How long should cymbals last?

JonnyPistachio

So my roomate had been playing my kit for about a year and he cracked and completely broke my two crash cymbals. In addition, (after a two year hiatus) it looks like i'll be joining up with a band to start playing drums again. Anyways, I asked my roomate to replace the broken cymbals - one was a two year old $100 sabian - I dont remember what kind, but i didnt really care for it too much. The other was an nice A-Custom Zildian 18inch crash (~$230). He started telling me that cymbals are only supposed to last a few years, and cheap ones are just as good. He's trying to give me a paiste replacement for the Zildian that was 1/3 the cost. Does anyone know how long should cymbals like these last?
Thanks!

mccreadyisgod

Well, a drummer who hits with light to moderate force and good control should be able to make a cymbal last for 20 to 50 years, especially if they're cleaned regularly. You can find 20+ year-old brass on eBay all the time.

That said, I would expect any decent cymbal to last 5 to 10 years, depending on how hard you hit and how you position your cymbals (steeper angles will cause keyholing, which will also lead to repeated hits in the same location). Modern (rock) drumming is much harder on all drums and cymbals, unlike a lot of the old jazz players with underhand technique and/or brushes, etc.

I wouldn't expect your roommate to pay full value for brand new cymbals, but I would try to find a value on the same cymbals with the same level of use, and then ask that much. Cymbals that are only a couple years old shouldn't break unless they've been abused. Hell, I would charge him if he broke a drum head, and those break a lot more often. This is why I tell everyone, even my best friends who've heard me say it a thousand times... "Sure, you can borrow it, but if you break it, you pay for it."

JonnyPistachio

mccreadyisgod wrote:

Well, a drummer who hits with light to moderate force and good control should be able to make a cymbal last for 20 to 50 years, especially if they're cleaned regularly. You can find 20+ year-old brass on eBay all the time.

That said, I would expect any decent cymbal to last 5 to 10 years, depending on how hard you hit and how you position your cymbals (steeper angles will cause keyholing, which will also lead to repeated hits in the same location). Modern (rock) drumming is much harder on all drums and cymbals, unlike a lot of the old jazz players with underhand technique and/or brushes, etc.

I wouldn't expect your roommate to pay full value for brand new cymbals, but I would try to find a value on the same cymbals with the same level of use, and then ask that much. Cymbals that are only a couple years old shouldn't break unless they've been abused. Hell, I would charge him if he broke a drum head, and those break a lot more often. This is why I tell everyone, even my best friends who've heard me say it a thousand times... "Sure, you can borrow it, but if you break it, you pay for it."

good points, thanks. Unfortunately he is out of a job right now, so I feel bad asking for it, but i feel like he should leave the kit how it started. He also broke the hi-hat stand, and I found last night that it is unfixable. oh well, this is why I dont like lending things to friends.

mccreadyisgod

That's why I always clearly state, "You break it, you pay for it." I don't make them sign anything (although the thought has crossed my mind with some folks), but I do stop and mention it, every single time something gets borrowed. Some people will burn you anyways, and that tells you not to lend to them anymore.

I never have a problem borrowing from anyone else, because everyone knows I'll likely take better care of whatever I borrow than they would themselves. I am certainly more careful with borrowed gear than with my own gear. If I ever broke anything I borrowed, I'd point it out to the owner and offer to pay for repairs or buy a replacement. I think all of my musician friends understand that pretty well. Hell, at the moment I'm babysitting 4 guitars for a friend who's world-surfing for a few months. I've played a few of them a few times, but I also re-strung a guitar that had 2 broken strings, just so the neck wouldn't warp while it was sitting there.

PatrickBateman

Exactly the reason why I put on my Sabian B8's when someone wants to bang on my kit. and even then, if you break it, you are replacing it with something comparable. wtf...oh because your Vintage 2002 Paist ride is 13 years old, it's only worth the cost of a ZBT ride?....bulllshiiitt. I understand where you are coming from, but unless it already had a sliver crack in it....he broke it! I hate that shit....people need to learn how to take care of other people shit. Call me a jerk, but I let people know the value of my stuff before I let them bang away on it with reckless abandon. If I broke the drummers Zildjian A custom at an open mic, I will find him an A custom, not a ZBT because it was 10 years old. I have a 22" Paiste 2002 power ride that must be at least 15 years old and sounds awesome...if you take care of them, they take care of you.


/rant

SB51696

The act that I used to work for had a very unusual set-up for cymbals, just a pair of bottom hats and a crash. I was going to guitar center or calling tour supply every other week for a new sabian crash...

MichaelMcKevin

If your cymbals were not cracked at all before he played, IT IS HIS FAULT. I upgraded my cymbals over the last summer and I generally never let anyone play on them. Before you let someone play on your stuff, make sure you know their technique. It's not just how hard you hit, but how you approach it.

