Imperialstar Questions

WildBillValleja · Tadpole Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 16

Hey I'm a new guy here, and I got some questions about an Imperialstar drumset that i'm looking to buy. Right now I have a semi-new Pacific FS series 5 peice. I got offered a 7 peice Imperialstar, without the snare for $350, that just been sitting in some girls garage for like 10 years. Is this a good price? No hardware. I don't know the year.

the_dingman · Tadpole Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 24

Thats a great price, and a wonderful series from Tama, I have a 10pc Imperialstar and it sounds great.

Tama Imperialstar drums are 9 ply Mahogany Shells with a spray on coating that gives the drums a better resistance to moisture to help protect the shells. The Imperialstar series was designed simply to be durrable for touring while still sounding great. They have a nice dark, deep sound.

As far as figguring out the year, this can be difficult as the serial number is useless.

Imperialstars were offered from 1978 (maybe earlier) to 1986. From 1978-1982 They were only offered as concert toms (one head) and in Jet Black, Metalic Blue, Royal Pewter, Midnight Blue, Metalic White, Platina and Hairline Crome. Imperialstars included wood "reinforcement rings" inside all toms which are about 1/2" thick and 1" deep, these are very obvious inside the drums.

As of the 1982-83 Tama Catolog, Imperialstars came only in Placer Gold, Metalic White, Jet Black, and Royal Pewter in either concert toms or standard doubble-headed toms in various sizes (6", 8", 10", 12", 13", 14", 15", 16", 18" and 20" and basses of 22" and 24". It appears that as of this time, the reinforcement rings were no longer offered.

I do not yet have any catalogs from 1984-1986, but I do know that sometime in that period Tama added a red-wine like color, as that is the color of my set, this color seems very rare, as I have been searching for matching drums on eBay for over a year and have seen only 2 toms and one bass. I also believe that 1984 was the first year they offered "Power Toms" also called "X-Tras" where the toms were 2" deeper, so instead of a 12"x10" tom, it would be 12"x12".

If you pick up this set and date it to the 1978 style, give me an email at The_Dingman(at)Mac.com and I can send you a Tama Catolog from '78 I have scans of on my computer, they are in PDF format.

Good Luck on the Imperialstar

-The Dingman

10pc Tama Imperialstar from 1984-1986?
Red-Wine color
6", 8", 10" concert toms
12", 13", 14", 15", 16" power toms
24"x14" Bass

Sabian Cymbals
Vater Sticks
Tama Titan Hardware
Evans Heads (Hydraulic, Genera Dry, EQ2)

WildBillValleja · Tadpole Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 16

hey thanks for that info, really helps. I have an idea of putting some newer hardware on the tom/ bass drum mounts. I have a set of DW suspension tom mounts that will fit on the Imperialstar 10, 12, 13 and 14 inch toms. Should I stay with the old hardware, or try upgrading. Any other ideas? Since the Imperialstar bass drum only has 1 hole for a mount, and I need 2, I was thinking of buying another bass drum and doing it that way. Got any creative ideas?