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Thread: Zildjian K ride acquired in trade

  1. #1

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    Default Zildjian K ride acquired in trade

    I recently traded some drum gear for this Zildjian ride cymbal. I'm trying to identify exactly what model it is, but I'm having a hard time. The only ink I can see on the cymbal are the "K" logo on top and the Zildjian logo on the under side. The guy I got it from told me it was a 20" Zildjian K Custom Steve Gadd Signature ride. Well, that doesn't exist, as far as I can tell. The closest thing to that description is the K Custom Session ride, which was designed with Steve Gadd. However, this is not the 20" model I was told it would be. It's an 18" cymbal. It has 3 rivet holes, which I have to assume were added after leaving the factory, because I cant' find any info on an 18" K ride with rivet holes placed where they are.

    It's a fairly dark cymbal, with good stick definition, and a real nice bell. I like it so far, so I know it's not terribly important what model it is, I'm just curious, that's all. Can anyone help me out?

    zk.jpg
    Aut Viam Inveniam Aut Faciam
    "I shall either find a way or make one"

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Zildjian K ride acquired in trade

    Quote Originally Posted by Powertrip240 View Post
    I recently traded some drum gear for this Zildjian ride cymbal. I'm trying to identify exactly what model it is, but I'm having a hard time. The only ink I can see on the cymbal are the "K" logo on top and the Zildjian logo on the under side. The guy I got it from told me it was a 20" Zildjian K Custom Steve Gadd Signature ride. Well, that doesn't exist, as far as I can tell. The closest thing to that description is the K Custom Session ride, which was designed with Steve Gadd. However, this is not the 20" model I was told it would be. It's an 18" cymbal. It has 3 rivet holes, which I have to assume were added after leaving the factory, because I cant' find any info on an 18" K ride with rivet holes placed where they are.

    It's a fairly dark cymbal, with good stick definition, and a real nice bell. I like it so far, so I know it's not terribly important what model it is, I'm just curious, that's all. Can anyone help me out?

    zk.jpg
    Looks like a Zildjian K made in the late '80's that followed the Early American K (EAK) series hand hammered cymbals. I found a similar 18" crash/ride cymbal similar to yours from that era on the internet.

    zildjian_eak_crash_ride_18.jpg

    I found this:

    A Brief History of North American Ks:


    The one minute overview is that after the closure of the K Zildjian factory in Turkey, production of K Zildjian cymbals moved to North America. These North American cymbals can be usefully divided into a few eras when you are trying to determine year of manufacture.

    They are:

    Canadian made K Zildjian (1978-1981)
    EAK: Early American Ks (mid 1982-1988)
    IAK: Intermediate American Ks (1988-1993)
    K: laser serial numbers (1994-2000?)
    K: redesign of K series (2000?-present)


    These eras are based on changing styles in trademark stamp, ink, hammering, and lathing. If you've been here before and just need a reminder of the production years, you just got it. If you need to know more about what these eras mean, read on. But first a little history about K Zildjian came to be relocated to Canada and then the USA.

    Robert Zildjian negotiated the sale of the K Zildjian trademarks to the Avedis Zildjian Company which was completed in 1968 according to Pinksterboer (p151) It took 5 more years after 1968 for the Avedis Zildjian Co. to collect up some remaining trademarks after a distribution deal with Baldwin (who owned Gretsch at the time).

    The timeline for K Zildjian Istanbul has production continuing until 1977, four years later. The factory in Istanbul was wound down and some workers travelled from there to North America to transfer the production know how to the new owners of the K Zildjian trademarks.

    I never knew why production went to Canada first, and later to the USA at the time of the Sabian/Zildjian split. But according to this interview with Robert's son Bill (the BI of saBIan) the Turkish worker (Mike, which I presume is Mikhail) ran afoul of the USA Immigration Service because Avedis rather spoiled his immigration interview by telling the Immigration Service what a wonderful hard worker he was -- when he wasn't supposed to be working as he didn't have a work visa. This is 40 years ago, but it sounds very current doesn't it? Visa troubles with foreign workers.

