Restoring a Vintage Tama Imperialstar

[@rdavidr]

Yup, another Tama kit. This thing came out CLEAAAN 😬 The other Imperialstar is for sale on my Reverb page. reverb.com/shop/rdavidr

[@PersonMan1]

love your vids bro been here since 2017

[@thompsondo2450]

rdavidr how bout a pearl kit?

[@jooplin]

lol, was it actually just sold?

[@ben_6oh]

rdavidr how much does that kit cost

[@gozdur123]

This makes me sad. My first real drum kit was this exact set of Tama Imperialstars back when I was around 8 years old in the 90s. Sold it to a family friend years ago who neglected it and it got trashed.

[@racoondrummer4544]

Can we take a minute to appreciate how much David's drumming has improved over the past few years?

[@mightyV444]

I appreciate his Patience with all the restoring processes just as much. :-)

[@fabis3306]

Dude has been practisin'.

[@roomdog40]

He has definitely been practicing.

[@user-cz7yz9hc8b]

David drums with swagger, he’s got a unique style

[@ChadWellsForReal]

That little intro fill at 8:10 is siiiiick.

[@TheSignMan]

I’m so inspired! I have a 1974 Imperialstar kit just like this that I basically destroyed when I was a kid. I want to restore them to look like yours.

[@HesTNTonPMS]

Wow dude! that is a nice kit !

[@rubenspoolder3567]

man, i saw that big kick and i thought this was finally gonna be the first time we hear a 24 on this channel ;). I know the big drums aren't your speed, but im so curious as to what they would sound like in your studio, man.

[@franktatom1837]

I still have my 22/13/16 Imperialstar kit from 1983, and still use it, original hardware and all. Good drums that are overlooked by most who shop used drums.

[@MrJonfaircloth]

For sticker removal, use zippo lighter fluid. Its strong enough to remove adhesive, but won't damage the finish.

[@salmonella4u]

My first brand new drum kit was the TAMA Imperialstar in Royal Pewter, like one of the shell kits in this video! It served me well for over 25 years. I always thought that I'd be buried with that kit! It was my baby! But in the last few years of having it before I decided to sell it, I had to keep it in a basement, where it collected rust. The rust was heavy on some pieces. I also had the King Beat 6.5 X 14 snare! I miss that thing! Sometimes, when it was tensioned just right, I swear that it could almost play itself! Sweet drum it was! It was my first kit! I had the stands, hydra bass pedals, each for double bass, and Avedis Zildjian cymbals. The New Beat hi hats were awesome, piercing and heavy! They just don't make heavy cymbals anymore unless you pay out the wazoo for them! After I sold the kit about 10 years ago, I bought a Mapex Black Panther Velvetone kit. Definitely a different animal, but gets the job done. Sabians now instead of Zildjians. I still have 2 of my original cymbals from my TAMA kit that never sold in ebay. I'll keep them for personal reasons.

[@nemesisxrox6773]

... that was a good read - appreciate the words

[@TradBowBruce]

I recently finished my restoration of an 81 Imperialstar in white metallic. Octo kit, 22 and 24 with all concert toms. Hours of cleaning. Best cleaner was a 70/30 mix of white vinegar to water. Kills the corrosion and helps neutralize the rust. Aluminum foil and the mix to remove bad rust. Then polish and buff using simichrime polish. Just like new.

[@a_griffin_03]

David! Where you been man? I miss you posting videos more than once a month!

[@spartandrew8672]

Same

[@Prisha-so6rm]

WHY DIDN'T YOU KEEP THE 24 BRUUUHHHH

[@EvilSewnit]

Because it was unnecessary.

[@MeTuLHeD]

@@EvilSewnit Says who...?

[@masterbeat04]

Damn i thought he was gonna do something different with the sizes. Those old tama 24s are kinda rare in the PH too

[@magrildz]

Yeah, the 22" would've looked cool with this kit

[@CharlieLord]

"I'm gonna sell the good sizes and keep the inferior ones"

[@joshpenn1]

As a tama fan this kit is beautiful it sounds great, looks great, David you did a great job

[@BrianLiming]

I have that same kit from the early 80's. Mine is a 12, 13, 18 toms and 24 bass drum. The wrap cracked about 10 years ago so I pulled it off and wrapped it in auto vinyl and it looks great. Still play these drums at church regularly. This is even the same color as mine originally.

