Tama Imperialstar 5-piece Drum Kit Review - Sweetwater Sound
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- Опубликовано: 18 сен 2024
- Get the Tama Imperialstar acoustic drum kit here: www.sweetwater....
In this video I am playing the Tama Imperialstar 5-Piece Kit. Other then a pair of drum sticks and a throne, this drum kit comes with everything you need to get started right out of the box and it all comes at an amazing price. Buying an affordable kit can be a little scary but TAMA has taken the guesswork out it all for you and put together quality drums, hardware, and cymbals so you can get right to making music and not break the bank.
When I was young and just starting out I had a hodgepodge of different things just to make up a kit. It was just the way I had to do it then. There wasn't the opportunity to buy a matched set up. TAMA has put together a quality drumkit that you may buy as a beginner but will grow with you as you improve as a musician and last you a lifetime.
What's in the box
The kit comes with a 5" x 14" snare drum, 9" x 12" and 8" x 10" rack toms, a 14" x 16" floor tom, and an 18" x 22" kick drum. The shells are 8-ply/7.5mm and made from poplar. Poplar is known for having a medium attack that's neither too bold or too soft, so you can be sure you will have a sound that will be suitable for all kinds of different situations. The drums have precision-crafted bearing edges that allow the drums to ring openly and fully, giving off a wider tuning range. Bearing edges have a huge impact on the sound of drums and I was able to get the drums tuned rather quickly. The drumheads sit on the shell equally all the way around which is very important. If the heads do not sit equally then there is something wrong with either the drum or the head. There was absolutely nothing wrong with any of the Imperialstar drums. The edges were perfect. You will also never have to worry about buzzing, warping, or lifting of the wrapped finish because the wrap is glued to 100% of the shell for maximum contact, unlike some drum shell wrapped finishes which are only spot-glued. All of that just made for a nice warm sounding and very playable drum set.
The hardware that comes with the Imperialstar is based on TAMA's high-end Roadpro series and was lightweight but very stable and easy to set up. The set comes with a cymbal stand, a boom cymbal stand, a Hi-Hat stand, a snare stand, a comfortable HT25 drum throne, a tom mount, and a very nice feeling Iron Cobra 200 series kick drum pedal.
The icing on the cake is that you also get a set of quality Meinl HCS cymbals. You get 14" HCS Hi-Hats matched with a 16" HCS crash and a 20" HCS ride.
I enjoyed playing these Tama Imperialstar drums. The drums and hardware are very well made and sound great. Matched with the Meinl cymbals really rounded out the whole experience. The quality of the shell construction made it so I could tune the drums to many different pitches and they gave back a warm tone with a crisp attack. The hardware was stable and stayed right where I put it even when hit the drums hard. This complete kit is a great deal!
-- Nick D'Virgilio
Tama is just a phenomenal drum company everything they make is top notch you will never be letdown with tama
I have this drum kit and I am still blown away and amazed at how good it sounds and looks for the price
Nick could manage to sell air to people. This kit is so fantastic!
I have an Imperialstar, changed the heads to coated Vintage Emperors, by Remo, and I use the Zero rings, the Tom's sound warm and punchy, the 10 inch was the weakest, I had to use an Ambassador or Evan's G1 coated. Overall the quality and sound are great for the money. The bass drum is comparable to a high end kit. I have a Cx PDP- DW maple and in my opinion it's the same sound as a DW collector's, no lie, and the Imperialstar bass is too to toe with it. I play live with my DW because of the big full sound I get out of maple, but if I record, my Imperialstar drums will win the battle, these Tama drums tune easy, if you know how to tune, and sound nice and dry. Downside. The plastic bass drum hoops, are horrible, get a set of maple and some claw hooks. I would suggest getting a better Snare, some like the snare, but it was not there. My suggestion to Tama, make a 10 ply snare. You can get an old Ludwig Accrolite, or get an upgraded snare , Tama makes some nice ones or PDP for the money. The hardware, will last 20 yrs to life, you can keep this hardware and trade the shells in for a higher end, and save money. My suggestion, keep these drums, you'll get better drums later on if you just started, but if you tune theseright, you'll still play them. Unless you buy an off brand, no major company makes cheap intermediate kits, except for maybe DDrum, my opinion only. No sense in paying 3 grand for a kit when the intermediate drum sets are incredible in today's market. Same with cymbals. SABIAN XSR, XS20, Paiste PST7, and Zildjian S series, all great cymbals under $549.99 a set. When I was a kid in the eighties any set like the Tama Imperialstar, Superstar, Gretsch Catilna, Yamaha SC Birch, or Mapex Crossover, and Armory or PDP concept would all be considered professional drums back in the day. Parents cant go wrong with Tama or any of the above drums. They'll last a lifetime. The days of paying 3000 bucks for a kit are over, unless you're rich, on tour getting endorsed, or retired and spending some mad money from your 401K as a retirement gift; there is no sense in paying the price for the elite top lines anymore, unless you're endorsed by the major players and getting it free or at cost. Now, the average working Joe, and parents can give their kids great drums and cymbals without taking a mortgage out to pay them. Just listen to Nick's videos on the Superstars which are a step up from Imperialstar. Amazing, you cant get any more pro than that sound.
