Cymbal manufacturers
Encyclopedia
Cymbal manufacturers manufacture Cymbal
s for percussionists and other musician
s.
supplied to Gretsch
drums.
Very early Ajahas (date based upon visual stylistic/craftsmanship grounds) tend to be small, 11-14", and either very heavy, or paper thin. The UFIP produced Ajahas of the 70's run the gamut of sizes 12"-22" and weights. Also of note is that these UFIP versions bear an ink-stamped reproduction of the Ajaha signature.
As to whether Ajaha was initially a Turkish
maker, or a Europe
an (possibly Italian
) maker who had apprenticed in a Turkish workshop (perhaps even the K Zildjian workshop in Istanbul
) is open to debate. Its difficulty is compounded by the relative rarity of such cymbals still in existence.
The lack of concrete information on these cymbals may also be because the only identifying mark was an ink signature or stamp (as opposed to an embossed stamp), so the ink may have worn off, leaving many Ajahas as "no-names." Also, the varied quality of those that are identifiable does not encourage further investigation. Lastly, in keeping with the very unfortunate tradition of not discussing past artisans they did business with or employed (if there is no marketable gain for doing so), Sabian
(Tosco), UFIP (Italy), and Gretsch may have more information on Ajaha than they are willing to disclose. Too obscure for almost any musicians or collectors to care about, these cymbals have little market value today. Ajaha the company, and the cymbalsmith, remain an enigma.
s were made out of B8 Bronze. The company was popular for the way they coloured some of their cymbals, adding visual excitement to professional cymbals. As of 2006 the company renamed itself KREST.
(18" China).
Bellotti was a small Italian cymbal workshop that produced cymbal
s from the 1950s until the 1970s.
Because so few of these vintage cymbals exist on the market today (they are much less prevalent that some other vintage Italian contemporaries, such as Zanchi
) Bellotti remains one of the more obscure names in cymbal manufacturers. Most Bellottis are relatively small 12"-15", and quite heavy. Their craftsmanship displays a fine lathing on top and bottom and very broad, circular-peen hand-hammering. The cast bronze
cymbals are of a B20 alloy. The bellholes of most Bellottis are of small aperture, which suggests a fabrication date prior to the 1960s or earlier. Very finely crafted, most existing examples are likely to have been hand or field cymbals, due both to their weight and diameters.
The tell-tale insignia is an embossed stamp on the underside of the cymbal. There are two versions of this stamp. The first simply reads "Bellotti" on capital block letters. The second version also reads "Bellotti," but also incorporates the logo
of a bell. Often, Bellottis have an embossment that reads "Italy" or "Made in Italy" in a semicircular pattern. This embossment appears on other Italian cymbals of the 1940s-1960s.
ese manufacturer of cymbal
s. They are not normally available outside Japan.
and appear in Rogers catalogues of this era.
The telltale insignia is a crescent moon with the word PASHA adjacent to it, the font of the lettering being all capitals, the characters with rounded edges. The stamp was either embossed, or simply an ink stamp. Pashas also often exhibit a square ink stamp, "Made in Italy".
Most examples are thin to medium-thin in weight. Pashas were composed of B20 alloy, cast bronze, and machine and hand hammered. They tend to produce a warm tone with wide but controlled wash, as opposed to a very prominent stick/ping sound, which make them appropriate jazz cymbals.
They are sometimes mistaken for the more contemporary Istanbul cymbals
"Pasha" product line, although they bear no resemblance to the latter.
Roberto Spizzichino (1944 - 2011) was an Italian Jazz
drummer
and renowned master cymbalsmith. Spizzichino lathed and hand hammered cymbals in his workshop in San Quirico, Tuscany
in the tradition of the K Zildjian cymbal makers from Istanbul.
Early in his career, Spizzichino worked for the Italian cymbal company UFIP, providing cymbal development and research. In 1986, after leaving UFIP, Spizzichino started experimenting with his own "Spizz" brand cymbals. Spizzichino also worked for Bespeco, an Italian musical equipment manufacturer. Bespeco still offers a line of machine-made B8 "Spizz" brand cymbals produced according to a process developed by Spizzichino. The Chinese cymbal manufacturer, Wuhan, also produced a limited number of its own "Spizz" brand cymbals during a brief collaboration in 1989 when Spizzichino visited the factory. He was in China to find a source for B20 blanks. Spizzichino was involved in the Wuhan/Spizz cymbals' design but was not involved with the cymbal production and distribution. He was not satisfied with the product and did not wish to be associated with it. Neither the Bespeco "Spizz" or the Wuhan/Spizz cymbals were endorsed by Spizzichino.
