Among the drums that made Tama a renowned and respected drum company is the Royalstar series. It was manufactured several decades ago, but it has remained outstanding until now. The durability of the drum and high-quality sounds are what most drummers need.
I have been using the Royalstar drum kit for over two decades now, and I can’t complain. It is the right drum set for everyone, regardless of the proficiency level. It offers a wide range of unique sounds that drummers always need.
It gives the natural and traditional sound of a drum set that is lacking now. Therefore, it will be wise if we review some of the drums in this series. The young drummers might not have any idea about such drums and similar kits.
Therefore, you can follow me through this article, and I am sure you will get a drum set that you would like.
Tama Royalstar History
The history of the Royalstar drum series starts over 30 years ago. All Tama drums and hardware are manufactured and sold by Hoshino Gakki, a Japanese musical instrument company. The Royalstar drums were introduced in 1975, and they had different lugs.
The kit had a Zola coating inside that made it much stronger. The drum set cannot be compared with any ‘Star’ series drums with multiplayer shells and re-rings. The kit was less expensive when compared with the drum sets in the superstar series.
They are incredible drum sets for rock sound, and you will like this vintage drum set. The Royalstar series is 8ply (6ply mahogany wood and 2ply shina). The drums have a lacquer semi-gloss and wood hoops. They came with tone controls and hardware (tom mounts, bass drum spurs) that makes it better than Swingstars.
The drum set was lacquered finish outside and inside, which makes it more attractive than any other drum. The star brand name drums were first manufactured in 1965 and the company had to change its name to Tama.
The Rockstar and the Royalstar are similar in construction and tone. The company, due to a few reasons, later discontinued these drums. However, other brands were introduced to fill the gap left by the brand.
However, some people still own the same Royalstar brand. Nevertheless, they might not be selling it because they know the quality of sounds they can get from this giant. All the hardware for this kit can also be available at some shops.
Tama Royalstar Review
It will be much fair for us to review this Tama Royalstar kit. Even if it is tricky to get it in the market, you might come across it. Therefore, knowing this will help you get enough knowledge about the high-quality old drums by Tama.
Features
The Tama Royalstar drum set is a vintage kit made of 6ply mahogany plus a 2ply Shina. This makes the kit more durable because of the high-quality materials used. The company carefully selects the materials before starting the manufacturing process.
The kit is attractive with a lovely vintage because it is well furnished and finished. You can notice the beauty of the drum from a far distance. The good thing is that the drum set’s beauty is maintained for an extended period, even under frequent use.
They have lugs that are pretty rare in other drums. This makes the Tama Royalstar drum set unique from any other. The sounds produced by this drum is appealing to the ear. You can see the difference in sounds when you strike this drum and another type of drum.
The kits under the Royalstar series are standard size, which makes them suitable for professional drummers. Most drummers like to have the correct size of drums because it affects the drums’ sounds.
They can support different hardware parts like the cymbals, stands, bass pedals, hi-hats, and other accessories. They can be mounted to the hoops, while others require their stands.
Pros
- It produces high-quality sounds.
- It is durable, reliable, and versatile.
- It is attractive and remains attractive for an extended period.
Cons
- It is tricky to get it now.
1973 TAMA Royalstar Drums
This drum was made in 1973, and it was the top product for the first time. It is a unique drum set that has some features not available in the same old drums. It will impress you to find that it has the quality that you might be looking for.
Features
This Tama’s Royalstar drum features a 6370 very uncommon lug type, and you may not find anything like this in Tama’s catalog. However, they are now found on the Imperialstar made in 1974 and superstar made in 1976.
The drum set has a high-quality construction that makes the drum withstand vigorous players. The heavy Royalstar shells have reinforcement rings fixed to their maple interiors and the chrome on them, clean.
With this already used drum set, the four shells are looks like they were stripped down by the previous owner. The original weathered silky blue wrap was removed and was re-wrapped in Sub-Mariner Blue drum wrap.
The kick drum hoops, T-rods, and claws are still original, while the kick drum and tom mount bracket were upgraded to fit Tama Omni-sphere double tom mount assembly. The Superstar spur brackets were added to the bass drum on the opposite side to where the original spur brackets were oriented.
The shell sizes are 22 x 14 inches, 16 x 16 inches, 13 x 9 inches, 12 x 8 inches, and 10 x 7 inches. The pack includes bass drum legs, floor tom legs, and Tama Omni-Sphere double tom mount. The Tama mount bracket never matched Pearl’s tom mount footprint meaning that new holes were drilled for the Tama tom mount bracket.
