I have a Gretsch energy drum set with a chrome wrap. I just recently put Evans coated heads on all drums but my kick. Sounds like a vintage drum kit with Zildgian Planet Z cymbals
The first kit my parents ever bought for me was a Swingstar in smokey chrome. I remember sitting in my bedroom just staring at it, not quite believing I actually had something that awesome. This video brought back a lot of memories.
I've always been a big believer in the fact that you can make any drum sound good if you know what you are doing. These drums sound and look fantastic!
Just discovered this and subbed instantly. This is the ultimate tribute to the Tama brand. Their drums of the eighties sounded so much more transparant and open, and you managed to capture that particular sound perfectly. Keep up the great work. Cheers!
His kit sounds amazing. I do own a new set of walnut birch tama star classics. They are truly incredible sounding, but then again, the sound of your own kit is the only thing that matters! :)
@@rolandedrummer9723 Actually, the Swingstar steel snares from the 80s are the same seamless steel shells as the higher-tier ones. They were pretty good!
I had a swingstar with this same finish. I got it in high school. It held up well. Recorded a couple of albums with it and did a couple of regional tours.
I have my original Tama Swingstars “made in Japan” still, bought them in 1984. Just recently pulled them out of storage and will be treating them to a good cleaning and new heads soon. Will hopefully get a video up with how they sound soon. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Great sounding drums!
The swing star was hands down the best sounding kit for the money at the entry level. I bought mine in 1978 9pc jet black. I played clubs for years with that kit very road worthy also. Thanks for sharing this video, that’s a great looking and sounding kit. Peace and God Bless
Wow that Tama kit is Beautiful !!! I love vintage Tama , I have early an 80s Tama Imperialstar in midnight blue , same specs as Stewart Copeland , I had a hard time finding it, but I've always been a fan of vintage Tama. Anyway... Awesome playing and drumkit !!!👍👍
Thank you! Yeah, Tama has always made good stuff. I have a 2018 Superstar Classic and I love it as well. I hope you’re getting to play that old Imperialstar!
Nice playing and thanks for the cool video! 80's MIJ Swingstars are Hands down the best kit "for the money ever made" I still have mine also in Misty Chrome but the early 80's with the "T" badge. To my original 5 piece I've added 8"and 10" toms and an 18" floor that I just found recently.
i bought a brand new Swingstar 4pc jet black shell pack in 85, no snare. I think I paid $485 for them. Used them in a lot of bands and some recordings in the early 90's. Mine had the black Tama T badge, mij
I had a five piece Black Swingstar that was purchased sometime around 1980... and later sold it to a drummer friend who said the set sounded better in the recording studio than some of his other more expensive sets.
Thanks. I just got a tama swingstar and your video helped me learn a little more about this kit. I believe its at least a 8 piece but Im missing the 12 and 14 toms. Mine has one bass drum. I feel like these kits are very unique. If anyone can help me out about finding the size of the missing toms please reply.
I own a Swingstar and a rockstar DX both made in Japan and they are phenomenal drums the 80’s and 90’s Tama kits were on another level Even the stock snares are great with the right tuning
That is one beautiful set of drums. I bought (and still have ) a 7 piece Royal Star that I bought of a guy, but getting spare parts for them was never easy pre-internet ,as TAMA didn't really bother with the UK market. I'm so glad I kept them as I now still have a 1980's era ,original kit of Japanese TAMA.I think if you want Japanese made these days ,it's only the top end kits that are still made there and are beyond the reach ($$$) of most mortals.
I may get my hands on one of these. Same color. White badge. What I like about it is the bass drum size. I think 16x22 is a really good size. Hope I can get my hands on it.
My second drum kit was a 5 piece TAMA SWINGSTAR. The color was SILVER DOLPHIN Very similar to your kits color. I bought it brand new in 1985 from Liberty Music in Framingham MA. which sadly is no longer in business. On a bright note, I sold the kit about 22 years ago to a friend that still has it today!