The correct way to hit most cymbals is a bit of a swiping motion. Hit into the cymbal, and let your stick move to one side. Don't drive the stick into it, and if you do, make sure you relax your grip after you make contact so that way the cymbal can vibrate freely. Cymbals crack when their motion is restricted.

Anyway, I'm sure you know all this. I wouldn't feel too bad asking your friend for some money if I were you. It's unfair and irresponsible of him to say that the cymbals were at an age where they would begin to start cracking. You can crack a brand new cymbal on it's first day out of the factory if you hit it the right (wrong) way.

CJMST3K

"How long should cymbals last?"

Well... how long do potato chips last before being eaten up? It's kinda the same question. In order for that answer you need to know how many bags you have, and how many hungry people there are.

So... what model was your Sabian? Was it a "thin" crash? Was it a "heavy" crash? Did your friend bash them everyday, or every week?

When I started playing drums 25 years ago I used to have some Sabians. I cracked those after a few years (maybe 1 years, maybe 4 years) but that also may have had to do with how I played. I dunno. I also have a Zildjian K 19" crash that I cracked. I didn't kill it, but I played it a bit.... but I'd also take long periods off. I also cracked a used Paiste 16" Signature Full Crash over a couple of years.

I'd say cymbals are finite... however, it's kinda like potato chips. Potato chips will last forever, until someone eats them.

I'd recommend you have your friend go HALF in on some USED but good shape cymbals. You can say "guitar strings also get broken, but it's up to the person who broke them to replace them". Anyone who has played them has contributed to their cracking.

I'm a fan of Paiste Signature Full Crashes. Great at low and high volume, and sharp as a sword (unless you play super dark, heavy stuff). Great deals on ebay for them.

12345AGNST1

CJMST3K wrote:

"How long should cymbals last?"

Well... how long do potato chips last before being eaten up? It's kinda the same question. In order for that answer you need to know how many bags, and how hungry people there are.

So... what model was your Sabian? Was it a "thin" crash? Was it a "heavy" crash? Did your friend bash them everyday, or every week?

When I started playing drums 25 years ago I used to have some Sabians. I cracked those after a few years (maybe 1 years, maybe 4 years) but that also may have had to do with how I played. I dunno. I also have a Zildjian K 19" crash that I cracked. I didn't kill it, but I played it a bit.... but I'd also take long periods off. I also cracked a used Paiste 16" Signature Full Crash over a couple of years.

I'd say cymbals are finite... however, it's kinda like potato chips. Potato chips will last forever, until someone eats them.

I'd recommend you have your friend go HALF in on some USED but good shape cymbals. You can say "guitar strings also get broken, but it's up to the person who broke them to replace them". Anyone who has played them has contributed to their cracking.

I'm a fan of Paiste Signature Full Crashes. Great at low and high volume, and sharp as a sword (unless you play super dark, heavy stuff). Great deals on ebay for them.

Atleast well agree on cymbals. I love paistes. I have a 2002 wild crash, 2002 soundedge hihat, alpha splash, and old 90's alpha crash and ride.

BTW: I cracked my 2002 17' crash after a little over a year :( Its all about your technique. I guess mine just sucks. (Although it was a quite thin cymbal)

CJMST3K

12345AGNST1 wrote:

CJMST3K wrote:

"How long should cymbals last?"

Well... how long do potato chips last before being eaten up? It's kinda the same question. In order for that answer you need to know how many bags, and how hungry people there are.

So... what model was your Sabian? Was it a "thin" crash? Was it a "heavy" crash? Did your friend bash them everyday, or every week?

When I started playing drums 25 years ago I used to have some Sabians. I cracked those after a few years (maybe 1 years, maybe 4 years) but that also may have had to do with how I played. I dunno. I also have a Zildjian K 19" crash that I cracked. I didn't kill it, but I played it a bit.... but I'd also take long periods off. I also cracked a used Paiste 16" Signature Full Crash over a couple of years.

I'd say cymbals are finite... however, it's kinda like potato chips. Potato chips will last forever, until someone eats them.

I'd recommend you have your friend go HALF in on some USED but good shape cymbals. You can say "guitar strings also get broken, but it's up to the person who broke them to replace them". Anyone who has played them has contributed to their cracking.

I'm a fan of Paiste Signature Full Crashes. Great at low and high volume, and sharp as a sword (unless you play super dark, heavy stuff). Great deals on ebay for them.

Atleast well agree on cymbals. I love paistes. I have a 2002 wild crash, 2002 soundedge hihat, alpha splash, and old 90's alpha crash and ride.

BTW: I cracked my 2002 17' crash after a little over a year :( Its all about your technique. I guess mine just sucks. (Although it was a quite thin cymbal)

nice...

