Hand-hammering and re-creating cymbals

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

Sujet de la discussion Posté le 23/05/2006 à 18:45:17

Hello !

Sorry for writing in English but my French is terrible. I understand it a bit but I can't write it.

I am a Belgian drummer from Bruges who also hammers cymbals.

I once started hammering cymbals because (to me) no modern factory made cymbal has the "old Turkish K Zildjian" kind of darkness and complexity anymore.

I hammer pro- and also some non-pro-level factory cymbals into much richer sounding cymbals.
Besides creating light complex jazz cymbals, I also hammer heavier rock-oriented cymbals to dramatically enrich the sound.

The cymbals I've hammered can be seen and heard on this INDEX PAGE. Mind you, I have hammered most of these cymbals to suit my personal taste (dark and trashy) but I can also brighten the sound of cymbals with a different hammering method.

Some "before and after modification" files can be heard HERE.

Some student cymbals I hammered into professional cymbals can be listened to HERE.

Here are some pictures (the soundfiles can be found on the site).

This was a Paiste Signature Power ride, hammered to sound like the old 60's Tony Williams ride, but a little heavier:

This was a Zildjian ZBT 20" ride, now a very complex thin professional jazz ride.

This was once a Paiste 2002 22" ride:

Here's a "before and after" pic of a cheap 16" Headliner crash cymbal, now a professional dark thin crash:

See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

supernono

2704

Squatteur·euse d’AF

Membre depuis 22 ans

51 Posté le 14/08/2006 à 18:17:27

0

Le marchand de sable

Sp|ne

1821

AFicionado·a

Membre depuis 22 ans

52 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 11:56:33

Heel mooï... Jammer heb ik geen echte drumkit (slechts V Drums)...
I denk ook dat je een goed website moet hebben om uw buziness te ontwikkelen.
:bravo:

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pistonpistache

17990

Modérateur·trice thématique

Membre depuis 22 ans

53 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 12:12:24

Ola,

déjà qu'en anglais c'est tout juste toléré...

0

LE dossier avec LES réponses?

Lapin

3517

Squatteur·euse d’AF

Membre depuis 22 ans

54 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 13:22:43

Onze modero geénerveerd :mrg:

Anyway, I'll send Johan a v-cymbal, we'll see if he's that strong :D:

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alligton

352

Posteur·euse AFfamé·e

Membre depuis 20 ans

55 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 13:42:47

Je compte envoyer 2 ZXT à notre ami belge a mon retour à Paris.
Donc stp Lapin, n'oublie pas de nous faire un beau debriefing, stp

0

http://francoiscabirol.blogspot.com

Sp|ne

1821

AFicionado·a

Membre depuis 22 ans

56 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 13:45:33

Ok je dirais plus rien dans la langue de Vondel :mdr:

En tout cas c'est fameux son boulot... J'ai fait écouter les sons à mon collègue ce midi et il trouve que c'est extra...

Faudrait qu'un bon webmestre se dévoue pour faire un super site pour ce super artisan pcq là c'est un peu le boxon.

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alligton

352

Posteur·euse AFfamé·e

Membre depuis 20 ans

57 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 13:59:31

Je ne te le fais pas dire, son commerce a une grosse demande potentielle, mais si ça risque de ne pas plaire aux gros tôliers du marché lol

0

http://francoiscabirol.blogspot.com

Cyclyk

4680

Squatteur·euse d’AF

Membre depuis 23 ans

58 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 14:08:14

Superbe et flag

0

ien_ien

402

Posteur·euse AFfamé·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

59 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 16:32:06

FLAG

0

bloodsugar

2419

AFicionado·a

Membre depuis 22 ans

60 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 17:04:06

Hello Johan...

As just discussed in french in the past few messages, you really should invest in a good web site.
Your existing one is a bit "quick and dirty" made :oops:

Depends if you wan't to turn this hammering passion into a professional activity (I think you should)

-----------

but once again, your hand-hammered cymbals look terrific, and sound the same way ! :bravo:

0

ien_ien

402

Posteur·euse AFfamé·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

61 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 18:11:53

Hello Johan (and everybody too :p)

I'm really interested by your (amazing) skill. Actually, I don't have a lot of money, that's why I would like to ask you if you can get something from it -> Link to crappy Cymbals

It's made with bronce, but I don't know if it's B8, or B20, or something else ...

Thanks for your beautiful job !

0

pistonpistache

17990

Modérateur·trice thématique

Membre depuis 22 ans

62 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 18:15:24

Brass...

ça marchera pas.

