TAMA MARCHING PERCUSSION ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH HORN MAKER KANSTUL

[kanstulbrass]

TAMA MARCHING PERCUSSION ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH HORN MAKER KANSTUL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Bensalem – Just as the dust was starting to settle on Tama’s auspicious 2011 entry into the marching percussion market, the drum builder has unleashed another surprise: Tama Marching Percussion has announced it will join forces with the venerable marching brass company Kanstul Musical Instruments.

“We worked with numerous band directors during the development of our marching percussion line,” says Tama USA product manager Charlie Hayashi. “They were the ones who first suggested that a partnership with a quality brass manufacturer would be helpful, in terms of the school bid process. We kept that in mind as the next step after launching.”

The link to Kanstul was drum master Tom Float, who in collaboration with visionary Tama leader Ken Hoshino, developed Tama Marching Percussion’s innovative drum products. Knowing both Kanstul and Hoshino, Float saw the strong potential in an introduction, based on their similarities. Both Ken Hoshino and Zig Kanstul had developed reputations for being as strong a guiding force on the shop floor as they are in the conference room.

Located in Anaheim, California, one mile east of Disneyland, Kanstul launched Kanstul Musical Instruments in 1981. Before that, his lifelong dedication to creating fine brass instruments had led him to the position of Vice President of Manufacturing for C.G. Conn, and previous to that as superintendent in charge of R&D for F.E. Olds.

Tama’s Charlie Hayashi voices the company’s excitement about the new relationship: “Our commitment to combining groundbreaking hardware with great sounding drums has made the marching percussion industry sit up and take notice. Our partnership with Kanstul will make our collective products an easy choice for band directors.”

The drum company states its mission as: “Tama is applying its four decades of high-quality drum-making expertise to the marching drum market. We intend to serve marching percussion artists by solving the design problems left unaddressed by the status quo equipment makers. These solutions will maximize the drummer's comfort, safety, and performance, contributing to a richer performance experience.”

[MikeN]

Smart move. Tama needed a horn partner for better penetration in the drum corps market, and Kanstul needed a drum partner. Win-win. (It doesn't hurt that both are considered top-end instrument makers.)

Mike

[actucker]

This is completely pointless unless Tama locks up a contract with someone who makes front equipment.

[Jeff Ream]

it's a good start

[Cadet311]

From what I've heard, Tama is in works with a mallet instrument maker. And that company makes one expensive marimba.

[Iplaytimpani]

C'mon malletech....

[SFZFAN]

This is really good news! I wonder how long it will be before we'll see Tama drums on the DCI field? Does anyone know if VK has looked into them? Isn't Tom Float affiliated with them? I'm a big Yamaha marching percussion guy but I have played Tama Starclassic drums and they are right up there with the very best.

Edited February 19, 2013 by SFZFAN

[Cadet311]

C'mon malletech....

[Iplaytimpani]

Malletech marimbas are top notch. But I'm curious if they're really able to bring all of that to the field. I just struggle to see Malletech putting the R&D and money into a very limited field. They don't even really have a vibraphone outside of the "love" vibe, and I struggle to imagine them fitting their beautiful instruments to a field frame and such. Unless they're developing an entire new series, I almost feel like their gear is too nice for use outside of the concert hall. Maybe there's a lot more going into this than I can imagine.