2024 marks Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich’s 40th year with TAMA Drums. In celebration, TAMA are extremely proud to release the Lars Ulrich 40th Anniversary Signature Drum Kit.

Limited to 72 kits worldwide, this anniversary model features the exact specifications of Lars’ custom 72 Seasons tour kit, with Starclassic Maple shells, a vibrant custom yellow finish, and custom gloss black hardware. Each drum kit includes a hand-signed Certificate of Authenticity and is adorned with signed stickers inside each bass drum for a detailed touch.

The roots of the Lars Ulrich and TAMA Drums origin story run deep. Though the history books will say it officially started in 1984, it can be said this relationship of lifelong loyalty & mutual admiration truly began some years before in late '81. It was around this time Lars purchased his first CAMCO kit, a brand which had been recently acquired by TAMA's parent company, Hoshino Gakki. Not long after this very same drum kit made its debut at the first ever Metallica show in March '82.

In early '84, Metallica's grind through the U.S. brought with it some bad luck when all of the band's gear was stolen. Undeterred, Lars spent the better part of the year renting drums, all the while without a drum kit to call his own. In the Fall of '84, on the heels of the release of Ride The Lightning, Lars found himself on the phone with one of the top TAMA endorsers at the time, Neil Peart. A surreal experience to say the least, Neil's gracious spirit lead the way and opened the door for Lars and TAMA to begin their now 40-year relationship. Lars and TAMA no doubt fueled each other on the road to success, a relationship fortified by the infusion of Lars' energy into the young TAMA brand and TAMA's unwavering support for Lars.

The decades to follow saw unimaginable growth for both Lars and TAMA as they attacked the journey side by side. The late '80s and early '90s brought the most iconic drum kits as Lars favored massive drum sizes and even bigger set-ups, made possible thanks to TAMA's dedication to innovation & design. The introduction of the Lars Ulrich Signature Snare Drum in the early '00s gave birth to a whole new loud, powerful, and aggressive sonic palette. As new albums kept coming, so did Lars' new drum kits. Lars and TAMA worked closely together to create new & exciting custom colors for each kit, a process that, to this day, symbolizes the deep respect Lars and TAMA have towards one another.

TAMA wishes to express their deep appreciation and gratitude to Lars and Metallica for this amazing relationship spanning four decades, and their dedication to TAMA both on and off the stage.

Further details here.

In the video below, Lars dives deep into his history with TAMA and tells the story behind each of his tour kits over the last 40 years, offering an up-close and personal look at his iconic drum kits for the first time ever.