[COLOR="DarkRed"]Mid-70's early 80's. The Japan badges and zola-coated interiors give that away.

It might have been a huge rockin' kit whic lost some shells over time. Go to Tama website they have some nice archival catalogs there....

Keep in mind, ALL shells have different serial #'s (i.e. each separate shell has it's own). So, if the serial #'s are in the vicinity of each other, then probably the kit's pieces are all original. If you find a # which is way off...say, like you find a 300,000 when the rest of the drums are an 80,000 or something....it was probably a later add-on.

post some pics ?[/COLOR]

Imperial Star came in several different configs. I purchased a set back in 85 that consisted of 24 bass (x2), 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 toms (all double headed), 16 and 18 floors, and 14x6.5 snare. It was a catalogue purchase. There was a 5 piece, a 7 piece, and one or two others. The big difference was the bass size. They would offer a couple of configs and then double the options by changing the size of the bass. That's what I remember, anyway. They were pretty cool drums. Mine was Arctic White, as I recall. I wanted a Pewter, but it was discontinued just prior to my order. At least, that's what I was told. I waited 6 months for those drums to arrive. It was torture.

Thank you both and i bet that was torture. I bet it looked fine. This kit is kinda gun metal grey looking. It has no bottom heads, 6,8,10,12,13,14,16 inch toms and two 22 inch bass. I will put up some pics when i get the chance, right now im doing this on my phone. The previous owner got it in bad shape and then he just kept it stacked up in storage. The rims are bubbled and rusted a little. Each bass drum was missing one leg, on the 13'' tom a lug was busted, and did not come with the snare.

I tried to find another lug and leg at a couple local music shops and i was told that they stopped making these specific parts. If not, would you know where i would find these, and do to the wear of the toms do u think it would be ok to sand down the outside and paint them?

[COLOR="DarkRed"]I dunno if you do eBay...there are tons of vintage Tama parts available thru eBay...you may have to be patient for a couple of months, but they are out there. Also, post a want ad here. These kits were ALL OVER THE PLACE in the '80s....there are tons of parts and kits still floating around...

the metal grey wrap you speak of (horrible name for a wrap, incidentally) is actually a standard available wrap from drum parts suppliers.

I would NOT sand down and paint that kit...you would destroy the value of it...the paint won't last long in good shape....and it'd just be an all-around tragedy.

I mean, granted, 80's Tamas aren't the end-all of vintage drums...BUT...a nice old set of early Japanese-produced Imperialstars is still way cooler than most of what is available today. They were some of the earliest Japanese kits made to take the market by storm...and for better or worse, Tama and Yamaha basically elbowed their way into the American market and blew the American brands out the door (the typical story for the '70's-80's....the Japanese imports gave you so much MORE FOR THE MONEY that the classic American makers did...and they could never really recover the market afterwards; domestic makers could only do so by cutting back the quality or bailing on domestic production and contracting overseas...which, again, resulted in poorer quality).

If all that sounds familiar, it should....but I digress. Sorry.Coffee Break2Violin

Find someone to re-wrap the drums which are trashed....or if you need help, PM me. I do that sort of thing for folks (for a small charge, of course).

Looking forward to the pics.[/COLOR]

sorry it has been awhile but i will probably have the pics up this weekend. Like i said though they are in pretty bad shape or so i think.

Sounds like a nice kit!

About two years ago I picked up a Japanese built Imperial Star 10- lug snare with die cast hoops. What a beast a real heavy metal dream!

Plays nice tuned tight too and is actually versatile.

kellyjCool1

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]Well...if the shells are structurally sound and the chrome isn't pitted and/or rusted beyond all heck...and if all of the pieces are there....(regardless of aesthetic condition or wrap/finish condition)

then it's NOT beyond being renovated into a very nice kit....[/COLOR]

yeah.even though i have only hi hats, ride, and one crack cymbal for now, it is a good kit for metal.right now i have it set up as a 6 piece. the tom holders on this kit is the dumbest thing i have ever seen. the toms have slots on the side where the toms slide straight down on them.you cant just adjust one, the other tom moves with it.which is why i have it set up smaller than what i can.i guess i will have to get a rack system.

Can you post a picture of that ? It sounds like the old marching-tom slotted system,and that doesn't sound like a vintage Tama tom mount system to me. I am wondering if it was swapped out at some point.

It would be a worth investment to get some real Tama mount system, probably.