Tama Serial Number Lookup
Is there a method to the serial numbers on Pearl Drums to figure out the manufacturing date. I've also got an early 90's Maple Tama Artstar-II. Tama Forum Tama Forum- Vintage Tama Drums- Superstar Series- Identifying Your Vintage Superstars everything you need to know about vintage superstars, including dating, is in this topic, written by a guy from Australia, lots of great pics also. Search This Thread Search This Forum Search Reviews Search Gear Database Search Gear for sale Search Gearslutz Go Advanced Home > The Forums > Low End Theory Identify my tama rockstar kit Login / Join.
Originally posted by Drum Pimp Astro, If your kit is made up of accel sizes then it is definetely 100% birch. Accel sizes were offered together with the all birch upgrade. When performers were a mix of basswood and birch (pre 1999), the accel sizes did not exist. Read my post above.
The ever important serial number which some companies keep detailed records of unfortunately does not exist in the history of drums. We also have to state that much of the record keeping was archaic at best and in some cases history was destroyed in plant fires or just tossed in the garbage! With that said many drum companies never even used serial numbers early on.
I think i've seen photos of your kit and they do seem to be accel sizes. If they're not, it doesn't necessarily mean they're not all birch. You may have to call Tama to find out specifically but if they are accel sizes, then you've got nothing to worry about becuase the acel sizes were introduced as part of the all birch upgrade. Hope this helps, let me know!!! Glad to see i'm not crazy!!! Thanx for the info. Andy, I've had exactly the same issue.
Drums are among the smallest amount of their products! All communications with them are done by snail mail and you will receive a form letter for an answer. The reply letter will contain nothing that will feel personal to you.
Overall, it's pretty generic metal snare drum. The Tama website does have a history section with every catalog scanned and on file. You can dig through there if you want to try and narrow it down.
Lars played Granstars. Ok, they are not 90's that would have been the Rockstar series. This is a 1984/85 swingstar in the Xtras sizes. Aspen white, red badges 8x8,9x10,11x12,12x13,toms 16x16,16x18 floortoms 16x22 kicks.
Hello people. I managed to score myself a Tama Starclassic kit off trademe (New Zealand equivalent of ebay) for $1000 NZ ($600 US) with a gibralter rack. The onyl problem is that I'm not sure what type of Starclassic model it is.
I believe performers weren't all birch until 1999. So does this mean my drums are actually birch/poplar and not all birch? I'm concerned about this, so i called midwest percussion and they didn't know what to tell me. They said die cast hoops and dark cherry fade (my drums color) didn't exist until about 2 years ago.
Solid Lacquer finishes Piano Black, Piano White and Candy Apple Red were introduced to the Tama Superstar line in 1985. In late 1986, the Tama Crestar line (soon to be changed to Granstar) replaced the Superstars. However, the Superstars were still available for a couple of years after that. The serial numbers on Tama drums of that era were for insurance purposes only and do not relate to a date of manufacture.Thanks for the info!
Good drums, ****** service - bah!!
Are they pointy at one end?These shells are 8 or 9 ply mahogany wood with a painted finish in the inside of the shell.They are lower ended drums like the shells you would fine on Pearl exports from the 80's.As a gigging set and you are not putting out alot of money on the set.I see they on C/L all the time for 200.00-300.00 for a 5 piece set with cymbals ete.then yes its a good gigging set.Mikey Thanks Para! And I always appreciate your posts Mikey - thanks. Please have a look. Hard to tell - so these are fibre shells? I've got an 84 kit and it has the Zola-cote interiors (speckle gray) and the xtras sizes 9x10 11x12 12x13 13x14 16x16 16x22.
I have read there was also another dark red offered in Supes, but I can't find any good pics of either one. I found several pics of Neil Peart's CAR set, but I recall reading that his finish was custom, before CAR was an option. Did the Crestar become Granstars? I thought they were introduced at the same time?
They are from the mid eighties, probably 1984-1986. Colour is Aspen White. Mine sound really good, better than all other I've heard in this price range, and definitely not to mix up with later and contemporary Swingstars, they are not at all as good I think. For further info, check out the archived catalogues.
Ludwig on the other hand,has been using the virtually same, superclassic lug since 1948,and continues to do so today. The Crestars and Grandstars appeared around the same time,and used the same 8 ply 9mm shell, of all Japanese birch,but the grandstars were wrapped. Crestars were phased out in favor of Artstars/Grandstars. Superstars were at first 4 ply 6mm shells with re rings in the 9500 and 9600 series Then the 9700 series were 6 ply,9mm shells with no rerings.They also were all Japanese birch.
