Topic: Tama Star Classic Bubinga

[Mark Counts]

I have finally decided after all these year to go small. Well, small kit big drums.
I have really been listening to Ryno and Larry and have been checking out the finishes on The Star Classic Elite Bubinga drums. I am in love with this finish..
I called my local store today and my friend Max is quoting me a 22in. Kick, 16in. Floor tom and a 14in tom.... That is it.... 3pc and my Custom Lake Superior Flame Birch Snare. Anyway, here is the finish.
The finish is called Quilted Mocha Burst.
 This link..
http://www.tamadrum.co.jp/product/color_palette.php?cp_id=43&year=2009&id=52

[Chip Donaho]

Nice set, that's almost the same color as my DW set. 

[Ryan Culberson]

Hey Mark!  

Finish looks AWESOME.  Go with a 13" rack tom, though.  That 14" up top just won't look right unless you supersize the bass drum.  

Recently got rid of my Bubingas, so you and Larry will be keeping the torch alive!  

[Larry Rankine]

Great color choice Mark!  And you're going to love the sound!  Sounds like he's quoting you for individual drums as all the basic shell kits are 4 piece kits.  I would also encourage you to get a quote from some online dealers.  I know to some of you out there that's probably blasphemy but I'll tell you it saved me a ton of $$$$.  More than enough to make it worth my while.  Cost difference was about 33% off retail prices listed in the Tama catalogs.  My local dealers wouldn't come close to that. 

Ryno.......SAY IT AIN'T SO BRO!  You ditched your bubs?   

[Ryan Culberson]

Ryno.......SAY IT AIN'T SO BRO!  You ditched your bubs?   

Hey Larry! 

Yep, I ditched them.  They were beautiful and they sounded great, but the sound was just too hard or biting or something (can't think of the appropriate word).

I replaced them with this kit. 

[Larry Rankine]

Look'in good Ry!  I like the wall art too!

[Mark Counts]

Sorry Guys it took so long to respond, I got no notification for some reason. Larry, I have bought two Tama kits from my locals MOMS MUSIC store in Louisville.. They know they are competing with Interstate Music. They Have always taken good care of me in the past... Their service is better than any catalog. Ryno, I love the knew kit man... Got to go, the band just got here!!

[Larry Rankine]

Glad to hear that your local dealer is taking care of you.  I didn't get that kind of answer from the local dealers around here (2 of them).  I even told them up front that I was shopping around and they barely came off of the MSRP!  The difference wouldn't have paid for my gas to get to their shop.     Needless to say I only patronize them if I need something small immediately.  Everything else I get online. 

Can't wait to see the pics!   

[Mark Counts]

Larry, That seem odd to me. These are times when making deals are expected with the economy. They alway know they are working against a catalog with me.  There are other Tama reps here too. So I can take one quote straight to another Tama rep and say, can you beat this price?  So far, MOMS MUSIC has only sent me to the catalog on one Idem. A Crown head set mic. They couldn't compete with Musicians Friends on it and when I bought the mic, I talked Musicians Friends down another $40 of their list price..... Anyway, I will keep you updated. I am still waiting for a quote..

[Mark Counts]

Guy's, all I can say is that there are no 3 drums worth $3199 to me. Give me Steam bent single ply of something but that price ain't happening. Guess I will enjoy what I have and configure my maples to do what I want.
Nutty

[Larry Rankine]

Mark, for what it's worth my 4 pc shell kit (18x22 bass, 8x10,9x12 & 14x16 floor tom, shell kit model number B42BNS) cost me $3300.  As I said previously this was about 33% off Tama's catalog list price. 

[Mark Counts]

Larry, I had my store quote 3 drums at $3199 and I found this on line...
http://underbid.com/product/495-41098/TAMB42BNS-QMOB/Tama_B42BNS_Quilted_Mocha_Burst.html?ref=base
I have two Star Classic kits now. A Six Piece in Maple and a Seven Piece In Birch.
I paid $3100 for both kits together. That is 3 Star Classic drums for more than I paid for 13 drums. That is Crazy! Think I will stick with what I have...

[Ryan Culberson]

Hey Mark!

Any chance you'd consider getting a custom builder to put a kit together for you?  Maybe that dude that put together your timeless timber snare would put a whole kit together for you? 

That kit in the picture (14-18-26 + 7X14 snare) set me back about $1,600.00 and that was using pretty expensive shells (Keller vintage mahogany) for the toms and bass drum. 

Laters,
Ryan

[Larry Rankine]

No problem Mark, just wanted let you know.  Maybe I'm the one who should be called Nutty!     .................but I got exactly what I wanted and I LOVE my Bubs!  

[Mark Counts]

Larry, there are people that will pay for what they want. I knew a Doctor that Paid $6000 for a DW Aniversary Kit that looks just like my natural maples. He should have spent the money on lessons =). Ryno, funny you said that. I called Ian Witt the other day and he is making 6 ply drums for another company now. He told me it was hard to sell the Steam bent stuff because of the price he had to ask. I think I will save my money and configure my maple Star Classics to what I want. They are great drums.

[Bill Bachman]

Starclassics are great drums for sure, if I was a rich man I'd buy a set. I play from time to time (though it's been a while) with Neal Morse and he has an old set of Mike Portnoy's starclassics in his studio. I'm always amazed at how the toms still cut through a thick wall of sound. They're great drums.

[Mark Counts]

Starclassics are great drums for sure, if I was a rich man I'd buy a set. I play from time to time (though it's been a while) with Neal Morse and he has an old set of Mike Portnoy's starclassics in his studio. I'm always amazed at how the toms still cut through a thick wall of sound. They're great drums.

Looks like you play Dynasty drums? Love the soloing on your Web page. As far as Star Classics, they aren't really that expensive. But now I know that they want a bunch of money for the bubinga  with the great finishes.

[Bill Bachman]

Hey Mark, yes I play Dynasty drums--marching drums!    I don't have any drumset endorsement and I really like my old Frankenstein'd Pearls. I've tweaked them so much that they're really not Pearls at this point anyway.

There are definitely multiple drumset companies that I really like, but I'm pretty happy with my own drums and have more than enough of them. Man we're spoiled in this country, some people would love to have ANY drumset...