Tama's new Starclassic Bubinga Cordia drum set

A work of art. But does the throne come in soft Corinthian leather?
A work of art. But does the throne come in soft Corinthian leather?

Got close to eight thousand smackers just laying around that you don't know what to do with? Well, you could blow it all on wine, women, and song. But if you're a drummer, chances you'll want to check out Tama's beautious new Starclassic Bubinga Cordia series. (The wine, women, and song are sure to follow.)

In all honesty, the brilliance of the colors and composition of this kit are so astonishing, we don't know where it belongs more -- a museum or a concert stage. In the early Eighties, one of Tama's most unique finishes was cordia, utilized in their popular Arstar kits. Drum aficionados have long asked for a return of this beautifully grained wood, and so Tama, the first major drum maker to craft all bubinga drum sets (such as their popular Starclassic Bubinga and Bubinga Omni-Tune series) has responded in more ways than one: the Starclassic Bubinga Cordia series combines the rich, warm, and versatile tone of 100% African bubinga wood with the striking sightlines of the cordia finish.

Specs includes a 20" x 22" bass drum, a 6.5" x 10" tom tom, a 7" x 12" tom tom, a 12" x 14" floor tom, a 14" x 16" floor tom, a 6" x 13" snare drum. And what kit would be complete without a 14" x 20" gong bass drum, on its own wheels no less? The shells are made of eight inner-plies of bubinga with one outer ply of cordia.

You have your choice of chrome-plated, brushed nickle-plated, or black nickle-plated (pictured) shell hardware. Sticks, we believe, come separately, but hey, when you're going for the gusto, you've got to go all the way, right?

The Tama Starclassic Bubinga Cordia series isn't for every drummer. With a list price of $7,855.00 U.S., one should possess the kind of chops to go along with that bread. But if you're a serious player looking for a high-end work of art, it gets no better than this.

The MusicRadar team

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