Yeah I my 10" is weak too. Did you find a fix? Or you just used the coated head for it?
I have a Tama superstar classic 7 piece drumset and I agree those are as pro as pro gets
I bought the 6- piece version recently and have loved playing it in the small time I’ve been able to. It has a beautiful tone and is so fun to beat on.😁
Just picked this up for $280 off a guy in town, had no idea it was this kit, i got an absolute stellar deal and really happy about it.
Just bought this kit in the matte black finish and I'm super excited to unbox it 😁
Jessica Whittle How much?
I have this kit but if you put single ply heads on it, don't expect it to tune easily....especially if you're new to tuning. Overall it's a great kit with the right upgrades on the heads
I love the sound of this drummer!!!!
Thinking of changing over from Yamaha to Tama after watching this video
Jay Skowneski do it man. I did the exact same thing and couldn’t be happier. Tama is superior in every way possible not just to Yamaha but every other drum company imo. I have a 5 piece tama starclassic BB hyperdrive kit with the new updated hardware tama brought down from the flagship star drums and got them at an amazing affordable price 1900 shipped straight from the tama warehouse. Can’t beat that price. Or if u want something little cheaper the silverstar or superstar custom hyperdrives or superstar classics are all amazinggggg prices and no other company can compete with the quality and sound tama gives you for the price.
Great review and awesome playing! I have this kit and it sounds fantastic with the right heads and tuning! Up there with some if the pro level line!
Ordered a black 6 piece from you guys based mostly on this video. Sick playing and seems like a great value
This one best sounding and a very affordable drumkit that you can find in the market, i currently own in a candy apple mist, and wow i must say it sound good and best for live rock gigs
Nick d' virgilio is sick! Check out a song called edge of the in between of the x album from spocks beard.
The imperialstar is much better than the pearl export imo. Plus much better hardware. Now they even come in the hyperdrive sizes. Wish I got this kit back in the day when I was starting out instead of an export.
Andy Ham I agree with you. I have this kit in a matte black finish and not only does it look pro but it sounds pro too for poplar shells they sound great just put some good heads on em and your ready to go
@@matthewkramer8324 Like what kind? Remo ... ?
@@ColtraneTaylor Any brand will do but go for two ply heads for batter heads. The heads that are on these are Chinese made. Cheap and mostly crappy. You could put Remo Pinstripes on the tom-toms, maybe on the kick batter and the snare. Or an Evans EMAD on the bass drum. Basically, just change out all the batter side heads with professional sounding drum heads.
Sounds so good! Why we need DW or other expensive drums? This is enough!
Yes bro
Nice kit. Been pounding on my TAMA drums for years. Love them. 😎
I just bought my son his first set I got him the same ones in a 6 piece in the candy apple red and yes it came with everything not just shells I paid 799 I think it was a good deal hopefully he sticks with it lol
Yeah it does I have the kit
Certain music shop change a few things before sell it to the customer, some Imperial Star didn't come with the cymbals, some load with not Iron Cobra etc.. they took advantage from the package
You should do a cymbal stand tom mount review
Sound real sweet
The kit sounds really good, those toms rock! I have a quick question: is it possible to have a 12" and 13" toms combo instead of this 10" and 12" one? Also, would anyone recommend using coated Remo batterheads and 1-ply resonant heads on the toms? Thanks!
