Istanbul Agop Cymbals

 

In 2010, Istanbul is celebrating it's 30th year of making cymbals. While many are not familiar with this brand, the heritage of this company is fascinating. Cymbals originated generally speaking in two areas of the world.... China and Turkey. Out of China came the gongs and from Turkey came the cymbals that the west is most familiar with and those that are played by drummers everywhere!

Starting hundreds of years ago, the most famous cymbal family, Zildjian, was based in the east. Actually, it was right up to about thirty years ago that the most popular and desired cymbals were being made by Zildjian in Turkey. After the owner died, his relatives, who had already started making cymbals in the USA, closed down the plant in Istanbul and sold off all the equipment, preferring to make cymbals in America. Well, some of the staff at the Istanbul plant decided to carry on what they had spent their lifetimes doing and loving.... making hand crafted cymbals. So, after purchasing as much of the Zildjian equipment as possible, they opened up the Istanbul company and kept right on doing what they do the best.... making the most musical and beautiful handcrafted cymbals anywhere!

Here at Paw Music, we consider these cymbals still being produced in Istanbul, as now the finest cymbals available today. Consider the Lenny White Epoch signature ride, for example...

Lenny White Epoch Istanbul Agop Ride Cymbal

This ride took two years in the design stage before coming to market in 2008 and is fully hand made and hand hammered. But, when you add the years of experience that Lenny White brings to the table and combine that with the years and years of Turkish cymbal craftsmanship.... well two years seems to be a mighty short time! Now the Epoch line up has been increased to include hi-hats and a complimentary selection of beauiful matching crash cymbals too.

The Istanbul line includes Traditional series (fully lathed), Sultan series (partial lathing on top, fully lathed on bottom), Turk series (fully unlathed), Vezir (lathed on top, raw on bottom), plus the signature series including SE Jazz, Agop, Mel Lewis, Lenny White "Epoch", Cindy Blackman "Om", and signature rides by Matt Chamberlain, Joey Waronker and Idris Muhammad.

The new Xist series offers a more affordable professional sound from Istanbul.... Machine forming using Istanbul's famous B20 formula plus unique hammering enables the Xist series to sell for a lower price than most people would expect for an exotic product like Istanbul. Compare this series with the North American "name" brand products and you will see what we mean! Professional Turkish sound and craftsmanship at prices that will amaze you! 

Over the recent years, Istanbul has expanded its product line up considerably, perhaps with the most radical being the Alchemy line.

Alchemy cymbals are available in three different groupings: MSX brass starter cymbals, which are ideal for students wanting to start off with Turkish made cymbals, then the ART bronze cymbal range targeted at mid level students, and the professional Alchemy series, which is an extensive hand made and hand hammered series for those wanting brighter, more cutting cymbals than the more traditional Istanbul darker sounds. The Professional series includes Sweet (the lightest and thinnest), medium, regular, rock, custom rock and Power X.

Alchemy Power X cymbal Istanbul Agop 

What ever your budget, what ever your sound, Paw Music carries an extensive range of cymbals to cover every music gendre, from hip-hop to symphonic, from rock-a-billie to fusion, we are here to help you find the sounds that you want!

 For more information on Istanbul and Alchemy cymbals:

 
Canadian distributor: www.heartbeatpercussion.com
 
Manufacturer: www.istanbulcymbals.com