So you are the lucky winner! Very nice set, we posted them in our thread on Star/Tama a couple of weeks ago. This is the set from the 'bay, right?

Hi Johnnystix! Is it this kit that was mentioned on here in this thread http://www.vintagedrumforum.com/showthread.php?t=9404 and pictured in the attatchment below?

If so, that is a great looking kit, but the one I found is another one! Yes, mine came off ebay but only a week ago, buy it now, lol. And in Australia. It had only been on for maybe a few hours, was at the right price, and being a fellow Old Japan drum enthusiast I couldn't resist. This one came with the 22" kick, the acrylic snare, and also a pretty decent 16" Paiste 404 crash.

Congrats!

Nice - nice - nice.

Am I right: is the round badge really a black/silver one - or is it too early in the morning for my eyes?! - Or is it just a black reflection on the usually totally silver badge?

Badges are sometimes sold on ebay - but I would be really very, very careful while trying to put it in ... - Perhaps I would refrain from trying to do it...

You may be right with the production date, 'cause it's shells are acrylic ...

And then it's one of the very latest STAR sets ever produced.

But from the view of the lugs it could also be one of 1972 (just to be correct) ;-)

I, too, believe it's from 1973/74.

Ralf

I'll need to track down some tension rods for the missing tom rims, they're a non standard thread.

The floor tom sounds fantastic, so I'm looking foward to getting the resonant heads on the mounted toms, and set up a good combo on the kick should get some huge superb tom, kick sounds from the acrylic shells!

Cool Dude

Congratulations!Clapping Happy2

What a great score!!! What product did you use to polish the chrome?

Thanks Bop! I've barely slept in the week leading up to actually picking them up!

Just "Brasso" for the chrome.

Love your kits by the way Osaki. Just great.

That badge (round, black/golden) I've never seen before at another kit.

I know a golden/black badge with 'Royal Star', but that's elder and has a tonneau-shaped form (is that the correct term? - I know it only from wrist watches.)

As far as I know Tama/ Star have used metric threads always. So a 'local' dealer in down under should be able to order it from the Australian distributor for you.

Concerning 'Tama Labelling':

The Tama catalogue pages show that 'TAMA' started in 1974 with the 'Imperial Star' catalogue, mentioning 'Tama' on the cover page for the very first time. All other catalogues before it do NOT mention Tama, but STAR only ;-)

Ralf

Looking good! I have been scrubbing rusted hoops and hardware for a few days here and I have been having great results with only a thick water/baking soda paste and a soft toothbrush. The baking soda is mild enough that I don`t even need to wear gloves and it leaves me wondering why I didn`t know about this sooner. Why polish cymbals? Get your polishing kicks off on the chrome parts and let the cymbals patina up I`m thinking:D

I remember these kits when they first came out (in Oz) and it would probably have been 74/75 - just after the Ludwig Vistalites came out. All the acrylic shells sound more or less the same, right?