You will never look back once you start using Tama drum sets. The company has been known for offering high-end products that are good for every drummer.
Tama’s Club Jam is a new line of products from the company that has received a lot of attention. Priced at $399.99, this is a Bop size kit with shallower shells.
Tama Club Jam Kit Review
Unlike other kits, it comes with a 10 by 7-inch tom, a 14 by 7-inch floor tom, an 18 by a 12-inch bass drum, and a 13 by a 5-inch snare drum.
The kit comes in four different finishes, which include Aqua Blue, Charcoal Mist, Galaxy Silver, and Satin Blonde. The Satin Blonde will cost you $100 more.
What makes this kit special?
The Tama Club-Jam is an excellent kit that excels above its competition. Its sound quality is excellent. They feature a combination of poplar and mersawa wood, which delivers a rich and cutting sound.
Shallower depth on the bass drums assures a punchy tone. Compared to the Gretsch Catalina Club, which has an 18 by 14-inch bass drum, the Club-Jam’s bass drum will cut through any genre.
When tuned higher, Cataline excels with a warmer sound. But it becomes weaker than the Club Jam when tuned lower.
The short stack toms are fitted with Tama’s Hyper-Drive, which promises excellent attack. It gets through the mix cleanly.
Shallower shells might be a bit demanding to tune. You will need more time and attention than most toms. Hence, it’s crucial to find the perfect head combination for your Club-Jam kit.
In this review, the Club-Jam features a double-ply coating on the batter side while the reso side has single-ply.
Generally, this looks expensive. I like the Aqua-Blue finish with showcases and a vintage look under the bass drum wood hoops.
The bass drum spurs are curved to boost their appearance. Tama includes a cymbal mount, which is very sturdy.
Primary competitors include Ludwig Breakbeats and Gretsch Catalina, which are priced at the same level. And if you are in for a more affordable kit, you will find the Club-Jam mini very useful.
Tama Club Jam Mini
Tama’s Club-Jam Mini is a two-piece shell pack designed with simplicity. The kit is comprised of an 18-inch bass drum and a snare.
It’s clear with Mersawa/Poplar hybrid shells that deliver a deep sound. It is just perfect for smaller and intimate gigs.
This kit’s compact size and configuration will fit comfortably in any small venue or street show.
It comes with a drum bag set for easy transportation.
You can expand this kit into a regular set using available add-ons. These include a 10 by 7-inch tom-tom with attachment and a 14 by 7-inch floor tom.
The shells are 7mm 6-ply Mersawa/poplar with chrome hardware.
Tama Club Jam Used
You can get Tama Club Jam used at a lower price. Those who want to upgrade the gear list their current kits with various sites.
The internet has all the information you may need on this. Just be sure to get from a reliable source.
Tama Rock-Jam Kits
Tama LJK48S-AQB Club-Jam Kit, Aqua Blue
Tama says they are proud to offer a new compact kit, the Rock-Jam, which comes with some vintage features on a modern product. You will enjoy ideas like cymbal arms directly mounted on the kick drum. It also comes with bass drum pikes, which sets it apart from standard kits.
The Mersawa/poplar hybrid shells deliver a clear yet profound sound. They perform well in small spaces.
Compact configurations have become ideal for busy drummers. It will fit on any stage.
Features
The kit is configured with:
• 18 by 12-inch bass drum, 10 by 7-inch tom, 14 by 7-inch floor toms, and a 13 by 5-inch snare drum.
The kit comes with a single tom holder and a cymbal tom. The Aqua Blue finish promises a high-quality kit.
Cymbals and other accessories are not included. Hence, you will have to buy them separately.
The mersawa/poplar shells are a great feature that assures a bright tone. They are hybrid, which gives them a tremendous tonal range.
An important feature of this kit is its portability. That is what every working drummer hopes to get – a big sound with less gear. You can play with bands and ensembles cutting through the mix.
You can fit the whole set in the trunk of a four-door sedan. The kit is also light and comes with bags for protection and easy transportation.
