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RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

Thunder — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:37:58 GMT

I have two 6.5 Imperialstar snares. One is regular and the other has the extended snare out over the edge of the shell option. They both have die cast hoops and I removed the internal mufflers.

Great snares. I keep thinking I need a supra sonic or an acrolite but the Imperialstars kick butt.

The one with extended snares is lower in pitch.

RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

furnace — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 17:45:09 GMT

Anyone have a muffler available?

~B

RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

newrockband2 — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 03:03:58 GMT

Hi All. I have a question about an old 5 1/2 x 14 Imperialstar steel snare drum. It's from the early 1980's. Definitely pre 1985. It has the one touch tone control. It has a strainer system on it I've never seen before: The tension is on the butt end of the snare, and on the release end, is a two piece mechanism that falls AWAY from the drum when released. It doesn't move along side the drum, as most strainers do.

Does anyone have a clue as to what this strainer is called, and what year(s) it was produced? And lastly, the drum came with two sets of rims from the previous owner, regular triple flanged rims and also die cast hoops. Does anyone know which set of rims would be original to the drum, based on the strainer?

Thanks for any help. Please email me directly at newrockband2@aol.com.

(I will also have another 5 1/2 deep Tama Imperialstar steel shell for sale, if any one is interested. This is the Master Craft model from the early 80's which uses the Rolling Bed strainer, not the parallel strainer)

RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

drummerbum — Sun, 28 Nov 2004 00:51:04 GMT

Hey... I hate to bring topics back from the dead, but here we go...

I've got an imperialstar snare, too. I got it for free... was out jamming with a guitarist, and spied a snare case in the corner of his garage while I was tearing down. Asked him about it... said his parents had a mix-match kit years ago, and got rid of all but the snare. I traded him an effects pedal I'd found somewhere I got for free.

It was covered in tape and other nasty stuff. Cleaned it, replaced a couple of little washers, and reheaded. Wohoo! Great drum. I really love that little puppy... great tone, great crack, and yes, one of the best cross stick sounds I've ever heard. Mine's 5 or 5.5 deep, has diecast hoops, a standard (nonparallel) strainer, and a nifty internal muffler that can be adjusted, then turned completely on/off. Cool drum!

I may be picking up a whole Imperialstar kit this week, if I'm lucky. Unless it's got cool sizes, I'll probably sell it. I'm hoping that the drum on the kit, should I get it, is the opposite of mine: Flanged 6.5 with the beefy snare mech.

Enjoi,

drummerbum

RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

Mr Goodbytes — Mon, 15 Nov 2004 10:27:50 GMT

Give me a wood snare any day. It may not cut as much as a metal drum, but it just sounds so much... woodier

RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

PtTim — Mon, 15 Nov 2004 10:21:53 GMT

Have one Tama steel snare. They have decent sound and projection. Actually, I am a fan of steel/metal snares anyway, absolutely LOVE my acro and supras!!!!!!

RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

Mr Goodbytes — Sun, 14 Nov 2004 19:02:06 GMT

If you don't want it, I'll "dispose" of it for you

RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

Beer 182 — Sun, 14 Nov 2004 17:59:13 GMT

Yeah, I had one. Sold it.

RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

rudiment-baga — Sun, 14 Nov 2004 17:51:13 GMT

Yeah...I've had one since the early '80s and everything's broken on it now....it's useless.

I'm not saying that it's a bad drum though. I recorded with it and the engineers and soundmen never bitched about it. It was a workhorse for me throughout the '80s and it took an incredible amount of abuse. The damn thing is as heavy as a tank too.

If I could find parts I would even consider fixing it for ****s and grins.

RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

jada — Sun, 14 Nov 2004 15:14:40 GMT

The pic I attached was from ebay - apparently that particular drum was selling for $220 as (buy-now price). That cant be too bad?

RE: Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

Doggo — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 10:39:06 GMT

Please, can we stop it with the ImperialsStar praise? Just for a while? Just until I have a chance to buy one on the cheap?

Thanks. I'll let you know when I've bought mine. Then we can all talk about how great they are. And watch the prices go up.

Tama ImperialStar Snare Drum

jada — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 04:53:47 GMT

Posted the below message on BWs site, but give it another try here. Good to be back! Kind of agree with the comment about feeling as in a library over at BWs - although the site was otherwise very nice.

________________

Hi guys, some equipment talk. I bought a used 6.5X14 Tama ImperialStar back in 1989 (yes, getting old). The shell is some kind of metal (steel shell?/chrome finish) and the drum has one of those internal muffling devices as well as two snare adjustment knobs. Serial number is 174344. The drum looks like the one in the attachmet (if that works), except from a slightly different snare bed and the sorry fact that my drum aint in this apparent mint condition..

Me being away from drumming for far too many years, the drum has just been in the closet for most of that period. After taking up drumming again about a year ago, I decided to dust the drum and provide it with a new batter head. I just bought the first I came across in the store, which was a coated Remo Ambassador. So I recently replaced the snare drum that came with my Yamaha Stage Custom Advantage set (which I find to be a very nice bang for the bucks).

Cutting to the chase: The drum sounds absolutely fantastic! Cross-stick may even sound too loud unless I restrict myself, and the rimshots has kind of a "soft"/dampened quality, i.e no metallic overtones. Its easy to tune and the two adjustment knobs give me easy access to a variety of sounds. Furthermore, the internal muffling eliminates the need for any rings or pads etc.

So, does anyone else have experiences with this drum, and can anyone - based on the serial number - date the drum for me?