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You probably
know all about the Zildjian company and their cymbals, but if you are
just starting to check out vintage cymbals, then maybe a couple of quick
points are in order. They will explain exactly why vintage Zildjians
do not sound like the heavy, mass produced Zildjians of today.
Point one
- The Ringo Effect. As soon as the Beatles took the U.S. by storm, and
people saw that Ringo used Zildjians, the company had more cymbal orders
than they could handle. So what did they do? They modernized and automated
their cymbal-making process so that they could satisfy the demand. The
processes that were performed by hand and ensured that each cymbal was
a unique, distinctive instrument all fell by the wayside.
Point two
- The Great Cymbal Holocaust. In the sixties and seventies, the annoying
members of bands (singers, guitar, bass and keyboard players) all got
together and decided that they had to employ electrified amplification
machines in order to supplement the pathetic volume output of their
chosen "instruments". As they got louder and louder, drummers
were forced to play louder and louder. The thinner cymbals of yesteryear
could not handle the continued abuse forever. Thousands upon thousands
of thin and beautiful cymbals succumbed to the beatings and eventually
departed this earth with the death-rattle of cracks.
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