Uh-Cymbaling my Cymbals

May 31, 2009  /  Cameron Magee

My friend Daniel Potter had asked me recently about what kind of deal I had found on my cymbals. I figured it was complicated enough to devote a post.

First I started looking at a $750 box set of Zildjian A Custom cymbals. After some patience, and my Dad being an internet-searching animal, he found some in OK. The store was crazy, and sold me this box for

$500

A Custom Medium 16in CrashThis box came with:

14in HiHats
16in Medium Crash
18in Fast Crash
20in Medium Ride
Cheap Cymbal Bag

The set was supposed to come with a nice cymbal bag, so I called Zildjian. They apologized and shipped me the nicer bag for free, and didn't want their cheap one back. So I sold it on eBay. It went for about $12. Let the magic begin.

$500 - $12 = $488.

I knew from the beginning that I wanted 12in HiHats, so when the box came from UPS, I didn't lay a finger on the 14in Hats in the set. I kept the other three cymbals, and sold the 14in Hats on eBay. They went for about $213.

$488 - $213 = $275.

So as of that point, I had my two crashes and ride, plus a nice cymbal bag from Zildjian, for under three hundred bucks.Zildjian A Custom Mastersound 12in HiHats But, no HiHats, so I got online and SEARCHED SEARCHED for 12in Hats. I wanted a pair of Zildjian A Custom 12in Mastersound HiHats in the Brilliant finish. Well, turns out nobody else in the United States does, so they don't make them anymore. hmmph. I managed to track down the Mastersound top, but no bottom. So, I SEARCHED and found a Zildjian "A" 12in Bottom Hat. It's not the Mastersound, which stinks. But, to go MS I would still be looking right now. And not have any HiHats to be playing. So, not an option. The two cymbals added up to about $180.

$275 + $180 = $455.

That's all the cymbals I'll be buying. The only adjustments the future holds is a possible addition of a 14in Crash. Oh, and if I ever find a Mastersound bottom, with it's lovely wavy edges, that'd just be swell.

There's the tale of how I pulled all my cymbals, all Zildjian A Customs, for less than $500. I just checked MusiciansFriend.com, and found my Ride alone to be $285. Dang. I'd hate to buy them separately. Patience. Oh my goodness it took some patience. thanks for reading!