Members Rimshot500 Posted March 25, 2007 Members Share Posted March 25, 2007 Mid-80's Tama Swingstar Anyone know any info about these kits or where to find info. My dad gave me his for Christmas. It is a silver/gray wrap I believe. The wood almost doesn't even look like wood on the inside of the kit. Maybe it is a composite or fiber of some sort. Anyone have any ideas. You can't really see and physical plys in it. Weird. Particle board maybe? Sounds great. Really boomy and bassy. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gcdrummer Posted March 25, 2007 Members Share Posted March 25, 2007 I can help. I have an 83 swingstar. The best swingies were built in Japan and have the Tama "T" logo around the air vent. They are made of Mahagony and probably wern't the best looking drums so they coated them on the inside with a "zolacoat" of some kind. They are great drums and still sound better than a lot of newer drums. Consider yourself lucky...nice snag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted March 25, 2007 Members Share Posted March 25, 2007 The grey speckled stuff is supposed to enhance projection. Then again I've also heard that these shells are or have maple content. They do boom real good. I love mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rimshot500 Posted March 25, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 25, 2007 Good to know. I remember going to the music with my mom to buy these drums probably around '85. They were for Christmas for my Dad. While at the store, I saw a junior kit and begged my mom for it. She said no. Christmas morning, my dad and I went into the living room and BOTH drumsets were there. My mom suprised me by buying the junior kit also Great Christmas! Lots of great times jammin' with my pops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Steve Posted March 26, 2007 Members Share Posted March 26, 2007 My first kit was a black set of Swingstars back in 1983. Great drums for the price. The coating on the inside was probably there to hide some ugly wood more than anything else....not sure if the claim about "enhancing projection" was marketing BS or not. Good drums. My toms are living at my sisters nowadays, and they still sound pretty good with the old pinstripes I put on 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Steve Posted March 26, 2007 Members Share Posted March 26, 2007 My first kit was a black set of Swingstars back in 1983. Great drums for the price. The coating on the inside was probably there to hide some ugly wood more than anything else....not sure if the claim about "enhancing projection" was marketing BS or not. Good drums. My toms are living at my sisters nowadays, and they still sound pretty good with the old pinstripes I put on 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted March 27, 2007 Members Share Posted March 27, 2007 My first kit was a black set of Swingstars back in 1983. Great drums for the price. The coating on the inside was probably there to hide some ugly wood more than anything else....not sure if the claim about "enhancing projection" was marketing BS or not.Good drums. My toms are living at my sisters nowadays, and they still sound pretty good with the old pinstripes I put on 'em. One good turn deserves another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nums Posted August 13, 2008 Members Share Posted August 13, 2008 Does anybody know what wood was used in a Tama 1986 Swingstar SS8000 series drumset or 1986 Beatstar kits? These kits have a finished interior of natural wood, rather than the standard zola-coat? I have a swingstar badged kit that is identical to the 1986 Tama Beatstar de luxe kit, while the 1986 SS8000 swingstar kit has the words Tama printed down the lenghth of each drum in huge letters, which my kit does not have? but is identical in every other way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drumtechdad Posted August 13, 2008 Members Share Posted August 13, 2008 Does anybody know what wood was used in a Tama 1986 Swingstar SS8000 series drumset or 1986 Beatstar kits? These kits have a finished interior of natural wood, rather than the standard zola-coat? I have a swingstar badged kit that is identical to the 1986 Tama Beatstar de luxe kit, while the 1986 SS8000 swingstar kit has the words Tama printed down the lenghth of each drum in huge letters, which my kit does not have? but is identical in every other way? Never seen a beer keg used as a floor tom before. Innovative! What heads do you like on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Huge Zits Posted October 24, 2008 Members Share Posted October 24, 2008 Whoa. Hold on. What year do I have? Tom Holder Didn't come with bottom hoops/heads. Ludwig 1968 Supraphonic Snare... right? Snare stand. Crappy Crash I bought the set from a guy on Craigslist in Feburary. He was leaving for the Navy, so he let it go for $220.00. Came with: Toms - 12", 13" Floor Tom - 16" Bass Drum - 22" 1968 Ludwig Snare w/ WFL snare stand Pearl P122TW Double Bass Pedal Crappy Crash and Ride Cymbals 16" and 20" Premier High-Hat Stand 14" High-Hat - same brand as other cymbals Cowbell One Pacific cymbal stand - can put two cymbals on it Two Wuhan Cymbals China and Splash Blue Paiste cymbal bag Pacific throne And I think that's everything I got for the $220.00. Sounds like a good deal to me. Again, it didn't come with any bottom hoops or heads for the Tama set. I don't know too much about drums, so yeah... Mind telling me what the heck I have? The way I set it up may look weird. I dunno. I just put it together and played. I have a small room with a crap load of huge stuff in it, so I used what space I had. What should I add to it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cearleywine Posted October 24, 2008 Members Share Posted October 24, 2008 personally, I'd first add bottom heads and rims to at least the floor and kick. Then I'd start looking for a great all around ride, next hihats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members k7mto Posted October 24, 2008 Members Share Posted October 24, 2008 You can visit the Tama Forum for lots of good info on them. I had a set of 1988 Swingstars and they served me very well for many years. The internal coating is called "Zolacoat" and was allegedly to enhance the sound. Others say it was used to hide hide the basswood shells. Regardless, they sounded great with a decent set of heads and tuning. Here's pics of my Swingstars before I sold them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members k bollox Posted October 24, 2008 Members Share Posted October 24, 2008 Huge Zits, the supra you have there is worth more than you paid for the whole kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members k7mto Posted October 24, 2008 Members Share Posted October 24, 2008 Huge, Zits - not sure which year they changed, but my 1988 Swingstars had a badge like this one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Huge Zits Posted October 25, 2008 Members Share Posted October 25, 2008 Wow. Thanks for the info guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kevin K Is A OK Posted October 25, 2008 Members Share Posted October 25, 2008 Huge Zits, the supra you have there is worth more than you paid for the whole kit. yeah screw your rimless drumset, tell us more about the snare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Todd 16 Posted March 30, 2020 Members Share Posted March 30, 2020 What’s a Tama swingstar set made in 1985 in Japan worth?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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