DISCLOSURE:  This is taken from the old tama.com forums; now non-existent.  I am, and was not, the original author; nor the person responsible for compiling this great resource. (“aje-drum” is the fine person responsible for that).  I merely clipped the page several years ago when trying to identify my Tama Superstars; (see above photo).

 

Current from 2005 – 2015

 

Here is a breakdown by year of modern Superstars (2005 and on) as there have been numerous versions.

2005

– Hybrid Birch/Basswood shell, 6ply/6mm toms & snare, 7ply/7mm bass. Innermost ply basswood for all versions, outermost ply basswood on Superstar Custom (SL) lacquered finishes.
– Chrome shell hardware
– Diecast hoops
– ‘Accel’ depths – Tom 8×7, 10×8, 12×9, 10×13, 11×14, 13×16, Floor Tom 14×14, 16×16, 18×16, Bass 20×18, 22×18, 24×18, Snare 14×5½, 14×6½.

Superstar Custom (SL) – 6 lacquer finishes with chrome hardware – Custom Amber Fade (CAF), Custom Titanium Fade (CTF) Custom Ocean Fade (COF), Custom Mahogany Fade (CMF), Custom Charcoal (CCC), Custom Blond (CBD)
Superstar EFX (SX) 4 ‘Duracover’ wraps with chrome hardware – Orange Satin Flame (OSF), White Satin Haze (WSH), Turquoise Satin Haze (TSH), Dark Blue Abalone (DBA)
Superstar (SK) – 7 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with chrome hardware – Bronze Mist Metallic (BMM), Vintage Blue (VTB), Vintage Red (VTR), Midnight Blue (MNB), Gun Metal Metallic (GMM), Sugar White (SGW), Black (BK).

2006

– No Catalogue.

Superstar EFX (SX) Limited Edition (Australia Only) – (SWP) Snow White Pearl ‘Duracover’ wrap in specific configuration – Tom 13×10, Floor Toms 16×16, 18×16, Bass Drum 24×18 without mount, Snare 14×6½, 40 kits.

2007

– unchaged except some finish updates.

Superstar Custom (SL) – 6 lacquer finishes with chrome hardware – [NEW]Blue Metallic Fade (BMF), [NEW]Custom Scarlet Fade (CSF), Custom Amber Fade (CAF), Custom Titanium Fade (CTF) Custom Ocean Fade (COF), Custom Charcoal (CCC), [lose CMF, CBD]
Superstar EFX (SX) – 5 ‘Duracover’ wraps with chrome hardware – [NEW]Vintage Nickel Sparkle (VNS), Orange Satin Flame (OSF), White Satin Haze (WSH), Turquoise Satin Haze (TSH), Dark Blue Abalone (DBA)
Superstar (SK) – 5 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with chrome hardware – [NEW]Brushed Metallic Black (BMB), [NEW]Brushed Vintage Blue (BVB), [NEW]Copper Mist Metallic (CMM), Midnight Blue (MNB), Sugar White (SGW), [lose BMM, VTB, VTR, GMM, BK]

2008

– ‘Hyperdrive’ shell depths introduced, previous depths and sizes discontinued.
– Hyperdrive drums feature Black Nickel shell hardware and virgin bass drums.
– Shell layup the same as previous.
– Hyperdrive depths – Tom 8×6, 10×6½, 12×7, 13×7½, 14×8, Floor Tom 14×12, 16×14, 18×16, Bass 22×18, 22×20, 24×18, Snares 13×6, 14×5½, 14×6½.

Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) – 6 lacquer finishes with black nickel hardware – Dark Desert Burst (DDB), Gray Pewter (GP), Blue Metallic Fade (BMF), Custom Scarlet Fade (CSF), Custom Amber Fade (CAF), Custom Titanium Fade (CTF)
Superstar EFX Hyperdrive (SX) – 4 ‘Duracover’ wraps with black nickel hardware – Liquid Metal (LQM), Turquoise Satin Haze (TSH), Vintage Nickel Sparkle (VNS), Dark Blue Abalone (DBA)
Superstar Hyperdrive (SK) – 6 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with black nickel hardware – Brushed Burgundy Metallic (BBM), Brushed Metallic Black (BMB), Brushed Vintage Blue (BVB), Copper Mist Metallic (CMM), Vintage Red(VTR), Sugar White (SGW)

2009

– Existing Hyperdrive series unchanged apart from finish updates.
– Accel-Driver sub-series introduced in addition to Hyperdrive, bringing back some of the original sizes.
– Black Nickel hardware only.
– Accel-Driver sizes – Tom 8×7, 10×8, 12×9, 10×13, (no 14), Floor Tom 14×12, 16×14, 18×16, Bass 22×18, Snares 13×6, 14×5½, 14×6½

Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) – 5 lacquer finishes with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Gold Platinum Fade (GPF), [NEW]Satin Cherry Burst (SCB), Dark Desert Burst (DDB), Gray Pewter (GP), Custom Scarlet Fade (CSF), [lose BMF, CAF, CTF]
Superstar Custom Accel-Driver (SL) – 3 lacquer finishes with black nickel hardware – Satin Cherry Burst (SCY), Dark Desert Burst (DDB), Gray Pewter (GP)
Superstar EFX Hyperdrive (SX) – 4 ‘Duracover’ wraps with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Snow White Pearl (SWP), [NEW]Red Silk (RSK), Vintage Nickel Sparkle (VNS), Turquoise Satin Haze (TQS), [lose LQM, DBA]
Superstar Hyperdrive (SK) – 5 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with black nickel hardware – Brushed Burgundy Metallic (BBM), Sugar White (SGW), Brushed Metallic Black (BMB), Brushed Vintage Blue (BVB), Copper Mist Metallic (CMM), [lose VTR]
Superstar Accel-Driver (SK) – 3 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with black nickel hardware – Brushed Burgundy Metallic (BBM), Sugar White (SGW), Brushed Metallic Black (BMB)

2010

– The shell layup has changed to all birch with the same ply/thickness as the hybrid shell.
– All birch shells carry a sticker inside the drum stating so, where the sticker in the previous shell didn’t mention wood type. The stickers can fall off of course, but the basswood interiors of the old shell were almost devoid of timber grain (which is why they say they used it), and the grain in clearly present in the birch shells.
– The Accel-Driver name from 2009 has been dropped, but now all of the Accel sizes that were available in the pre Hyperdrive drums are back
– Hyperdrive has Black Nickel hardware, Accel have chrome.

Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) – 5 lacquer finishes with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Midnight Spectrum (MNS), Satin Cherry Burst (SCY), [NEW]Dark Mocha Fade (DMF), Gray Pewter (GP), Custom Titanium Fade (CTF), Custom Scarlet Fade (CSF) [lose GPF, DDB]
Superstar Custom (SL) – 5 lacquer finishes with chrome hardware – Midnight Spectrum (MNS), Satin Cherry Burst (SCY), Dark Mocha Fade (DMF), Gray Pewter (GP), Custom Titanium Fade (CTF), Custom Scarlet Fade (CSF)
Superstar EFX Hyperdrive (SX) – 4 ‘Duracover’ wraps with black nickel hardware – Snow White Pearl (SWP), Red Silk (RSK), Turquoise Satin Haze (TSH) [NEW]Mirror Chrome (MRC) [lose VNS]
Superstar EFX (SX) – 4 ‘Duracover’ wraps with chrome hardware – Snow White Pearl (SWP), Red Silk (RSK), Turquoise Satin Haze (TSH), Mirror Chrome (MRC)
Superstar Hyperdrive (SK) – 5 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with black nickel hardware – Brushed Burgundy Metallic (BBM), Brushed Metallic Black (BMB), [NEW]Brushed Platinum Gray (BPG), Black, (BK), Sugar White (SGW) [lose BVB, CMM]
Superstar (SK) – 5 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with black nickel hardware – Brushed Burgundy Metallic (BBM), Brushed Metallic Black (BMB), Brushed Platinum Gray (BPG), Black, (BK), Sugar White (SGW)

2011

– Accel depths again get culled leaving Hyperdrives as the only option.
– EFX finishes are dropped.

Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) – 5 lacquer finishes with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Copper Mist Burst (CMB), Midnight Specturm (MNS), Satin Cherry Burst (SCY), Dark Mocha Fade (DMF), Gray Pewter (GP) [lose CTF, CSF]
Superstar Hyperdrive (SK) – 3 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Red Chameleon Sparkle (RCS), Black (BK), Sugar White (SGW) [lose BBM, BMB, BPG]

2012

– Bass drums shell is up to 8mm/7ply from previous 7mm/7ply. Toms/snare shell is unchanged.
– Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) – Limited Edition Red Banded Matte Black (RMB) and Brown Banded Matte White (BMW) with black nickel hardware in SL62HZBNS configuration – Tom 10×6½, 12×7, Floor Tom 14×12, 16×14, Bass 22×18, Snare 14×5½

Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) – 4 lacquer finishes with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Blue Titanium Satin Burst (BTS), [NEW]Red Titanium Burst (RTB), Copper Mist Burst (CMB), Dark Mocha Fade (DMF), [lose MNS, SCY, GP]
Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) Limited Edition – Red Banded Matte Black (RMB), Brown Banded Matte White (BMW)
Superstar Hyperdrive (SK) – 3 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Titanium Silver Metallic (TSM), Red Chameleon Sparkle (RCS), Sugar White (SGW) [lose BK]

2013

– Revised finishes only.
– Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) – Limited Edition Exotic Brown Burst (EBB) with black nickel hardware in SL62HZBNS configuration – Tom 10×6½, 12×7, Floor Tom 14×12, 16×14, Bass 22×18, Snare 14×5½

Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) – 4 lacquer finishes with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Flat Black (FBK), Blue Titanium Satin Burst (BTS), Red Titanium Burst (RTB), Dark Mocha Fade (DMF), [lose CMB]
Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) Limited Edition – Exotic Brown Burst (EBB)
Superstar Hyperdrive (SK) – 4 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Indigo Sparkle (ISP), Titanium Silver Metallic (TSM), Red Chameleon Sparkle (RCS), Sugar White (SGW)

2014

– Revised finishes only.
– Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SO) Limited Edition Oak finishes in specific 6 piece SO62HZBNS configuration – Tom 10×6½, 12×7, Floor Tom 14×12, 16×14, Bass 22×18, Snare 14×5½

Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SL) – 6 lacquer finishes with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Bright Orange Metallic (BOM), [NEW]Transparent Black Fade (TBF), [NEW]Snow White Burst (SWB), Flat Black (FBK), Blue Titanium Satin Burst (BTS), Dark Mocha Fade (DMF), Satin Cherry Burst (SCY) [lose RTB]
Superstar Custom Hyperdrive (SO) Limited Edition Oak outer veneer – 3 lacquer finishes with black nickel hardware – Red Rose Oak (RRO), Transparent Black Oak (TBO), Natural Amber Oak (NAO)
Superstar Hyperdrive (SK) – 6 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with black nickel hardware – [NEW]Brushed Charcoal Black (BCB), [NEW]Galaxy Silver (GXS), Indigo Sparkle (ISP), Red Chameleon Sparkle (RCS), Sugar White (SGW) [lose TSM]

2015

– New Maple shell. 6ply/5mm tom/snare, 8ply/7mm bass
– 2 versions – Superstar Classic Maple (North America) and Superstar Hyperdrive Maple (everywhere else and some US chains as an exclusive limited edition…to be confirmed)
– Superstar Classic Maple – Chrome hardware, triple flanged hoops, ‘Star Mount’ system (from Silverstar), low mass lugs modeled on the original (70s/80s) Superstar lug, ‘Big T’ badges (again, like vintage Superstar). Tom 8×7, 10×8, 12×9, 13×10, 14×11, Floor Tom 14×12, 16×14, 18×16, Bass 22×18, Snare 14×5, 14×6½
– Superstar Hyperdrive Maple – Black Nickel hardware, die cast hoops, version 2 ‘Star Cast’ mounts (from 2006-14 Starclassic), new badge (same design as previous) that says ‘TAMA SUPERSTAR HYPER-DRIVE’ at the top and ‘MAPLE SHELL’ at the bottom. Tom 8×6, 10×6½, 12×7, 13×7½, 14×8, Floor Tom 14×12, 16×14, 18×16, Bass 22×18, 22×20, 24×18, Snares 13×6, 14×5½, 14×6½.
– Superstar Hyperdrive Maple (ML) Limited Edition Lacebark Pine finishes in specific 6 piece ML62HZBNSP configuration – Tom 10×6½, 12×7, Floor Tom 14×12, 16×14, Bass 22×18, Snare 14×5½
– Superstar Classic Maple(CK) Limited Edition 26″ Bass Drum Traditional Rock Kit in specific CK426RZS configuration – Tom 13×9, Floor Tom 16×16, 18×16, Bass 26×14 without tom holder base

