SticksEasy
Senior Member
All my cymbals are really old with the exception of my ride. I've got a crash ride, and a crash that are from the early 80s (so round that to about 30 years give or take a bit). And then my hi - hats are from the early 90s.
Playing them from the driver's seat, I notice no real change, I guess because it's so gradual, but then I listen to old footage of me playing, and I can hear a lot of difference in the sounds of the cymbals.
Also, though somewhat off the original topic, the crash I use an 18" Zildjian A medium crash
The gent I bought it from is an older guy, and a good friend of mine. He bought the cymbal brand new in the early 80s (I've never asked him the exact day or year). But he said he played it for about 10 years before it cracked.
By now, this is the early 90s, and he's played this cymbal live, and recorded with it. About a year ago I bought the cymbal from him for 40 bucks. It was a cracked cymbal, and he wanted it to go to someone he knew. I figured 40 bucks wouldn't be a bad deal. I figured that because I play a bit hard than he does, the cymbal would last through a month of practice or maybe a gig or two before the crack would spread and the cymbal would be garbage.
Now, a year later, I'm still beating the snot out of this 30 year old cracked Zildjian A medium crash. The crack has not spread, and the only way it effects the cymbals sound is it adds a bit more harshness to it. I ride this cymbal, and sometimes it takes a merciless beating, and it refuses to give in.
Has anyone else heard of this happening?
The crack isn't going toward the bell, but rather horizontal across the edge of the cymbal. It's a kinda' long crack, but it's not really noticeable. I figure sooner or later it will spread or just break off - but I've gotten more than my money's worth out of it in use.
Playing them from the driver's seat, I notice no real change, I guess because it's so gradual, but then I listen to old footage of me playing, and I can hear a lot of difference in the sounds of the cymbals.
Also, though somewhat off the original topic, the crash I use an 18" Zildjian A medium crash
The gent I bought it from is an older guy, and a good friend of mine. He bought the cymbal brand new in the early 80s (I've never asked him the exact day or year). But he said he played it for about 10 years before it cracked.
By now, this is the early 90s, and he's played this cymbal live, and recorded with it. About a year ago I bought the cymbal from him for 40 bucks. It was a cracked cymbal, and he wanted it to go to someone he knew. I figured 40 bucks wouldn't be a bad deal. I figured that because I play a bit hard than he does, the cymbal would last through a month of practice or maybe a gig or two before the crack would spread and the cymbal would be garbage.
Now, a year later, I'm still beating the snot out of this 30 year old cracked Zildjian A medium crash. The crack has not spread, and the only way it effects the cymbals sound is it adds a bit more harshness to it. I ride this cymbal, and sometimes it takes a merciless beating, and it refuses to give in.
Has anyone else heard of this happening?
The crack isn't going toward the bell, but rather horizontal across the edge of the cymbal. It's a kinda' long crack, but it's not really noticeable. I figure sooner or later it will spread or just break off - but I've gotten more than my money's worth out of it in use.
