These are early Tamas, probably late 60's, early 70's. For $160, I'd take a flyer on them, absolutely. The wrap could be a faded black or blue oyster pearl. "Star" started as a subsidiary of the founder's parent company Tama, which at the time made Ibanez guitars. After Tama bought Camco, they morphed the Star and Camco lines into Tama Drums, and still use "Star" in the model lines, like Imperial Star, Royal Star, etc. According to wiki, the founder named the company Tama after his wife, and his own family name translates to "star field", hence Star Drums.

Here's a good op-ed on one guy's experience with a Star kit.

https://www.notsomoderndrummer.com/not-so-modern-drummer/submissions/reader-articles/gigging-vintage-drums-made-in-japan

Hi there ATeam - thank you very much for the info and for the link to that article. Was of great help - I think I'm going to go for it. At that price I really stand to lose very little. Cheers and have a great day.

Actually, I was wrong about the finish. That's either Tiger Pearl or Gold-Eddy Satin Flame. If it's a pearl, it should shine up really nicely with some Novus. Good luck.

http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/japanese_drums/catalog_star.html

Hmmmm? Those are very interesting

I have not run into that particular AWESOME wrap before

most certainly worth the asking price X's 2

I am pretty positive that they are not Gold Eddy satin flame

Tiger pearl maybe as I do not really know what Tiger pearl looks like?

I have a few Tiger "Eye" Pearl kits and they are not TEP

As was mentioned they may be faded from their original color but that would not stop me from buying them for that sort of money.

aside from the color the pattern in the wrap is pretty unique

Great find and OH HECK YES Jump on them for sure Congrats and good luck

Yep, buy these beauties! Star became Tama around 1974. These round badges were mid-sixties to early seventies. I play with a Star kit (big ol' seven piece) and love the sound! I cheat a bit though and use a Ludwig Supra as my snare. Buy them!

Brian

Thanks guys - I closed the deal at USD 150 (equivalent) and now have to start working out a way to get the drums to me - once I receive them, I will definitely pot some further pics. The inside of the shells, I noticed from further pics that the seller whatsapp'd to me, are painted black except for the snare. I don't know whether this was done afterwards or factory (see pics attached of the inside of the floor tom). There's also no re-rings. I also note that the snare is an 8 and not a 6 lug snare. The tom mount is also apparently quite rare - a 717 mount or something like that - please see pic. I very excited to these and to start polishing them up Excited

Black Label the black paint on the interiors was applied by a previous owner

from the factory, Star would have either painted the interiors grey

or used no paint at all

They are the thicker shells without reinforcement rings

often back in the day, many removed the resonant side heads on the bass drum and toms

the black paint was a fairly common mod

thanks for the info Kenwood, much appreciated. Are the thicker shells without the re-rings a good or a bad thing - like with the Luddies, the thicker shells later in the 70's was not as well received as the old 3 ply with re-rings. I assume that the thicker shells certainly means more volume but possibly less sustain? Thanks so much man.

Hello again Black Label

Well yes and no on the Good or Bad

It does follow the same rule of thumb as the Ludwigs to a degree

But Luds are pro grade drums designed and built to sound good and to last over time

MIJ kits were designed and built to look decent and be inexpensive to buy for mostly youngsters

speaking strictly of the MIJ stuff

The thicker MIJ shells are a much more sturdy build

they can be gigged and somewhat manhandled more so than most of the thinner shelled kits

which sometimes, depending on the maker, can be really flimsy.

Like a rung or two away from being more of a toy

these shells can be more easily damaged and can go out of round especially with the resonant side heads so often removed.

The other side to that is some MIJ kits with the thinner shells are made a little better than the ones I just described above

and it is said by many, that those drums have a better resonance than do the thicker shells.

I like the thinner Star made bass drums and toms

but prefer the thicker shelled snare drums

Having said all that Your kit is more sturdy and will sound just fine