I don’t see buying these down trodden, entry level kits as some major score. I have equally crappy EIGHT LUG snares on the shelf! Seeing how he wants what I paid for the entire kit just for the snare, I think I’ll pass. I actually found a guy on Facebook Marketplace selling the matching, six lug snare that is supposed to go with this set…but I think I’ve spent WAY too much on this kit already. Good thing the owner of this kit below chose the classic black wrap instead of “1977 Ford pickup truck green” that I am now the proud owner of. Here’s what one of these kits is supposed to look like. I guess after the end of the more visible entry level “Swingstar by Tama” line…this is what remained. Oddly enough the rack toms do have the Rockstar mounts and these did ship with the Rockstar dual tom mount. I guess they were really running out of that decidedly awful hardware and had to bring in some snazzy new, generic looking lugs and mount hardware. Hell these drums don’t even have Rockstar lugs or floor tom leg mounts. It’s interesting to see just how low Tama stooped to use up what remained of the Rockstar and Swingstar hardware at the end of the 90′s and early 2000′s.
Sure it’s REALLY entry level with the six lug floor tom, but at least it is pretty intact and even sports the original kick reso head with that cringe worthy logo. I picked up this poor guy this weekend from a pawn shop dude from an Offer Up listing for $40 (my magic number lately!). So far, I have found ZERO information on these drums other than previously knowing they existed. I’m beginning to think Tama was so embarrassed by this line, they somehow attached an internet cloaking device to the keywords. not the NEW version silly…the OLD, ORIGINAL and practically internet invisible “Rhythm Mate by Tama” sub-entry level kit from the late 90′s- early 2000′s. Hope this helps and good luck with your project snare! They ultimately killed the Superstar line and created the wrapped birch Granstars and opaque, painted and lacquered Granstar Customs.This would be a logical workaround to trying to source the gorgeous birch grain plies that made the stained and lacquered Superstar line so popular in the early days. As a matter of fact, I believe Tama began having trouble finding super clean birch (old growth Japanese birch) for their lacquered Superstar finishes and just threw in the towel. These were essentially Superstar shells with outer plies that were cosmetically unappealing. This is true across all the Tama lines, even the higher end wrapped, birch Granstars. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen “custom refinished”, previously wrapped drums that look like absolute hell due to the varying colors, dark streaks and imperfections of the laminate plies lurking beneath the wrap. They were mahogany, wrapped and Zolacoated on the interiors to hide the boring straight grain and nasty color variations in the mahogany luan plies (although Tama claimed the Zolacoat was for “moisture resistance”). A perfect example would be the vintage Imperialstars. My golden rule is…if its wrapped…re-wrap it or leave it as is. Bottom line on ANY wrapped drum of any make or variety…they’re wrapped for a reason…to hide ugly ass wood plies underneath! The wrap allows the manufacturer to use less than cosmetically perfect laminates in their shell construction.
0 kommentar(er)