Superstar Classic Maple (CL) – 4 lacquer finishes with chrome hardware – Classic Cherry Wine (CCW), Silver Snow Metallic (SVM), Mahogany Burst (MHB), Transparent Black Burst (TPB)
Superstar Hyperdrive Maple (ML) – 6 lacquer finishes with black nickel hardware – Vintage Blue Metallic (VBM), Dark Mocha Fade (DMF), Satin Cherry Burst (SCY), Bright Orange Metallic (BOM), Flat Black (FBK), Transparent Black Fade
Superstar Classic Maple (CK) – 5 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with chrome hardware – Midnight Gold Sparkle (MGD), Galaxy Silver (GXS), Brushed Charcoal Black (BCB), Indigo Sparkle (ISP), Bright Orange Sparkle (BOS)
Superstar Hyperdrive Maple (MK) – 6 ‘Unicolor’ wraps with black nickel hardware – Midnight Gold Sparkle (MGD), Red Chameloen Sparkle (RCS), Titanium Silver Metallic (TSM), Brushed Charcoal Black (BCB), Sugar White (SGW), Indigo Sparkle (ISP)

Major Features Summary by Year

2005-07
Hybrid shell
Chrome hardware
Accel Sizes
Tom – 8×7, 10×8, 12×9, 13×10, 14×11, 16×13
Floor Tom – 14×14, 16×16, 18×16
Bass – 20×18, 22×18, 24×18
Snare – 14×5½, 14×6½

2008-09
Hybrid Shell
Black Nickel Hardware
Hyperdrive Sizes
Tom – 8×6, 10×6½, 12×7, 13×7½, 14×8
Floor Tom – 14×12, 16×14, 18×16
Bass 22×18, – 22×20, 24×18
Snares – 13×6, 14×5½, 14×6½

2009
Hybrid Shell
Black Nickel Hardware
Accel-Driver sizes
Tom – 8×7, 10×8, 12×9, 13×10
Floor Tom – 14×12, 16×14, 18×16
Bass – 22×18
Snares – 13×6, 14×5½, 14×6½

2010-14
All Birch Shell
Black Nickel Hardware
Hyperdrive Sizes
Tom – 8×6, 10×6½, 12×7, 13×7½, 14×8
Floor Tom – 14×12, 16×14, 18×16
Bass – 22×18, 22×20, 24×18
Snares – 13×6, 14×5½, 14×6½

2010
All Birch Shell
Chrome Hardware
Accel Sizes
Tom – 8×7, 10×8, 12×9, 13×10, 14×11, 16×13
Floor Tom – 14×14, 16×16, 18×16
Bass – 20×18, 22×18, 24×18
Snare – 14×5½, 14×6½

2015
Superstar Classic Maple
All Maple Shell
Chrome Hardware
Tom – 8×7, 10×8, 12×9, 13×10, 14×11
Floor Tom – 14×12, 16×14, 18×16
Bass – 22×18, 26×14 (Ltd Ed only)
Snare 14×5, 14×6½

2015
Superstar Hyperdrive Maple
All Maple Shell
Black Nickel Hardware
Tom – 8×6, 10×6½, 12×7, 13×7½, 14×8
Floor Tom – 14×12, 16×14, 18×16
Bass – 22×18, 22×20, 24×18
Snares – 13×6, 14×5½, 14×6½

