Fifty years. Just two words, but within them lies a vibrant tapestry of drums and the stories they tell. Here, we trace the storied history of TAMA, woven through the iconic instruments that shaped its every beat.
1974-1983 The TAMA Origin Story
In 1962, more than a decade before the TAMA brand was established, Hoshino Gakki set up its own musical instrument manufacturing factory, called "Tama Seisakusho". Needless to say, the name TAMA originates from this factory. In 1966, drum production began under the Star brand name and later in 1974, the decision was made to expand globally under the new name, TAMA.
During the 60s and 70s, Rock music gained worldwide popularity and drummers began to require drums with more volume, resulting in larger sizes and elaborate set ups. These changes demanded heavier duty hardware that was durable and reliable. To this end, TAMA pursued advancements in hardware with unique features, with nylon bushings and boom cymbal stands being classic examples.
In the late 70s, the release of TAMA's Superstar line marked a turning point in the company's history. Partnerships with top global artists such as Stewart Copeland, Billy Cobham, Simon Phillips, and Elvin Jones, bolstered TAMA's reputation and international recognition.
In 1983, the release of the Artstar line bolstered yet another innovative design, emphasizing straight lines and unique wood grains like the beautiful Cordia wood. Most importantly, Arstar's dynamic and powerful sound solidified TAMA as one of the world's top drum makers.
PRODUCTS
At a time when product advancement focused primarily on hardware innovations, TAMA looked deeper with the introduction of Imperialstar, Superstar, and Artstar drums, inspiring the direction of TAMA's sound and craftsmanship in the coming decades. In particular, the Superstar series garnered the attention of the world's top drummers of the era, making this first decade TAMA's most foundational.
As TAMA's flagship Imperialstar line featured a Philippine mahogany shell with reinforcements rings, which later served as the basis for the Sound Focus Ring used in the current STAR and Starclassic series. While the finishes were solely wrap coverings at the time, they were completely bonded with the shell's outer surface, which enhanced the drum's resonance. Maximizing a drum's natural resonance is a hallmark of TAMA's modern sound and a philosophy that was instilled into TAMA's core values since the beginning.
To prevent deterioration from moisture, the shell's interior was treated with Zola-Coat, and tom-toms came equipped with an original built-in mute that featured a single touch on/off switch.
Another model representative of TAMA's early days was the Royalstar line. Featuring Apitong wood (a variant of Lauan), its sound was distinctively hard and heavy, like Maple. Unlike the Imperialstar, this series did not have shell reinforcement rings, but the finishes were wrap coverings just like the Imperialstar line. The wrap was completely bonded with the shell's outer surface, enhancing the drum's resonance. Maximizing a drum's natural resonance is a hallmark of TAMA's modern sound and a philosophy that was instilled into TAMA's core values since the beginning.
To prevent deterioration from moisture, the shell's interior was treated with Zola-Coat, and tom-toms came equipped with an original built-in mute that featured a single touch on/off switch.
In the TAMA lineup since its early days, the beginner Swingstar model featured an Apitong shell, originating from Southeast Asia, and was the same wood that was used in the Royalstar series. Known for its hard and weighty sound, these drums also did not feature reinforcement rings, though the inner shell was treated with Zola-Coat to prevent deterioration from moisture.
The Superstar series marked a significant milestone for TAMA that directly led to its present prominence. The use of Japanese Birch and beautiful lacquer finishes were both pioneering efforts by TAMA. Additionally, the Superstar series introduced an entirely new shell construction method. In the later years, specifically 1980, the innovative Omnisphere ball tom holder solidified what could be considered the foundation of TAMA drums. Responsible for bringing Billy Cobham to TAMA, Superstar was the catalyst for TAMA's global meteoric rise.
Typically, hardware at the time featured adjustment mechanisms with direct metal on metal contact using screws or plates, which would damage easily & quickly fail. To achieve secure placement that was also highly durable, TAMA developed a nylon bushing for the adjustment joint, preventing direct contact with metal parts and increasing overall hardware performance & longevity.
In order to protect cymbals from common "keyholes" of the time, TAMA developed a cymbal nut with an integrated protective tube, enhancing protection and delivering convenient set up.
In an effort to build a drum which would be unaffected by weather conditions, TAMA developed the Fibrestar series. Made of fiberglass using a unique molding process which produced an extremely hard & round seamless shell, this series stood out for its incredibly solid and powerful sound, setting it apart from all other drums of the time.
Co-developed with percussionist Tsutomu Yamashita, the Octoban is a percussion instrument capable of producing a one-octave scale. Inspiration is said to have come from an instrument from Southeast Asia made of bamboo tubes. The name "Octoban" is a play on words, combining "Octo" meaning 8, with "Bamboo".
