Get a great deal on Tama SLP (Sound Lab Project) Drums at Drum Central with free delivery. Professional quality, unique Japanese drums. We offer great value and fast delivery.

Tama Drums are a brand of drum kits and hardware manufactured by the Japanese musical instrument company, Hoshino Gakki. They began manufacturing drums in 1961 under the name “Star Drums”, named the owner Hoshino which translates to “star field”. The drums were manufactured at Hoshino’s subsidiary, Tama Seisakusho, which had opened in 1962 to manufacture Ibanez guitars and amplifiers. By 1974, Hoshino decided to make a concerted effort to make high-quality drums and hardware and start marketing its drums under the Tama brand. Tama was the name of the owner’s wife, and is also a homophone with the Japanese word meaning “jewel”. “Star” continues to be used in the names of many Tama drum models to this day.

Tama have been producing Sound Lab Project (SLP) drums for over a decade, with the main focus on a wide range of unique snare drums. However, in 2018 Tama expanded their range to offer a brand new selection of full drum kits including the Studio Maple Kit.

The Studio Maple kit is very original model in both sound and appearance, with Sound Focus Rings on the inside of the shells and 100% Maple Wood Hoops. It has a focused, warm, woody tone with clear attack, and a relatively short sustain with beautiful decay. While great for live performance, this model really excels in the studio, especially when seeking a warm sound with controlled resonance.

Tama SLP still boasts a wide selection of unique high quality snare drums, two of our favourites are the “Bold Spotted Gum” and the “Sonic Stainless Steel”.

The “Bold Spotted Gum” snare drum features Spotted Gum wood, a hard and high-density wood growing in the Oceania area of Australia. This snare offers an extremely dry and solid sound without sacrificing the deeper low end. A Super Sensitive Hi-Carbon snare wire provides a crisp and articulate snare sound.

The “Sonic Stainless Steel” snare, featuring a 1.2mm-thick shell, offers a solid and extremely powerful sound. A newly-developed 3.0mm-thick steel Mighty Hoop provides a clearer attack, even from low to mid tuning ranges. A 30-strand steel coil snare wire delivers a bright and bold snare sound.

Filter