First kit was a Swing star, 5 piece, then a Royal Star 7 piece [single headed toms] then i went onto maple Ludwigs! That Swingstar kit is beautiful and sounds better than a DW. Great playing also.
nice bought the same Tama Swingstar Misty Chrome Drumkit today on eBay with 22", 12", 13" and 16" Toms for 130€ and I also bought a matching Tama Swingstar Steel Snare in 14"x5" for 100€. greetings from germany
Tama made some nice drums back in the day, and still do but things are a little different now. In any case did you ever consider tom stands and tom extension arms that come off your cymbal stands? Point being take the weight off of those bass drums so the top mount doesn't crack. Just a suggestion. NICE DRUMS EITHER WAY!!!!
Hi Frank. I do understand your concern. However in my 35+ years of playing drums, never once have I experienced any type of cracking or obvious strain on a kick drum shell or mounts due to the weight of rack toms. Any quality drums, like those from Tama, are designed with rack tom weight in mind. As for mounting all of these toms on cymbal stands, I absolutely could do that. In this case however, the size and number of drums makes mounting on stands very awkward and cumbersome.
@@jamesrichardsutton Cool man! Just throwing it out there. Sometimes kits from the 60's 70's and 80's experience weather damage or dampness and you'll see it splinter or the screws fall out from the mount into the drum. Looks like those Tamas though are in great shape. Either way ROCK ON BROTHER!!!!
Cool. My only issue with this kit would be the hi hat placement, which is like two feet away from the snare or you have to raise the 8' over it. Such a pain.
You sound great man, love your technique and control. How Lars is sponsored by Tama I’ll never know. He couldn’t play what you just did in a million years. Nice job and nice kit
I was in a speed metal band back in the 80s (guitarist) and our drummer had a Tama set that looks very similar to this. Gray paint as well, though I don't know if it was the same series as what you have. Same amount of drums though :)
TAMA yes. They sound Great as well as your playing. I have the 82 Imperialstar kit. Always have used coated heads and will be trying clear heads soon on my toms according to what you are using for the batters. Great work James !!!!!!!
I have all my Tama kits. SwingStar in Misty Chrome SuperStars in Candy Apple Red StarClassic BB in Black Gloss Stain. My band buddies always compliment the finish of the SwingStars. Tama and Paiste all the way.
They were better than many higher prized drums. Just like the pearl Export. I Used Rims Conquerer on top and diplomat on the bottom. Some work finishing the inside (sanding, wax-polishing) and the bearing edges. Additionally I dampend the lugs with foam. Good Mikes, some care and they worked perfectly on stage as in the studio.
Man they sound Awesome. I owned 3 sets of Swingstars thru 89-94 but don't have em now & wish I did. Back then ppl frowned on em when tryin to sell em cause they weren't Superstars or Artstars, but knowing how good they were made back then & how they're cherished now for that great sound, wish I'd kept em All. I'm more a Pearl guy now anyways but still, Tama are my next choice other than dw but they are just too expensive, thanks. Btw, u ever think about selling them I'd def be interested
Hold on a minute. I can't believe how good these drums sound through crappy computer speakers. Tama snare too? Great demo. Thank you for this. So if they are not 6000, how much then? After watching more of the info I get the idea they might be rare, so...
i had an '89 Swingstar kit Misty Chrome (Pearl offered that same wrap - my 14 tom was a Pearl)...back when i couldnt afford to replace all the warped hoops...most difficult kit to tune that ive ever had...these on the video were made in Japan...that explains it...one of the kits i have now is a several year old Imperialstar kit ...Much better kit - tunes up perfectly
I had a Tama Rock Star with the same setup -4 mounted toms, double bass, two floor toms, snare and heaps of Zildjian cymbals, red in color. I miss playing.
hello James, first I want to tell you that you are, a very good musician. Voila, I have the same version as you, but the bass drum has ten tie rods, and the snare drum has ten tie rods with reinforcements on the stamp strapping, in 14 x 6.5. The sound is excellent. Goodbye
I had the piano black finish 1987 Swingstar kit with deep toms - likely this very kit with only 5 pcs. But that thing did a lot of great gigs and live shows!
Hi. your drums sound really great. Maybe a little too metal for my taste but that's just a detail. I would have a curiosity. What kind of wood is your swingstar made of?
They sound great ! I have the same 4 piece kit same color too ! and they ring like crazy with thick Aquarian heads and ebony remo reso heads that are thick as well. How do you tune those ?
