HAND-HAMMERING AND CUSTOMIZING OF CYMBALS

[Johan VDS]

Sorry I'm writing in English but my French is very bad (I understand French but I cannot write it myself)...

I'm a cymbalsmith from Bruges, Belgique.

I hand-hammer and modify existing professional cymbals from Zildjian, Sabian, Ufip, Paiste, etc. to make the sound richer, warmer, deeper, trashier, or whatever people ask for. I work for drummers all over the world.

Pictures and soundfiles of my custom cymbals can be found here:

http://users.telenet.be/cymbzdrumz/

My main goal is to change modern cymbals to sound like the legendary handmade "Old Turkish K Zildjians", played by drummers like Tony Williams and Elvin Jones.

I can also turn certain types of student cymbals into professional cymbals and I create new cymbals from certain types of cracked cymbals.

Feel free to mail me for further questions. I understand French but I cannot speak or write it myself.

[JC Barker]

Hello !!!

Welcome on Your Web site !

Your idea is very interesting , i've watched pictures and listen things on your web site , the sounds are very nice.

Which microphone use you to record the cymbal ?

[Johan VDS]

Thanks. I use a very simple Realistic microphone plugged into the soundcard of my computer. there are no effects.

[So What ?]

Fine work! The before/after soundfiles are terrific! Could you explain how did you get to hammering cymbals, and where did you learn?
And maybe some quoting informations?
Hope to read you soon.

[Johan VDS]

Thank you!
I started hammering my own cymbals many years ago because I couldn't find the sound I wanted in the shops. I wanted a very dark sound, a bit like the cymbals of Tony Williams.

I learned to do it by trial and error. Through the years I discovered how to change the sound of a cymbal in all possible ways : tuning down, tuning up, making more or less defined, darker or brighter, etc...

I can also make cymbals thinner.

[So What ?]

Reaching the sound of Tony Williams' Ride cymbal : it seems the Holy Grail Quest fore many of us, and mine for sure. If only Belgium and South o France were not so far, I would show you my 20"K ride and 22" Istanbul Jazz Ride and see how you can "complex" them a bit more......

[Shibby]

Hello,

Great to see that someone has patience & courage to make his own cymbals, it seems that cymbals-making is not very popular so keep on the good job ! I haven't listen the sound samples yet but sure I will.

I was wondering, has the cymbal of the first pic got wavy edge ? How did you do ?

[Belabartokisdead]

Hi, and welcome !!!

What you offer is really interesting, and your work seems nice ! You'll obviously make yourself some friends in here !

[Johan VDS]

All the waves you see are hand-hammered into the cymbal. So no hammer or pressing machines !

[Khrees]

Putaing, j'ai cru que j'avais modifié dans mon profil la langue, en fait je peux pas, mais c'est une autre histoire. J'entrave pas la langue de chèque spire donc ça cause de quoi le chantier en question là ?

[JC Barker]

Un gars qui remartelle des cymbales , ya des samples et tofo sur son site

[Camus]

Damn, nice skin and crazy sound.
Good work Johan, go on !

[lapin-ninja]

Nice work ! now THE question... have got any price to show us ?

[Johan VDS]

Do you mean the price for hammering a cymbal ?
Or the price of the cymbals on my site ?

[lapin-ninja]

I speak about the price of hammering a cymbal