Pros
• A compact kit
• Big sound
• Affordable
Cons
• No memory locks on the bass drum legs and cymbal mount
• Few lugs
Tama LJK48S-CCM Club-JAM Kit, Charcoal Mist
Every finish found with Tama Club-Jam kits delivers unique features for the drummer. And here is a compact kit Charcoal Mist finish.
Tama has added some vintage ideas, including bass drum-mounted cymbal holders and curved bass drum spurs. This is a unique kit, which gives it a step up from others in the same line.
It has a hybrid combination of mersawa and poplar wood, which assures deep and focused tones. Those small and intimate gigs will find this kit very useful. Any working drummer will love these kits.
You get and overall stage sound and color. The 6-ply 7mm mersawa-poplar hybrid shells give this Tama kit a big sound.
A drum-mounted cymbal holder is used on the Club-Jam kit, which offers the ability to mount a small ride to the bass drum.
Configuration includes:
• 18 by 12-inch kick drum
• 10 by 7-inch rack tom
• 14 by 7-inch floor tom
• 13 by 5-inch snare drum
The kit also features a Vintage Bass Drum Mounted cymbal holder-curved bass drum spurs on 6-ply, 7mm mersawa/poplar wood shells.
And the best part is that you can get these kits at the lowest price.
When it comes to delivering huge sounds, Tama always has something extra to offer. Your small gig will sound huge from this drum kit.
Pros
• Compact and portable
• High-quality sounds
• Excellent construction
Cons
• A small kit may not be good for a large venue
Tama Club Jam 10/14/18/5×13 4pc. Drum Kit Galaxy Silver
Tama Club-Jam kit performs better than the competitions. And this should not be a surprise, consider the quality of products Tama makes.
In terms of finishes, there is something for everyone. For instance, this Galaxy Silver adds a great sparkle to your setup.
The sound quality is excellent. Mersawa/poplar combination is not a very common idea. The wood creates a rich and cutting sound.
A punchy bass drum sound comes from the shallower depth of this kit. It will cut through the band, no matter the genre, and it will not lose its warmness.
The shallower shells might be a bit challenging to tune compared to most toms. It is, therefore, crucial to find the perfect head combination. That is the only way to get the most out of the Club-Jam’s sound quality.
My kit for this review features a double-ply coated on the batter side, while a single-ply is on the reso side.
This kit looks stunning under this finish. The bass drum hoops are well detailed with a vintage look.
Another great feature is the curved bass drum spurs, which adds up to the design. Also, the kit features a very sturdy bass drum cymbal mount.
In terms of affordability, it’s no surprise that this Bop kit should cost this much. It is a useful kit for small stages and rooms.
Pros
• Affordable
• A stunning construction
• Compact and portable
Cons
• No memory locks mean it takes more time to setup
• Lack of enough lugs count
Tama LJK28S-AQB Club-JAM Mini Drum Kit, Aqua Blue
Bop kits have become very popular with many working drummers today. They are not only easy to carry, but it takes a short time to set them up.
If you are looking for such a kit, then Tama’s Club Jam mini drum kit should be the ideal choice. The kits are found in many finishes, Aqua Blue being one of the best.
The whole Club-Jam series is known for delivering high-quality performance. And this mini kit is affordable as it is useful.
Features
This Tama Club Jam mini drum kit is a 2-piece set featuring only an 18 by 7-inch kick drum and a 12-by 5-inch snare. It is, therefore, one of the smallest kits you will ever come across.
Its Aqua Blue finish assures and excellent visual representation. Looking at it from a distance, you can immediately tell that this is a useful kit. It looks so go that you can confuse it with a higher quality kit.
Tama says they aim at presenting a simple and sweet drum kit with just the bass and snare drums. The shells feature a mersawa/poplar wood combination, which is clear and yet deep.
Such a hybrid shell is just what a small and intimate gig needs. The compact configuration will fit comfortably in any small venue.
Gigging drummers understand the value of compact and portable kits. Consider the Club-Jam mini kit for this.
Pros
• Compact and yet useful
• Sturdy hardware
• Excellent finish
Cons
• Small kits do not work well in large venues
Final Thought
Well, now that you understand what the Club-Jam kit is all about, it should be easy to make a more informed decision. Between Gretsch Catalina and the Club-Jam, I would recommend you go for the Tama.