Recent Spizzichino brand cymbals are crafted from high quality B20 bell bronze
discs sourced from Turkey
. The first Spizzichinos were made from inexpensive, heavy B20 blanks imported from China
. By heating, hand hammering and lathing the material, Spizzichino sought to bring out desirable sound characteristics often lacking in machine-made modern cymbals. Spizzichino became unsatisfied with the purity of the Chinese material after a couple years, and found a different supplier.
Roberto Spizzichino's cymbals are coveted by jazz drummers seeking the 'old K sound.' Spizzichino died on November 22, 2011.
and metal sculptor. Nolan works as an independent cymbal
and gong
maker from his workshop in Bath in the South-West of England
. Matt Nolan Custom brand cymbals are made mostly from malleable bronze
that Nolan personally works by hand with hammers, anvils and fire. Nolan also makes cymbals and gongs from more unusual materials, most notably Stainless Steel
and Titanium
. Nolan's cymbals and gongs are known for their often very decorative appearance, with colours, textures and sometimes even non-circular shapes.
Nolan, formerly an Electronic Engineer
, started producing his musical instruments and sculptures commercially in 2008 but had been making them on a hobby basis for a number of years prior to that. Nolan's instruments are used by Rock and Jazz drummers as well as Orchestral and Avant-Garde musicians. Nolan has created custom works for Massive Attack
, Björk
and the Boston Symphony Orchestra
among others .
Unusually for an independent cymbal maker, Nolan has exhibited his instruments at large trade and public shows including Frankfurt Musikmesse
, the NAMM show
and the Percussive Arts Society
's PASIC.
Matt Nolan's stated aim is to "help bring percussion and percussion instrument
s more to the fore, more into the public awareness and appreciation" and he says of his work that "the whole thing has become a fascinating exploration of art and sound for me."
For more information, visit the website www.mattnolancustom.com http://www.mattnolancustom.com.
Orient cymbals was created ship OEM TRX, Soultone and other cymbals within European territories.
Partners Yucel and Cetin operate Orient Cymbals from their Taksim area retail store called Masterwork Music Distribution.
Masterwork also sells their own brands of string instruments, etc.
Saluda's main operations are at 2651-B Shop Road in Columbia, SC - anyone can stop by and watch them hand hammer, lathe, apply clear finishes or acid burn finishes. They have a second cymbal shop around the corner from the main shop off Shop Road. Saluda's drum crafting shop is located in Orangeburg, SC (45 minutes from the Columbia shop).
Saluda's creativity can be seen in their endless amount of released prototypes.
cymbal
manufacturer, producing mainly high-quality bell bronze cymbals using centrifugal casting
, also known as rotocasting or spin-casting. They are the only major cymbal manufacturer to use centrifugal casting. The hand-made and "Ear-Created" UFIP cymbals are the Class, Natural, Bionic, Brilliant, Rough, Extatic and Experience series, this last consisting of a range of prototypes from the other series and limited/custom production cymbals.
The company's signature series cymbals, Firma, were made from enriched B22 spin-cast bronze and hand-hammered by company owner and senior cymbalsmith Damiano Tronci. As of late 2007, they are no longer made. The company's offer includes intermediate (Tiger) and student (M8) cymbals, not made from the spin-cast technique. Tigers are rolled and stamped bronze, and M8 are stamped bronze sheets. UFIP also made cymbals, which they sold under the Atlas, Kashian, and CB-700 labels. UFIP cymbals are known for rich timbre and great adaptability to all musical genres and styles—and also for their higher than usual prices.
of cymbal
, specialising in mid-range B20
cymbals and china type cymbals of all alloys and types. Their headquarters and manufacturing facilities are in Wuhan
, China. They used to manufacture 'S' series, but now they stick to 'Traditional' series. They also make gongs and have done so for over 2000 years (according to their website).
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s for percussionists and other musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s.