[@cvblaylock]

Next time you go to clean up any hoops or hardware check out 0000 Brillo pad. I worked at Memphis Drum Shop for 3 1/2 years and we used that all the time to clean up lugs.

[@Prop_2112]

I have the 1982 Imperialstar kit ,24,13,14 and the 18. Had them since 2013 . Love that warm sound. Awesome Video...

[@MyDyerMaker]

Here's a tip- get a vibrating tumbler on amazon or harbor freight and use crushed corn media. It will remove all rust and makes chromed pieces very shiny. Imperialstars look great, but the sound is wanting.

[@andrewcunningham8121]

Them older imperial stars are getting hard to come by like the kit your keeping. Liberty Devito played those with Billy Joel back in the day. Good find. I would put the 12 and 13 on a stand between both bases and have the super kit. But I'm 80s. Lol

[@sarojaband4664]

WD40 bath in a small glass bottle to soak all tension rods/washers/nuts/bolts screws works great for removing rust, crud and grime. Also, one drop of TRIFLOW liquid Teflon on tip of tension rods will make sure tension rods slide into threaded lug inserts effortlessly. Nice vintage TAMA Imperialstar restoration David! Happy New Year 2020!!

[@TruthAndMoreTruth]

That screw you found goes to a Camco/Tama pedal. This pedals used two screws to hold the beater, sometimes one of the two wold come loose, and fall out.

[@drookinchus]

Just ordered an '84 Tama Imperialstar with 22x14, 12x8, 14x10, and a 16x16. Jet black. Coming in the mail soon. Looks a bit grimy in the photos - this vid has inspired me to really take them apart and give them the soapy massage they deserve after all these years.

[@blvckno_1]

VINTAGE TAMA PLAYERS UNITED

[@rellis3940]

It begins and ends with TAMA...

[@Kirkshelton]

I still have my first real kit. Starclassic performer bought new in 1997. It's beat to shit but still sounds amazing.

[@rorymcclellan3740]

I was gifted a gigged set of swingstars. Been loving them to pieces.

[@danbailey8182]

I have a 1971 Tama Imperial Star with a Viking Boom stand, Pearl boom stand and a Roger high hat. The only issue I have is my Tama strainer is busted at the handle and the darn thing is impossible to find in my area. I will take your advice and switch to wing nuts for my toms and floor tom. Thanks for your video on how the clean them.

[@dadygee]

When I restored my 1976 swingstar I only used water. Boiled all skrews I boiled and allt the other hardware I put in the dishwasher on the hottest program.. I was quick after to dry everything of to avoid water stains. Stripped all the plastic of and replaced it with anther self adhesive plastic wrap.. Not as durable as original but It looks hella good. :) great vid as always!

[@toddstewart9333]

I went on reverb to buy this kit. It was gone. Do another Tama restore. I'm a huge fan of your videos and Tama drums.

[@borgullet3376]

Those Tama's sound AMAZING.. You got Skills Distro

[@lcollingwood5959]

For mine i stripped off that old wrap and stained the mohagany a dark red. Added wood hoops to the bass drum. Looks amazing.

[@Bradwick1]

Handheld steamer with distilled water works incredible for chrome. Time consuming but thorough. Also recently discovered a speed wax called Lucas Slick Mist that works great on all materials even cymbals and reduces fingerprints. Has a cool bubblegum scent and leaves the finish showroom clean. Goof off is harsh and reeks. Ronsonol lighter fluid in the yellow bottle is slightly less harsh and scent free.