Hi +Juan Cristobal Collado. Thanks for checking out the video. Please give us a call at 800-222-4700 or email us at sales@sweetwater.com and we'll be able to answer all of your questions. Thanks!
I'm pretty sure it's only the 10 and 12 for this kit
Sure, there is a 12' and 13' combo, five years ago I purchased one and still rock! I used remo and evans... hydraulic/coated and I would rate remo pinstripe on toms, very versatile sound and clean (Evans genera dry on snare or remo ambassador)
I use the Tama Imperial Star drums but the midnight blues finish. I have 12 and 13 inch rack toms, 22x18 bass drum, a 16 inch floor tom, and a black nickel 14x5 metal snare
I have this drum set and i love it and also does come with everything the only flaw in the whole thing is the heads that come with it. The heads in my opinin is really bad but other than that it is a killer deal. Good Job Tama/Sweetwater
I play the Tama swingstar at the church, and it has an amazing sound.
You just need to change the heads, I put Evans, but no, Remo Ambassador heads are the best for this set, and in second place Aquarian heads, the super 2 heads.
Love the kit! The only thing I would change would be to buy some remo heads for the top of the toms then tune them for the heads
I have this kit and it sounds great and so fun to play!!!
this man should work at gutiar center drum area
That kick, though... 👍
One question, is this kit a high enough quality for an intermediate drummer or in other words not a beginner??
In my opinion this kit is quite good and will totally work for an intermediate drummer. One thing I would consider, for that intermediate drummer, is to upgrade the cymbals. Those cymbals are fine for a beginning drummer but once you start moving up the drumming ladder some higher end cymbals will really add a lot to the overall sound - and there are a lot of killer cymbal options that wont break the bank. So if it is an option it is something to consider.
I hope that helps.
Take care, Nick
SweetwaterSound cheers
INAUDIATIOSNESS 43 ye
s
It’s good enough for a professional drummer too! If you put good heads on them and tune them well, they’ll sound as good as any kit that costs 2 grand.
Absolutely dude, and it will last you forever. I have one of these, I got it about a year and a half ago from a friend, so it's probably around 8+ years old. It's spent a lot of that time in a Texas garage, so it's had its fair share of bad weather. Even so, I took my snare and toms in a couple weeks ago to get new batter heads for the first time in the kit's life (the kick still doesn't need new heads yet), and the drum tech remarked on how good the condition of everything was. He was very surprised when I told him what it had been through. Definitely do upgrade the cymbals though. I added a few Sabian B8s, and those pair very nicely.
Also, your profile pic is my favorite of QOTSA's albums. Joey Castillo is the man!
I recently just purchased one. Thou i do know that they now come with matching bass drum wood hoops. Mine still have the acetone. Is there a way to replace th acetone hoops with the wood hoops? Also 2nd question. can i ad extra toms to this set.
The link in the video (the corner) is the a Ludwig Element Evolution set.
Sounds great....But I love the way 80s imperialstar looks ...way better, bigger lugs and bass drum tension rods were also better ....Just seems like it was made better back in the day.
I’m on the fence... Tama Imperialstar or Ludwig Element Evolution?
Hi, Joe. Both are excellent drum kits and are a great value for the money. To make sure we help you find the right drum for you needs, I would suggest giving us a call to go over all of the details. Thanks for you interest!
Mike Wuchter, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1789, michael_wuchter@sweetwater.com
Nice color.
Not sure but is this the modern version of the Tama Rockstar kits from 1990?
Although back in 1990, I don’t remember any tama kits that came with cymbals and hardware.
Anyways, I miss my white Tama Rockstar kit. That kit got ALOT of miles put on it and it always held up to my abuse although I kept good care of it. It had almost identical lugs to Sonar drums and some people actually thought I had a sonar kit.
Good memories.
I shouldn’t of sold it.
This is a reboot of the vintage Imperial Star kits from the 70s.
Wow! Unique!
it's my kit..black wood.....the grey is beautiful..
2 years ago mounted remo ambassador coated also on bass drum there are fantastic.
do you have a review for the new imperialstar? and the latest pearl export?
