dumb question about keyholing

johnwesley

Silver Member
Back when I was playing professionally (the days of silent radio & nickel cigars) I never heard the term keyhole. Cymbals were either broken or not. So, what's the problem created when a cymbal has a slight to moderate keyhole issue? And what causes it?
 
Back when I was playing professionally (the days of silent radio & nickel cigars) I never heard the term keyhole. Cymbals were either broken or not. So, what's the problem created when a cymbal has a slight to moderate keyhole issue? And what causes it?


Keyholing is caused by the friction of the cymbal meeting and rocking against a steel cymbal post. To remedy this, you can grab a plastic cymbal sleeve for about $1, or some tubing at home depot. Sleeves need to be changed out every once in a while, as you're grinding away the plastic (and not the cymbal). I wore through my primary-crash sleeve in a year. My ride and secondary crash have very little wear on the sleeves.

The issue is that once the key holing begins, gravity will always pull the cymbal in the same direction/orientation. Left unchecked, the keyhole will eventually cut into the bell and affect the sound and structural integrity. Light/moderate key holing isn't really a problem.

When I saw my sleeve was wearing thin, I simply invested $20 into sleeves. Problem solved for the next 10 years.
 
I just read the other day that some people will "professionally keyhole" a ride cymbal to keep the "sweet spot" facing toward them while they play.
 
Back when I was playing professionally (the days of silent radio & nickel cigars) I never heard the term keyhole. Cymbals were either broken or not. So, what's the problem created when a cymbal has a slight to moderate keyhole issue? And what causes it?

a keyholed cymbal is not a broken cymbal

and the term has been around for probably 100 plus years

keyhole.jpg
 
I have no issue buying cymbals with keyholes. You can setup a certain way and its no problem, especially if you tilt your cymbals. bets thing is it is a bargaining point to get the seller down in price.
 
I have never heard of deliberate keyholing.

Many people won't buy cymbals with keyholes because a key hole means the structural integrity of the cymbal has been compromised, and it's a sign the cymbal hasn't been cared for.
 
Kama thanks for your explanation. I figured the wear from steel posts was the cause, I just wasn't sure why it was a problem. I now understand the resulting structural damage, but figure that could take a while just like the actual keyholing doesn't happen overnight. Fortunately I use sleeves to protect the cymbal.
AND YES ....Red Menace another Phoenix drummer who lives in Scottsdale and studios in Mesa. Depending on your age and music preference, you might even know my son Richard. He's the frontman for Pelvic Meatloaf.
 
Natural keyholing I would think indicates a cymbal that has been played probably because it sounds good. Not sure about the sweet spot theory more likely the heavy side naturally turns to the bottom. We never really bothered with sleeves back in the day.
 
I once read an interview with Ronald Shannon Jackson where he said he would file the hole on some cymbals so that the 'sweet spot' stayed in the same place. That's the only time I've heard of deliberate keyholing.
I don't think I would do that though!
 
The thought of deliberately keyholing my cymbals gives me the heeby-jeebies. No way I'd do that. I can just tilt my cymbals to get that "sweet spot"...
 
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