I have this exact kit and the only thing I don't like it is the tom mounts! I'm a hard hitter so I've broke them a few times! But this is why I'm a Pearl drum snob!
I just stumbled upon this and you talking about your kit gave me tingles I hear so much love and admiration for drums and this kit. Also they sound fantastic and your playing was very tasty.
God that is the same exact set I had back in the late 8o des they sounded so good but they are twins I miss those day . My is Terry valentine . Thank for the memories .i was dam good to if I don't say so myself . Loved life now iam waiting to move see what the next life has in store thank you
Привет тебе из солнечной Сибири ! Установка сказка ) звук восхищает ! А мож поделетиться как настраиваешь тома и альты ? у меня тюнер тама,если можно напиши цифры натяжения на низ и верх пластика ) хочу попробовать в комнате своей эту настройку.отлично звучит
Nice. I was just searching through the US and Japanese catalog archive and saw the red color offerings for the Swingstar back in '86-'88. I saw they had a "dark red" and a "fire red". Is yours a black badge or white badge kit?
Perfect example that you do NOT need a $6,000 kit to sound great. Great playing, tuning, and recording.
Thanks very much, Joe!
Facts!🙃✌🐐
I have a Gretsch energy drum set with a chrome wrap. I just recently put Evans coated heads on all drums but my kick. Sounds like a vintage drum kit with Zildgian Planet Z cymbals
I agree.
Yes but a 6000 dollar drumset is going to sound better in recording
The first kit my parents ever bought for me was a Swingstar in smokey chrome. I remember sitting in my bedroom just staring at it, not quite believing I actually had something that awesome. This video brought back a lot of memories.
These 80's swingstars were on another level great drums.
This is the video you send people to when they say they prefer shallow toms because they want to be melodic. :)
I've always been a big believer in the fact that you can make any drum sound good if you know what you are doing. These drums sound and look fantastic!
Just discovered this and subbed instantly.
This is the ultimate tribute to the Tama brand. Their drums of the eighties sounded so much more transparant and open, and you managed to capture that particular sound perfectly.
Keep up the great work. Cheers!
His kit sounds amazing. I do own a new set of walnut birch tama star classics. They are truly incredible sounding, but then again, the sound of your own kit is the only thing that matters! :)
The whole kit sounds amazing but that snare drum is truly exceptional.
It's like Simon Philips Amazing sound !!!!! Beautifull !!!!
Can't be the one that came with them. As good as the other drums sound the snare drum was not great. I trashed my 85 swingstar snare long ago.
@@rolandedrummer9723
Actually, the Swingstar steel snares from the 80s are the same seamless steel shells as the higher-tier ones. They were pretty good!
Agreed, when he hit that 1st snare shot after rolling the toms, I was awestruck. Sounds better than a modern Supraphonic.
All I really remember about my Swingstars (bought new in 87) were that they were loud as hell and didn't need miked in my High School auditorium.
They sound great man. And I like the RIMS mounts. They really open them up a bit. Great work.
Thanks, Sean! Yeah, they make a considerable difference. It makes sense that most drums come stock with a similar system nowadays.
Great job on head choice, tuning, recording/ mixing and, of course, playing! The tubs sound really good.
I had a swingstar with this same finish. I got it in high school.
It held up well.
Recorded a couple of albums with it and did a couple of regional tours.
I have my original Tama Swingstars “made in Japan” still, bought them in 1984. Just recently pulled them out of storage and will be treating them to a good cleaning and new heads soon. Will hopefully get a video up with how they sound soon. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Great sounding drums!
Please do , really looking forward to your video. We all love old Tama gear
BY FAR the best sounding Swingstar kit I've heard.
god those toms sound so good. 80s tama drums were made with black magic
The swing star was hands down the best sounding kit for the money at the entry level. I bought mine in 1978 9pc jet black. I played clubs for years with that kit very road worthy also. Thanks for sharing this video, that’s a great looking and sounding kit. Peace and God Bless
Amazing sound and great playing. Proving ONCE AGAIN you don't need expensive drums to sound great.
Wow that Tama kit is Beautiful !!! I love vintage Tama , I have early an 80s Tama Imperialstar in midnight blue , same specs as Stewart Copeland , I had a hard time finding it, but I've always been a fan of vintage Tama. Anyway... Awesome playing and drumkit !!!👍👍
Thank you! Yeah, Tama has always made good stuff. I have a 2018 Superstar Classic and I love it as well. I hope you’re getting to play that old Imperialstar!
Same kit as yours mate expect jet black finish love it
Nice playing and thanks for the cool video! 80's MIJ Swingstars are Hands down the best kit "for the money ever made" I still have mine also in Misty Chrome but the early 80's with the "T" badge. To my original 5 piece I've added 8"and 10" toms and an 18" floor that I just found recently.
i bought a brand new Swingstar 4pc jet black shell pack in 85, no snare. I think I paid $485 for them. Used them in a lot of bands and some recordings in the early 90's. Mine had the black Tama T badge, mij
Great playing, and great drums (that sound just as powerful as $20K Sonor Designers) !
I had a five piece Black Swingstar that was purchased sometime around 1980... and later sold it to a drummer friend who said the set sounded better in the recording studio than some of his other more expensive sets.
I am not surprised to hear that, John. These vintage Tama kits consitently sound great, regardless of price point.
Thanks. I just got a tama swingstar and your video helped me learn a little more about this kit. I believe its at least a 8 piece but Im missing the 12 and 14 toms. Mine has one bass drum. I feel like these kits are very unique. If anyone can help me out about finding the size of the missing toms please reply.
I’m a Yamaha guy but Tama was on fire in the late 70s into the 80s.
I think those two probably made each other better.
I've got an old 80's Swingstar 4 piece with a Slingerland snare drum somewhere, I'm going to dig it out!
Oh man! I had a single kick version of this kit. Huge regret selling. Had NO idea how good it was until it was gone.
Great drumming, great kit, and great information! Thanks!
My god I love the sound of power Tom’s!!!!! So much better than all these shallow Tom’s today! Thank you for the video.
I own a Swingstar and a rockstar DX both made in Japan and they are phenomenal drums the 80’s and 90’s Tama kits were on another level
Even the stock snares are great with the right tuning
I have a 1995 Japanese Tama Rockstar 👍
That is one beautiful set of drums. I bought (and still have ) a 7 piece Royal Star that I bought of a guy, but getting spare parts for them was never easy pre-internet ,as TAMA didn't really bother with the UK market. I'm so glad I kept them as I now still have a 1980's era ,original kit of Japanese TAMA.I think if you want Japanese made these days ,it's only the top end kits that are still made there and are beyond the reach ($$$) of most mortals.
This kit sounds incredible!!
You were killing it man 🔥🔥
Now I have to time travel to buy these drum sets!
You sound like a super nice guy too!
I may get my hands on one of these. Same color. White badge. What I like about it is the bass drum size. I think 16x22 is a really good size. Hope I can get my hands on it.
I'm with you. 16" is a great depth for a 22" kick drum. Good luck on your search!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing! I started with a set of these. The old Swingstars and Imperialstars are indestructible, a great value, and sound good.
Those sound fantastic and so do you!
These and the art star series from the similar time are my favorite style drums by far, POWER TOMS are the best.
HOLY SHIT!!!!! AWESOME!!!!!!!! WHOA!!!!!
I’m a big collector of 80s Tama drums. I have 2 of these drum kits in my collection! Love em . Great drums! Great playing !
Thank you, Troy. I believe that the eighties were a special time for Tama. They had a lot of fresh ideas and unmatched quality during that time.
My second drum kit was a 5 piece TAMA SWINGSTAR. The color was SILVER DOLPHIN Very similar to your kits color. I bought it brand new in 1985 from Liberty Music in Framingham MA. which sadly is no longer in business. On a bright note, I sold the kit about 22 years ago to a friend that still has it today!
