Cymbal Purchase Rant - Clueless Retailers and Private Sellers

[Rattlin' Bones]

I understand size but why does weight matter to you? Aside from transporting them to and from the gig, they will remain on a stand or in their cymbal bag. Unless the reason you want to know the weight relates to cymbal thickness which does greatly affect how a cymbal sounds/plays.
for the most part I prefer thinner cymbals because to my ears they sound better, and they feel easier to play. I mentioned before that regardless of the type of gear used to record (even the most expensive state of the art gear) will only give you a slight idea due to all the variables involved. (The room used, the mic used, the recording gear used, then how the video is processed and such). Even if you were to be at the store in person, a cymbal vault will make the same cymbal sound very different from what it would sound like in your rehearsal space (no mics or recording gear involved), or from what it would sound like in different venue. So as others have commented here, if you don't have the opportunity to try them in person, and you don't end up liking them, then re-list them...

A 20" cymbal that weighs 3,500 g will sound a LOT different than one that weighs 1,500g. That's why it matters. If I'm looking for a cymbal and the on-line seller hasn't listed the weight then I skip it I don't consider purchasing. If I know weight I can decide if it's a weight range I want. Size alone when buying on-line doesn't do anything to help me make a purchase decision. Weight will at least let me consider purchasing it. Without weight then no way. Kudos to Memphis, Cymbal House Cincy, Hazelshould, and other retailers who sell a lot of cymbals and list weights and often include videos.

 

[Rattlin' Bones]

I think you are talking about a particular niche area of cymbals.
I don't think I've ever bought a cymbal based on weight (in 40+ years), except maybe for the designation 'thin' or 'light', but not a specific gram weight.
I've never weighed a cymbal I sold unless it was requested by an interested buyer. In the mainstream world of cymbals, they are all pretty uniform - a K dark crash is a K dark crash. An Istanbul Traditional is much the same as another, likewise most Paiste and Sabian.
If I am assembling a few cymbals in a product line I probably want a variety of different colours which means a few slightly different weights, but I just buy them and if they don't work, sell them on.

Not sure about niche.

I just bought a 20" 2100g (yes it was listed with weight) Zildjian 50's era sizzle ride that plays too heavy for me. Probably perfect for a larger jazz ensemble or someone who wants a bit more stick than I do. I'm selling it now. 2100g was on higher end of weight for what I thought I need but I took a chance. Oh well. Now I for sure know I need a cymbal several hundred grams lighter I gotta get down into paper weight 1,800g or less. Which means I'm shopping again. Size+weight, please. Good video is cool, too. What's Hazelshould have right now? Cymbal House? Memphis? And private sellers on Reverb and eBay that take time to weigh their cymbals.

 

[Rattlin' Bones]

Paul F. had all those figures -weight range for models- in his head but Zildjian used Lbs and oz instead of Gs

here- From 3 years ago- is that old K era New Stamp 1888g 20" (demo from owner) I bought (and later sold/part traded.

No lows (trust me) (despite low weight

The size and weight would lead me to watch the video. Without weight listed I would not even watch.

And FYI from video I'd pass on the purchase of that cymbal it's not my sound. Bu weight got me to watch.

 

[jda]

And FYI from video I'd pass on the purchase of that cymbal it's not my sound. Bu weight got me to watch.

You have to understand I already had 17 old Ks (and still do) from years back (when eBay used Money orders) ....and this one came up just two years ago and.... I knew the precipice possible pitfall of Low Weight 20" New Stamps- I had known it and sensed it from Years of Cymbalholic.... I bought anyway as a last affordable shot (it was affordable)

Only reinforced what I already knew. For an instance: my New Stamp 20" at 2009g had (has) more mids and lows than the 1888g one.
Reason why : the hammering and shape on the low weight one (the hammerer didn't know when to quit) on the Light blank (best I can/could tell). And he overdid it. Hammered the lows right out (of the building
Not on purpose just a "Hey we're making Classical Orchestral cymbals here. Like we always did. What's a drum set?"

" drum set adopted to old Ks Not the other way around." Some people miss that I contend It. There were orchestral cymbals till the end in 1978.. That's how you deal with them. Avedis and others tailored to drum set) The 14s 16s 18s and most 20s easily fit the drum set. get into 22s and odds increase they're better suited for Orchestra unless you're a trillionaire like K Stasher was back in the day...He bought every one that popped on ebay and then told me a funny story..He had trouble...matching them...into "sets".. lol.... I didn't envy him : )

But I have 18/ total I used often and still use atm as Hi Hats..on vintage sets.. More if I want to scare and confuse anyone in 2023..
2-20s
1-22 4-18s 3-16s 6-14s 2-13s

I've had a total of three 22" old Ks (have 1 now) 1st one was $500 on ebay 2nd (I keep) on ebay was $636 third my biggest stretch $1K and later sold to a fellow cymbalholic for $1300. All were well before prices you see now.

 

[jazz.mp3]

I’ve personally never had clueless sellers bother me. I’ve never bought any percussion from one, but I did buy a century-old conn cornet from one listed as “old flugelhorn” for a fraction of the price it should’ve been. I think if a seller is clueless enough to barely know what it is they’re selling, you have a chance of getting a great deal. I guess if the price is more reasonable for the instrument, but the listing has no good pictures, sizes, or weights, that could be annoying.