Tama HC4FB Classic Hardware Set

I love vintage look and have been constantly using flat base hardware from two specific manufacturers (Gibraltar and DW). When the time came to purchase new straight flat base stands, Tama Classic Stand (HC52F) was an option number one. At the same time I contemplated, whether these stands stand up (pun intended) with my 22" and 24" rides. However, I was surprised to find out that these stands are even lighter and slimmer than I had thought! And they perform really well! They are nice and stable, tilting mechanism works fine and I'm really happy with performance.

Then I thought - why not take whole set of hardware? And I ordered HC4FB.

HH55F hi-hat stand - extremely lightweight, has nice direct pull and set-up/adjustments are really easy to make. This stand just looks beautiful with it's minimalistic footplate.

HS50S snare drum stand - compact, beautiful design and wonderful minimalistic features. Surprising stability even when height of the stand is maxed-out.

Overall, this hardware set really pushes the boundaries of minimal use of material, while not compromising stability.

I never would have thought that drum hardware could be packed in such a small bag. The Tama Classic hardware is great if you want to have hardware that is (comparatively) light and can be packed into one bag that is smaller than a violin case. The hardware is well-built with a smooth finish. The Hihat-Stand can be adjusted easily and runs very smooth. The cymbal stands are stable. The snare stand is uncomplicated to set up and holds my 12" snare with ease. I would definetely buy this set again. Of course, compared to heavy hardware like the Tama Roadpro series, the Classic hardware doesn't offer as much stability. But for the weight and size of the hardware, they are unbeatable.

I bought this set back in 2019 along with a Pearl Midtown set for cosy, pop-rock pub gigs. I was initially torn between this and the Yamaha Crosstown set, but ultimately went for this because of footprint and looks. It has served me reliably as my singular hardware set all this time, even now that I've since bought a larger kit, and play much more frequently.

The cymbal stands are much more sturdy than they look, and never need aggressive tightening to stay put. They have wobbled a handful of times in 5 years as I do position my cymbals quite high, but they have never fallen over. I would recommend buying some proper cymbal sleeves (black plastic universal ones) to replace the stock ones, which are just thin plastic tubes and metal plates that don't really work properly. Luckily, those replacement sleeves come in packs of four and, if you're like me, you probably wanted some spares anyway :)
The snare stand is absolutely flawless, if your snare is within common sizes (13" and 14" snares have fit perfectly for me), you'll have zero issue, don't let the vintage basket design put you off.
The hi-hat stand is probably the weakest piece of the set. The pedal doesn't lock or otherwise secure itself when deployed, so there's a small chance the stand could fall in on you if you're playing on an incline. This did happen to me once, but only under extreme circumstances (I was playing in the back of a lorry, very uneven floor).

Set-up and teardown is an absolute breeze, everything folds down to a very manageable size in a jiffy and the memory locks on the snare and hi-hat makes setup foolproof.

The bag is also much more spacious and reliable than it looks. The zip hasn't broken at all, and I can store almost every piece of hardware, including 2 rack tom arms, floor tom legs, throne legs and an extra cymbal mount for an 8" splash, as long as a little thought is put into fitting everything in snugly. It's worth buying the set for the bag alone, it's a million times better than those 5 foot long cases with wheels, I can carry this one quite easily from the car with one hand, and it should fit on a smaller hand-cart with no problem.

In conclusion, this is a fantastic set if weight and convenience are your top priority. Stability can be a factor on rare occasions, and the stock cymbal sleeves are a little crap, but I have zero regrets on buying and don't intend to sell anytime soon.

TL;DR: Extremely lightweight and convenient. Consider stability requirements and replace cymbal sleeves ASAP.

You're a jazz drummer? - Go buy this hardware set! You're a drummer who often plays gigs? - Go buy the damn set!

Hi-Hat stand? I like it, it bounces a bit when my left foot goes a bit crazy while swinging fast, but it doesn't bother me at all. It's great for playing the groove and I can get the 'chip' while swinging - that's important! I also have to say it has NEVER loosened up! Great success!

Cymbal stand? Nice and charming - if you don't mind a retro look, go for it! It can easily hold a 22'' cymbal (would probably be fine for 24'', but I haven't tried yet).

Snare stand? Great!! - It stays in the exact position as you set it up - it doesn't change for a slight millimeter! It has a smart system where you put a snare ''in'', as there's no locking up needed - it just ''sits'' safely in and you're all set. It can also hold a very heavy snare, but there you can already see it's not a heavy-duty stand - but it doesn't break!

The bag? - Great! I bought an additional cymbal stand and also a Yamaha drum pedal (FP7210A - which folds nicely)... which together with floor tom legs and tom holder all go into it.

In conclusion - This hardware pack saved my back, saved space in my car, and made my drumkit look nice! It also made my colleagues buy it! I can easily say that this was a purchase of the year - not a year - a decade!