Tama New Releases 2024

Tama BB-156 - Mastercraft "The Bell Brass" Snare Drum 14"x6.5"

In 1980 the Tama Mastercraft Bell Brass snare drum saw the light of day. Designed to meet the groundbreaking sounds of a new musical decade, the Bell Brass delivered the purest snare sound ever achieved. Especially in the heavy rock music of the '80s and '90s, Tama's Bell Brass snare gained the reputation as the "TERMINATOR". With its powerful tone it was used not only in the heavy rock scene but also by leading jazz and fusion drummers worldwide.

Almost half a century later and just in time for the 50th company anniversary, the Tama Mastercraft "The Bell Brass" 50th Anniversary Reissue pays tribute to this legendary sound. The snare drum features a special copper-and-tin alloy formed into a robust 3mm-thick shell. This extremely heavy bell-brass shell not only produces impressive volume but also an outstanding tonal range.

Tama Mastercraft Limited-Series
Rosewood Snare Drums

Also new and from the Mastercraft line, Tama is showing a few strictly limited snare drums for the 50th company anniversary on our tour. Included are, among others, the drums made entirely from rosewood: RW-256 and RW-255. In the 1980s Tama brought the first and only Mastercraft Rosewood snare drum to market. Rosewood, being a hard and dense material normally used for guitar fretboards, was back then used only as a single outer veneering layer on drums. Now the shells are entirely constructed from rosewood. Both snare models fully convinced us with their clear sound and dark tone.

Tama Limited Artwood Snare Drums

We were also impressed by the snare drums AW-456 and AW-455. Since their release in 1980 fans of the Mastercraft Artwood snare have been eagerly awaiting a reissue of these iconic snares. Both models stand out with an impressive appearance, featuring a beautifully stained, multi-piece centre-wood inlay. The 9mm-thick, 6-ply birch shell delivers a distinctive sound in the lower midrange and clear projection. But that's not all: for detailed and sensitive snare response the drums feature Tama's unique Roller-Action Strainer. This innovative snare-wire design uses a single on/off lever and two guide rollers for easy and versatile adjustment. Daniel demonstrates how it all works, among other things, in our video feature.

Tama Iron Cobra Marble Edition

More real eye-catchers await on our tour in the Tama Iron Cobra series! For the new year 2024 the popular single- and double-bass drum pedals are available in two vibrant marble finishes. The choices are: Marble Coral Swirl and Marble Psychedelic Rainbow. The pedals are also limited for the 50th company anniversary and are available with the drive types Power-Glide and Rolling-Glide as real eye-catchers. So if you like a bit more colour down there, you should take a closer look at these pedals and maybe even snap them up right away! As always: when they're gone, they're gone!

Tama 50th Limited Superstar Reissue Shellsets

When you're exploring the Tama showroom, full-size drum set news of course must not be missing. For the celebrations of the 50th company anniversary the renowned drum maker presents a limited special edition of the very first Superstar series. Those who remember will note that the Tama Superstar series laid the foundation for the future of the popular Tama drum sound.

The Superstar kits were the first in the world to feature shells made entirely from birch, producing the perfect sound for the emerging genres of that era. Now, almost 50 years later, the original Superstar drums have been revived as a Limited Edition model in four great colours. The original specs have been retained. The shells of the shellsets are made from 6 plies of birch. With a 9mm thickness they are therefore thicker than comparable kits and deliver powerful attack and deep bass. The shellsets are configured in sizes 10", 12" and 16" with a 22" x 14" bass drum and are available in the colours Aqua Marine, Super Maple, Super Mahogany and Cherry Wine.

Tama 50th Limited Starclassic Mirage

Also presented in the size of a full drum kit is the equally legendary and limited Tama 50th Limited Starclassic Mirage. Since the 1970s acrylic drum kits have been coveted by drummers for their unique sound and elegant appearance. The original Mirage was presented by Tama in 2007. To honour Tama's beginnings in the acrylic sector, the Starclassic Mirage returns as a limited anniversary model! The Mirage's fully acrylic shells impress with a strong attack and a "thunderous" tone. The 5-piece shellset is available in the Limited Edition in sizes 10", 12", 14" and 16" with a 22" x 16" bass drum. Besides the crisp, controlled sound, we were especially convinced by the impressive looks in combination with the Black-Nickel hardware, which is why we'll soon be welcoming the Mirage — with the matching snare drum — to our Tama flagship store range in Walldorf.