Lars did play a white Tama double-bass kit in the early 90s. It wasn't a Swingstar--he had his own signature line--but for a tribute band, this would be close enough.
In the USA,they were available in super maple(that is just the name of the finish,as there is NO maple in the shell),super mahogany,cherry wine,candy apple,aqua marine,piano black and piano white. There other colors that were available in other countries like Japan only The interior of the shell is stained with the same color as the exterior. They were available from 76,through 86 when they were replaced by the Crestar series. I owned a kit in cherry wine stain back in '84 and loved it. But didn't the Crestars become the Granstars? So if you found a Granstar kit, it would basically be the same shell - solid birch. Both Yamaha and Tama at the time were kings of the birch shell.
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I called and emailed tama, but i doubt i'll get a response. Good drums, ****** service - bah!!
I think the Tama formula of subtracting 10 from the serial numbers only works for the Starclassic maple. I think i've seen photos of your kit and they do seem to be accel sizes. If they're not, it doesn't necessarily mean they're not all birch. Silkk the shocker the shocker rar download. You may have to call Tama to find out specifically but if they are accel sizes, then you've got nothing to worry about becuase the acel sizes were introduced as part of the all birch upgrade. Hope this helps, let me know!!! My god Andy!!!!!!!!!I had exactly the same terrifying fear about my Peformer becuase I purchased them in right at the end of 2000 and my serial numbers start with 03. Now according to the Tama formula, my kit would have been manufactured in 1993.
It definitely wasn't a pro-quality kit, but it was a step up from the MIT kit that I started out with, and it served me well as a beginner. With the bottom heads removed, you can get that Phil Collins 'barking' concert tom sound, which is a pretty cool sound if that's your thing. Certainly this would be a good kit for a young drummer learning the ropes, or for any prog or metal drummer looking for a big multi-tom setup. Lars played Granstars. Ok, they are not 90's that would have been the Rockstar series. This is a 1984/85 swingstar in the Xtras sizes.
My serial numbers also start with 03 that means that my kit was made in 1993 according to the Tama formula. My kit came all boxed up. It just isn't possible that it was lying in the warehouse for 7 years and then was shipped to me. Like I said in the previous post, the Tama formula for determining the production date only works with Starclasic maple and not the performer. Performers wer upgraded to all birch in February 1999. Sounds like it, but we'll never know for sure. I called and emailed tama, but i doubt i'll get a response.
Mid 80s Tama Superstars are the 9700 series drums,made in Japan and are 6 ply 9mm shells of 100% Japanese birch.These shells differ from the earlier 9600 series shells that were 4 ply 6mm shells with re-rings. They were available in standard (12x8,13x9) sizes and X-tra sized shells (12x11,13x12),and a concert tom single head shells.The two headed drums have what's called the 'flying T' black and silver badge,with a metal grommet/vent hole,although some earlier 9600 deries drums had the badge held on with 4 nails.The badge says Tama,superstar and has a serial number. The concert toms have a rectangular badge. In the USA,they were available in super maple(that is just the name of the finish,as there is NO maple in the shell),super mahogany,cherry wine,candy apple,aqua marine,piano black and piano white. There other colors that were available in other countries like Japan only The interior of the shell is stained with the same color as the exterior.
Can I Identify my Drum Set by Serial Number? I bought a tama superstar kit and wanted to know the exact one i purchased.(bought it used) is there a way i can run the serial #'s to get that info.
Anyone here played a Tama Swingstar kit - original series. I believe these are mahogany/maple. Wrapped; fair condition. I'm only interested in a gigging kit just wondering what to expect sound wise. These are MIJ, mid 80's I'd say.
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Aspen white, red badges 8x8,9x10,11x12,12x13,toms 16x16,16x18 floortoms 16x22 kicks. It is an introductory kit, made in Japan. These were FAR superior to most starter sets of the day.
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I would hurry,because they just may become collectable like Ludwig standards and clubdates are becoming. You won't regret it.They are great sounding drums,especially the early 4 ply with rerings. The're cheap enough,save for the super maple finish drums in standard sized,and the 8/10 and 12' toms which are at a premium.