You have a great sense of how to set up and tune drums. And your playing is spectacular! These drums sound so good🌌
First kit was a Swing star, 5 piece, then a Royal Star 7 piece [single headed toms] then i went onto maple Ludwigs! That Swingstar kit is beautiful and sounds better than a DW. Great playing also.
nice bought the same Tama Swingstar Misty Chrome Drumkit today on eBay with 22", 12", 13" and 16" Toms for 130€
and I also bought a matching Tama Swingstar Steel Snare in 14"x5" for 100€.
greetings from germany
Tama made some nice drums back in the day, and still do but things are a little different now. In any case did you ever consider tom stands and tom extension arms that come off your cymbal stands? Point being take the weight off of those bass drums so the top mount doesn't crack. Just a suggestion.
NICE DRUMS EITHER WAY!!!!
Hi Frank. I do understand your concern. However in my 35+ years of playing drums, never once have I experienced any type of cracking or obvious strain on a kick drum shell or mounts due to the weight of rack toms. Any quality drums, like those from Tama, are designed with rack tom weight in mind. As for mounting all of these toms on cymbal stands, I absolutely could do that. In this case however, the size and number of drums makes mounting on stands very awkward and cumbersome.
@@jamesrichardsutton Cool man! Just throwing it out there. Sometimes kits from the 60's 70's and 80's experience weather damage or dampness and you'll see it splinter or the screws fall out from the mount into the drum. Looks like those Tamas though are in great shape. Either way ROCK ON BROTHER!!!!
Cool. My only issue with this kit would be the hi hat placement, which is like two feet away from the snare or you have to raise the 8' over it. Such a pain.
I'm with you! The struggles for double kick players is real.
Sounds great I remember my first ever drum set was a TAMA Swingstar 5 piece it was a great kit
You sound great man, love your technique and control. How Lars is sponsored by Tama I’ll never know. He couldn’t play what you just did in a million years. Nice job and nice kit
I was in a speed metal band back in the 80s (guitarist) and our drummer had a Tama set that looks very similar to this. Gray paint as well, though I don't know if it was the same series as what you have. Same amount of drums though :)
I have a similar set ,but an 85 recovered in silver sparkle and they sound great just like these. I'll never sell them. Bought them new in 85.
TAMA yes. They sound Great as well as your playing. I have the 82 Imperialstar kit. Always have used coated heads and will be trying clear heads soon on my toms according to what you are using for the batters. Great work James !!!!!!!
Looks and sounds amazing. You did a great job with it and obviously play it well. Enjoy!! Thanks for the video!! 🤟🏻🤟🏻
Nice sound!
This kit sounds fantastic but the kit sounds good because the player sounds good.
I have all my Tama kits.
SwingStar in Misty Chrome
SuperStars in Candy Apple Red
StarClassic BB in Black Gloss Stain.
My band buddies always compliment the finish of the SwingStars.
Tama and Paiste all the way.
What are the shells made of, and do they have Zola-coating?
9ply mahogany. Yes.
Sound great even without the suspension mounts! Nice playing too....I have an 80s Superstar kit... Best kit I've ever had
They were better than many higher prized drums. Just like the pearl Export. I Used Rims Conquerer on top and diplomat on the bottom. Some work finishing the inside (sanding, wax-polishing) and the bearing edges.
Additionally I dampend the lugs with foam. Good Mikes, some care and they worked perfectly on stage as in the studio.
Man they sound Awesome. I owned 3 sets of Swingstars thru 89-94 but don't have em now & wish I did. Back then ppl frowned on em when tryin to sell em cause they weren't Superstars or Artstars, but knowing how good they were made back then & how they're cherished now for that great sound, wish I'd kept em All. I'm more a Pearl guy now anyways but still, Tama are my next choice other than dw but they are just too expensive, thanks. Btw, u ever think about selling them I'd def be interested
Hold on a minute. I can't believe how good these drums sound through crappy computer speakers. Tama snare too? Great demo. Thank you for this. So if they are not 6000, how much then? After watching more of the info I get the idea they might be rare, so...
i had an '89 Swingstar kit Misty Chrome (Pearl offered that same wrap - my 14 tom was a Pearl)...back when i couldnt afford to replace all the warped hoops...most difficult kit to tune that ive ever had...these on the video were made in Japan...that explains it...one of the kits i have now is a several year old Imperialstar kit ...Much better kit - tunes up perfectly
Looked up the dFd TIMS that you put on the rack toms and there’s a few different versions I’m seeing. Which ones specifically did you buy?