[@nemesisxrox6773]

... great advice

[@theswime945]

Maaaan! Takes me back... This was my first 'shop bought' kit (bless my folks) when I was a teenager, as an upgrade from the second-hand Beverly. I wish I still had both. Imperialstar was, at the time, Tama's aim at the mid-level market, and like any gear of that era was a good sight better quality than today's equivalent. Bought in the early 80s as a whole kit (14x5.5" snare, 12", 13" 16" toms, before 'power' size toms were even a thing, 22x14" bass drum) including hardware, I subsequently managed to find an 8" and 10" to match. I still have some recordings of this kit (pinstripes top, clear ambassadors bottom) and it sounds fine. In my foolish youth I sold it to buy a Pearl MLX because a) I was still susceptible to marketing, which led to b) I thought I wanted a deeper bass drum, c) I became convinced that the inner coating was a hindrance to sound, d) I fancied the lacquer finish. Older and wiser and still playing, in retrospect this was a brilliant kit, and a good benchmark- did I need another 2" bass drum depth?- possibly not. Did the inner coating mar the perceived performance? Absolutely not, and therien lies a whole other discussion about what makes a drum sound good. Was I an idiot to sell the shell pack for vanity? Probably- the MLX sounded as good (arguably not any better) though it did look good- is there a suggestion that we play a bit better if we think our gear looks ace? Re. hardware, I still have all the Titan series stands that came with the kit- the chrome is top quality and with (embarrassingly) minimal care is good to this day, which is more than can be said for that of some more recent popular hardware manufacturers... I still miss the 'Omniball' tom post system, it's to my mind the most sensible design yet for mounting toms. Tama, Pearl, Yamaha etc.- Big companies, no doubt still manufacturing good stuff, but nowadays having to compete to try and sell us 'innovation' that's not always innovation. The Imperialstar series was the epitome of quality and enduring budget gear. Thanks for the post mate, cheers.

[@nemesisxrox6773]

... that was a good read - appreciate the words

[@dustinthiessen]

geeze... no love for the 13/24? this makes me a bit sad...

[@rdavidr]

Id love to find another floor tom and make a "big" kit

[@kamilpeciak1543]

@@rdavidr well, 2 years later how did your hunt go?

[@iwasdozer]

I am beyond envious of this kit. And my heart breaks every time I hear you didn’t keep the 24”

[@ScottyLo]

I still have a 10 peace double bass Imperial Star I bought brand new in 1984. It’s been stored for at least 10 years now. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to use some of these techniques to clean it up one day.

[@nemesisxrox6773]

... evr get to it - u best better :)

[@scottlowell493]

I restored a big 1984 imperialstar with the same finish. I had some troll declare that they couldn't sound good. In fact he went on to say "Depends on what you consider good" in an attempt to be dismissive. As this video proves, the imperialstar are punchy, warm and great in the studio. I'd slap some vintage emperor clears and a ps/3 on them and have a blast. In my experience, if someone can't make them sound good, they are not good drummers. The imperialstars will rock.

[@doublea7054]

The vintage Tama kits you have been playing have a much bigger vibe the the newer Tama drums you had prior! drums like these that i was drooling over in catalogs as a teen are now vintage instruments... Guess that makes me vintage too. Nice sounding kit!

[@THPDA]

Wow, nice job. The old Silver Beast - RIP. Twas my 1st kit in the 80s, rusted to ruin by a warm sea breeze.

[@BEANMAN1214]

Hi key, I'm so proud of Dave for how much he's improved over the years. Like being on freaking Drumeo dude. Big Congrats man!!! Much love from North Carolina!!

[@frankcunnigham220]

Man you spittin the phrases to rush was pure supreme

[@kitdinker]

"It's pretty badass." Understatement of the year. It's awesome!

[@fulci6734]

Very Nice TAMA kit & Good Drumming David

[@ThomasLang00]

Fantastic job and beautiful kit. I had one of those in Champagne finish, brings back memories!

[@stephenhylander9395]

As we say in Boston, That kit sounds PISSAH!! The 12” is one of the sweetest 12’s I’ve ever heard! Nice job!

[@christskingdom8950]

That was my 1st kit in 1986. Same color. Awesome.

