Istanbul Agop 20.5" 25th Anniversary Ride

Group: Rides
Type: 25th Anniversary Ride
Size: 20.5 Inch
Series: Istanbul Agop
Weight: 1780g, 1811g, 1837g, 1845g, 1850g, 1855g, 1860g, 1864g, 1891g, 1955g
Median Weight: 1853g (n=10)
Years of production: 2005 - Limited run of 1,000 pieces
Sound file: 20.5" 25th Anniversary Ride
20.5" 25th Anniversary Ride
20.5" 25th Anniversary Ride
20.5" 25th Anniversary Ride
20.5" 25th Anniversary Ride
20.5" 25th Anniversary Ride
20.5" 25th Anniversary Ride
20.5" 25th Anniversary Ride
20.5" 25th Anniversary Ride
Istanbul Agop's Description: <<< - >>>
Review: "The Istanbul Cymbal Company has been in existence for twenty-five years, in one form or another. (More about that in a moment.) To commemorate this silver anniversary, Istanbul Agop has developed a special hand-made 25th Anniversary ride. cymbal. Each cymbal measures 20 1⁄2" in diameter and comes with a special carrying bag. Only 1,000 serialized cymbals will be made for worldwide consumption.

First, a bit of cymbalmaking history. It's generally accepted that the first Turkish-style cymbals were made in the region of Istanbul in the 16th century. The manufacturing process was a carefully guarded secret handed down from worker to worker-usually within the family that owned the business.

One such worker was Agop Tomurcuk, who started as a nine-year-old apprentice at the original K Zildjian factory in 1950, and was foreman when the plant closed in 1978. In 1980, Agop formed Istanbul Cymbals with the help of his sons Arman and Sarkis, along with partner Mehmet Tamdeger. The company specialized in the manufacture of cymbals according to old-world traditions.

Agop passed away in 1996 as the result of a tragic accident. At that point the company was being pulled in two very different directions. Agop's sons determined to follow in their father's footsteps at Istanbul. To commemorate his place in cymbalmaking history, they adopted his name to use as the brand for all hand-made cymbals. Hence "Istanbul Agop." Mehmet Tamdeger left to form his own company, which became "Istanbul Mehmet."

To create the classic, traditional Turkish cymbal sound, Arman and Sarkis Tomurcuk use the "secret recipe" taken from a notebook that their father kept as an apprentice and later as a master cymbalmaker. Casting, lathing, and hammering are done entirely by hand. Arman and Sarkis unearthed Agop's original hammers, which date back some thirty years. These are now used to make the anniversary models.

One of the first things I do when examining a cymbal is spin it on a slightly tilted stand to check for any weight discrepancies, which frequently occur in large, hand-made cymbals. If a cymbal is "lopsided," it will always settle with the heaviest portion at the bottom. But I found no such situation with our test ride. The shaping, profiling, edge, hole, and overall symmetry were excellent.

The Istanbul Agop 25th Anniversary ride is definitely not a rock cymbal. It's much more suited to jazz, world, or new age music. The bell is 5" in diameter, with a fairly low profile. It adds to the character of the cymbal's overall sound, but isn't bright or ringing when played alone.

Although the sound tended to be on the "shimmering" side of things-especially as compared to many handmade Turkish-style rides it didn't have the cutting or piercing quality you'd want for loud situations. It would, however, excel in quiet jazz, small clubs, or close-miked studio formats.

I attribute the ride's shimmering sound to the inclusion of silver in the mix-although I cannot confirm this. It doesn't sound like a typical medium or medium-heavy ping ride. Instead, it leans toward the lighter, "wetter" sound of a medium-light ride, with a controlled wash. Brushwork on this cymbal, played behind a small acoustic band, was first rate. I also favored traditional wood-tip sticks, in order to bring out the cymbal's old-world sound. Nylon-tipped models just didn't sound at home here.

Because every 25th Anniversary ride will have its own unique character, slight acoustic variations will exist from ride to ride. This is normal with hand-made cymbals, and should not be construed as poor quality. There simply is no way to exactly duplicate every aspect of the manufacturing process.

Each 25th Anniversary ride will be as unique as the individual player using it. All in all, this cymbal could be a very nice addition to your kit, and one whose limited-edition status might allow it to increase in value over the long haul."

Review written by Russ Barbone ("Istanbul Agop 25th Anniversary Ride Cymbal - A Quarter Century Of Quality", Modern Drummer, April 2005, pp. 40-41)

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