I had a Tama Rock Star with the same setup -4 mounted toms, double bass, two floor toms, snare and heaps of Zildjian cymbals, red in color. I miss playing.
Chrome kits will always be number 1 in my heart.
hello James! TAMA brother...very good solo without cymbals.
Had the same set up in black back in the late 80's. Great sounding kit! Thanks for the demonstration, brought back memories.
I had a Swing Star kit in Burgundy finish back in the 80's. I played that kit for almost ten years... loved it!
These drums sound killer dude, congratulations!
hello James, first I want to tell you that you are, a very good musician. Voila, I have the same version as you, but the bass drum has ten tie rods, and the snare drum has ten tie rods with reinforcements on the stamp strapping, in 14 x 6.5. The sound is excellent. Goodbye
I had the piano black finish 1987 Swingstar kit with deep toms - likely this very kit with only 5 pcs. But that thing did a lot of great gigs and live shows!
Really awesome kit! You have them tuned perfect! Nice playing, too!
Somebody left a drum outside in the weather!!!!! That should be against the law!!!!!!!
They sound killer. Nice playing brother 👍🇨🇦
Hey man, thanks for this great video. So great to hear those old babies sing again.
I still have that same set from the 80s when I bought it, same color too! Love it!
My friend had one of those kits in the 80's. Amazing sound.
Nice kit you got there. Sounds perfect!
Hi. your drums sound really great. Maybe a little too metal for my taste but that's just a detail. I would have a curiosity. What kind of wood is your swingstar made of?
I love Tama (My 1st kit). Not sure why I never bought another one. Sounds great!!!
They sound great ! I have the same 4 piece kit same color too ! and they ring like crazy with thick Aquarian heads and ebony remo reso heads that are thick as well.
How do you tune those ?
Gorgeous set. I’m on a similar era Imperialstar with much of the original Titan hardware. Love it.
I have this exact kit and the only thing I don't like it is the tom mounts! I'm a hard hitter so I've broke them a few times! But this is why I'm a Pearl drum snob!
I just stumbled upon this and you talking about your kit gave me tingles I hear so much love and admiration for drums and this kit. Also they sound fantastic and your playing was very tasty.
God that is the same exact set I had back in the late 8o des they sounded so good but they are twins I miss those day . My is Terry valentine . Thank for the memories .i was dam good to if I don't say so myself . Loved life now iam waiting to move see what the next life has in store thank you
Dude if your this good on a demo, consider writing and performing your own solo, outstanding. Don
My first kit! $795.00 for a 5 piece in 1986!
Привет тебе из солнечной Сибири ! Установка сказка ) звук восхищает ! А мож поделетиться как настраиваешь тома и альты ? у меня тюнер тама,если можно напиши цифры натяжения на низ и верх пластика ) хочу попробовать в комнате своей эту настройку.отлично звучит
Thanks! Nice playing! Great sound!
Drums sound great. Nice playing .. Cool.
Love this. I still have that same kit except it’s the wine red color. Very nice to see this.
Nice. I was just searching through the US and Japanese catalog archive and saw the red color offerings for the Swingstar back in '86-'88. I saw they had a "dark red" and a "fire red". Is yours a black badge or white badge kit?
@@jamesrichardsutton, unsure. I bought in 1988 and it’s likely the dark red.
Dude ! I had the swing star In royal puter. 👍🏻👍🏻
Kit looks great and sounds amazing! Thanks for the show n tell!
You should consider getting some cymbals. At least a hi hat.
Beautiful sound. Beautifully tuned. No need to say much.
Love Tama !!!!......Perfect exhibition
Real drummer. No cymbals. Love it
Holy shit that was my first kit! Yours sounds WAY better!
I like when the drum kit has left tom. Can you explain, why you need it?
WoW, great sound .....with great playing
best vintage tama demo I've seen on the 'tube. thanks man, sick kit!
Played all major brands except DW. Tama has been the best. IMO. ty
Beautiful!! Stayed with you all the way to the end (even packing up!). Great sounding drums and great playing. Cheers!!
Thanks so much, Joel. Means a ton coming from you.
This kit sounds better than the same kit in my school