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Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit

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1Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Empty Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Wed Mar 02, 2016 3:51 am

Racman

Racman

Hello - Just thought I share a bit on my most recent investment. By that I mean not a very expensive one but rather a reasonable one that serve my purpose well for the kinds of music I'm doing lately. I would say this is a great kit for the beginner, yet meeting the needs of a professional asking for high-end engineering. cheers  The finish is called "Blue Chameleon Sparkle. It actually changes colors under various light angles - very cool.

I'm barking about the latest rendition to Tama's earlier version of the Silverstar Metro-Bop Kit. I was somewhat hesitant on them for mainly two reasons; One, being priced cheap and secondly the improvement on the bass drum rims. The cost dropped in at $399.00 from a online company called Full Scope. It usually tags between $450 or higher. For the past two weeks, I've researched and watched many videos on it and made, I felt, an intelligent investment. As to the bass drum; the first Metro series used a regular triple-flange rim, which made it appear as though a floor tom was placed on it's side. But with the real deal of a finished wooden birch hoop, you not only get better aesthetics but also improved sound projection. It sound huge when tuned right - thus referred to as the little monster! It took most of the day tuning the kit just where I wanted them - sounds fantastic!

It was delivered at my shop door just this afternoon which was cool because I didn't expect it until another 4-5 days but the company I ordered it from was extremely fast coming in just 3 days! I really love it and my vintage snare works just fine with it. The shells resonates very well and the shalowness of the shells (Tama's Hyperdrive design) tends to project a nice round/sharp projection played either light or heavy. The drums don't fight ya but has a good stick rebound when hit right. The kick is very adaptable to any style of music simply by tuning accordingly. So far I can see it working well with the jazz gig I do at the club. Tama as you may know is reknown for their kicks; this little monster weighing in at only 16" circumference packs a big punch and deep tone while tuning high gives that sort of vintage warm sustain. My personal opinion is that out of most low-end kits today, Tama is taking the lead in inexpensive but yet maintaining quality and craftsmanship found in their higher end kits. 90% of the manufacturing of these kits mimics their high-end counterpart. The only difference between this kit and it's competitors is minus the snare. But then you would rather have your own choice of a snare....right?

Cons:
1 - The batter head on the high tom especially could be swapped (e.g. Evans - Remos, etc.)
2 - Floor tom legs could've been higher. It was just slightly a bit low from my usual higher floor tom setup but I can see it being an issue with a very tall person.

Specks;
Bass drum(s): 16" x 14"
Tom(s): 10" x 6-1/2"
Floor tom(s): 13" x 11"
Snare: Not applicable
Total pieces: 3
Shell material: Birch
Construction: 6-Ply
Thickness (mm): 6.0
Bearing edge: 45°
Bass Drum floor riser

So if you're in the market for a second quality kit that won't bust your pocket - a kit that's practical, solid and smaller that fits just about any genre of music check out Tama's latest development in their 100% all birch Silverstar Metro Kit. I'm really happy with it and you just might be as well.

Again folks, this is my opinion and yes, It's more than sufficient for me and am very happy with this buy.

Shalom (peace and wholeness)!


Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Tamash10


Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Tama_m11

Bass Drum riser included. Raises it for near-perfect center beater attack. Drum resonates better.


Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Tama_m12

http://www.glennracoma.com

2Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Empty Re: Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:42 pm

D. Slam

D. Slam

Interesting, Rac... Very nice!!  Here's a kit I just bought about a year and a half ago.

Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit SONOR+SE+SAFARI+BLACK+GALAXY+SPARKLE


3Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Empty Re: Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Sat Mar 05, 2016 3:31 am

Racman

Racman

Yes D she is quite nice indeed....Oooops! I I take that back - "Your Kit" sounds very nice! Lol! Isn't it great carrying a smaller kit around for gigs like this? Not only that but they are more than sufficient enough to handle these kinds of playing. It took me the first set (1/2 hour) to get use to playingthem because of the size but never the less once you get the feel of it the skies the limit on what you can do with them.

Thanks for sharing that clip. You guys are fantastic! Hey, send your keyboard player over here in Hawaii. We can use him. Lol!! You guys sound great together.

Shalom (God's peace and wholeness),
Rac


Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Img_1711

http://www.glennracoma.com

4Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Empty Re: Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Sat Mar 05, 2016 3:53 am

D. Slam

D. Slam

They're nice, Rac but in truth, I almost got rid of
that kit because I just wasn't using it that much.

Lately however I've been doing a lot of restaurants,
jazz clubs and gigs like what you see in the clip.
They've really come in handy so I'm glad I kept them.

That clip was a gig I got a call to do on the spur of
the moment.  I met the keyboard player THAT day.
No rehearsals.

And yes, Amber is quite beautiful. sunny flower

5Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Empty Re: Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Sat Mar 05, 2016 11:59 pm

Racman

Racman

I met the keyboard player THAT day. No rehearsals.
D
____________________________________________

I think that's an edge as jazz players have doing gigs like this. We tend to improve and feel the music through especially the classic songs. Dynamics, listening and sensitivity to other players has a lot to do with the success of playing in situations like this one. However, pass Thursday night at my jazz gig our bass player was just not happening. He's been playing out of key lately and that can be troublesome, especially for our guitar player who's constantly turning to him trying to get him back in key. As for me, I just keep on keeping on the groove playing straight in hopes that would help.