The 10-inch tom will be nested inside the 13-inch tom and then the 13-inch tom inside the bass drum during shipping. Shipping them in one box will reduce the shipping cost.
The 12-inch tom would be nested inside the 16-inch tom, and they will be shipped together. You will be amazed with the way it looks like at the first sight.
All five drums are shipped in two containers only, and you will indeed receive your package in good condition. It can be shipped to any location at any given date.
Pros
- It features high-quality drums.
- It produces high-quality sounds.
- It is durable, reliable, and versatile.
Cons
- It has a hefty price tag.
Tama 3pc Royalstar Drum Set Vintage 1980’s Cherry Red
Reverb online shop is always looking for these drums refurbishing them, and then selling them to interested parties. The company’s location is in Minneapolis, and they look for new vintage gear to sell online.
They deal with drums running from the early 1900s to the 980s. All the products received are cleaned and restored to as close to their original good condition.
Features
This 3pc Royalstar Drum set has a Cherry look that cannot be easily changed. Even after a long years of use, it has retained a beautiful color with a few scratches. The interiors are also red.
The drum set comes as a 3-piece that includes an 11 x 12 inches rack tom, 16 x 16 inches floor tom, and 14 x 12 inches bass drum. The drum sizes are standard, and this makes the drum produce excellent sounds. The shells are made of carefully selected materials; thus, they have lasted from the early 80s to date.
The drums show some signs of heavy use, but they have retained their sounds. The metal hoops and hardware have a little rust, but they can be easily cleaned and restored. Two toms can be added currently, and half of the tom tree is snapped off, but that won’t be a problem.
The tom mounts, leg brackets, and spurs are well-functioning, and they won’t let you down. The bass drum hoops are mismatched, and they are not original. The kit also has a pedal rash on the batter side with little wear on the heads.
However, the heads are much playable, and the sounds produced haven’t changed. The kit looks new but it is well maintained and you can see it for yourself.
Pros
- The drum set produces high-quality sounds.
- It is durable even though it has been used for some time.
Cons
- It can be unavailable due to its high demand.
TAMA “Royalstar” Shell set 22″/12″/13″/16″ Midnight Blue RARE Made in Japan
They have been in existence for decades meaning that they have been upgraded to meet the standards that we need. They would impress you with features that include:
Features
They are midnight blue, which is the best color that most people like. The color cannot fade quickly even when subjected to frequent use and vigorous hitting. The lugs are in good condition, and the bass drum hoops are still shiny with a few scratches.
The drum sizes are a standard and right size that the drummers always need. All the drums heads are still playable, and they produce high-quality sounds.
I have a bass drum and a tom of this type of drum, and I enjoy playing them more than any other drum. It gives you the feeling that you need when playing any given drum.
The tom mounts, leg brackets, and spurs are well-functioning, and they won’t let you down. The bass drum hoops are mismatched, and they are not original. The toms are for sure amazing and similar to the new snares.
The kit also has a pedal rash o the batter side with little wear on the heads. However, the heads are much playable, and the sounds produced haven’t changed. It can be used for other two decades to come.
Pros
- It is in good condition, and you can play it out of the box.
- It is suitable for all players.
Cons
- It has a hefty price tag.
Tama Royalstar 14′ x 6.5″ Deep Chrome Snare Drum 1983 chrome
Tama has made great drums, and snares are one of these beautiful designs. The snares give our drums the real flavor that we are always looking for. Without snares, the drums will be so dull, and we will miss the sound that we need.
Features
It is a great condition drum set with decent Evans heads and a straight-up snare. This snare drum’s size measures 14 in diameter and 6.5 inches deep, which means that it will give you the sound you are always looking for.
It features a durable chrome finish that makes it attractive. It is an earlier Tama chrome over steel snare with a solid spun steel shell. The heavy solid spun steel Tama shells are responsible for this snare’s solid resonance and more resonant tonal qualities.
Each part of this snare was stripped down to the bare shell, and each part was meticulously cleaned. It carries its original hoops, strainer, butt, tension rods, and washers. The snare now has brand new snare wires. It has a small patch of corrosion on the top left lug in the segment of the shell.
This snare has used heads, and the resonant head is in perfect condition, although the batter head is well used. For sure, this is the snare that everyone would like to have, and shipping is done to any location. You can get any other gear that you would like.
This snare is available on reverb.com together with other amazing accessories. It will fit into your current drum setup, and it will influence the quality of music you produce. You can search for your drum type on the reverb website. It looks used but its sounding condition would make you smile.
Pros
- It produces the best sounds ever.
- It is made of long-lasting, carefully selected materials.
Cons
- It is a bit expensive.
