Tama Starclassic Snare Drum Review

Tama Starclassic Snare Drum Review

I review products independently and only recommend products I would use myself. If you purchase through a link, I may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

The Tama Starclassic Maple snare drum is a real powerhouse. It boasts an all-Maple shell that offers incredible sensitivity, punch, and projection. This versatile and gorgeous looking snare drum would make an excellent addition to any drummer’s snare collection.

Tama Starclassic Maple 14x8 Snare Drum

Key Features

  • 8-Ply Maple shell
  • Molten Brown Burst finish
  • Zinc Die-Cast hoops
  • TAMA Linear-Drive strainer
  • Hi-Carbon Snappy Snares
  • Hold Tight washers

Scores

Sounds
4.8
Build Quality
5
Playability
4.8
Value
3.5
Overall
4.05

81/100

The Tama Starclassic Maple snare is a top of the range drum. It’s also a snare drum that’s a real workhorse. It’s designed to perform well in any musical scenario and for any style of music.

The Tama Starclassic snare is sized at 14×8 inches, and despite being a deep drum, it’s also very sensitive and articulate. This snare drum responds to all dynamics with a pure tone. It also sings across every tuning range.

In this Tama Starclassic snare drum review, I’ll be taking an in-depth look at the sounds, build quality, playability, and value of this drum to determine if it’s worth the investment!

Tama Starclassic Maple 14x8 Snare Drum Ratings

Sounds

4.8
4.8/5

Build Quality

5
5/5

Playability

4.8
4.8/5

Value

3.5
3.5/5

Sounds

At the top-end of the drum market, there is a wide selection of beautiful drums available. The competition is certainly fierce, so how does the Tama Starclassic Maple snare drum compare to some of the other drums in this price range?

The Tama Starclassic snare drum up for review is sized at 14×8 inches. It’s a mighty drum, to say the least, with enormous body and depth. It’s also loud! With this being said, however, it’s also articulate and super responsive. 

The tone of this snare drum is sensational. It produces a mighty crack when played loud with strong backbeats, and the die-cast hoops are perfect for taking rimshots on this drum. The drum also features Hold Tight steel washers with rubber rings that hold their tuning effectively. 

The Tama Starclassic Maple snare drum delivers phenomenal sounds across a wide tuning range. It’s ultra-versatile and will always deliver no matter your sonic preferences. I like the sound of this drum best tuned medium or high. It has a great bite and smooth overtones.

The Tama Super Sensitive Hi-Carbon snare wires are ultra-responsive and produce a very snappy snare tone. The drum comes equipped with an Evans G1 coated batter and a clear G1 snare side resonant head. 

Build Quality

As you would expect from a snare drum of this price, the Tama Starclassic Maple Snare is built exceptionally well, with great attention to detail. 

The Tamma Starclassic snare drum boasts deluxe black nickel shell hardware, with die-cast hoops, ten lugs, and Tama’s Linear-Drive snare strainer. The die-cast hoops are incredibly solid and offer crisp sonic projection. 

The Linear-Drive snare strainer, too, is particularly impressive, smooth in operation, and weighty. The strainer works in a true linear motion, and it’s utterly silent while engaging the snare wires, meaning you don’t hear the typical slap of the snare wires hitting the drum head. 

Everything about this drum oozes quality – from the immaculate Molten Brown Burst finish right through to the precisely cut bearing edges. The build quality of the Tama Starclassic Maple snare drum is first-rate.

Playability

The Tama Starclassic Maple snare drum performs exceedingly well no matter what style of music you wish to play. It’s a workhorse designed for every player and every musical situation.

The Tama Starclassic snare drum features a precise bearing edge that maximizes the drum’s resonance, providing an ultra-responsive and clean sound.

The zinc die-cast hoops allow the drum to burst to life when it’s played aggressively. The die-cast hoops hold up well to seriously powerful playing!

This drum does it all – it’s articulate and softly spoken when required, and it has the power to explode with enormous backbeats. It’s also adept across a wide tuning range, but it does perform best tuned higher I feel. 

The Starclassic Maple snare benefits from a touch of dampening, but it doesn’t naturally produce excessive overtones. The natural ring the drum has is smooth and musical.

Value

The Tama Starclassic snare drum is a top of the range drum. It’s an expensive snare, but the premium price tag reflects its superior quality and unmatched versatility for all types of music. 

The Starclassic Maple offers reasonably good value for money, but there’s definitely better bang for your buck snare drums on the market. 

Verdict

The Tama Starclassic Maple snare drum is striking both sonically and visually. It’s expertly constructed as you would expect from a drum of this caliber, and it carries a pretty hefty price tag.

All-in-all, if you are looking for a deep snare drum to add to your snare arsenal, the Starclassic Maple makes a great choice. It is a very capable drum that can adapt to any musical situation, and despite its depth, it is remarkably articulate and crisp sounding. 

However, while the Tama Starclassic Maple is a beautiful snare drum, those on a budget could get more value for their money elsewhere. 

What Comes In The Tama Starclassic Maple 14x8 Snare Drum Box?

  • 14" Starclassic Maple snare
  • Zinc Die-Cast hoops
  • TAMA Linear-Drive strainer
  • Hi-Carbon Snappy Snares

Tama Starclassic Maple 14x8 Snare Drum At A Glance

Pros

  • Complete workhorse snare drum
  • Build quality is first-rate
  • Adept across a wide tuning range
  • Die-cast hoops offer crisp sonic projection

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Very deep shell is awkward to position
Drumeo Banner
Drumeo Banner Desktop
Scroll to Top