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Zildjian cymbal restoration.

Posts: 32 Threads: 7

I plan to bring my Zildjian's up to playing condition. In 1981, I bought all new: 21" (Large bell) Rock Ride, 14" New Beat Hi-hat set, 18" Swish, 18" Light crash, & 16" Med/Thin Suspended crash.

After very little playing time since new, these sat in storage for about 35 years. This resulted in surface haze, a little corrosion from moisture drops (green, brown, and some black spots), and old fingerprints becoming prominent on the surfaces.

I am using an old bottle of Zildjian cymbal cleaner, and have found that the Zildjian ink stampings such as "New Beat Top" will rub right off along with all the haze and other oxidation.

From paste experience I know that the final result will look like a brilliant, but slightly off-color appearance from a freshly made cymbal. So my question is that for either playing or re-selling is this "cleaned" appearance desirable, and is there any advantage in attempting to keep the original patina and stampings on a complete side of the cymbal (usually the underneath side)?

Posted on 8 years ago
#1
Posts: 2010 Threads: 19

Unless they look really nasty I think the majority of potential buyers would probably prefer them with the patina intact, They can always clean it if they like but it's tough to put a 35 year patina back on.

Posted on 8 years ago
#2
Posts: 6170 Threads: 255

Agreed completely!

Posted on 8 years ago
#3
Posts: 32 Threads: 7

Folks, these are nasty with some long green corrosion streaks on the surface. However there was not much stick wear to the surfaces, so once the cloudy off-white surface oxidation and additional spots are removed they are definitely brilliant and like new, except for what I mentioned earlier that the color is slightly lighter than if new. They do not look buffed if the cleaning motion is always done parallel to the grooves.

Posted on 8 years ago
#4
Posts: 629 Threads: 45

Like was mentioned, if just for resale it's probably best to leave them alone. In my opinion, cleaning them isn't a cardinal sin, especially if they have no collector value. That's a minority opinion though.

Clean cymbals sound brighter and cut music better, but I play Paistes and clean mine about every 3 months. I just use windex on the logos, or you could always tape them off.

Posted on 8 years ago
#5
Posts: 32 Threads: 7

Yes, of course had I stored these inside it would have been better, however at the time the need dictated that so many of my things were put into a storage space for work assignments. Way back then of course they looked like they would remain in new condition, and I had higher priorities, but they were also not "vintage" at the time and represented merely a certain nominal value. But I do know better now...

Posted on 8 years ago
#6
Posts: 2413 Threads: 336

Yup - for resale - it is always best to just leave the patina, dirt spots - all of it ... just leave it alone. It gives the next owner the option and can therefore appeal to many more potential buyers.

That said....if these were Paistes - that might be a different story, but you are talking about Zildjian B20 vintage goodness.

A bonus is that it takes MUCH less work and time on your part!

BTW - I owned and played a pair of Sabian AA crashes for about 20 years - before I figured out that underneath all that patina was a BRILLIANT finish. I was thrilled to clean/polish them up. They sound even better IMHO. I prefer bright looking and sounding cymbals personally.

I had a great day! Instead of sleeping in and wasting the day, I got up at 8 and I had all my slacking done by noon!

2Timothy1:7
Posted on 8 years ago
#7
Posts: 1322 Threads: 22

From idealassets

I plan to bring my Zildjian's up to playing condition. In 1981, I bought all new: 21" (Large bell) Rock Ride, 14" New Beat Hi-hat set, 18" Swish, 18" Light crash, & 16" Med/Thin Suspended crash.After very little playing time since new, these sat in storage for about 35 years. This resulted in surface haze, a little corrosion from moisture drops (green, brown, and some black spots), and old fingerprints becoming prominent on the surfaces.I am using an old bottle of Zildjian cymbal cleaner, and have found that the Zildjian ink stampings such as "New Beat Top" will rub right off along with all the haze and other oxidation.From paste experience I know that the final result will look like a brilliant, but slightly off-color appearance from a freshly made cymbal. So my question is that for either playing or re-selling is this "cleaned" appearance desirable, and is there any advantage in attempting to keep the original patina and stampings on a complete side of the cymbal (usually the underneath side)?

These are not cymbals I personally would be interested in, but to put things into perspective, if I was interested in them and you cleaned them to a bright finish I would most likely lose interest unless they were very rare. In other words, leave them alone.

Mark
BosLover
Posted on 8 years ago
#8
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