Major cymbal manufacturers
- ZildjianAvedis Zildjian CompanyThe Avedis Zildjian Company is a cymbal manufacturer founded in Istanbul by Armenian Avedis Zildjian in the 17th century during the Ottoman Empire. At nearly 400 years old, Zildjian is one of the oldest companies in the world...
- SabianSabian (company)Sabian is a Canadian cymbal designer and manufacturer. It is a leading manufacturer of cymbals along with other top companies such as Zildjian, Paiste, and Meinl.-History:...
- PaistePaistePaiste, a Swiss manufacturer and designer, is the world's third largest manufacturer of cymbals, gongs, and metal percussion. Paiste is an Estonian/Finnish word which means "shine"...
- Meinl PercussionMeinl PercussionRoland Meinl Percussion is a leading manufacturer of cymbals and other percussion instruments, based in Gutenstetten, Germany. Their main brand is Meinl.Founded in 1951 by Roland Meinl...
- Istanbul Agop CymbalsIstanbul Agop CymbalsIstanbul Agop Cymbals is cymbal producer based in the Republic of Turkey.Its products are well respected for their unique sound, which is formed by the method and the alloy used, the formula of which is known only to the owners of the firm, Arman and Sarkis Tomurcuk...
- Bosphorus CymbalsBosphorus CymbalsBosphorus is a cymbal manufacturer based in İstanbul, Turkey and Kennesaw, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta in the United States. The foundry is located near the Bosphorus Strait, from which the company draws its name. It is owned by three master cymbalsmiths, Ibrahim Yakici, Hasan Seker, and Hasan...
- Saluda cymbals
Amedia Cymbals
Amedia Cymbals is a small Turkish manufacturer of cymbals. They have 23 different lines of Cymbals. Amedia is a family run business which has been producing Cymbals for many generations.Anatolian Cymbals
Anatolian Cymbals is a small Turkish manufacturer of cymbals, which started out in 1999. Anatolian cast bronze cymbals are crafted from the Anatolian B20plus alloy consisting of 80% copper I 20% tin as well as a secret special additive known only to Anatolian. Each Anatolian cymbal is handcrafted. Anatolian has 12 different lines of cymbals.Dream Cymbals
Dream Cymbals is a Canadian cymbal company which started out in 2005. It is a collaboration between the Canadian instrument designers of Mountain Rhythm, and Chinese cymbal makers. All of the company's cymbals are made in the Wuhan region of China. Their main lines are "Bliss", "Contact", and "Energy", and "Dark Matter". Their "China cymbals" are made as a separate line called "Lion", and a line called "Pang", which Dream bills as, "[neither] a china nor a ride nor a swish..."AJAHA Cymbals
AJAHA Cymbals produced cymbals from the 1910s through the 1970s. Ajaha cymbals appeared in the 1912 Gretsch catalog, fourteen years before Fred Gretsch Sr. registered the Zildjian brand in the United States. The 1941 Gretsh catalog says, "For almost thirty years American drummers have ranked Ajaha second only to K Zildjian." The telltale identifying mark is the signature "X.E. Ajaha" on the underside of the cymbal bell. Some observe that the characters X and E resemble the Greek characters "hee" and "ksi." The last Ajaha cymbals were produced by Tosco-Italy, in the 1970s as a stencil brandStore brand
Store brands are a line of products sold by a retailer under a single marketing identity. They bear a similarity to the concept of House brands, Private label brands in the United States, own brands in the UK, and home brands in Australia and generic brands...
supplied to Gretsch
Gretsch
The Gretsch Company was founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, a twenty-seven year old German immigrant recently arrived in the US. Friedrich Gretsch manufactured banjos, tambourines, and drums, until his death in 1895. His son, Fred, moved operations to Brooklyn, New York in 1916...
drums.
Very early Ajahas (date based upon visual stylistic/craftsmanship grounds) tend to be small, 11-14", and either very heavy, or paper thin. The UFIP produced Ajahas of the 70's run the gamut of sizes 12"-22" and weights. Also of note is that these UFIP versions bear an ink-stamped reproduction of the Ajaha signature.
As to whether Ajaha was initially a Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
maker, or a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an (possibly Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) maker who had apprenticed in a Turkish workshop (perhaps even the K Zildjian workshop in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
) is open to debate. Its difficulty is compounded by the relative rarity of such cymbals still in existence.
