TAMA's newest Starclassic Performer series centers on the newest TAMA hybrid shell - maple/birch - to offer drummers a complex, powerful and expressive sound supported by rugged Starclassic performance. TAMA's Starclassic Performer series evolves the Starclassic legacy to provide a unique TAMA sonic component that redefines the art of professional drum set sound and expression at an undeniable value.

TAMA's Starclassic shell design has included drums with various wood types, including pure maple, pure birch, pure bubinga, and "hybrid" bubinga/birch and walnut/birch. TAMA's evolution into the hybrid shell has been widely appreciated by drummers due to the complex and expressive sonic properties these hybrid shells produce.