Tama’s flagship launch for 2019 is the all-new Starclassic Walnut/Birch: workhorse drums aimed at intermediate and pro-level players who are looking for maximum playability, modern features and fresh new finishes. We’ve seen and played this fantastic new line-up in a monster seven-piece setup, and we think it’s easily the best affordable incarnation of the Starclassic to-date. Here’s five reasons why the Starclassic Walnut/Birch should be your next kit.
All-new Shells
Walnut has long been used in drum shell production, and rightly so - it’s sustainable, and has a natural tonality that makes it perfect for drum shells, either as a single wood or in a lay-up as found here.
As the brand new entry-point to the legendary Starclassic range, Walnut/Birch sees a new tonewood configuration for Starclassic: four plies of birch and two inner plies of American black walnut on the toms and snares, and five plies of birch/two plies of walnut on bass drums. incorporating the familiar bright, cutting attack of birch and marrying it with the warm low/mid-range sonic qualities of walnut.
Starclassic Walnut/Birch shells offer the projection and punch you need in order to cut through in a modern playing environment, while maintaining their depth in the lower end for a full and clear sound that works for everything from pop through to metal.
Looks To Kill
Few kits at NAMM 2019 were responsible for as many cricked necks as the Walnut/Birch. Tama offers two finish types in the series, ranging from vintage-flavoured pearl, onyx, silk and oyster Duracover wraps, to contemporary gloss and satin lacquer fades and bursts.
However, perhaps most impressive are the Lacquer Oyster finishes. Strikingly bold yet tasteful, these finishes give a modern twist on the traditional classic oyster, and definitely shouldn’t be confused with a wrap.
The paint is applied and swirled in layers, with thinners allowing the finish colours to merge with one another to create a distinctive aesthetic. The result is a flawless, truly stunning finish that is sure to be a talking point whenever you take your drums out of their cases.
It's performance-ready
All too often, new kits are fitted with ‘good enough to get by’ stock heads, that require a level of tweaking in order to get the sound you’re looking for. Not so with the Walnut/Birch.
Forget OEM heads; tuning is made quick and easy by the inclusion of Evans G2 batter heads on the toms, plus an Evans EQ4 bass drum batter, allowing you to find a great sound straight out of the box.
Tuning is made even easier by the die-cast hoops, which will focus your drum’s fundamental tuning and increase the attack and power from your notes. In addition to this, the Starclassic Walnut/Birch also features Tama’s patented C-shaped hold-tight washers, so once you find your perfect pitch, you can be sure that the drum is going to hold its pitch.
Star Quality
When Tama introduced its flagship Star range in 2013, it brought with it a new level of handcrafted construction and innovative design. Now, six years on, the Starclassic Walnut/Birch sees those design points trickle-down to an affordable level.
As well as staple Starclassic features including the Star-Cast mount (now plated to match the hardware of your shell), Starclassic Walnut/Birch also utilises Quick-Lock (originating from the Star Series) mounting brackets on the rack and floor toms.
These genius designs allow you to quickly place your toms, and lock them in place with the flick of a lever, meaning that you get complete consistency in your setup every time, as well as a super-quick setup/breakdown.
As well as the functional benefits, these mounts offer an extra level of suspension, allowing your shells to vibrate freely without transferring the energy to your stands or the floor.
Your sound, your way
With three base configurations available in the Starclassic Walnut/Birch range, there is no need to compromise on your setup. Offered as three, four and five-piece shell packs, along with four popular matching snare options (13”x6”, 14”x5.5”, 14”x6.5”, 14”x 8”), Starclassic Walnut/Birch gives you complete flexibility over common shell depths and diameters, from shallow Hyperdive tom sizes, to vintage-style shallow bass drums, with or without tom mounts, you can find the sizes that are right for you.
Plus, with over 30 additional drums available in the range, it’s possible to create multiple kits from one base shell pack: need an 8” tom, or an 18” bass drum for those smaller gigs but don’t want the hassle of two full kits? Tama has you covered.