The lack of concrete information on these cymbals may also be because the only identifying mark was an ink signature or stamp (as opposed to an embossed stamp), so the ink may have worn off, leaving many Ajahas as "no-names." Also, the varied quality of those that are identifiable does not encourage further investigation. Lastly, in keeping with the very unfortunate tradition of not discussing past artisans they did business with or employed (if there is no marketable gain for doing so), Sabian
Sabian (company)
Sabian is a Canadian cymbal designer and manufacturer. It is a leading manufacturer of cymbals along with other top companies such as Zildjian, Paiste, and Meinl.-History:...
(Tosco), UFIP (Italy), and Gretsch may have more information on Ajaha than they are willing to disclose. Too obscure for almost any musicians or collectors to care about, these cymbals have little market value today. Ajaha the company, and the cymbalsmith, remain an enigma.
Octagon cymbals
Octagon is a Brazilian cymbal manufacturer founded in the early 90's, that originally started out as a pedal manufacturer, launching the first bass drum pedal made in Brazil. It quickly switched on to make cymbals.Orion cymbals
Orion Cymbals is a Brazilian brand of cymbals and percussion founded in 1999 as a division of Multialloy Metais e Ligas Especiais Ltda, and aims to remain a leader within this segment in Brazil and Latin America.Harpy/Krest cymbals
Harpy cymbals originated in Brazil. The cymbalCymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s were made out of B8 Bronze. The company was popular for the way they coloured some of their cymbals, adding visual excitement to professional cymbals. As of 2006 the company renamed itself KREST.
Artists
Artists who play with Harpy/Krest cymbals are more numerous in Brazil. Some popular artists are soloist Gledson Meira, and Jamil Pilli of Chipset Zero. Harpy cymbals are used in America by Andrew O'Donnell, of Attila and the hunsAttila and the huns
Attila and the Huns are a three-piece powerpop/ska band, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are notable for their work with producer Norwood Fisher of Fishbone.- History :...
(18" China).
Stagg
Stagg is an instrument manufacturer. They primarily make inexpensive entry-level instruments for beginners. Their product list consists of acoustic and electric guitars, pianos and keyboards, classical instruments, percussion instruments and other accessories. They also make various cymbals and gongs.Hammerax
Hammerax is an American cymbal company which produces cymbals as well as a group of unique bronze instruments. They were founded in 2006. They are made in the United States and have the longest warranty of any cymbal company (4 years).Bellotti Cymbals
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s from the 1950s until the 1970s.
Because so few of these vintage cymbals exist on the market today (they are much less prevalent that some other vintage Italian contemporaries, such as Zanchi
Zanchi
Zanchi is an Italian brand of cymbals. The brand was made between 1947 till around the mid 1990's, and was noted for its 'Vibra' cymbals.-History:...
) Bellotti remains one of the more obscure names in cymbal manufacturers. Most Bellottis are relatively small 12"-15", and quite heavy. Their craftsmanship displays a fine lathing on top and bottom and very broad, circular-peen hand-hammering. The cast bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
cymbals are of a B20 alloy. The bellholes of most Bellottis are of small aperture, which suggests a fabrication date prior to the 1960s or earlier. Very finely crafted, most existing examples are likely to have been hand or field cymbals, due both to their weight and diameters.
The tell-tale insignia is an embossed stamp on the underside of the cymbal. There are two versions of this stamp. The first simply reads "Bellotti" on capital block letters. The second version also reads "Bellotti," but also incorporates the logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
of a bell. Often, Bellottis have an embossment that reads "Italy" or "Made in Italy" in a semicircular pattern. This embossment appears on other Italian cymbals of the 1940s-1960s.
Koide Cymbals
Koide Cymbals is a JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese manufacturer of cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s. They are not normally available outside Japan.
Pasha cymbals
Pasha cymbals were Italian-made cymbals from the early 1960s through early 1970s. A stencil brand produced in the UFIP S.r.l. factory, Pashas were the stock cymbal for Rogers DrumsRogers Drums
The Rogers company was started in 1849 by an Irish immigrant from Dublin named Joseph Rogers. Rogers came to the United States and started crafting drum-heads. His son began making drums in the mid-1930s at a Farmingdale, New Jersey location...
and appear in Rogers catalogues of this era.
