Drum kit - shell set from Tama Starclassic Maple series. In the '80s TAMA's Superstars and Imperialstars reigned supreme - the perfect drums for the times. But TAMA's builders and designers wanted something that transcended trends, something timeless - drums that understood a player's passion and allowed the expression of every genre, style, mood, and technique. They created Starclassic Maple drums...and ignited the thin-shell revolution. And now the new Exotic Finish line offers beautiful, one-of-a-kind exotic wood exteriors for that extra luxurious touch. Star-Cast Mounting System has always provided maximum resonance and stability for TAMA's pro-drums. The new "Quick-Lock" tom brackets equipped on the Star-Cast Mounting System have some very distinctive, ground-breaking features. First and foremost, as their name suggests, these brackets allow for quick and easy setup and breakdown. But the real unique feature of these brackets is that once the drum is positioned on a tom stand, there is no need to attach and adjust separate memory locks to save the setting. By simply sliding the switch on the tom bracket, the bracket separates into two parts. When the drum is removed for breakdown, the "memory lock" portion remains on the tom stand. This saves your positioning and makes the next set up quick and easy. Hoops not only affect drum tuning; they also affect drum sound. That's why the choice of hoops was so important to the designers of TAMA's professional drum lines. We choose zinc die-cast hoops, which are manufactured by injecting molten metal into molds. Die-cast hoops have more density and are more consistent in shape than triple flanged hoops, which are manufactured by bending metal plates. Die-cast hoops make tuning more consistent and easier to achieve because the tension bolts always contact the hoop properly. Drums fitted with die-cast hoops also offer crisper attack, clear and resonant highs and much more powerful rim shots.