    Continuing with the story, the Turkish workers were going to be deported back to Turkey until the factory manager managed to negotiate with the Canadian authorities that Turkish workers could get work visas for Canada. And according to this story, that's why the first North American K Zildjians were made in Canada at the AZCO plant (later Sabian), not the USA. However it came to be, the AZCO plant in Canada was the first place North American Ks were made (later 70s), and manufacturing moved to the USA in the early 80s.
    Last edited by late8; 01-10-2018 at 12:21 PM.

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Zildjian K ride acquired in trade

    I stumbled upon this EAK. It's a 22" ride. Here are the telltale signs it's an EAK. There is no "R" trademark logo next the the "K" and the backside of the cymbal has the "K" instead of the hollowed "Zildjian" logo that was inked after the end of the EAK line. The cymbal is one of the last hand hammered series before Zildjian automated the process for the next generation of K's. The cymbal is loud and washy and it makes a gongy crash and it roars way too loud when you really hammer on it. IMHO, good for jazz but nothing more....

    D22CF627-CEE7-4E6C-9B23-1DA8851A4E81_zpsg8zk06cu.jpg

    C2C36655-19EF-4E49-9E7F-104673D4A687_zpsoc3hprfk.jpg

    8D640053-2E4F-4CEC-A835-AB874CFAA01B_zpsgx5dynf8.jpg

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Zildjian K ride acquired in trade

    Very interesting. Thanks Late8! It's still hard to tell what mine is. I don't see any signs of any kind of latheing. And with the logo faded as much as it is, I can't tell if there was a Registered Trademark symbol near the K. There is definitely not a K on the underside though, just solid lettering Zildjian. I'm going to try to take it our in the sunlight and see if there's any more ink that can be seen.

    I've only played with it for about 5 minutes, and I didn't really try crashing it yet. But it does sound kinda "Jazzy".
    Aut Viam Inveniam Aut Faciam
    "I shall either find a way or make one"

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Zildjian K ride acquired in trade

    Quote Originally Posted by Powertrip240 View Post
    Very interesting. Thanks Late8! It's still hard to tell what mine is. I don't see any signs of any kind of latheing. And with the logo faded as much as it is, I can't tell if there was a Registered Trademark symbol near the K. There is definitely not a K on the underside though, just solid lettering Zildjian. I'm going to try to take it our in the sunlight and see if there's any more ink that can be seen.

    I've only played with it for about 5 minutes, and I didn't really try crashing it yet. But it does sound kinda "Jazzy".
    You're welcome! The non-lathed cymbals were sometimes called "blanks". There are ways to identify what era the Zildjian cymbals were made by either looking at the groove patterns from lathing on the bell or the stamp on the cymbal.

    Here are some of the stamp examples:

    '50's and '60's stamp:



    '70's stamp:



    Ink logos can also help identify what era a cymbal was made.

    EAK (Early American K) with a "K" on the back:

    C2C36655-19EF-4E49-9E7F-104673D4A687_zpsoc3hprfk.jpg

    Hollow Zildjian logo on the back from the mid to late '80's:

    3.jpg
    Last edited by late8; 01-10-2018 at 01:49 PM.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Zildjian K ride acquired in trade

    Looks to be the conventional K...............too old to be a custom.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  7. #7

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    Default Re: Zildjian K ride acquired in trade

    That's a K Custom. The lathing and hammering, size and shape of the bell, lack of lathing on the bell, all dead giveaways.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Zildjian K ride acquired in trade

    Looks like the perfect project cymbal for a small Bop kit. I'd love to spend an afternoon with it on my work bench. A little Dremel grinding to fix the keyhole, followed by a serious session of polishing with a cordless drill, foam ball and some mag wheel polish!
    -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

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