Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch 3-Piece Shell Pack (12,16,22) - Smoked Silver Sparkle

Product Description

Starclassic Walnut/Birch is built on a hybrid shell where birch and black walnut do different jobs. The birch delivers the defined, clear attack; the walnut adds warmth and body through the mids and lows. This 3-piece shell pack consists of a non-drilled 22" bass drum and a separate tom attachment, for players who prefer to mount the tom off a stand, finished in Smoked Silver Sparkle. Stands, cymbals and snare drum are not included.

The combination is what makes the series usable across so many styles. An all-birch kit can turn hard, an all-walnut shell can turn soft. This sits in between: you hear the attack clearly, but it sits inside a full body that carries even at low volume.

The hybrid shell

Toms and floor toms use a 6mm shell with four plies of birch and two inner plies of black walnut. The bass drum is built thicker, 8mm with five plies of birch and two inner plies of black walnut, giving it the low end and control a bass drum needs. The shells are lacquered inside, which evens out the surface and focuses the tone.

A non-drilled bass drum

The bass drum having no tom mount holes is a deliberate choice. The shell resonates completely undisturbed, giving an opener and rounder voice. An MC69 attachment is included instead, so the tom hangs off a cymbal or tom stand.

Star-Cast and die-cast hoops

The Star-Cast Mounting System attaches to the hoop rather than the shell, leaving the shell free to resonate. You hear it most on the toms: more sustain and a more open voice than with a mount bolted straight into the wood. The hoops are die-cast, which tightens the tuning, shortens the tone and gives better control over the overtones.

Who it suits

A good choice if you want a kit that works as well in the studio as on stage without tying you to one genre. It works especially well if you already have plenty of stands and want the tom hanging free. If you want a clean, hard birch voice for heavy music, there are more specialised options.

Our Tips

• Tune the toms with the resonant head slightly above the batter head. The hybrid shell responds well to it and you get a longer, more even decay.
• Die-cast hoops need less damping than triple-flanged ones. Try them undamped before reaching for gels or rings.
• Count on one extra stand for the tom, since the bass drum has no mount.

Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Are a snare drum, stands or cymbals included?

No. A shell pack contains the drums and the tom mount listed in the specifications. Snare, stands, pedal and cymbals are bought separately.

What does non-drilled mean?

That the bass drum has no holes for a tom mount. The shell resonates freely and the tom hangs off a stand using the included MC69 attachment.

Why die-cast hoops?

They hold the head more evenly against the bearing edge, which makes tuning more stable and the tone shorter and more focused.