[@garrettharney9573]

Absolutely love this. Gonna restore my vistalite with my dad and were gonna refer to this video for how not to mess it up. THANK YOU

[@danstephensen9032]

It's interesting to see the old school Rogers gray spray on the interiors. Great Sound and great work.

[@joesantamaria5874]

I’ve had a set of Imperialstars since new in ‘81. Great looking, built like tanks, but incredibly insensitive, for lack of a better term. You have to hit them with a club to get any tone at all out of them, at least 5b, regardless of tuning or heads. If you’re a serious hard hitter, this is your ride, but for anyone else, they might not be your first choice.

[@knivesguitarspvtchefs4890]

Dude your info is five star, but your background music is the real reason I watch. Good info, dope music.

[@soundsatdjs1964]

I have this same Tama Imperialstar set purchased back in 1982. I would love to restore mine.

[@Jellybeantiger]

I have an Imperialstar with 2 24 inch bass drums wasting away in the garage,10,12,13,14,16,18 toms puter blue finish,the same colour as that spare kick you have. Used it in a band ,Hobb’s Angel Of Death.

[@davek5027]

I miss my Tama 1984 Imperialstar kit... 22” bass, 13” and 14” rack toms, 16” and 18” floor toms. Sold it in the late 80’s to my regret.

[@schwedenretter]

Greetings from germany. I'm speechless, this was pure beauty. Really interesting und informative project und and work, plus you nailed it with the music. I love the vintage imperialstars, the "wood" looks crappy and many think they sound dead but I love it. Easily your best video this year.

[@Robert-yg2dr]

Damn that drum set sounds good , love the boomy bass drum sound and crisp toms

[@JonasLeppert]

can you please make a video about all the kits you have?

[@harnois75]

I love the metallic white finish. I wish Tama would bring it back.

[@faceup5]

Hey, I really appreciate your videos. You really brought those old Imperialstars back to life. They look and sound great!

[@djindapocket5143]

Glad to see u uploading more again

[@dirkayala5812]

This is Awesome!...I played on that exact same color ImperialStar for several years!:) Still got 2- of the toms I stripped wrap off of up in mu garage from that kit.

[@christskingdom8950]

Hay Dave; this David with the big blue double bass Tama rebuild. If you need an extra set of Tama imperialstar floor tom legs, I have some. They are perfect and clean. Just pay the freight and the are yours (if ya need em)...

[@TimBuell]

Going straight Breaking Bad on this hardware man.

[@rdavidr]

Had to bust some science on y’all 🤓

[@ryanwilson5782]

Bruuuuh why would you NOT keep the 24??

[@hungryarch7319]

I use Noxon chrome bumper polish....works like a champ

[@expulsado]

beautiful end product, drums and mix

[@sawekwu9620]

2:40 I did the same mistake to my tom :(

[@mannydrums4031]

RIP im so sorry about that

[@crookeddrummer610]

This is my favorite sounding kit you've done! Well done!!!

[@drummerjoey003]

Man I love Tama, you did an amazing job with bringing that kit to life.

[@cmdrcptmattfoot]

This Tama kit SLAMS.

[@jaystalls]

Wow that groove at the end was heavy!

[@keithwoodcrest]

Love this, dude! Had an 88 Ludwig Classic Maple kit for a long time that had power toms (11x12, 12x13). Always wanted to cut em down to 8 and 9" depths but would've had the same problem with the lugs

[@mattyn94]

This is my favourite restoration you've done yet, that kit is so sexy, there's no other word for it.

[@havespacesuitwilltravel9607]

CLR is okay, but I recommend evapo-rust. The black-ness is from carbon extracting to the surface. Evapo-rust is safer, less chemically and the blackening happens slower. Just don't let it sit for a week and you shouldn't have that effect, but the rust will be gone after 24hrs

[@ivanbajovic3476]

Sounds almost like 70's Ludwig Big Beat. Pure awesomeness

[@ralphbenites1819]

Great job on the Tampa drum kit

[@rhythmista7707]

These drums were/ are great. However, those finish wraps were awful, but they actually did last long and were indestructible. The only finish I really liked was the one on your kit. Great job on restoration !

