Tama Imperialstar Review – Bang for the Buck Intermediate Kit?

Shells

The shells of the Imperialstar are made from lightweight 6-ply poplar which gives the drums a full and warm tone. Although you might notice as I did that they’re slightly thinner than average drum shells, they still sound big and full.

That tone that’s warmer than punchy and that is well-defined rather than boomy make these drums great for close mic’ing applications. I tried this with a pair of SM57s on the toms and they sound as big as Sound City Studios in 1991.

This kit is a good choice for stage or studio uses. The sound will be full on a stage and articulate in a recording. Plus, with the gorgeous black finish, this is stage material for sure.

The poplar layers make toms warm but they give the kick drum a booming sound that is full of power. The moment I sat down and kicked it, it felt bold and rocking, big enough to fill a room. Or to propel a rock band into stardom.

Nevertheless, the drums can be easily muffled if you find that they ring too much.

The snare drum is the best part of this kit. It’s sharp, loud, and very responsive for the price range. I’m telling you, it makes you look at the price tag twice. It sounds great, loud, and powerful when combined with the big kick drum. That said, it sounds particularly good when the snares are off. It tames the beast, it goes from a roar to a purr, making it very versatile and musical.

The stock drumheads that come with the kit are pretty bad, which is typical of an affordable drum kit. You’d need to replace them to get the full tone quality out of the Imperialstar. I tried some Ambassador clears on the toms and a coated for the snare and the sound reached a new level. So, if you like it as it came out of the box, the good news is that it gets better.

The kit has many different finish options for the drum shells. These include (but not limited to) Black Oak Wrap, Natural Zebrawood Wrap, Burgundy Walnut, Vintage White Sparkle, Candy Apple Mist, Hairline Black, Hairline Blue, and Dark Blue. Each finish looks really good and is glued to the shells in a way that keeps them looking fresh for a long time.

Cymbals

The 14” hi-hats have a loud and bright chick sound. There is a clear tone when the hats are closed and a heavy clashing sound when they’re open. The sound of the hats hitting together when played with the foot pedal is loud and present.

I tried several things on it, literally everything from “Walking on the Moon” to “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and it held its ground well.

The 16” crash has a clean and crisp sound. It’s very loud and it will cut through the mix perfectly. Plus, it gave me the impression of being durable. In my book that means it can be crashed on hard without having to worry about breaking it.

On the other hand, it doesn’t have a lot of sustain, meaning it’s got a very short sound. It’s great for transitions but it’s not a big crash to carry a chorus to the zenith.

The 20” ride has a good balance of stick definition and shimmer with a clear bell sound. It’s a bit on the ringy side, meaning it has a lot of bright sustain that echoes after hitting it.

I found it good to work as a crash ride you can use for that soft, melancholic passage or to actually take that chorus all the way to the zenith.

The Meinl HCS cymbals are some of the best entry-level sets of cymbals on the market. However, they’re not too great when you look at them from an intermediate drummer's point of view.

They don’t respond well to dynamics, sounding loud even when played softly. They will not let your expressive nature as a player shine through, but will get the job done for a beginner.

They work well for rock and pop, but not jazz and light styles of music.

Hardware

The Tama Imperialstar comes with the “Stagemaster” hardware. There's a straight stand for the crash cymbal and a boom stand for the ride cymbal. The hi-hat stand and snare stands are pretty standard and will get the job done.

A good thing is that the stands are double-braced, which makes them very stable. They’re also quite thin, which contrary to what you might think is a great asset. They’re light and easy to carry around, taking that eternal burden of a drummer out of the shoulders of a beginner. I mean, carrying stands around is always a pain. As time goes by we just get used to it as part of the job but it’s always a bummer.

The kit comes with a drum throne which is something not very common in complete drum kits. Usually you have to buy thrones separately and they can get pretty expensive. The Imperialstar drum throne is really comfortable and versatile to accommodate drummers of all sizes.

The kick pedal that comes with the kit is a Tama HP200P. It’s an incredibly responsive single-chain kick pedal that has a base plate. The base plate is what pushes this pedal into the intermediate level. It adds a lot of stability and weight to the pedal, making it more comfortable to play.

It would be nice if the kit came with 2 boom stands instead of 1. However, you can just purchase a boom stand separately if you want more maneuverability for your crash cymbal.

What About Competition?

Yes, you know how this goes. When one of the big companies in the market comes up with a stellar new model, everyone else follows. Drums are no exception to that unwritten rule of modern business, so here are some of the best efforts of the competition to match the Tama Imperialstar. Let’s see how they compare.

Yamaha Stage Custom Birch

The first thing to say about the Yamaha Stage Custom Birch is that it’s an all-round great-sounding drum kit. That means you can use it in any style and it will fit perfectly. The birch shells sound big, warm, and punchy without being too boomy or too loud.

As for the combo, well, Yamaha offers just this version including the set of shells and a hardware set but no drum throne or cymbals. That said, the hardware includes two boom stands for cymbals, a hi-hat and a snare stands, and a kick pedal. After an obvious and necessary cymbal addition and skins change this thing flies.

This is the perfect kit for a beginner who wants a little more than standard and has his or her own cymbal set or for the gigging musician that wants a great-sounding, affordable kit that can take the road.

Pearl Roadshow

We’ve all played a Pearl Export before. The punchy sound, the rock-ready rebound. Well, I’m glad to say it’s all in the Pearl Roadshow. Not in the same quantities, but it’s all there. The first thing that hits you is how warm it is. That’s because it’s made of poplar. What you lose in punchiness and sustain you gain in warmth.

In terms of the bundle, I have to say it’s as good as it gets. You can literally play these drums out of the box. They even threw in an extra pair of sticks and a stick bag! For a seasoned player, the cymbals are harsh but if you’re learning your way, they’ll do for a while. The same goes for the heads.

The reliability Pearl is known for is perfectly represented in the Roadshow. If you want a kit that will push you through your early years of drumming, this is a great choice.

PDP Concept Maple

PDP is DW’s second company so this kit allows you to enjoy the perks of the big name at an affordable price. This all-maple drum kit (I've reviewed it before here) is as punchy as it gets. I mean, you get maple’s full power which is especially noticeable in the toms. You have to look at the price tag twice as soon as you sit.

Speaking of sitting, this bundle comes with the essential hardware from the brand’s 800 Series but no drum throne. You get double-braced, memory-locking stands and sturdy hi-hat and snare stands as well. Also, the chain-driven single kick drum pedal is great for beginners.

If it fits your budget, you’ll be punching a little above the belt here. This is an intermediate-oriented drum kit at a beginner’s price.