Old/Moldy cymbals?

[lhebs0]

Last week my freind told me that moldy cymbals sound better (He was refering to hi-hats) and whenever i play used hi-hats that I really like they are often greenish. Can anyone explain to me if my friend is right, and why nice sounding cymbals are green?

[LIMPy]

In most cases dirt and/or grime will add warmth to a cymbal, though it's not always so. By the way, the green is a result of tarnishing. It's not mold.

[1DrumBum]

Last week my freind told me that moldy cymbals sound better (He was refering to hi-hats) and whenever i play used hi-hats that I really like they are often greenish. Can anyone explain to me if my friend is right, and why nice sounding cymbals are green?

Your friend needs to stop leaving leftover sandwiches laying on top of his hi-hat stand.

On second thought, I might try a set of AAX Wonder breads....

[Utopia]

....lol....

[Pearl6565]

Your friend needs to stop leaving leftover sandwiches laying on top of his hi-hat stand.

On second thought, I might try a set of AAX Wonder breads....

those are nice, but id go for the AAX metal wonder breads, theyre only a little more expensive, and its hand-baked

[lhebs0]

Thanks for staying on topic

[bongobro]

Ya know how a shiny new penny starts turning greenish-brown after it's been in circulation a while? Or if you have copper-bottom pots and pans and they look scuzzy after a while?

It's called oxidation, and it looks like mold...but there's no "wonder" about how to clean it...it's called cymbal cleaner. On another thread here, someone is claiming that tarnished cymbals have a different sound ("more character")...take your pick, dude...

[DrumRookie]

Zildjian once had cymbals that they put in the ground for a year or more (or maybe it was some people that did that), and I they had one called the earth ride. Since bronze had copper in it (like bongobro said), it will tarnish, and thats why it's green. Take the Statue of Liberty for example :P
Some claim the dirt makes it sound better, warmer, and drier.
Oh, and sorry for the "late" response! :P

[weezy]

I love dirty cymbals. That is all.

[Cliff5550]

DrumRookie - How deep was this green thread buried when you found it?

[DrumRookie]

DrumRookie - How deep was this green thread buried when you found it?

Hahaha, on the very first page of the DC threads in the cymbals section! Waaay back 5 years ago. I love this thread revival stuff

[funkyruss]

Thanks for staying on topic

Too much coffee?

[trickg]

I want to relate an experience I had that I thought really clarified to me the difference in sound between clean and "aged" cymbals. At the time my whole setup was brilliant finish AAX, and getting ready to do a big church praise team concert where I was the drummer, I cleaned all of my cymbals - the first time I had cleaned them in a while.

What I found was that my cymbals got really bright - the hats almost obnoxiously so. That was the last time I cleaned anything but the worst dirt off of my cymbals. I think that a build up of dust, tarnish and even a bit of verdigris (when oxidized copper and bronze turns green) actually prevents some of the cymbal's natural vibation. Some would think this is "bad" but to me it lends the sound an extra bit of warmth. My AAX Stage hats are loud anyway, but when they are freshly clean they are almost obnoxious.

It depends on your preference though - some people really like a harder, brighter/brilliant, glassy sound. I prefer a warmer, organic, almost trashy tone from my cymbals - only part of that is the dirt and grime though. Part of it has to come from the cymbal itself.

[Kazaamski]

I have some blood on my cymbals from cracking knuckles on the hats. :D

[IAmNotATable]

Thanks for staying on topic

I like turtles!





Just kidding. I hate them. But I know what you mean. Sabian makes an earth ride that uses aging and earth to tarnish the cymbal. It's cool.

[Zeta]

I don't use cymbal cleaner. for 2 reasons. 1: I dont care if they are shiny, I like them to look like I use them. 2: Everything I read says cymbals get brighter when you clean them, I dont like super bright cymbals lol.

EDIT: By bright I am referring to the sound. Not the brightness of the cymbal literally.

[atomcorr2]

i buy a cymbal in a store because i like the sound of that cymbal better than all the other ones that i try , when i buy this cymbal it is spotlessly clean , so thats how i think it sounds its best . so i keep mine clean and shiney all the time ...

[slinky]

mine smell good

[Northern Redneck]

Zildjian once had cymbals that they put in the ground for a year or more (or maybe it was some people that did that), and I they had one called the earth ride. Since bronze had copper in it (like bongobro said), it will tarnish, and thats why it's green. Take the Statue of Liberty for example :P
Some claim the dirt makes it sound better, warmer, and drier.
Oh, and sorry for the "late" response! :P

Sabian not Zildjian.

[DrumRookie]

Sabian not Zildjian.

Ah, ok. Thanks

[Pearl MCX Man]

Ah, ok. Thanks

You are right DrumRookie it is a Zildjian. NR you are wrong so get the facts right. "I hate that when someone missinforms". Does that phrase sound familliar NR.

[atomcorr2]

You are right DrumRookie it is a Zildjian. NR you are wrong so get the facts right. "I hate that when someone missinforms". Does that phrase sound familliar NR.

wow,,,, pretty harsh dude.

[Tin Toad]

I like turtles!


Just kidding. I hate them.

for a moment there I thought you hated me .. than I realized that toads are amphibious and turtles are actually reptiles. imagine my relief!

On topic. .. i have not noticed much .. well of anything I play electric but I would live to find some good green E-cymbals.

[DrumRookie]

wow,,,, pretty harsh dude.

I was expecting "Fight, fight, fight, fight!" from somebody lol

Ok guy's no need to be mean. NR was apparently just misinformed. PMCXN, you shouldn't be so harsh. There, no hard hard feelings now. ok?

I also can't blame him, i just watched the Sabian 1 of 100 cymbals unearthing. Apparently Sabian does it too.

[Northern Redneck]

You are right DrumRookie it is a Zildjian. NR you are wrong so get the facts right. "I hate that when someone missinforms". Does that phrase sound familliar NR.

Yeah it does
http://www.sabian.com/en/products/1of100_index.cfm

Zildjian Earth cymbals were never buried, they are just unlathed to guve them an unfinished look and an "earthy" tone.

You can apologise now.