Some drummers use coca cola and a sponge.
Some drummers use coca cola and a sponge.
To clean or not is just down to personal choice. Some claim that they sound better with a coating of patina (crud) as the layer of gunk masks some of the high frequencies making them sound mellow. This may be good for some styles, but less desirable for metal, punks etc.
Personally I say clean them - if you buy new cymbals and they sound too harsh, choose more wisely in future.
Any type of metal cleaner is good but they all fade logos and wear away laquer coatings, the proprietary brand cymbal cleaners are really the same thing but a less aggressive solution. You can also use ketchup, daub it on - leave for 20 minutes? and wash off.
Yep, there is no right answer. I literally polished my cymbals with automotive wheel polish and a powered drill with attachment. Most would cringe at the thought, but, they look fabulous and sound much better in my personal opinion. Much brighter...which I like. Also, they were old B8's, and entry level B20's. Not much value to them at all and they not only looked terrible but sounded like hubcaps. If they were valuable, I probably would not have done it via the method I used.
-Brian
"Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"
Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!
"I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham
The only time I clean mine is to get the bug poo off with vinegar and water.
Cut a lime or lemon in half and rub it on cymbal. Let dry. Wash off with mild soap and water then towel dry. Won't ruin logos.
Last edited by Olimpass; 05-22-2015 at 06:16 PM.
The best answer of all: clean them using Bar Keeper's Friend, available anywhere home cleaning products are sold. Cheap, easy, fast, rewarding.
GeeDeeEmm
If you like the sound of them, why bother cleaning and messing with the sound.
If you don't like the sound, cleaning them will make the cymbals generally brighter. I usually just use soap and water, but if there is serious gunk you will need something stronger, I recommend one of the branded cymbal cleaners from cymbal companies. You will know for sure those are safe to use. And they all have information on how to use them and what can't be used on them.
Happy Drumming!
IS15
I like my cymbals clean. I think that is how they sound their best. Mine look as new as the day I bought them. I use this to keep them clean:
This stuff is STRONG. Sure it'll clean your cymbals well; but it'll strip EVERYTHING off if you used it too much. I have used this in the past and no longer use it as it is too strong.
Warm, slightly soapy water with a sponge for me. Dry off and buff with polishing/microfibre cloth.
Acoustic & Electronic:
Pearl Prestige World Series WLX 1988
Tama Swingstar 1983
Tama Superstar Hyper-Drive (Birch) 2007
Ludwig Acrolite Snare 1976
Ludwig Supraphonic 6.5x14" 2021
Pearl Sensitone Elite Aluminum 5.5" and 6.5" Snare
Pearl COB Custom Deluxe [Gladstone] (75-76) Snare
Love Drum Co. Hammered Steel 5.5" Snare
Roland TD-1KV
Paiste
Accent 8"
Paiste Signature:
6", 10" Splash
14" Dark Crisp Hi-Hats
14" Sound Edge Hi-Hats
16", 17", 18",19", 20" Full Crash
22" Symphonic Med-Heavy (use as a Ride)
Paiste Formula 602:
22" Formula 602 Modern Essentials Ride
Paiste 2oo2:
22" Ride
16" Crash
8",10" Splash
Paiste 2oo2 Big Beat:
15" Hi-Hats
19", 20", 21" Big Beat Multifunctional
Paiste Sound Formula:
16" Crash
20" Full Ride (Frankenstein)
Paiste Twenty:
16" China
Paiste Alpha (original Swiss made):
12" Splash
Paiste PST7:
Medium
16", 18" Crash
20" Ride
14" Hi-Hats
Sabian:
XS20 18" China
AA 14" Fusion Hi-Hats
In my experience, cleaning/polishing cheap B8 cymbals seems to help eliminate some of the nasty overtones. I want to try progressively finer sandpaper and power buffing on a cheap cymbal sometime, just to see how it effects the sound.
-Brian
"Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"
Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!
"I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham
I've read many recommendations for Bar Keepers Friend and I would like to try it but it isn't sold in the UK. I'm not really sure if it is a liquid general purpose kitchen style cleaner or powdered stuff that is intended to be mixed with water like old fashioned floor tile cleaner.
I'm sure that there are similar products sold under a different brand name here in the UK and I would like to try them out (I use diluted Brasso at the moment, which works well but I hate the chemical stink and the black gunk). I would appreciate it if someone could post a few pics of the Ingredients/Chemical Content and the Instructions for use so I can compare these against cleaning products sold here.