Listening to it , it sounds pro.
Hi wat computer os used n Harris jayaraj studio details
killer bass drum for its price!
the fact that tama sells 6 piece drum set with cymbals and throne under $1000
Just picked up a used Imperialstar shell pack in like new condition for $150….felt like I should have been wearing a mask….
What drumheads go well with poplar wood??? (Reso and Batter) Greetings :)
Did he switch out threads on the kit or do those heads come with the kit when you buy it?
What do you all think is better? this or the export EXX?
I was wondering if this is a good kit for heavy metal drumming and if not, what would be a good metal kit below 700$
It is, make sure you get the 22" kick though. The Tama Superstar is also great for metal, but I think it's around $900 with all the options.
It's the metal set the punch that tama has was made for rock and metal
Seems like a good set for just about any genre and cheap tho the heads are pretty terrible and if replaced great can't beat it.
sounds good, but you didnt mention the stock fells suck. And i see Remos on this kit...
angrychair the stock heads suck he put Remo heads on em because he wanted them to sound good and with good heads they do he never mentioned the Remo heads come with the kit it's not fauls advertising personally I like Evan heads thoe
Good for metal music?
Could you use this kit for metal?
What kind of drum heads are you using? They don't sound like the heads that come with the kit
imasicmaggot he just pitched 'em a little bit higher
Is this kit good for gospel
Do they come with Remo heads?
at first I thought this was the Tama Swingstar kit. did they discontinue that series?
They did, I think the Imperialstar replaced it.
I had a swingstar a long time ago had to get rid of it because I was moving and had no room for it now I have a tama imperialstar I just wish I still had the swingstar because it was my first kit I believe they had mahogany shells
Did it really come with everything what I thought it is only a shell pack and what I notice is the cymbals where from meinl did it really comes with that Tama drum set ?🤔
Led Jovi there's a shell pack or one that comes with everything
+Alex LD thx for tellin me
Pyro _ it comes with everything minus the drum sticks. I just purchased this kit and it sou,ds great. All meinl cymbals and hardware are included with
pls recommend me which is better, pearl export 725 or tama imperialstar?
I've heard arguments for both, but I can tell you that I love my Imperialstar. Mine's 8+ years old, and it's still a fantastic kit.
Tama imperialstar
Fuee
Hi
I have a lars ulrich and justice for all kit , 9 peice
no you don't
+nycjin816 watch my videos before u think I'm lying
+marvin Hanson sadly I did. just because you have a 9 pc set, how does that make it and justice for all or related to lars?
It came with a signed bass drum head
if dave lombardo signs my bass drum head, do i now have a slayer reign in blood kit?
Why did you change the stock heads?
Stock heads are usually cheap garbage
should I get the pdp mainstage or the tama imperialstar?
Builder of thy Bricks Tama imperial star
Matthew yes
as a tama geek yes go for tama
Do we get drum heads included in it?
Yes
Bottom heads?
I'm getting this kit next week . In my country it's a bit more expensive (about 850$) but still I think it's great value . Will it last long enough ?I'm getting it to begin drums but I want it to be my drum set for at least 6 years . thats still a lot of money for me . will it last ?
I think it could.
I've had this kit since I started playing drums, which would be about 7 years ago. And to this day, i still use it. Although i recently nad to vhange my heads. It is a nice starter kit, and maybe even for semi-pro.
Can it play metal?
could I use a double bass pedal though?
yes. you can use a double pedal on like any kick drum ever.
No this bass drum eats doble pedals.
How much does it cost?
PeneloCent usually about 700
I got a 20 inch bass of this drum set on accident
Does it come with the throne?
+Walter White nope. Everything it comes with is in the description
yes
Yes throne cymbals kick pedal and hardware all included with the shells
how would it do in the studio
where is it made china or japan??
I believe the tama imperial stars are made in China and Tamas more expensive kits are made in Japan. But the imperialstars sound just as good as there more expensive kits to be honest it's a great set of shells.
No all tama is Japan
@@mikestein1024 china for sure..
Well crap, I always leave my drums outside in 120 degree heat for five days in a row. This kit wont work for me
my tablet says sweet waters unsafe web site hmm
Pearl export is better
Nope
Yamaha sounds better imo