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.

TAMA's newest Starclassic Performer series centers on a 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.