[@jimosullivan8051]

Man, ya gotta go old school when it comes to removing sticky stuff, especially old tape residue; PEANUT BUTTER! Just cover the residue with a thinnish layer of the stuff, and get ready to put some elbow grease in. Rub with your fingertips to start loosening the stuff, and, eventually, use your nails to scrape it off. Depending on how much, and how thick, it shouldn't take too long, but the result is impeccable. Just have a little jar of smooth, generic brand PB in the shop for anything sticky needing to be removed.

[@MrMirks-lq1ti]

We miss more videos like this!

[@Wannagobackto1980]

Like I always say, it ain't broke if I cant fix it first!!! Good save man on the GOOF OFF debacle. Live and learn my friend!!!

[@MakoAoyama]

This is now a vintage Tama drum channel. Me and my Imperialstars are ok with this.

[@nemesisxrox6773]

... [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[ 👍 ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

[@felipegirotto]

Bass drum sounds huge. Nice!

[@Cancun771]

Very smooth carpet tape trick.

[@Led198957]

SWEET MOTHER OF JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR!!! WHAT A RESULT, MAN!!!

[@wolfwarren6376]

I am glad I’m not the only one who ruined something with good off. I ruined an apple keyboard with good off. It still works, but the bottom plastic is all messed up.

[@ronaldzeoli7528]

Sweet kit. Nice clean up job

[@Mizman76]

Please try Turtle Wax Chrome polish on your chrome parts. You'll thank me. Protects them as well.

[@JoshuaBarnettPhotography]

You got that kit looking sick. Good job!

[@MarkieC1990]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 wish I could find an old Tama kit, don’t really see that many in UK.

[@matthewpaluch777]

David, the snare sounds great bro- great score!

[@enkiea8322]

Dope workshop/drum room. 👍 Very cool.

[@HesTNTonPMS]

Such an awesome sounding kit !

[@julianalconcher7849]

I love this channel sooo much!

[@brokenguillotine6988]

I have seen this video so many times and it’s great every time i wach it

[@neorich05com]

Great job on the resto. The only thing is it seems the rack tom is a 2nd gen Imp while the bass and floor tom are 1st gen. Either way, glad to see an Imp restored 🤘🏻

[@stevelinwood8362]

Dave, beautiful job on that kit 👍

[@672mack]

WD-40 to remove decals, it won't burn plastic like a solvent will.

[@mightyV444]

@672mack - Wouldn't just some hot air from a hair drier do the trick, too?! That wrap should be thick enough to take it.

[@ThatMattGoodMusic]

Another great video! Just bought a Ludwig Element kit myself - it's in good nick but quite dirty, planning on cleaning it up and this vid (and a lot of your others) is a big inspiration to get going and get playing (I really like your vids and your drumming). Just wish I had a buffer cos the chrome bits on mine could really do with some more TLC than just soapy water.

[@NEALBABBITT]

Those old tama wraps are all cracked, I can see yours are too in the video. I had an old imperialstar a few years back, it wasn't all that, so I sold it.

[@crissreznor]

Kit sound really good

[@Marreroortiz]

DAVID.... LOVE THAT SOUND!!!!

[@CarlosSanchez-cq1lf]

dude, that kit sounds great

[@coreyw5981]

Ha do you ever do more than just 3 pieces (rack, floor, bass) restorations??

[@JMancaruso89]

You should have left the hex bolt on the floor tom legs. I know they aren't as convenient, but those are original. Also those drums are either 1974 or 1975, so even more reason to do so. Great shells too. 5 plies are rare.

[@rdavidr]

for sure, if I was to ever sell the kit I would put them back on.

[@brianchisnell1548]

Shells, automotive "Scratch Off". Chrome, ultra fine steel wool then chrome polish. Cheers!

[@schaddalton]

I think the only thing for you to do next is a video taking as many of your drums, cymbals and hardware as possible and building a super kit. Perhaps you make it an asinine project of creating some kind of track system for a throne so you can slide across the super kit seamlessly while maintaining a beat :)

[@BADD400]

That kit sounds badass. Love it.