I'm aware that it will remove logos but that isn't an issue for me. Does it have adverse affects on lacquered cymbals?
Last edited by crispycritters; 05-23-2015 at 08:10 AM. Reason: Typo
This is my main concern with any abrasive or chemical-stripping cymbals cleaners.
I once ruined a cymbal finish in my immature days by using so-called cymbal cleaners; never again. The affected cymbal had to have a new protective coat applied.
DIY Protective Coating - Carnauba wax.
Acoustic & Electronic:
Pearl Prestige World Series WLX 1988
Tama Swingstar 1983
Tama Superstar Hyper-Drive (Birch) 2007
Ludwig Acrolite Snare 1976
Ludwig Supraphonic 6.5x14" 2021
Pearl Sensitone Elite Aluminum 5.5" and 6.5" Snare
Pearl COB Custom Deluxe [Gladstone] (75-76) Snare
Love Drum Co. Hammered Steel 5.5" Snare
Roland TD-1KV
Paiste
Accent 8"
Paiste Signature:
6", 10" Splash
14" Dark Crisp Hi-Hats
14" Sound Edge Hi-Hats
16", 17", 18",19", 20" Full Crash
22" Symphonic Med-Heavy (use as a Ride)
Paiste Formula 602:
22" Formula 602 Modern Essentials Ride
Paiste 2oo2:
22" Ride
16" Crash
8",10" Splash
Paiste 2oo2 Big Beat:
15" Hi-Hats
19", 20", 21" Big Beat Multifunctional
Paiste Sound Formula:
16" Crash
20" Full Ride (Frankenstein)
Paiste Twenty:
16" China
Paiste Alpha (original Swiss made):
12" Splash
Paiste PST7:
Medium
16", 18" Crash
20" Ride
14" Hi-Hats
Sabian:
XS20 18" China
AA 14" Fusion Hi-Hats
The primary ingredient in Barkeeper's Friend is oxalic acid. This is the chemical that does all the work. It is a powder formulation, and has very fine abrasives as part of the mix. This is also the primary ingredient in a similar product called "Zud." I don't know if it's available in the U.K. either. The instructions are quite simple: wet the object to be cleaned with warm water, sprinkle on the BKF and work with a soft sponge or cotton cloth. Rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cotton cloth. As to lacquered cymbals, yes, it will eventually remove the lacquer coating, as well as logos. As you are probably aware, many B20 cymbals, such as Zildjian As, leave the factory with a very thin mist coat of lacquer to preserve their appearance while displayed in the store. This protective coating will begin to disappear with the first use of BKF, and is sometimes mistaken as staining or a slight discoloration. This is nothing to be concerned about, as repeated use of BKF will eventually remove the coating entirely and leave the cymbal in its lovely bronze natural state.
I would be happy to send you a free can of BKF if it were not for exorbitant shipping rates, the tough restrictions on mailing chemicals, and the U.K.'s onerous duties and importation laws. I just went through this with another English friend, and it's enough to keep me from trying it again.
GeeDeeEmm
Thanks - I'll look for powdered cleaning products containing oxalic acid as I'm sure they will all be pretty much the same thing.
I know exactly what you mean about importing stuff in the UK, many times I've seen drum sets, cymbals etc for sale in the US at half of the price asked here, but after checking out the associated costs it just isn't worth the wait, not to mention the customs hassle. I don't look anymore......
I really want to try the lemon trick! Me personally I LOVE having the logos. I don't want to strip them down. I don't know why but I just like knowing it's there lol It's like cleaning it off is trying to hide what the cymbal is from other people so they don't know lol
Maybe not kay but other drummers will or newbie drummers who are looking for that particular sound in a cymbal and see the logo which helps a lot at deciding what to get .
i like bright sounding cymbals and clean cymbals do sound brighter. if you like a dryer sound , keep them away from cleaning agents. in the past i used a product called never dull that worked pretty good, but then i talked to a cymbal smith who recomended keeping cymbals from ever getting dirty in the first place by using wheel cleaner and just spray some on and wipe off. so far its working for me and it doesnt remove logos .
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Ludwig centennial natural 11 piece
Gp jungle natural 4 piece
Yamaha dtxpress3
Saluda cymbals
zildjian a customs
Sabian aax
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