Tama Silverstar in Transparent Blue Burst

[Timmkatt]

Posted this yesterday in another section...A couple more observations added...

Just bought the Silverstar 6pc in transparent blue burst to replace my Pearl VMX Maples. Just received them Monday so I'm still in that period where I'm debating whether to keep or return them but so far I'm totally impressed! Here goes...

Finish...In a word Beautiful! Clean, clear as day super high gloss and deep as I've seen! Tama went all out on this one!

Hardware...Clean Chrome with no pitting. Super shiny. The spurs may look thin but do not be fooled. Unlike retractable lugs that tighten a 3/16" screw end against the extension the silverstar spurs clamp around about 2" of the rod. they are sturdy as a rock and hold the bass drum firmly in place. The low mass lugs are great and well made. I did a complete head change on the toms and Bass batter and the threads and receivers are clean and fit together extremely smoothly. No mis-fits here. The receivers look to be brass in color and i believe as smooth as the threads fit together that they are brass. The tom holder is awsome and sturdy. The ability to slide it two inches towards the player allows for the perfect adjustment of the tom position. The star mounts are also great and go a long way to making the toms sound awsome.

Bearing edges and shells...as I said I did a full head change so I gave them a very close look and did the glass table test on both toms and floor tom shells. The bearing edges are level perfect and the shells are well constucted and have a slightly dark well sanded finish applied to the interiors. Gives them a cool look between the well finished interiors and the blonder bare bearing edges with the clear G1's on the bottom of the rack toms. These are the best intermediate shells I've seen out there.

Tuning and sound. I removed the stock heads which I will say are pretty nice heads just not for me. I put EC2's/G1's on. I mentioned above the threads and lug receivers being well made and fitting so nicely together...I was able to go finger tight almost to the point of getting some resonance out of the heads before seating them with a key. After I got the heads seated these were extremely easy drums to tune. My pearl VMX maples took me at least a week if not longer of trying different tunings and it always seemed like I never could get the tone quite right without alot of mixing and was fiddling with them all the time. I put an emad2 batter on the bass drum and the bass drum is super punchy like a kick in the gut with lot's of low end. Again easy to tune. With the bearing edges so perfect and clean all of the heads just tuned right up without any odd ripples or ringing. I'm not into ringy toms. These drums have such a sweet sound with just the right amount of pitch bend and resonance with no odd overtones to try and tune away. Just that sweet dooowww sound. The drop in pitch between the 10 - 12 - 14 - 16 tom's is spot on, very focused, distinct with nice projection. This has always been my experience with Birch drums thus what I perceive the term "Naturally Eq'd" to mean. Never had quite the same experience with Maple drums that are usually more one dimensional and require more tweaking and mixing to achieve the same drop result. (Don't spank me maple lovers! I'm not saying maple is bad just takes more work to get a great sound IMO)

I'll be doing more recording on them tonight and see how they mic up but I have no doubts this will be just as impressive. I'll post samples and pictures next. BTW- I'm going to continue to use my 6x14 Pearl Masters MCX snare so I cannot speak about the included Siverstar snare for now.

[marko138]

Pictures. Let's see 'em!

[tah821]

pictures. Let's see 'em!

+1!!!!!!!!

[Russ]

Great review, seemed very honest and detailed. Curious though, why the sudden change? Were you unhappy with your visions? Or did you feel a birch kit would suit your purposes better than a maple one? Admittedly I have had similar issues dialing in maple kits, but never had the ability to get that second dedicated studio kit I always wanted. Congratulations on the score though man, glad it's all working out for you and everything. Have a lot of fun with that one!

[Kazaamski]

BTW- I'm going to continue to use my 6x14 Pearl Masters MCX snare so I cannot speak about the included Siverstar snare for now.

You have 2 hands. You can use both. Keep time with the left foot.

[almostmatt1]

Great review! And can't wait for pics

[Bish]

Having had mine for a couple of months I agree with this review. TBH, I think you've spent more time with your kit than I have with mine.

Today could be the day I spend some one on one time with them.

[Timmkatt]

First the Pics...Then Read on:

The Tama's:





My Pearl Vision's:






As you can see the Tama is beautiful Kit! Sadly I could not get it to record well. I was experiencing "Noise" and had I taken the time I'm sure I could have worked it out but as I listened back to my Pearl recordings they were so clean, heavy with more volume. The thinner shells and birch just did not match up. I stand by my review, they are well made great drums but probably more suited to jazz but as I said had I spent more time I could have got them to where I wanted. I put my pearls back up and returned the Tama's yesterday and had an epiphany...How about an electronic practice set? I picked up the Roland TD4...No more longing at 10pm wanting to play the drums. Now I have the best of both worlds. My acoustic set when I can play it and the Roland which I can just throw on some headphones and play anytime. This little set is the perfect practice set and so cool! I'll post more on that set later as i'll be playing with it most of today.

[Bish]

Those Visions are just stunning!

[kaosotis]

TK I'm curious which model Visions you have. Interesting that the Silverstars seem more oriented towards lighter music. I've been eyeing them, but maybe they aren't the best fit then as I would only get another birch kit if it had a little power.

[Timmkatt]

Pearl VMX all Maple shells. I don't want to discourage anyone from getting the Tama's it just turned out they were not for me. I just get in those moods and read a little of the buzz about a new kit on the market and start thinking it is going to be strikingly better than what I have. I should know better. I'm going to post about the Roland next...this thing is awesome!

[bluepear2000]

I totally agree with the review. Ive had mine since feb. and havent been disappointed at all. Ive loved em from the start!

[late8]

I have the Pearl ECX (Export Custom) all maple shells and they are really good sounding drums....thanks for the review!!!!!

[imperialstar15]

Nice vision's you got there....

But man, to me, that silvertstar was the real beauty, sorry you two didn't work-out.....

[kyle102565]

i love my ole Pearl.
i think ill go hug it, be right back!
the birch hit your ears the wrong way eh?

[jdizzle0209]

I've recorded several hours worth of material with my silverstar jazz kit and it recorded so good it made me question paying thousands of dollars for my Starclassic bubinga. I'm not just saying that either. These Silvestars are unbelievable and be looked over. They sound so good, so smooth, and cut really well on top of it. They have punch, they have power, they have beautiful tones. I've been playing my Starclassic bubinga since 2006 so that is what my ears have been used to and I bought the Silverstar to lug around to save my SC's the road ware. I was thinking that there was no possible way they could sound anywhere close to as good as my SC's but they sound like drums that should cost 1500-2000 dollars. The Silverstars will rock your world, believe me