Tama MA52ZS-BCS Starclassic Maple shell set Black Clouds

General

This five-piece shell set is part of tama's Starclassic Maple series - a line of drums that stands out for its thin shells and modern hardware. It consists of a 22 x 18-inch virgin bass drum, 10 x 8 and 12 x 9-inch toms, and 14 x 12 and 16 x 14-inch floor toms. With this versatile configuration, the kit will be suited for a wide variety of genres. The beautiful black-and-grey finish is called Black Clouds & Silver Linings, and it's nicely complemented by the shells' chrome-plated hardware.

Warm sound and optimal resonance

In creating this MA52ZS-BCS shell set, Tama used maple for the shells - a wood type with a warm sound and beautifully emphasised low end tones. To ensure optimal transfer of vibrations from the drumheads to the shells, the latter are kept as thin as possible. Instead of using fewer plies of wood, however, Tama chose to make the 6 plies for the toms and floor toms, and the 8 plies for the bass drum thinner. Furthermore, the StarCast tom mounting system suspends the toms by their hoops, so that the shells can resonate freely. The floor toms, meanwhile, are fitted with air cushioned legs that feature special air chambers to prevent the vibrations from disappearing into the ground.

Modern shell hardware

The toms and floor toms are equipped with the Quick-Lock system, that makes setting up your kit a total breeze. Meanwhile, the bass drum features special claw hooks with a rubber lining that protects the wooden hoops. The tom and floor tom hoops are made of die-cast zinc, which means they have no structural weak spots. That, in turn, means the tension is evenly distributed across the drumhead, and that rimshots will produce a powerful sound. The tension itself is kept consistent by the rubber Hold Tight washers that prevent the tension rods from coming loose.

Please note:

• The pictured stands and cymbals serve illustrative purposes only and are not included.
• A 'virgin' bass drum is a bass drum without tom mounts, which means the toms need to be mounted on a stand or separate tom holder. This set-up allows for more room for your cymbals and allows you to position them a little lower.