. If you’re just getting an extra kit, green light from me!

Great advice, NackAttack, I appreciate it. I would definitely be parting ways with the renowns, I don’t have room for another set.

 

[ineedaclutch]

<---- Starclassic Maple all day long

 

[roncadillac]

If I had to pick I personally would go walnut birch and NOT the maple. SC Maples are amazing top of the line drums however you can get a quality maple kit from pretty much anyone, I would buy a superstar classic maple before a SC maple because they don't sound all that different to the untrained ear and cost a lot less. Those walnut birch shells not only sound incredible but also are very unique compared to competing current offerings.

 

[rungeflash]

If I had to pick I personally would go walnut birch and NOT the maple. SC Naples are amazing top of the line drums however you can get a quality maple kit from pretty much anyone, I would buy a superstar classic maple before a SC maple because they don't sound all that different to the untrained ear and cost a lot less. Those walnut birch shells not only sound incredible but also are very unique compared to competing current offerings.

I keep reading this same thing, from sources I have trusted in the past, the w/b combo is a real homerun.

What does anyone think about the floor tom sizing? Any significant sound difference in say a 16x16 vs a 16x14 floor. Tama makes getting the 16x16 in a w/b kit a lot more difficult. I have always played the squared off floors in the past….

 

[cbphoto]

Talk you out of this? Hold my beer.

• The hardware functionality and elegant design will corrupt your opinion of all other designs. You risk the chance of becoming snobby.
• The die cast hoops will provide too much sonic focus of each drum's fundamental note. All the toms will be way too easy to tune. You will have no excuse for poorly tuned drums.
• The bass drum will shake the windows and Wifey will complain. Your dog will hide under the bed.
• Snare drum rim shots will make your ears bleed. Unless you tune it low & fat, then your family jewels will jiggle in delight.
• As you walk past your kit, the finish will cause your mind to lose focus. The lawn won't get mowed, the honey-do list will lengthen.
• Did you notice the smoked black nickel hardware on that exotic kit? Oh my.
• If you buy either kit, someone will tell you about the matching 14" floor tom sitting in the Tama USA warehouse. More money will spill out of your wallet.
• Your drumming will improve beyond your wildest dreams. You'll join a bar band, then play large venues, then get a recording contract, then tour Europe. All hope for a normal life will be lost.

 

[roncadillac]

Talk you out of this? Hold my beer.

• The hardware functionality and elegant design will corrupt your opinion of all other designs. You risk the chance of becoming snobby.
• The die cast hoops will provide too much sonic focus of each drum's fundamental note. All the toms will be way too easy to tune. You will have no excuse for poorly tuned drums.
• The bass drum will shake the windows and Wifey will complain. Your dog will hide under the bed.
• Snare drum rim shots will make your ears bleed. Unless you tune it low & fat, then your family jewels will jiggle in delight.
• As you walk past your kit, the finish will cause your mind to lose focus. The lawn won't get mowed, the honey-do list will lengthen.
• Did you notice the smoked black nickel hardware on that exotic kit? Oh my.
• If you buy either kit, someone will tell you about the matching 14" floor tom sitting in the Tama USA warehouse. More money will spill out of your wallet.
• Your drumming will improve beyond your wildest dreams. You'll join a bar band, then play large venues, then get a recording contract, then tour Europe. All hope for a normal life will be lost.

^yup, pretty much exactly this

 

[roncadillac]

I keep reading this same thing, from sources I have trusted in the past, the w/b combo is a real homerun.

What does anyone think about the floor tom sizing? Any significant sound difference in say a 16x16 vs a 16x14 floor. Tama makes getting the 16x16 in a w/b kit a lot more difficult. I have always played the squared off floors in the past….

I personally like floor toms that are a bit more shallow than they are round, it helps to shorten the note a bit and increase the perceived "punch" without taking away any rumble. I doubt you'll notice any difference in tone but you'll definitely notice an increase in playability. The drum will just feel a bit faster and more responsive under your stick.

 

[rungeflash]

Talk you out of this? Hold my beer.

• The hardware functionality and elegant design will corrupt your opinion of all other designs. You risk the chance of becoming snobby.
• The die cast hoops will provide too much sonic focus of each drum's fundamental note. All the toms will be way too easy to tune. You will have no excuse for poorly tuned drums.
• The bass drum will shake the windows and Wifey will complain. Your dog will hide under the bed.
• Snare drum rim shots will make your ears bleed. Unless you tune it low & fat, then your family jewels will jiggle in delight.
• As you walk past your kit, the finish will cause your mind to lose focus. The lawn won't get mowed, the honey-do list will lengthen.
• Did you notice the smoked black nickel hardware on that exotic kit? Oh my.
• If you buy either kit, someone will tell you about the matching 14" floor tom sitting in the Tama USA warehouse. More money will spill out of your wallet.
• Your drumming will improve beyond your wildest dreams. You'll join a bar band, then play large venues, then get a recording contract, then tour Europe. All hope for a normal life will be lost.