I had one of these super maple finished Superstar kits (including a 8' and 10') in the 80's and the were indeed great drums. Unfortunately I had to sell them to finance some travelling. The only problem I can remember is that the snare (stainless 5x14' that came with the kit) couldn't hold the tuning when playing rimshots.
Anyone here played a Tama Swingstar kit - original series. I believe these are mahogany/maple. Wrapped; fair condition. I'm only interested in a gigging kit just wondering what to expect sound wise. These are MIJ, mid 80's I'd say.
Both Yamaha and Tama at the time were kings of the birch shell. I'm also of the mindset that a classic Superstar kit will hold its own against newer drums. The problem with the older kits is in finding parts should you need them. I've seen broken lugs on Superstars and Imperialstars (well, everything from the 70s these days) and replacements aren't as easy to find as say, Ludwig Classic lugs or Slingerland lugs. But they are awesome drums. Very true about the superstar/imperialstar/fiberstar/lugs.Tama actually destroyed the molds,instead of forseeing the need for replacement parts.
Ok, they are not 90's that would have been the Rockstar series. This is a 1984/85 swingstar in the Xtras sizes. Aspen white, red badges 8x8,9x10,11x12,12x13,toms 16x16,16x18 floortoms 16x22 kicks. It is an introductory kit, made in Japan.
So does this mean my drums are actually birch/poplar and not all birch? I'm concerned about this, so i called midwest percussion and they didn't know what to tell me. They said die cast hoops and dark cherry fade (my drums color) didn't exist until about 2 years ago. So what's the deal. My god Andy!!!!!!!!!I had exactly the same terrifying fear about my Peformer becuase I purchased them in right at the end of 2000 and my serial numbers start with 03. Now according to the Tama formula, my kit would have been manufactured in 1993. This is simply not possible because the the whole Starclassic line didn't even exist in 1993.
I went to the archived pages of the Tama site and looked up some info about the Performers round about the 1999 period. The Performers were upgraded to an all birch composition in early 1999 (February if I remember correctly) but then I found out the info that confirmed my performer was actually 100% birch. As well as offering the performer in 100% birch, accel sizes were intorduced at the same time as part of the all birch upgrade. My sizes were actually accel sizes: 10x8, 12x9, 14x11 and 20x18. The 20x18 bass drum was not available when the drums were actually birch/basswood. The 18 depth only came into effect when the drums were actually upgraded as all birch. I think the Tama formula of subtracting 10 from the serial numbers only works for the Starclassic maple.
Lars did play a white Tama double-bass kit in the early 90s. It wasn't a Swingstar--he had his own signature line--but for a tribute band, this would be close enough. I had a white Swingstar kit before I got my Gretsch set. It definitely wasn't a pro-quality kit, but it was a step up from the MIT kit that I started out with, and it served me well as a beginner. With the bottom heads removed, you can get that Phil Collins 'barking' concert tom sound, which is a pretty cool sound if that's your thing.
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These were FAR superior to most starter sets of the day. Fully glued wrap, luan sealed shells. My only gripe is 8 lug bass drums. Btw 'power toms' can be used in any kind of music, swingstar a were also available in standard sizes (8x12,9x13 ect) This set looks like a double bass 7pc with the 8'&10' add on Tom set.
Tama Serial Number Lookup
The're cheap enough,save for the super maple finish drums in standard sized,and the 8/10 and 12' toms which are at a premium. But you could still pick up a set in standard sizes usually in mahogany for around 5-700 bucks,depending on condition and location.
This is simply not possible because the the whole Starclassic line didn't even exist in 1993. Like you I was really concerned that I had been given one of those kits that wasn't 100% Birch and that it was birch/basswood. Then I finally worked it out. I found this site which permitted you to visit dated archived pages of almost any website. I went to the archived pages of the Tama site and looked up some info about the Performers round about the 1999 period. The Performers were upgraded to an all birch composition in early 1999 (February if I remember correctly) but then I found out the info that confirmed my performer was actually 100% birch. As well as offering the performer in 100% birch, accel sizes were intorduced at the same time as part of the all birch upgrade.
I contacted Tama by mail a few months back about this but never got a reply. (I love Tama to death but their customer service.). My drums also have the accel size so I'm sure they are 100% birch. My hypothesis was this one: Tama started to build the starclassic line well before they started to be available in 1994. The Starclassic birch line appeared in 1996 (before the Performers) and I thought that maybe some of the shells I have were originally built for the SC birch series way back then. But, since Tama is completely mute on this, we might never know.