New gear, identify this cymbal!

LukeSnyder

Gold Member
I got some cool new gear today (well, new to me)! To start off, an old Sonor Force 3 piece (22x18, 16x16, 12x10) that was re-wrapped with orange sparkle. I don't have the badges, but the tom mount is the Force Custom, so I think its a Force 1000 with 9 ply German Poplar shells. It has the old style slot tension rods. I also got a B/O Acrolite, which is in very good condition except the hoops, which I may replace. I believe this snare is from the 70s. I got a whole bunch of lower end cymbals too. A B8 ride, 12" Wuhan splash, pair of Zildjian Scimitar/Amir hats, a thick 18" Avedis crash, and a 6" B8 splash.

Ok, now here's the fun part! I don't know what this 10" cymbal is, there are absolutely no markings. I believe its a very old hi-hat, the wear and tear on the bottom edges of the cymbal are what make me think that. I'd guess the 50s, but I don't know much, haha. Anyone have some info or a guess?

By the way, got it all for $250, which I think is a pretty great deal!
 

Attachments

  • Screen shot 2012-03-18 at 9.21.34 PM.jpg
    Screen shot 2012-03-18 at 9.21.34 PM.jpg
    172.1 KB · Views: 555
  • Screen shot 2012-03-18 at 9.46.05 PM.jpg
    Screen shot 2012-03-18 at 9.46.05 PM.jpg
    61.7 KB · Views: 502
  • Screen shot 2012-03-18 at 9.45.51 PM.jpg
    Screen shot 2012-03-18 at 9.45.51 PM.jpg
    72 KB · Views: 514
That is a WWI infantry helmet.

BTW, those Sonor poplar drums are very under-rated. They have a nice sound and they wear like iron. I have a set of Force 2000's.
 
That is a WWI infantry helmet.

BTW, those Sonor poplar drums are very under-rated. They have a nice sound and they wear like iron. I have a set of Force 2000's.

Haha, it really does look like a helmet! In fact, thats one of the reasons I got it, to be able to show it to students and tell them, "This is why we call them hi-hats!"

Yes, these drums have held up excellently, the guy who had them before me gigged them for 4 years, and they're still solid, beautiful drums.
 
Is there a stamp somewhere on that cymbal to help with the identifying process? Not that I'll be able to identify it...

Cool drums, you'll have to use them in your next youtube video so we can hear them!

-Jonathan
 
Is there a stamp somewhere on that cymbal to help with the identifying process? Not that I'll be able to identify it...

Cool drums, you'll have to use them in your next youtube video so we can hear them!

-Jonathan

Nothing at all on there! I've looked good and hard, can't find a single mark. And we'll see, with my collarbone, I have a lot of trouble moving drums, haha. I'll have to see if I can get someone to help me rearrange :D
 
Id sure love to find out what they cymbal is, ive been looking for a small cymbal with a big meaty bell like that. Would have been interesting to see that as a hi hat as well
 
Nice drums and great deal. The acrolite snare alone is worth $100. As for that cymbal, umm....yeah. Infantry helmet.
 
These may or may not be it or of any use. This is from The Cymbal Book.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
These may or may not be it or of any use.

It sure is.

That my friend, is an old sock cymbal....low boy cymbal, whatever you want to call it.....the forerunner to the modern day high hat. Originally there would have been two of them.....looks like one has been lost to the passage of time.
 
It sure is.

That my friend, is an old sock cymbal....low boy cymbal, whatever you want to call it.....the forerunner to the modern day high hat. Originally there would have been two of them.....looks like one has been lost to the passage of time.

Yeah, now I'm going to have to hunt down another one! Its pretty cool to have a little piece of drumming history like this, I'm pretty happy about it!
 
Yeah, now I'm going to have to hunt down another one! Its pretty cool to have a little piece of drumming history like this, I'm pretty happy about it!

There was a thread here a while back where a guy came across two old sock cymbals and the foot pedal to go with it. He kept threatening to use them as splash/bell cup effects for his metal gig. Despite many of us pleading with him to exercise a bit of common sense and keep them in good condition for the nostalgia they were, I think he was actually gonna do it.

I spent a while trying to find that thread for you so that you could see the cymbals, but where it is now is a mystery to me. A search for "low boy(s)" bring up nothing and unfortunately "sock cymbal(s)" is just giving me every god damned thread with the word cymbal in it.....but regardless, the cymbals were just like your recent pick up. A piece of drumming history indeed........and a nice little find.
 
If these were developed in 1925, they could have been made out of old WWI infantry helmets! American soldiers in WWI were referred to as Dough Boys. Low Boys, Dough Boys.........there could be something to my WWI theory!
 
There was a thread here a while back where a guy came across two old sock cymbals and the foot pedal to go with it. He kept threatening to use them as splash/bell cup effects for his metal gig. Despite many of us pleading with him to exercise a bit of common sense and keep them in good condition for the nostalgia they were, I think he was actually gonna do it.

I spent a while trying to find that thread for you so that you could see the cymbals, but where it is now is a mystery to me. A search for "low boy(s)" bring up nothing and unfortunately "sock cymbal(s)" is just giving me every god damned thread with the word cymbal in it.....but regardless, the cymbals were just like your recent pick up. A piece of drumming history indeed........and a nice little find.

Thats crazy to abuse them like that! I'm considering making a little case for mine to hang it on the wall... with a plaque, to show off to students, haha. I found some pictures of low sock cymbals from a google search, pretty cool stuff!

If these were developed in 1925, they could have been made out of old WWI infantry helmets! American soldiers in WWI were referred to as Dough Boys. Low Boys, Dough Boys.........there could be something to my WWI theory!

Haha, mine is a bit thin to be a helmet, but perhaps them made numerous cymbals from each helmet... each brass helmet, haha.
 
Congrats Luke, that's one sweet deal you got there!!

The scimitar hats are probably the worst cymbals I heard in my life, haha, but the Sonors and the Acrolite alone are worth more than what you paid for them, and the B8's and Wuhans of course don't compare to your K's, but they're totally playable anyway.

Nice kit to keep at a rehearsal space or to gig with!!

Cheers!!
 
Congrats Luke, that's one sweet deal you got there!!

The scimitar hats are probably the worst cymbals I heard in my life, haha, but the Sonors and the Acrolite alone are worth more than what you paid for them, and the B8's and Wuhans of course don't compare to your K's, but they're totally playable anyway.

Nice kit to keep at a rehearsal space or to gig with!!

Cheers!!

The cymbals and kit are probably going to go to a student of mine, actually! I'll probably keep the Acrolite :D And you know what? That Scimitar/Amir combo really doesn't sound bad at all. I was extremely surprised! And you can't do better than $20 for a pair of hi-hats, even if they are crappy, haha.
 
Back
Top