give this a look. https://www.google.com/search?q=tama+granstar+snare+drum&espv=2&biw=1517&bih=714&tbm=isch&imgil=beDnD9xm7xu4kM%253A%253BqIPhkKj3sBRQ8M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fforum.tama.com%25252Fyaf_postsm226983_Newest-addition-to-my-collection.aspx&source=iu&pf=m&fir=beDnD9xm7xu4kM%253A%252CqIPhkKj3sBRQ8M%252C_&dpr=0.9&usg=__7jjc5KGN15qPXR3Cik7F76sdu5k%3D&ved=0CCoQyjdqFQoTCMWwvJm8lcYCFUUMrAod2B8AmA&ei=DL-AVcX6KMWYsAXYv4DACQ#imgrc=beDnD9xm7xu4kM%253A%3BqIPhkKj3sBRQ8M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fi304.photobucket.com%252Falbums%252Fnn161%252Fdmenace_2008%252FTama%252520Granstar%252FS1054020.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fforum.tama.com%252Fyaf_postsm226983_Newest-addition-to-my-collection.aspx%3B1024%3B768&usg=__7jjc5KGN15qPXR3Cik7F76sdu5k%3D

It's an Artwood, mid 80's-early 90's. Hard to tell if it's maple or birch. Doesn't matter...that is a killer snare drum. And for $60? That is a grand slam out of the park. That's an easy $200 drum. Well done! I have several of them in my collection.

Great to know, thanks. I can also get an 80's steel shell Imperialstar for the same price, is that also a grand slam?

How can you tell the difference in the Granstar and Artwood? I looked up an Artwood on line and although it had the same lugs, the shell looked thicker and the interior was painted.

I was to understand granstars were wrapped.

This is a Granstar, it's wrapped and has a thinner birch shell than the Artwood models.

Artwood was the pro line of snares, various woods wrapped or not, but the wrapped were normally paired to the Granstars. The Imperialstar steel shell is not worth much. 50/60 bucks is all I would pay tops. Not a bad sounding drum though.

If you like Stewart Copeland's snare drum, then yes, that would be a grand slam for you, as that is the drum he used throughout the peek of his career with The Police..However, it has been said, and i can't claim this for sure, but some have said that he used a Pearl snare drum during those later years.. Who knows..?

Hi guys!

As far as I know, he used throughout the first records -and probably gigs- an Acrolite. Even I saw a pic (can't remember where) with an Acro w/ some kind of towel attached to one side of the shell in order to protect his right knee!!! He's a serial killer heavy hitter!!

That happened even when he already was a rising endorser of Tama though.

Then a few years later, Tama made his own Signature snare drum.

Somebody may know this history better than me anyway, let's them chime!!