The telltale insignia is a crescent moon with the word PASHA adjacent to it, the font of the lettering being all capitals, the characters with rounded edges. The stamp was either embossed, or simply an ink stamp. Pashas also often exhibit a square ink stamp, "Made in Italy".
Most examples are thin to medium-thin in weight. Pashas were composed of B20 alloy, cast bronze, and machine and hand hammered. They tend to produce a warm tone with wide but controlled wash, as opposed to a very prominent stick/ping sound, which make them appropriate jazz cymbals.
They are sometimes mistaken for the more contemporary Istanbul cymbals
Istanbul cymbals
Istanbul is the name of two brands of cymbals, Istanbul Agop and Istanbul Mehmet, made in Istanbul using traditional cymbal making methods...
"Pasha" product line, although they bear no resemblance to the latter.
Roberto Spizzichino
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
and renowned master cymbalsmith. Spizzichino lathed and hand hammered cymbals in his workshop in San Quirico, Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
in the tradition of the K Zildjian cymbal makers from Istanbul.
Early in his career, Spizzichino worked for the Italian cymbal company UFIP, providing cymbal development and research. In 1986, after leaving UFIP, Spizzichino started experimenting with his own "Spizz" brand cymbals. Spizzichino also worked for Bespeco, an Italian musical equipment manufacturer. Bespeco still offers a line of machine-made B8 "Spizz" brand cymbals produced according to a process developed by Spizzichino. The Chinese cymbal manufacturer, Wuhan, also produced a limited number of its own "Spizz" brand cymbals during a brief collaboration in 1989 when Spizzichino visited the factory. He was in China to find a source for B20 blanks. Spizzichino was involved in the Wuhan/Spizz cymbals' design but was not involved with the cymbal production and distribution. He was not satisfied with the product and did not wish to be associated with it. Neither the Bespeco "Spizz" or the Wuhan/Spizz cymbals were endorsed by Spizzichino.
Recent Spizzichino brand cymbals are crafted from high quality B20 bell bronze
Cymbal alloys
Cymbals are made from four main alloys, all of them copper-based. These are: bell bronze, malleable bronze, brass and nickel silver.-Bell bronze:Bell bronze, also known as bell metal, is the traditional alloy used for fine cymbals, many gongs and, as the name suggests, bells.It is normally stated...
discs sourced from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The first Spizzichinos were made from inexpensive, heavy B20 blanks imported from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. By heating, hand hammering and lathing the material, Spizzichino sought to bring out desirable sound characteristics often lacking in machine-made modern cymbals. Spizzichino became unsatisfied with the purity of the Chinese material after a couple years, and found a different supplier.
Roberto Spizzichino's cymbals are coveted by jazz drummers seeking the 'old K sound.' Spizzichino died on November 22, 2011.
Matt Nolan Custom
Matt Nolan is an English drummerDrummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
and metal sculptor. Nolan works as an independent cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
and gong
Gong
A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
maker from his workshop in Bath in the South-West of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Matt Nolan Custom brand cymbals are made mostly from malleable bronze
Cymbal alloys
Cymbals are made from four main alloys, all of them copper-based. These are: bell bronze, malleable bronze, brass and nickel silver.-Bell bronze:Bell bronze, also known as bell metal, is the traditional alloy used for fine cymbals, many gongs and, as the name suggests, bells.It is normally stated...
that Nolan personally works by hand with hammers, anvils and fire. Nolan also makes cymbals and gongs from more unusual materials, most notably Stainless Steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
and Titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
. Nolan's cymbals and gongs are known for their often very decorative appearance, with colours, textures and sometimes even non-circular shapes.
Nolan, formerly an Electronic Engineer
Electronic engineering
Electronics engineering, also referred to as electronic engineering, is an engineering discipline where non-linear and active electrical components such as electron tubes, and semiconductor devices, especially transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, are utilized to design electronic...
, started producing his musical instruments and sculptures commercially in 2008 but had been making them on a hobby basis for a number of years prior to that. Nolan's instruments are used by Rock and Jazz drummers as well as Orchestral and Avant-Garde musicians. Nolan has created custom works for Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
, Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
and the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
among others .
Unusually for an independent cymbal maker, Nolan has exhibited his instruments at large trade and public shows including Frankfurt Musikmesse
Musikmesse
Musikmesse Frankfurt is a music fair held at the Frankfurt Trade Fair in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It is the world's largest music fair and it has been held annually for over 25 years.The Frankfurter Musikpreis award is also handed out during the fair....