0

LE dossier avec LES réponses?

ien_ien

402

Posteur·euse AFfamé·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

63 Posté le 16/08/2006 à 18:52:07

?? ... I knew it already, but look at the link, it's not brass ...

Moreover, I think that Johan hammered already this kind of cymbal (look at the first post of the thread ;) )

Citation : Millenium HL7, Bronce Cymbal Set containing 14" HiHat clearsound with a penetrating open hihat and a crisp chick for a universal range of applications, 16" Crash Bright, clearsound with a complex spread. Explosive attack and a mediumsustain, 20" Ride Balanced, clear sound with a defined,bright ping. Medium sustain with a tonally matched bell,Made in Germany,

There is this cheap set too (Paiste 201 Bronze Essential 13/18 Set de cymbales) >>> Link

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Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

64 Posté le 06/09/2006 à 21:57:56

Sorry for the late answer, I didn't know there was a question waiting.
If it says "bronze" it is normally at least B8 alloy, not brass. So they should be worth hammering. Of course it's possible that these are very thin cymbals, but I don't know.

Here's some beginner's B8 alloy Meinl MCS cymbals I upgraded for a Belgian drummer. Same thing can be done with other (cheap) B8 alloy cymbals.

A 16" Meinl MCS crash hammered into a 16" dark crash:

Before and after SOUNDFILE

picture:
https://www.pearldrummersforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=243083&stc=1

A Meinl 20" Meinl MCS ride, now a 20" Perforation Trashride

Before and after SOUNDFILE

picture:
https://www.pearldrummersforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=243084&stc=1

0

See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

65 Posté le 16/09/2006 à 12:29:31

Finished some hihats:

14" Complex Hihats 887-974gr-from Zildjian Avedis

SOUNDFILE

14" Dark Heavy Hihats -from Paiste 2002

SOUNDFILE

0

See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

66 Posté le 24/09/2006 à 21:35:19

Here's a 7" bell cymbal I hammered from a flat B20 bronze alloy disc. (I've also shaped the cup by cold-hammering.)
It's shape is similar to that of a china, so it's perfect for reversed mounting (cup facing down) on top of another cymbal.

It kinda screams, so I called it the Yell Bell.

SOUNDFILE

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See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

67 Posté le 27/09/2006 à 14:06:26

Here's a 20" Light Complex Full Bell Ride I hammered from a Sabian AA Medium ride.

This one is rather a special hammering concept because the bell has a deeper and fuller sound than you would expect from a cymbal this thin and high pitched.

SOUNDFILE

0

See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

68 Posté le 30/09/2006 à 16:55:03

And a 20" Light Ride 1830 grams I hammered from a Zildjian Avedis Medium ride.

SOUNDFILE

0

See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

69 Posté le 05/10/2006 à 10:20:56

20" Light Complex Ride 1830 grams, hammered from a Ufip Class ride.

SOUNDFILE

0

See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

IroncobrA

677

Posteur·euse AFfolé·e

Membre depuis 20 ans

70 Posté le 05/10/2006 à 21:22:24

The last sounds very well !!!

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Back to the Basics

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

71 Posté le 07/10/2006 à 16:29:23

A 7" Splash, hammered from a flat B20 bronze alloy disc.

SOUNDFILE

0

See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

72 Posté le 10/10/2006 à 21:46:09

22" Dark Ride 2595 grams, re-created from a Paiste 3000 ride.

SOUNDFILE

0

See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

73 Posté le 12/10/2006 à 20:18:45

20" Light Complex Jazzride 1780 grams, re-created from a Paiste 2002 ride.

SOUNDFILE

0

See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

74 Posté le 19/10/2006 à 10:18:34

18" Dry Reverse China, hammered from a Paiste 2002 18" Crash

SOUNDFILE

0

See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals

Johan VDS

60

Posteur·euse AFfranchi·e

Membre depuis 19 ans

75 Posté le 24/10/2006 à 23:14:38

Here are 2 turkish cymbals I just re-created for a Belgian jazzdrummer. Each time you can hear a before and after clip.

- Bosphorus Ferit Turk 20" ride:

http://jvds.byethost15.com/3_BEFORE_AND_AFTER_MODIFICATION/Bosphorus_Ferit_Turk_20_before_and_after.mp3

- Agop Mel Lewis 21". This one had a very bad "barking seal" (a hollow gongy sound) stretching from the cup to halfway down the bow. That's completely gone now.

http://jvds.byethost15.com/3_BEFORE_AND_AFTER_MODIFICATION/Istanbul_Agop_Mel_Lewis_21_before_and_after.mp3

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See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals