Hello imperialog!

I had a mid-80's Tama Superstar kit in Cherry Wine with a matching 5x14 Mastercraft snare drum. These snare drums used the rollerbed snare system and extended snare wires. Nothing to adjust, other than snare wire tension, and the drum always sounded great!

I also have a late 70's (1978-79) Imperial Star King Beat with the dual supersensitive snare mechanism. Like the Ludwig Supersensitive, it can be tough to dial it in if you're not familiar with the adjustments. However, once you understand how to properly set it up, they sound great! I recently installed a set of Puresound wires on my Kingbeat and love it even more!

The bottom line is that the Mastercraft is the easier of the two drums IF you need simplicity. I really like my Kingbeat!

Forgot to mention that the Mastercraft snare drums are relatively rare, but the Kingbeat can usually be found for around $200. Just be sure there are no missing parts for the Kingbeat snare mechanism, which can be tough to replace.

Thanks for the info

I Just bought a tama imperialstar mastercraft steel snare 6.5"x14" for $320. Did I get robbed or do you think that is a decent price?

I think $320 is just a bit pricey, BUT, what really matters is if you are happy with the drum. What's the condition? Are the original extended wires included? Both the Mastercraft and King Beat use a one-piece seamless shell. The 6.5" drum is a bit more versatile than the 5", as it can be tuned low-to-high and has great body and depth to the tone.

As I had mentioned earlier, I really don't see the Mastercraft series, with the roller bed strainer, very often. If you're happy with the drum, PLAY IT and smile!