, the NAMM show
NAMM Show
The NAMM Show is one of the largest music product trade shows in the world, founded in 1901. It is held every January in Anaheim, California, USA, at the Anaheim Convention Center...
and the Percussive Arts Society
Percussive Arts Society
The Percussive Arts Society is an international music service organization promoting percussion education, research,performance and appreciation.Established in 1961 as a non-profit, music service organization,...
's PASIC.
Matt Nolan's stated aim is to "help bring percussion and percussion instrument
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
s more to the fore, more into the public awareness and appreciation" and he says of his work that "the whole thing has become a fascinating exploration of art and sound for me."
For more information, visit the website www.mattnolancustom.com http://www.mattnolancustom.com.
Masterwork Cymbals
Masterwork cymbals runs a small operation in Istanbul, Turkey. They are mostly sold in Europe and some in Asia. 80% of Masterwork output is Darbukas and less than 20% is cymbals.Orient Cymbals
Orient cymbals is a corporation of Masterwork cymbals.Orient cymbals was created ship OEM TRX, Soultone and other cymbals within European territories.
Partners Yucel and Cetin operate Orient Cymbals from their Taksim area retail store called Masterwork Music Distribution.
Masterwork also sells their own brands of string instruments, etc.
Saluda cymbals
Saluda Cymbals is a custom cymbal manufacturer. They make cymbals from a B20 High grade alloy, and offer a wide range of custom accommodations through many series of cymbals, such as the Mist X series (most easily compared to the Zildjian A customs), Earthworks, Diamonds, Decadence, Glory, Tesla, Voodoo (4 Sub-Series and V Bells), Definitive Jazz, Nemesis, and Black Mist (Onyx). These are high level cymbals that they can make to meet exact requests in sound and design.Saluda's main operations are at 2651-B Shop Road in Columbia, SC - anyone can stop by and watch them hand hammer, lathe, apply clear finishes or acid burn finishes. They have a second cymbal shop around the corner from the main shop off Shop Road. Saluda's drum crafting shop is located in Orangeburg, SC (45 minutes from the Columbia shop).
Saluda's creativity can be seen in their endless amount of released prototypes.
Supernatural's cymbals
Supernatural cymbals are manufatured by Dogukan Okur and William Salas the owners of Supernatural's Foundry in Istanbul Turkey.UFIP
UFIP S.r.l. is an ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
manufacturer, producing mainly high-quality bell bronze cymbals using centrifugal casting
Centrifugal casting
Centrifugal casting in silversmithing is a casting technique where a small mould is poured, then spun on the end of an arm. The centrifugal force thus generated encourages a successful pour.-Processes:Centrifugal casting, or centrifuging,...
, also known as rotocasting or spin-casting. They are the only major cymbal manufacturer to use centrifugal casting. The hand-made and "Ear-Created" UFIP cymbals are the Class, Natural, Bionic, Brilliant, Rough, Extatic and Experience series, this last consisting of a range of prototypes from the other series and limited/custom production cymbals.
The company's signature series cymbals, Firma, were made from enriched B22 spin-cast bronze and hand-hammered by company owner and senior cymbalsmith Damiano Tronci. As of late 2007, they are no longer made. The company's offer includes intermediate (Tiger) and student (M8) cymbals, not made from the spin-cast technique. Tigers are rolled and stamped bronze, and M8 are stamped bronze sheets. UFIP also made cymbals, which they sold under the Atlas, Kashian, and CB-700 labels. UFIP cymbals are known for rich timbre and great adaptability to all musical genres and styles—and also for their higher than usual prices.
Wuhan cymbals
Wuhan is a brandBrand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
of cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
, specialising in mid-range B20
Cymbal alloys
Cymbals are made from four main alloys, all of them copper-based. These are: bell bronze, malleable bronze, brass and nickel silver.-Bell bronze:Bell bronze, also known as bell metal, is the traditional alloy used for fine cymbals, many gongs and, as the name suggests, bells.It is normally stated...
cymbals and china type cymbals of all alloys and types. Their headquarters and manufacturing facilities are in Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
, China. They used to manufacture 'S' series, but now they stick to 'Traditional' series. They also make gongs and have done so for over 2000 years (according to their website).