Ok, so was this a "thing" at one time or am I crazy? (Cymbal stack question)

PorkPieGuy

PorkPieGuy

Platinum Member
Revised for clarity's sake:

Seems like I remember at one point back in the 1990's, people were doing cymbal stacking, but in a really weird way. Seems like there was a time where people would mount a cymbal like a normal person, and then they would sometimes take another cymbal, turn it upside down, and then they put it on top, and apparently it would be loosely mounted so that the upside down cymbal would actually lay on part of the traditionally-mounted cymbal.

I'm not talking about the normal bell-to-bell contact - I'm talking about cymbal top to top contact like the attached pic. When it's hit, the top cymbal has the tendency to roll around a bit on top of the bottom cymbal. It's silly looking, but I remember seeing this in the mid-1990s for a short while.

Anyone see this much?
 

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PorkPieGuy said:
Seems like I remember at one point back in the 1990's, people were doing cymbal stacking, but in a really weird way. Seems like there was a time where people would mount a cymbal like a normal person, and then they would sometimes take another cymbal, turn it upside down, and then they put it on top, and apparently it would be loosely mounted so that the upside down cymbal would actually lay on part of the traditionally-mounted cymbal. So when the cymbals were struck, one cymbal on top would sort of roll around on top of the other and vibrate up against one another. Sounded horrible, but people did it as an "effect" I guess.

It was sort of like this, but the cymbal on top was just as big as the one below it and it actually leaned on the other cymbal:

220px-Dave_Weckl%27s_drum_kit_detail.jpg


I've looked for pictures online, and apparently if this was ever a "trend," no one took pictures of it, and it must have been very short-lived. Does anyone remember seeing this at one time?
Click to expand...

I was watching a modern drummer festival vid online last night and a guy or two, had some stacked bell to bell. I think it was a convenient and sorta easy way to add a cymbal without adding a stand.

you might search bell to bell cymbal stacking. I saw some pics on google that way.
 
Peter Criss for some reason has quite a few and even looks like he inversely stacks up to 12” - maybe even a 14”.
 
I watched a video this morning of a Gretsch artist , Twitter I think, not there now, he had one on the left and right side of his kit.
 
I've seen the bell-to-bell stacking before.

Forgive my poor computer skills, but I'm talking about mounting like this.
 

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Peter Criss was the first I ever saw do it in the mid to late 70s ... not saying he was the first ... just the first I saw

lots of guys did it in the 70s and 80s

I think Tommy Lee was one of them

it's the only way I mount a splash if I have a gig where I need one ... I try not to ever need one ;) ... but sometimes ... ya know
there is something I hate about a tiny splash cymbal having its own auxiliary stand

peter-criss-live-drums.jpg
 
PorkPieGuy said:
Seems like I remember at one point back in the 1990's, people were doing cymbal stacking, but in a really weird way. Seems like there was a time where people would mount a cymbal like a normal person, and then they would sometimes take another cymbal, turn it upside down, and then they put it on top, and apparently it would be loosely mounted so that the upside down cymbal would actually lay on part of the traditionally-mounted cymbal. So when the cymbals were struck, one cymbal on top would sort of roll around on top of the other and vibrate up against one another. Sounded horrible, but people did it as an "effect" I guess.

It was sort of like this, but the cymbal on top was just as big as the one below it and it actually leaned on the other cymbal:

220px-Dave_Weckl%27s_drum_kit_detail.jpg


I've looked for pictures online, and apparently if this was ever a "trend," no one took pictures of it, and it must have been very short-lived. Does anyone remember seeing this at one time?
Click to expand...

Marco Minnemann still does this with some splash cymbals today.
 
PorkPieGuy said:
I've seen the bell-to-bell stacking before.

Forgive my poor computer skills, but I'm talking about mounting like this.
Click to expand...

That's definitely different. Haven't seen that much.
 
I see splashes like this all the time. Better than buying a mount for a splash, but something about this makes me think it exposes the cymbal to cracking around the bell...
 
I've stacked splashes like this, but with a felt between the cymbal bells so they never touched. It's not an effect when done like this; it's just another way to mount the cymbal.
 
Used to mount cut down crashes like this. Mostly bell, about an inch of bow (or is it a flange at this point?). Anyways, bell to bell, just like the first pic. Made for some interesting dings!

Always wanted to mount a Zilbel like this but never got around to buying one.
 
Does hitting cymbals upside down (or downside up) do them any damage??
I've seen people hit their cymbals with an upstroke too ( i presume just for show?) but i've always been concerned about breakages??
 
alparrott said:
I've stacked splashes like this, but with a felt between the cymbal bells so they never touched. It's not an effect when done like this; it's just another way to mount the cymbal.
Click to expand...

I used to do this when I wanted or needed a splash. This is a ten year old photo so I guess I haven't done it in a while.

picture.php


Evidently, I used to do this too. It's not what OP is referring to but interesting. a la Billy Ward style

picture.php
 
After reading this thread the other day, I experimented with this a little on my weekend gigs. I dunno if I'm thrilled with the results, but it was fun. Gave me some ideas to try. I have the 6" spikes that could use if I so desired as well. This way didn't look so strange to me, so it was fun to try.
 
You know, splash cymbals have always been something I could never really get along with. They just never do what I heard them doing in my head. The few times I tried, I also dedicated a stand to them and that irritated me too. The stupid thing weighs a few ounces and gets a big ol' stand... Tried what we're talking about here too but didn't enjoy the feeling of hitting the bottom of the cymbal.. It just feels weird.
 
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