Tama’s Starclassic line is one of the most legendary lines of drum kits in the business. While these kits aren’t the brand’s top-tier option, they’re definitely close.
There have been multiple iterations over the years, with one of the most recent versions being the Walnut/Birch design.
In this review, we’re going to look deeper into this design to see what it’s all about. We’ll discuss who the kit is good for and how great all of the features are.
The main feature of this kit is the birch and walnut shell design. The birch plies offer punchy attack while the walnut plies warm out the tones a bit. The combination gives you a uniquely effective sound around the kit.
The shell pack comes with a 10” rack tom, 12” rack tom, 14” floor tom, 16” floor tom, and a 22” bass drum.
Each shell is equipped with die-cast hoops, and the rack toms have Tama’s Quick-Lock brackets.
Finally, all the shells come equipped with solid Evans drumheads.
The Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch has incredible sound quality. The mix of plies creates a perfect combination for top-tier tones.
The birch plies give the drums punchiness, making them sound powerful and vibrant. The walnut plies even the tones out a bit, as they offer warmer and more refined sounds.
Overall, you get a kit that sounds great in every tuning, and it works just as well on stage as it does in a studio environment.
One of the biggest things you’ll notice about this kit is that when you strike the drums, they sing very nicely. You can hear the high-quality tones ring out for a bit longer than you’ll get with kits that are more affordable. That’s where the quality is really noticeable.
The die-cast hoops are one of the best construction features. They firstly make the drums feel heavy and durable. However, they have an even greater effect on the sound quality, as they even out all of the overtones.
This arguably makes the kit easier to tune compared to drum sets that have triple-flanged hoops.
The Quick-Lock tom brackets make it very easy to place and position the rack toms. The whole process takes seconds, which is ideal for gigging situations where you need to set up quickly. It’s also great for re-adjusting your toms on the fly.
The Tama Starclassic is often called the gigging drummer’s drum set. There are thousands of professional drummers who use this kit as their top choice.
It performs brilliantly on stage due to the birch shell offering boosted attack and intensity. It also works well in the studio because of the high-quality tones on offer.
The die-cast hoops then make the kit feel very durable. All of these features combined make it a high-end performer, which is why it’s such a popular option.
While the kit costs a few thousand dollars, it’s actually very affordably priced compared to other high-end drum sets.
For example, the Tama Star kit costs over $4000, which is almost double the price of the Starclassic. Most drummers will argue that the Starclassic offers more than what you need, showing how good the value is compared to the price.
It’s also a professional kit that won’t leave you wanting more. If you choose to buy this, the chances are high that you won’t need to upgrade any time soon.
We strongly recommend the Starclassic Walnut/Birch to anyone who is looking for a premium drum set.
You can also choose a version with the rack toms mounted to cymbal stands or the bass drum, further boosting the versatility of the kit.
Finally, Tama genuinely offers some of the most incredible finish options compared to any other brand, and you’ll find many of the finishes on the Walnut/Birch drum kit.
When looking at the price, performance, and overall value, not much can top this specific kit.
Founder of TheDrumNinja
I’m crazy about drums, it’s been my passion since I was 12 years old. I played in numerous bands going through different styles like Rock, Progressive, Pop & Jazz-Rock. After being featured in major music publications (Drumeo, Guitar Guitar, AudioIssues, MusicThinkTank) I started this website to share my knowledge and create a resource for drummers of all levels.
We specialize in helping drummers of all levels become rhythmic assassins and develop ninja-like skills, quickly. Our mission is to create the best resources for all musicians and build a community where you can learn and share everything related to your musical journey.
Our team is committed to exceeding our clients’ expectations with uncompromising honesty and integrity. We focus all of our energy on helping musicians of all levels achieve their goals and build a foundation of skills that will last a lifetime.
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“9 Powerful Tips To Get Faster On The Drums (And The Mistakes To Avoid!)”
