Protect Your Cymbals!
Why do we spend crazy amounts of money on our cymbals then proceed to spend very little to protect them? We go through hours, days, even years to find the right sonic value, rich tones, explosive expression, color full projection, brilliant finishes or dark aged sand blasted art, then slop a nasty felt or plastic 50 Cent sleeves on our stands…WHAT?? With cymbals costing what they do, we’ve put together some options for effective cymbal protection. Drummers love options right?!
Let’s look a little more into the world of cymbal protection shall we?
Part 1: Cases for Travel and/or Storage
Hard shell / Flight Cases provide top notch protection for travel, one of the best purposes of a hard-shell case is the tight fit which does not let the drum move around during transporting, rotation molded plastic protects it from scratches, when the case is dropped the tight fitting mould helps with impact. Riveted handles, buckled straps or spin on closures round off this ultimate protection.
BENEFITS = Maximum protection, waterproof, secure, approved for air-travel, long-lasting
DOWNSIDE = Price, Storage (not very compact)
TIP!!!!!!! Look for easy and durable buckles for closing. Snap buckles are quick and easy but are sometime more prone to breaking.
Soft Shell cases are another option. Zippered pockets are a great feature and many of the bags have separate compartments with lined padding for individual cymbals. Look for durable handles with leather strap holders and water repellent material with a reinforced bottom. Optional knap sack straps are another bonus for travel.
TIP!!!!! Look for durable zippers and double/triple stitching, it’s worth the investment. Plus a pulley cart with wheel options are great for lifting in travel.
BENEFITS = Lower pricing, Flexible packaged for storing, lightweight, practical, DOWNSIDE = Protection limited, rips and tears, durability
Part 2: Protection from Stands & Hardware
One of the worst things that can happen to your cymbal is key holing. It is where your centre cymbal hole starts to actually erode away and makes a channel. The cymbal post rubbing on contact with the cymbal causes it.
This not only affects the weight of the cymbal, it throws the cymbal off balance, your cymbal does not project the same you suffer sustain and projection issues, AND…….. Your cymbal becomes weaker and suspect to cracking. The below products are a very cheap protection system for you!!!!!!
Grombals. What is a grombal? An Innovative way to mount your cymbal, protect your cymbal, and get the most possible resonance from your cymbal. Durability is the key to its construction as it reduces contact on top of the cymbal, provides support and isolation, letting you throw away the felts and support washers. It makes the cymbal sustain longer based on shoulder depth decrease, the raised lower shoulder retains a more natural sound. The grombal stays in place, just lift and go 24/7. Plus the cool thing! Colors! Yes options!
Benefits = Super easy and very convenient when playing in numerous settings.
– No sleeves needed. A felt on the bottom is recommended
– Wing nuts are optional, the more the cymbal moves the tighter the grip,
– Inexpensive
Downside = hmmm, still looking for one
Another fine innovative product is from our fine friends at trick percussion. It is called the Trick Resonator cymbal assembly. It is an all in one solution which replaces traditional felts while enhancing resonance and sustain. These are very well built with outstanding design and product engineering. Expect nothing else from Trick.
Benefits = Excellent quality, quiet noise and minimizes cymbal to stand noise
Downside = Price, but you pay for well-built engineering
Top Cymbal Protection Tips
- Handle cymbals with finger tips around the edges, our hands give off oil that do mark up the cymbal, so wash your hands!
- Get a good Strong Cymbal Bag which cushions the edges of your cymbals when standing upright.
- Don’t use overly abrasive cleaners. Cymbals come with a thin protective coating film. That film does wear off and abrasive cleaners speed up the process.
- Soft abrasive cloth with warm water and washing liquid and regular cleaning can help keep the cymbals spotless. Follow the grooves in the lathed direction when cleaning and then towel dry.
- Avoid any metal on metal contact at any time.
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Happy Drumming!
Derek