What later became a symbol of TAMA's originality, the Gong Bass Drum was born out of creative discussions with Billy Cobham. Its unique design utilizes a 22" drumhead attached to a 20" bass drum shell with tom mounts on each side. Meant to be played with drumsticks, it produced a low and thunderous sound which expanded individual drummer's sound creativity.
With the rise of rock music, drum sets also needed to be more durable and stable. Stands, in particular, took a beating from the increased power and intensity of drumming. The TITAN series of stands, featuring double-braced legs and a boom arm structure, was TAMA's response to this demand.
Prior to the launch of TITAN, double-leg drum thrones existed, but double-braced cymbal stands were unheard of. This innovative design provided unmatched stability and support. It was a true game-changer for drummers.
The now-ubiquitous boom arm cymbal stand was actually a TAMA world-first. The company developed this model after hearing drummers' frustrations with jerry-rigging microphone stand boom arms to their cymbal stands. By setting a new standard with its double-braced legs and groundbreaking boom arm, the TITAN stand helped boost TAMA's profile with drummers around the world.
The multi-clamp, a common product in the modern drumming world, was first pioneered by TAMA in the late 70s. A simple, yet elegant design which allowed drummers to expand their setup easily & quickly.
Subsequently, with the rise of "MTV" around the early 80s, the appeal of music videos began to significantly influence the success of the music business. As a result, the visual impact of musical instruments grew. The multi-clamp enabled unique setups that were not possible with stands alone, perfectly meeting this emerging need.
While the ball & rod tom holders existed before, original designs were often criticized for their ineffectiveness. At the time, the need for stronger & heavier duty tom holders grew as new drums were heavier than in the past. TAMA improved upon this old design with the Omni-Sphere tom holder, which featured a specially shaped clamp for stronger holding power and delivered almost infinite angle adjustments.
The Mastercraft snare drum series showcased a wide range of distinctive sounds and unique shell materials, while standardizing parts like full-contact snare wires, die-cast hoops, and high-tension lugs. At the time of its release, the lineup consisted of five snare drums: Bell Brass, Rosewood, Birch, Steel, and Fiberglass, with a Cordia outer-ply model added in 1981.
To this day, the Bell Brass snare has grown into a legend, and along with the world's first all-Rosewood snare drum, TAMA's presence in the snare drum world was solidified. In this way, it can be said that the Mastercraft series left an indelible mark on TAMA's history.
Released under the vintage brand name "Camco", TAMA developed its first chain bass drum pedal. Up until then, belt drive pedals were the norm, but were often plagued with ripped belts. To overcome this, the chain drive was used. Uniquely, the footboard angle could be easily adjusted; a feature that garnered significant attention for its useful & innovative design.
Initially, only models with a round cam shape were available. However, in 1986, an "off-axis" cam shape was also introduced, becoming the precursor to today's Power Glide.
The X-Hat is a revolutionary design which gave drummers the option to set up an additional hi-hat in a closed position. A simple design feature allowed the player to easily adjust the hi-hat for more open or tight sound. This innovation was immediately embraced, particularly by double bass drummers, as its usefulness expanded their playing capabilities & creativity.
The Touch Lock system allowed for quick & easy hardware height adjustments by utilizing a one-touch lever to lock the stand in place. By eliminating the need to tighten or loosen bolts every time an adjustment was needed, the setup process became much quicker and more efficient.
With the rise of "MTV" in 1981, the appeal of music videos began to significantly influence the success of the music business. As a result, the visual impact of musical instruments grew. For TAMA, the Artstar line uniquely symbolized this trend.
Utilizing Cordia's beautiful wood grain for both the exterior and interior of the drum shell and combined with ultra-deep shells called "X-Tras" that featured robust high-tension lugs, Artstar drums captured everyone's attention. TAMA then adopted the exceptionally thin 6mm shell that was realized by a unique molding method, making it a hot topic at the time. Despite its thinness, the Artstar shell was solid, powerful, and beautifully resonant, and laid the groundwork for the future of TAMA's sound.
It can be said that the Artstar series is a monumental moment in TAMA's history.
The Pro-Beat Single Pedal featured an "off-axis" cam for the first time in chain-drive pedals. Its unique shape increased the speed of beater just before impact, delivering a stronger sound & faster feel than pedals that came before it. This fundamental design has been passed down to current TAMA pedals known as the Power Glide Cam.
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BACK STORY
Tama Hoshino, wife of Hoshino Gakki's first president, Yoshitaro Hoshino, lent her name to the TAMA brand we know today. In charge of the company's finances from its founding to the prewar era, Tama played a crucial role in Hoshino Gakki's management. This dedication earned her recognition when the drum factory opened, bearing her name as the Tama Factory (Tama Seisakusho). Later, the TAMA brand itself was born, an enduring testament to Tama's contributions and a pledge of our deepest respect.
