I’m hoping to get around to restoring the kit this winter as a kit to tuck away for my little 2 year old boy when he gets older. Also, that cheesy, retro-cool “faux birdseye maple” wrap was just too cool to pass up! I’ve only seen a few other Gravure Amber RM kits on Craigslist here and there…but all with “Xtra” length power toms. Ages of K-80's Based on Serial Numbers (Estimated) Posted on JHere is a list of serial number range by year of manufacture. With the Starclassic Serial number system, you apply the subtract 10 system to the first two digits of the number to get what year they were made in. The matching wrapped snare drums are even more difficult to find than the kits. Only Tama Starclassic Maple Drums have serial numbers that indicate the age of the drums. When I saw the three piece “Gravure Amber” RM kit that I bought (see previous posts) had a 14' floor tom and 20' kick…I had to have it just on the rarity of those sizes. Other than this link to the 93 Tama catalog, I don’t have much info on them either. The RM’s were such an anomaly in Tama’s drum line at the time, there is just not much of a knowledge base on them. Who knows…you may just have THE FIRST Rockstar RM in “Gravure Cherry Black” off the assembly line! I can’t imagine there being many others out there.

That serial number is intriguing…but you never know what Tama was thinking with their serial number schemes in early 90’s. I guess “Black Cherry” got lost in translation somewhere!

Kinda rare for sure, especially in 'Gravure Cherry Black” as Tama called it. I’d really like to build up a kit around it but I’ve never found another drum in the same finish!“ I was wondering if you could tell me anything interesting about it? There’s very little info out there about them. What’s interesting about this one is that it has the serial number 000001. I can’t find much about them on the internet, other than they appear to be quite rare.

“Hey man, came across your blog when searching for Rockstar RM… I have in my possession a single 13” rack tom, Rockstar RM, I think the finish is called ‘Black Cherry Gravure’ (could be wrong on that one).

Tama serial number check