Jason
Wade
Drummer, collector, and researcher
Jason Wade founded TamaStar as a single-author editorial archive for the vintage Tama drum lineages. His work draws from original catalogs, period advertisements, surviving instruments, and the published record of the Japanese drum industry.
He is a drummer and long-time collector with a particular interest in the transition from Star to Tama in 1974 and the hardware, badge, and shell conventions that distinguish the early Imperialstar, Superstar, Artstar, and Rockstar generations.
"Where the primary-source record is incomplete, the gap is stated rather than filled."
TamaStar treats drum history as a research problem, not a marketing narrative. Every claim is tied to a source that can be named. Illustrations are labelled when they are reconstructions. Gaps in the record are flagged as gaps, not smoothed over with speculation.
The archive does not broker sales, appraise instruments, or accept payment for inclusion. Authentication guidance is general reference, not a substitute for hands-on inspection.
Corrections, source suggestions, and first-hand observations from original owners are welcome. Send them via jasonwade.com.