Years By Finishes (All years inclusive)

Lacquer Superstar Custom (Hybrid and Birch) SL, Superstar Classic Maple CL, Superstar Hyperdrive Maple ML

Custom Amber Fade (CAF) – 2005-08
Custom Titanium Fade (CTF) – 2005-08, 2010
Custom Ocean Fade (COF) – 2005-07
Custom Mahogany Fade (CMF) – 2005-06
Custom Charcoal (CCC) – 2005-07
Custom Blond (CBD) – 2005-06
Blue Metallic Fade (BMF) – 2007-08
Custom Scarlet Fade (CSF) – 2007-08, 2009 (HD), 2010
Dark Desert Burst (DDB) – 2008-09
Gray Pewter (GP) – 2008-11
Gold Platinum Fade (GPF) – 2009 (HD)
Satin Cherry Burst (SCY) – 2009-11, 2014-15
Midnight Spectrum (MSN) – 2010-11
Dark Mocha Fade (DMF) – 2010-15
Copper Mist Burst (CMB) – 2011-12
Blue Titanium Satin Burst (BTS) – 2012-14
Red Titanium Burst (RTB) – 2012-13
Red Banded Matte Black (RMB) 2012 (Ltd Ed)
Brown Banded Matte White (BMW) 2012 (Ltd Ed)
Flat Black (FTB) – 2013-15
Exotic Brown Burst (EBB) – 2013 (Ltd Ed)
Bright Orange Metallic (BOM) – 2014-15
Transparent Black Fade (TBF) – 2014-15
Snow White Burst (SWB) – 2014
Red Rose Oak (RRO) – 2014 (Ltd Ed SO)
Transparent Black Oak (TBO) – 2014 (Ltd Ed SO)
Natural Amber Oak (NAO) – 2014 (Ltd Ed SO)
Vintage Blue Metallic (VBM) – 2015
Classic Cherry Wine (CCW) – 2015
Silver Snow Metallic (SVM) – 2015
Mahogany Burst (MHB) – 2015
Indigo Lacebark Pine (ILP) – 2015 (Ltd Ed ML)
Red Lacebark Pine (RLP) – 2015 (Ltd Ed ML)
Black Lacebark Pine (BLP) – 2015 (Ltd Ed ML)

Duracover Superstar EFX (Hybrid and Birch) SX

Orange Satin Flame (OSF) – 2005-07
White Satin Haze (WSH) – 2005-07
Turquoise Satin Haze (TSH) – 2005-08, 2009 (HD), 2010
Dark Blue Abalone (DBA) – 2005-08
Vintage Nickel Sparkle (VNS) – 2007-08, 2009 (HD)
Liquid Metal (LQM) – 2008
Snow White Pearl (SWP) – 2006 (Ltd Ed), 2009 (HD), 2010
Red Silk (RSK) – 2009 (HD), 2010
Mirror Chrome (MRC) – 2010

Unicolor Superstar (Hybrid and Birch) SK, Superstar Classic Maple CK, Superstar Hyperdrive Maple MK

Bronze Mist Metallic (BMM) – 2005-06
Vintage Blue (VTB) – 2005-06
Vintage Red (VTR) – 2005-06, 2008
Midnight Blue (MNB) – 2005-08
Gun Metal Metallic (GMM) – 2005-06
Sugar White (SGW) – 2005-15
Black (BK) – 2005-06, 2010-11
Brushed Metallic Black (BMB) – 2007-10
Brushed Vintage Blue (BVB) – 2007-08, 2009 (HD)
Copper Mist Metallic (CMM) – 2007-08, 2009 (HD)
Brushed Burgundy Metallic (BBM) – 2008-10
Brushed Platinum Gray (BPG) – 2010
Red Chameleon Sparkle (RCS) – 2011-15
Titanium Silver Metallic (TSM) – 2012-13, 2015
Indigo Sparkle (ISP) – 2013-15
Brushed Charcoal Black (BCB) – 2014-15
Galaxy Silver (GXS) – 2014-15
Midnight Gold Sparkle (MGD) – 2015
Bright Orange Sparkle (BOS) – 2015