2002's are good too. I have a 2002 Heavy Hi Hat, and it sounds great and almost upgraded it to a signature until I saw the drummer from Queens Of The Stone Age playing the same one on a Rollins Show performance.... but I had a 2002 china and it sounded closer to a gong - so I ended up swapping that out for a Signature china instead since it had a better wash. I was hitting some 2002 crashes VS Signature crashes in the store yesterday. A minimal difference that would be almost indistinguishable played live. Paiste's are sweet... but I have yet to really study the hi-end Zildjians.

Now my kit has
14" 2002 Heavy Hi Hats
9" (I think 9") Paiste Signature Splash
16" Paiste Signature Full Crash (now cracked)
18" Paiste Signature Full Crash
18" Paiste Signature China
19" Paiste Signature Full Crash

...and an old unmarked (but stamped) ziljian ride which is just fucking awesome... has the perfect "wash" and perfect amount of "ping" when needed.

12345AGNST1

CJMST3K wrote:

12345AGNST1 wrote:

CJMST3K wrote:

"How long should cymbals last?"

Well... how long do potato chips last before being eaten up? It's kinda the same question. In order for that answer you need to know how many bags, and how hungry people there are.

So... what model was your Sabian? Was it a "thin" crash? Was it a "heavy" crash? Did your friend bash them everyday, or every week?

When I started playing drums 25 years ago I used to have some Sabians. I cracked those after a few years (maybe 1 years, maybe 4 years) but that also may have had to do with how I played. I dunno. I also have a Zildjian K 19" crash that I cracked. I didn't kill it, but I played it a bit.... but I'd also take long periods off. I also cracked a used Paiste 16" Signature Full Crash over a couple of years.

I'd say cymbals are finite... however, it's kinda like potato chips. Potato chips will last forever, until someone eats them.

I'd recommend you have your friend go HALF in on some USED but good shape cymbals. You can say "guitar strings also get broken, but it's up to the person who broke them to replace them". Anyone who has played them has contributed to their cracking.

I'm a fan of Paiste Signature Full Crashes. Great at low and high volume, and sharp as a sword (unless you play super dark, heavy stuff). Great deals on ebay for them.

Atleast well agree on cymbals. I love paistes. I have a 2002 wild crash, 2002 soundedge hihat, alpha splash, and old 90's alpha crash and ride.

BTW: I cracked my 2002 17' crash after a little over a year :( Its all about your technique. I guess mine just sucks. (Although it was a quite thin cymbal)

nice...

2002's are good too. I have a 2002 Heavy Hi Hat, and it sounds great and almost upgraded it to a signature until I saw the drummer from Queens Of The Stone Age playing the same one on a Rollins Show performance.... but I had a 2002 china and it sounded closer to a gong - so I ended up swapping that out for a Signature china instead since it had a better wash. I was hitting some 2002 crashes VS Signature crashes in the store yesterday. A minimal difference that would be almost indistinguishable played live. Paiste's are sweet... but I have yet to really study the hi-end Zildjians.

Now my kit has
14" 2002 Heavy Hi Hats
9" (I think 9") Paiste Signature Splash
16" Paiste Signature Full Crash (now cracked)
18" Paiste Signature Full Crash
18" Paiste Signature China
19" Paiste Signature Full Crash

...and an old unmarked (but stamped) ziljian ride which is just fucking awesome... has the perfect "wash" and perfect amount of "ping" when needed.

Damn, that is one expensive cymbal set up. I really love the Sigs, but Im 20 and dont get paid enough to afford them. (hell, i could hardly afford the 2002's but I cant play cheap cymbals) The 2002 chinas do sound pretty bad> actually TBH, paiste makes some pretty bad chinas, if you want a good china get a Zildjian.

Ive been wanting a jazzy/rock type ride for awhile but the only ones paistes have are the new signatures and they are like $400-500. I really like the Zildjian K dark medium ride I played awhile ago and thats only $290 i think. you got pics of your setup?

CJMST3K

12345AGNST1 wrote:

Damn, that is one expensive cymbal set up. I really love the Sigs, but Im 20 and dont get paid enough to afford them. (hell, i could hardly afford the 2002's but I cant play cheap cymbals) The 2002 chinas do sound pretty bad> actually TBH, paiste makes some pretty bad chinas, if you want a good china get a Zildjian.

Ive been wanting a jazzy/rock type ride for awhile but the only ones paistes have are the new signatures and they are like $400-500. I really like the Zildjian K dark medium ride I played awhile ago and thats only $290 i think. you got pics of your setup?

yes it is, but they sound soooo good. i've treated myself at times, but more recently over the last 5 years.

ebay, ebay, ebay... keep your eyes open on ebay!