Avedis Zildjian Company
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- Zildjian redirects here. For other uses, see Zildjian (Disambiguation).
The Avedis Zildjian Company is the world's largest manufacturer of cymbals and drum sticks. At nearly 400 years old, Zildjian remains one of the oldest operating companies in the world.
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[edit] History
The first cymbals were formed in 1618 in İstanbul by an Armenian named Avedis, who, while looking for a way to turn base metal into gold, created an alloy combining tin, copper, and silver into a sheet of metal that could make musical sounds without shattering. Avedis took the surname of Zildjian, from Turkish "zil+ci" (cymbal-maker/seller) and the Armenian suffix "yan" (son of), and began an industry in 1623 whose main product remained secretive for generations. It became family tradition that only the oldest son of the company's head would know the manufacturing process.
This tradition ended with Avedis Zildjian III, who, just before his death, passed on the secret to both of his sons, Armand and Robert. This resulted in a family feud and a legal struggle which ended only when Robert left the company to form the rival Sabian cymbals company in 1981.
[edit] Cymbal manufacture
The Zildjian Company moved from manufacturing noisemakers to frighten the enemies of the Ottoman Empire to musical instruments in the 19th century. In 1908 Avedis Zildjian III migrated to Boston, while Kerope Zilcan continued to make cymbals in Turkey under the K. Zildjian Constantinople name. In 1923, the Turkish Republic was established and the name of Constantinople was officially changed to Istanbul, resulting in the change of the company’s name from K. Zildjian Constantinople to K. Zildjian Istanbul. Around 1926, Aram Zildjian signed an exclusive American distribution agreement for K. Zildjian cymbals with Fred Gretsch Co.
Around 1928, Avedis III and Aram Zildjian began manufacturing cymbals in Massachusetts, and the Avedis Zildjian Co. was formed in 1929, a competitor against the K Zildjian Company in Turkey. Avedis made many innovations in cymbals that are still around today. He was the first to develop drum set cymbals, and gave cymbals names, such as “Ride,” “Crash,” “Splash,” “Hi-Hat,” and “Sizzle.” Jazz drummers such as Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Shelly Manne, Cozy Cole, and Papa Jo Jones used Avedis Zildjian cymbals. The cymbals were made with both automated processes and hand hammering, but Zildjian ended the latter tradition in 1964 after a rise in demand resulting from the popularity of The Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr.
[edit] Recent history
In 1968, the K. Zildjian Co. and all European trademarks were bought back by Robert Zildjian on behalf of the Avedis Zildjian Co.
Zildjian was having labor requirement issues with oven room operators and machine operators, so Avedis split the production into two separate operations, one for rolling and casting only, and one for finish work. They then opened up the Azco factory in Meductic, New Brunswick, Canada in 1968.
From 1968 to 1970, the Azco factory produced 'Zilco' cymbals. There were two types of Zilcos. One was a thin rolling produced without any hammering at all, which cut costs.
Robert Zildjian, with a man named Dick Dane, invented the modern process for pressing cymbals into shape around this time in the Azco factory. Prior to this it was done by 'bumping' with the Quincy drop hammer.
In 1970, Zildjian needed all their production capabilities at Azco for their regular Zildjian line, so the factory in Quincy (the then location of Zildjian) would send up castings to be finished into cymbals at Azco. At one point Azco was responsible for 40% of Zildjian's output.
In 1975 there were problems with the Turkish government, and Robert Zildjian went to Turkey and brought over a crew to start making K Zildjian cymbals in the Azco plant. This was an interesting time for the Zildjian clan because it was the first time that Kerope and Avedis Zildjian were working together to make the same "Zildjian" cymbals, after years of competing with each other as A. Zildjian and K. Zildjian Istanbul. These were made until 1979 when Avedis died and Robert split from Zildjian amidst conflict with Armand. Shortly thereafter in 1981, Robert started Sabian cymbals in the Meductic Azco factory, with Kerope and his son continuing on making Sabian's early HH cymbals.
The Avedis Zildjian Company does not only make cymbals. It also makes drumsticks. The drumsticks are currently produced in Alabama and are a top choice for just about every endorser of Zildjian. The Artist Series drumsticks allow these endorsers to personalize their own drumstick, and these sticks may be sold to the public. Two of the most popular Artist Series drumsticks are those of Travis Barker and Dennis Chambers.
The Avedis Zildjian company continues to produce cymbals today in Norwell, Massachusetts. Armand Zildjian was the head of the company after Avedis’ death until his own passing in 2002. The company is now run by Armand’s daughters Craigie and Debbie Zildjian.
[edit] Discontinued products
[edit] Budget lines
- Amir, Amir II (early to mid 1980s) - Moderate/higher-end when compared to present-day budget cymbals. Released alongside the Impulse line.
- Scimitar, Scimitar Bronze * Edge, Edge Plus (1990s) - Higher end budget cymbals; preceded ZXTs.
- ZBT Plus (1998-?) - Released alongside ZBT, together replacing the Scimitar line. Discontinued shortly after Edge was replaced by ZXT.
[edit] Jim Bob's lines
- Impulse (early to mid 1980s) - Designed for hard rock. These were developed in response to Paiste RUDEs, and are similar in appearance (raw, unlathed B8 bronze). Replaced by the original Z Zildjian line, several years later.
- [Avedis] Platinum (1990s?) - A Zildjians with platinum coating and blue logo. Discontinued due to environmental problems during manufacturing (a safer process would be prohibitively expensive).
- Re-Mix (late 1990s) - Developed with Zach Danziger, and designed for live performing of Jungle / Drum and Bass and other electronic styles. Only the ride and effects cymbals exist today as the A Breakbeat Ride and the A EFX, respectively.
- Z Series (1986 to 1994) - Heavy unlathed cymbals designed for Heavy metal, and punk rock. The series later became the Z Custom series, and as of today, only one original model from the Z series exists, Dyno Beat Hi-Hats which are available in both 13" and 14" sizes. Designed to compete with Paistes RUDE series which already had a well established market with metal drummers.
[edit] Well known users of Zildjian
Many artists today use Zildjan cymbals:
- ?uestlove
- Travis Barker
- Carter Beauford
- Rob Bourdon
- Matt Brann
- Dave Buckner
- Matt Cameron
- Jimmy Chamberlin
- Dennis Chambers
- Will Champion
- Vinnie Colaiuta
- Tré Cool
- Sonny Emory
- Peter Erskine
- Steve Gadd
- Dave Grohl
- Yoshiki Hayashi
- Dom Howard
- John Hunt
- Tris Imboden
- Tommy Lee
- Brian "Brain" Mantia
- John Otto
- Neil Peart(1974 to 2003)
- Lori Peters of Skillet
- Mark Richardson
- Morgan Rose
- Chad Sexton
- Eric Singer
- Matt Sorum
- Ringo Starr
- Simon Taylor
- Roger Taylor
- Jon Theodore
- Lars Ulrich
- Ronnie Vannucci from The Killers
- Josh Wills