We had a large crowd that night being that Santana was in town (down a block) from the club. They had their early evening drinks and left for the concert. Never the less, they stayed most of our time there. Was a nice evening and we all had fun....especially me on my new kit LOL!!!!

Thanks for sharing.

http://www.glennracoma.com

6Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Empty Re: Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Sun Mar 06, 2016 7:10 am

D. Slam

D. Slam

I think that's an edge as jazz players have doing gigs like this. We tend to improve and feel the music through especially the classic songs. Dynamics, listening and sensitivity to other players has a lot to do with the success of playing in situations like this one.

I totally agree, Rac.  Having an understanding of
the fore-mentioned attributes is imperative when
doing music of this nature on the fly. imho.

As is being in tune! affraid

Yep, your bass player has definitely got to get a
handle on that one!

7Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Empty Re: Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Mon Mar 07, 2016 12:15 pm

kenny

kenny

You played really nicely on that tune D! Perfect for the song. That gal is great. I am amazed how I can get my little Ludwig break beat kit to sound full even get the toms sounding deep and I was using them for everything. but for bigger gigs I've gone back to my tama Royalstars. Sometimes i gotta have a BASS drum. I bet the metro bop kit is higher quality and can be tuned sufficiently for bigger gigs.

http://www.balkanmusic.org

8Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Empty Re: Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Tue Mar 08, 2016 2:36 am

Racman

Racman

I bet the metro bop kit is higher quality and can be tuned sufficiently for bigger gigs.
Kenny
___________________________________________________________________

Thanks Kenny for your reply here. What I got from researching  smaller and cheaper kits is that drummers are looking at portability and ease during setup and breaking down. This is a fairly new trend that economics and the need for portability and affordability entails. Factored into this would be sound and some descent quality for the buck. These kits will usually be either backups or kits that are capable of handling various kinds of music. It's a huge challenge for the drum industry when you think about the ever changing consumerism on product and demand. It's like walking on a car lot with $500. demanding a new BMW! Of course that would be ludicrous but not so with the manufacturing of drums. With recent technology materials can be manufactured at cost in countries we avoid placing confidence in. As a result, there maybe skimping on alloys but still produce sound material that makes for a very good kit and pleasing to a professional...in other words yes, without being bias, it's made in China. But Tama, in collaboration with these countries, holds the driver seat when it comes to manufacturing their products and maintaining their high level of brand and ingenuity in the industry.

Material Comparison:
For example; If you hold an original Japanese Tama Starcast hoop in hand and compare the weight with a foreign manufactured cast or triple flange hoop you will feel a slight weight difference due to the alloy content that was taken out during production "hence" lighter piece of equipment to haul.  However, Do Not Mistaken sacrificing alloy when it comes to finding affordable cymbals - you get what you pay for but then again we get the best that our budget will afford at the time. Back to the hoops; Unless you're a gorilla going about bending hoops, whatever was omitted out of these materials still maintains a fairly solid hoop. So what we have here is a fair amount of quality retained, resulting in a lower price tag. Same goes for the shells. There are various percentages of maple concocktions as they are birch but yet holding enough body content that characterizes a maple or birch shell. How Tama produces their lower-end birch is mind boggling because they're stating, in their ads, 100% birch and I believe it - now that I actually own one of these kits. A friend had his kit miked and the bass drum being a 16" sounded like a 22" and the toms were fairly deep. An attribute that makes these drums sing is the bearing edge of the shells. Tama states that at the very edge of it's 35 - 45 degree angle is a subtle roundness that aids in the contact of the batter to the shell. Never the less, I will still firmly press the center of a new head while tightening the tuning rods -  a tip that Dave Weckel sometime ago suggested when placing new heads on a drum.

Finally Buttoning it up:

I've been playing the original Japanese Tama Starclassic Birch drums (below) for the past 12 years and am convinced that these little kits (Metro Bop Kits) pack a punch likened to their counter parts. The 16" bass drum sounds huge and is appropriately known as the little monster. Though it took me a couple of hours tuning these along with replacing the stock head resulting in having a kit that will play just about anything. In fact, I've been using them for jazz and some medium rock as well. It's just a matter of re-tuning to suit the music. And it stays tune very well as I look forward to the next gig. Of course, this is my opinion and personal liken to these drums but I've always gravitated to Tama over the years. However, you and others may differ and that's all cool because it's whatever works and makes "you," Kenny and whoever feel good and creative playing it!

My main Japan made Tama Starclassic 18" kit that plays everything but thicker birch shells and hardware makes for a hefty haul. But I love it never the less!
Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Tama10

And if you read this far, Thanks!


Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Img_1712



Last edited by Racman on Tue Mar 08, 2016 12:43 pm; edited 8 times in total

http://www.glennracoma.com

9Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Empty Re: Tama Silverstar Metro_Bop Kit Tue Mar 08, 2016 3:28 am

D. Slam

D. Slam

Actually, I find that this kit takes just as long to set up
and break down as any kit of 4 pieces with an equal amount
of hardware. The only real difference is the diameter of the
bass drum.  Everything else is basically the same.

Ease of setup and tear down was not so much a factor
for me as was available space in small clubs and restaurants,
along with the accumulation of more jazz dates.

Kenny, thank you for the compliment.

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