Starclassic Bubinga Kit | musicradar.com

Tama Starclassic Bubinga Kit £2937

The MusicRadar Team, Mon 7 Apr, 2:47 pm BST

The purple glitter is just one of 15 finishes offered - shame it covers up the genuinely gorgeous bubings

Manufacturer's description

The next phase in the Starclassic series – Starclassic Bubinga.

Starclassic Bubinga shells are slightly thicker than those in our Starclassic Maple series. Our builders concluded that a slightly thicker Bubinga shell brought out the best characteristics of the wood: a more aggressive attack, a fuller, a deep/dark tone and a more powerful resonance. Like Starclassic Maple, we offer numerous options to meet the professional drummer’s wide and critical needs. There are more than 50 different shell sizes. The use of maple for the outer-ply enables us to offer 15 different shell finishes. Starclassic Bubinga also features three shell hardware finishes to choose from: Black Nickel, Brushed Nickel and Chrome. Starclassic Bubinga is simply an unprecedented combination of sight and sound.

Choice of 3 Metallic Hardware Finishes Black, Nickel, Brushed Nickel and Regular Chrome.

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Verdict

MusicRadar rating: 4 of 5

Pros

Bubinga makes a change from maple or birch and the sound is more extreme, with accentuated highs and lows.

Cons

With bubinga weighing in at 50 percent denser than maple, be prepared for some heavy lifting.

The bottom line

This is a top notch kit that you would expect to sound great, and it doesn't disappoint. The toms are richly melodic, the snare cranks it out and the kick thunders. The newly streamlined Star-Cast mounts are also a definite improvement. The use of bubinga makes a change from maple or birch and our only carp would be that if you're investing in a rare hardwood kit it would be nice to see it au naturel, rather than hiding it under lacquer.

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All MusicRadar’s reviews are by independent product specialists, who are not aligned to any gear manufacturer or retailer. Our experts also write for renowned magazines such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Computer Music, Future Music and Rhythm. All are part of Future PLC, the biggest publisher of music making magazines in the world.

SpecificationShow

Starclassic Bubinga Kit

Price:: £2937
Bass Drum Shell Ply:: 9
Bass Drum Size:: 22 x 18
Colour:: Ultra Violet
Cymbals Included:: false
Drum Kit Components:: 1 x Bass Drum, 1 x Floor Tom, 2 x Tom
Drum Shell Material:: Bubinga
Floor Tom Shell Ply:: 9
Floor Tom Size:: 14 x 16
Hoops Style:: Star-Cast Heavy
Kick Shell Ply:: 9
Manufacturer's Description:: Choice of 3 Metallic Hardware Finishes Black, Nickel, Brushed Nickel and Regular Chrome.
Price at Launch:: 2937
Snare Shell Ply:: 8
Tom Shell Ply:: 9
Tom Size:: 8 x 10, 9 x 12