How to stop customers from pawing cymbals?

Depending on the company I know they hit the cymbal several times before shipping then out.

Zildjians are not virgins.

When I buy online I am aware that I replace picking the infidel cymbal myself with convienience.
 
poika said:
Yes, the state of the cymbal is info that should be available to the buyer, of course.
But, I think the debate is more about what makes a cymbal considered as new/demo/used.

In my opinion, a cymbal is an instrument that needs to be tested before purchase, whenever possible. Testing a product doesn't necessarily make it a demo piece.
I wouldn't be comfortable ordering a new Sweet ride without the chance to hear it first. I would want to audition as many as possible before making a decision, because I know they have good ones and not so good ones.
I don't think my testing out a cymbal for two minutes would anyhow lessen the value of it, or bring it down to the demo cymbal -price category.

Then you might have a cymbal that has been brought on display at NAMM, for instance, where everyone will have a go on it just because they can. That would be considered a demo cymbal in my opinion.

And then you have used, as in a cymbal that has been bought and owned by someone and is being resold. Doesn't matter if the buyer ever played it or not, it can still be "like new", but it is still used.
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Yes, under best circumstances a cymbal should be auditioned before the purchase. If a cymbal on display at NAMM would be considered a "demo" why is a cymbal on the display floor at a dealer not considered a demo? Both are touched by multiple people and can likely be hit with a stick hundreds, if not thousands of times. What's the difference? Is it the number of people who have touched it or the number of hits? Who is keeping count of the number of people or hits in the store vs. NAMM? It can't be the amount of time out on display because NAMM is only four days long and most probably a cymbal on a dealer's display will be out longer than that. Where is the line drawn? What is the criteria?
 
Yeah, perhaps the NAMM reference wasn't the best.

But to stress my point again, there should be no problem if the store owner just made sure that the cymbals were wiped clean before sending out ;)

Let 'em paw - and let the emplyee clean it up is what I say!
 
poika said:
Yeah, perhaps the NAMM reference wasn't the best.

But to stress my point again, there should be no problem if the store owner just made sure that the cymbals were wiped clean before sending out ;)

Let 'em paw - and let the emplyee clean it up is what I say!
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There is no problem with that as long as the person buying it has been informed that the cymbal they are buying has been out on a dealer's sales floor and used for audition and demonstration purposes. With full disclosure from the dealer each person can decide for themselves whether they would consider such a cymbal new or a demo. Personally, I would consider it a demo.
 
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I don't touch cymbals I don't think I would buy, but if I am interested I will hit it with the side of
my thumb near the edge, tap my fingers on it, and click my large fingernail against the edge
to hear it ring...along with sticks, mallets etc. I use my hands on cymbals when playing live so why wouldn't I want to hear how they sound that way? I understand you are really talking
about the customers who just handle the cymbals when they walk by.....like people who touch all the clothing in a clothing store when they aren't interested in the item. Dunno...
I don't care what the cymbal looks like though, only what it sounds like.
 
Id definitely say electric fence or shock collar upon entry of store. Or just stare at them while stroking and talking to your shotgun. Should clear things right up!
 
WhoIsTony? said:
I live in this camp

in my mind cymbals are meant to be "pawed"
grabbed, felt , flicked, spun, ... whatever

nothing more unnatural , unattractive and awful looking to me than a perfectly lathed, shiny, cymbal with no fingerprints and stick marks

I never in my life understood why someone would clean their cymbals

if you have a good cymbal it is meant to age naturally like wine and will sound better with age and whatever the years lay upon it .

there is no better sounding cymbal than a well made one that spent years in smokey clubs

just one mans opinion

if it is not cracked, the stick stays on top, has a dark soul, has a nice wobble and wash ...i couldn't possibly care less what the finish looked like

I don't judge cymbals with my eyes..... I judge them with my ears
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Well said. I feel the same about most of my cymbals. I will admit I like to keep my A Customs polished. It goes both ways, I guess. I don't mind my Meinl's looking they've been gracefully aged for decades in smoky jazz clubs, but I also like my A Customs to look like.....you know, A Customs.
 
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