The following will provide the Tama catalog text describing snare drums offered. Information contained on this page is taken directly from Tama's catalogs and, therefore, the accuracy of this information is only as good as it was at the time these catalogs were printed. There may be differences in what was written and that which was actually produced and sold.
1978:
TAMA METAL SHELL SNARE DRUM
Tama metal snare drums feature a seamless metal shell for the best metal snare drum performance. The seamless shells are constructed by a special process which assures a perfectly round shell every time. Your drum heads will fit perfectly and will be easier to tune and keep in tune. The uniform thickness of Tama shells gives you a consistency of sound you'll have to hear to believe. Tama Seamless shell snare drums have a warm and fat sound that won't break up or choke even in the fastest, loudest rolls. The inner flanges of the shell are set at a perfect 45 degree angle for added strength and increased acoustic response particularly when playihng near the edge of the head. And speaking of acoustic response, the shell edges are formed with a mere 2 millimeter radius giving the heads almost unlimited freedom of vibration.
Tama Metal Shell Snare available in three types:
- Tama Ambassador heads
- Lever Strainer
- PC Die-Cast Hoops
- One-Touch Tone Control
- Seamless Metal Shell
- 20-Strand Snappy Snare
- CL (8045): 5" x 14"
- CL (8046) 6 1/2" x 14"
- Tama Ambassador heads
- Compound Lever Strainer
- PC Die-Cast Hoops
- One-Touch Tone Control
- Seamless Metal Shell
- 20-Strand Snappy Snare
- HG (8005): 5" x 14"
- HG (8006) 6 1/2" x 14"
- Tama Ambassador heads
- Parallel Action Strainer
- PC Die-Cast Hoops
- Seamless Metal Shell
TAMA WOOD SHELL SNARE DRUM
There is a great shift back to the original wood sound of drums these days, particularly among studio players. Tama wood shell snare drums offer that warm wood sound with up-to-date features and hardware that make them practical for nearly any application.
The shells themselves are made in a special way that gives them the strength of laminated wood and the vibration properties of solid wood. Tama wood shell snares have captured the mellow sound of wood without sacrificing strength and durability.
Tama Wood Shell Snare available in two types:
- SS (9675): 5" x 14"
- SS (9676) 6 1/2" x 14"
- Lever Strainer
- PC Die-Cast Hoops
- One-Touch Tone Control
- 20-Strand Snappy Snare
- HG (9605): 5" x 14"
- HG (9606) 6 1/2" x 14"
- Compound Lever Strainer
- PC Die-Cast Hoops
- One-Touch Tone Control
TAMA FIBREGLASS SHELL SNARE DRUM
Tama Fibrestar snare drums feature the Tama "Black Fibreglass" shell for amazing strength. The heavy fibreglass shell provides a bright, lound tone, excellent for high volume music. Combined with Tama PC die-cast hoops, the Fibrestar snare drum is one of the cleanest and fattest fibreglass snare drums on the market.
Tama Fibreglass Shell Snare available in three types:
- Lever Strainer
- PC Die-Cast Hoops
- One-Touch Tone Control
- 20-Strand Snappy Snare
- Compound Lever Strainer
- PC Die-Cast Hoops
- One-Touch Tone Control
- 20-Strand Snappy Snare
- HG (9205): 5" x 14"
- HG (9206) 6 1/2" x 14"
- Compound Lever Strainer
- PC Die-Cast Hoops
- One-Touch Tone Control
1980:
TAMA MASTERCRAFT SNARE DRUMS
MASTERCRAFT BELL BRASS
The Masterdraft Bell Brass snare drum is certainly the most amazing snare you've ever heard. The shell is sand cast in the manner of top quality cymbals and, of course, bells. This 12mm casting is hand-turned down to a 5mm thickness and burnished to a natural brass patina. The tone of a Mastercraft Bell Brass snare will grow sweeter and warmer with each passing year, making this a drum that you'll treasure forever.
- BB-155: 5" x14"
- BB-156: 6 1/2" x 14"
MASTERCRAFT ROSEWOOD
The Masterdraft Rosewood snare drum is made of 12 plies of select rosewood, resulting in the most powerful wood snare ever made. Other manufacturers offering rosewood snare drums merely place3 a thin veneer of rosewood over their regular wood shell - Tama is the only one to offer you all-rosewood construction. Fitted with Tama PC die cast hoops and the Tama RB roller bed strainer, the Mastercraft Rosewood is one class drum.
- RW-255: 5" x14"
- RW-256: 6 1/2" x 14"
MASTERCRAFT FIBREGLASS
The Masterdraft Fibreglass features the Tama "Black Fibreglass" shell for amazing strength and power. This heavy shell provides a bright, loud tone that is also rich and full. The shell is finished in mat black textured epoxy for durability and appearance. With its precision machined sound edge, the Mastercraft Fibreglass snare is the cleanest and fattest snare on the market.
- FG-355: 5" x14"
- FG-356: 6 1/2" x 14"
MASTERCRAFT ARTWOOD
The Masterdraft Artwood snare is made of 6 plies of rock maple for a warm, woody tone. The shell is inlaid with a beautiful multi-section marquetry of stained wood. This beauty is brought out with a high gloss lacquer finish that is the finest you'll see on any drum. As with all of the Mastercraft series, the Artwood is furnished with steel snare bed as standard equipment.
- AW-455: 5" x14"
- AW-456: 6 1/2" x 14"
MASTERCRAFT STEEL
The Masterdraft Steel snare drum is made of seamless metal for the optimum in metal snare performance. The special process used to make this drum assures a perfectly round shell every time. Combined with PC die cast hoops the Mastercraft Metal offers you a level of precision that other drum makers can only envy. The sound edge is rolled to a precise 2mm radius, giving your heads maximum freedom of vibration.
- 8055: 5" x14"
- 8056: 6 1/2" x 14"
1984/85:
TAMA KING-BEAT SNARE DRUMS
King-Beat shells employ the same construction process aas the MasterCraft Seamless Metal snare drum. The King-Beat Snare Drum is easy to tune due to the great combination of the Seamless Shell and PC Die Cast Hoops. Provided with a One Touch Tone Control and the KG Parallel Action Switch and Butt system, which gives precise control of the snare tension from both sides of the drum, the King-Beat snare drum is truly a versatile snare drum. Inside the drum, the shell has been flanged to a perfect 45 degree angle to provide perfect tonal resonance. The King-Beat comes in two sizes of depth and is furnished with a Steel Snappy Snare (6025) as standard equipment. The Aircraft Wire Snappy Snare (6045) is available as an option.
- 8005: 5" x 14"
- 8006: 6 1/2" x 14"
POWERLINE SNARE DRUMS
Tama Powerline Snare Drum features Triple Flanged Hoops, Power Action Snare Switch and Butt, and One Touch Tone Control. Powerline snare drums are available with Seamless Metal Shell in 5" and 6 1/2" depths. Though equipped with the Steel Snappy Snare (6020), a Bell Breass Snappy Snare (6021) is available as an option. In all aspects the Powerline is a simple drum, yet it is a drum that provides precision response and a variety of great sounds.
- 8065: 5" x 14"
- 8066: 6 1/2" X 14"
MASTERCRAFT SNARE DRUMS
