Re-hammering a Crash of Doom?

j-ronimo

Member
Howdy howdy all!

I'll get straight to it; I own a Zildjian 20" Crash of Doom. I bought it thinking that it would resemble a bosphorus trash crash, which are a bit pricey and this crash of doom was a steal. It is very light weight, very thin with a nice "wobble" to it when struck. Problem is, it has a lot of overtones and is just a bit to wild and ringy following the initial attack, and it's also a bit too loud and just overall cantankerous. I would like very much to find some way to shorten the sustain/resonance and just get a good trashy attack out of it that doesn't have TOO much volume; i would like the accent/punctuation and be able to just ''mellow it out'' so that it sits better within a cymbal set.
I've read all of the other posts here on the forum regarding cymbal hammering, but just curious if anyone can point me in the right direction for what i'm particularly going for. Thanks
 
Hammering is not something I would suggest trying first on a high-end cymbal, however niche the application.

You could well at least partially solve some of the problems by using duct tape to deaden the cymbal and take the worst of the overtones away. A strip about three or four inches long, two or three inches from the edge of the cymbal would be a good starting point.
 
So is it too loud out front of the kit or just behind it. The nature and sound of the Z series is loud, that's what they were made for.

My suggestion before destroying a good cymbal would be to sell it and buy one that has the sound you really want.
 
abapicaltaenia, your correct; it is very thin and is not related to the z lines. I have tried quite a few different applications of tape and moon gel. As i said, i have no intention of hammering this straight away; i have a few junk cambers that i am going to practice on for a month or two as i'm not in any rush. The cymbal is really very close to what i was looking for, as it's construction is so similar to the stanton moore trash crash line, (same weight, same desired effect, same lathing ) and i do believe that with the right hand and technique, as well as some patience, i could get the short, explosive trashy sound that i'm looking for. I read a 9 page thread on hear started by Johan (RIP) and while i am nowhere near as capable as him, i did find it inspiring, as he had inspired a few others hear on the forum to try their hand at rehammering cymbals of their own and i know a couple of them that got very respectable results.
 
just dampen it or use it in a stack. by the time you're hammering the cymbal, you already want something else. if it doesn't work with duct tape or in a stack, sell it and keep looking.
 
Stanton Moore's cymbal aging method may help you.. that or a strip of packing tape on the underside.. try that before rehammering, because hammering cannot be undone of course. Otherwise I don't see any problem with sending a Crash of Doom off for rehammering--other than the fact that the CoD is already beaten to smithereens, but that is neither here nor there. I hear Saluda does good mod work.
 
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Howdy howdy all!

I'll get straight to it; I own a Zildjian 20" Crash of Doom. I bought it thinking that it would resemble a bosphorus trash crash, which are a bit pricey and this crash of doom was a steal. It is very light weight, very thin with a nice "wobble" to it when struck. Problem is, it has a lot of overtones and is just a bit to wild and ringy following the initial attack, and it's also a bit too loud and just overall cantankerous. I would like very much to find some way to shorten the sustain/resonance and just get a good trashy attack out of it that doesn't have TOO much volume; i would like the accent/punctuation and be able to just ''mellow it out'' so that it sits better within a cymbal set.
I've read all of the other posts here on the forum regarding cymbal hammering, but just curious if anyone can point me in the right direction for what i'm particularly going for. Thanks
two words.......Duct Tape...lol...if you want to calm it down.

Bonzolead
 
It takes an aprenticeship spanning years before a cymbalsmith learns how to properly hammer a cymbal,so trying this yourself is probably as useful as putting a screen door on a submarine.

Use some tape or moon gel,and if that dosen't work....sell it and get something you can live with.

Steve B
 
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