LOL

I called up that local place…said you guys throw in a cbphoto pizzeria signature pie….and I’m all-in

 

[rungeflash]

I personally like floor toms that are a bit more shallow than they are round, it helps to shorten the note a bit and increase the perceived "punch" without taking away any rumble. I doubt you'll notice any difference in tone but you'll definitely notice a reduction in playability. The drum will just feel a bit faster and more responsive under your stick.

Ok, well that would open up a lot more of the larger 5 piece kits Tama offers in the w/b line. Almost all these manufacturers have lost their marbles with a la carte drum piece purchases…that ruby pacific burst 14x12 floor is almost $1100!?! They are nutz

 

[RickP]

I would put in another vote for the W/B . I owned a kit for awhile (sadly sacrificed to make another purchase ). I would definitely buy another if I needed another drum set . I think they are the best combination of price and build quality made today . An excellent gig kit for sure and they have some unique and excellent drum finishes .

 

[Swissward Flamtacles]

My current set is a beautiful renown rn2 burnt orange sparkle in every size they make…and 2 complete sets of hoops (302 and die cast).

Every size? How many drums are we talking about? Will you sell the Renown if you buy the Starclassic? Selling such a huge kit sounds like a big hassle - either you sell everything at once at a huge loss or you have to sell everything separately. In the end, you might still be left with a 24" bass drum with an 8" tom.
DO. NOT. SELL. THE. RENOWN.

(Did that work? If not, take a few of your Renown drums to the store, use the same heads, that the Starclassic kit has, and use the die cast hoops to make sure, it's not the tuning or the room that attract you.)

 

[rungeflash]

Every size? How many drums are we talking about? Will you sell the Renown if you buy the Starclassic? Selling such a huge kit sounds like a big hassle - either you sell everything at once at a huge loss or you have to sell everything separately. In the end, you might still be left with a 24" bass drum with an 8" tom.
DO. NOT. SELL. THE. RENOWN.

(Did that work? If not, take a few of your Renown drums to the store, use the same heads, that the Starclassic kit has, and use the die cast hoops to make sure, it's not the tuning or the room that attract you.)

LOL

It’s the burnt orange sparkle so it’s not the typical shell bank offerings. I have a 22x14 virgin kick, 10-12-14-16 toms and a 14x6.5 snare….that’s all they made that I’m aware of

 

[yammyfan]

Too bad you can't have both kits. Tama makes great drums.

Personally, it would take a set of USA Customs, DW Collectors or other flagship drums to move me off Renowns. It's not just that Renowns sound good - they have personality and character that isn't easy to find.

Ease of tuning and good hardware is commonplace these days. Distinct character is not.

 

[roncadillac]

Ok, well that would open up a lot more of the larger 5 piece kits Tama offers in the w/b line. Almost all these manufacturers have lost their marbles with a la carte drum piece purchases…that ruby pacific burst 14x12 floor is almost $1100!?! They are nutz

Sorry, that should have said "increase in playability" not reduction.

 

[rungeflash]

Too bad you can't have both kits. Tama makes great drums.

Personally, it would take a set of USA Customs, DW Collectors or other flagship drums to move me off Renowns. It's not just that Renowns sound good - they have personality and character that isn't easy to find.

Ease of tuning and good hardware is commonplace these days. Distinct character is not.

Oh I agree, trust me, I love the renowns and could easily end up keeping them. Just kicking this around. We’ll see. Great discussion tho….I’ve already learned things I didn’t know about Tama before starting this thread.

 

[rungeflash]

Sorry, that should have said "increase in playability" not reduction.

No prob, Ron, I knew what you meant. Great description

 

[cbphoto]

It's rumored that Tama took the thin-shell design of Gretsch, added a sixth lug for easier/better tuning, and honed the bearing edges from the Gretsch 30º round-over to the Starclassic 45º design with slight round-over on the external edge. This is what gives those drums the magic unicorn sound. This creates a sharper transient, giving the sound more attack. (Having played both brands, I can attest that the Tama toms produce more attack.)

If there's a downside to Tama drums, it's that their nice lacquer finishes are not produced forever.