Support - T-Cymbals

faq
cymbal types
cymbal anatomy
cymbal care
comparison
onemanonecymbal

We've provided answers below to the questions we are often asked about TC. Question not answered here? Please do not hesitate to Contact us.

How Do I Choose The Correct Models For My Playing?
It is important that you choose cymbals that you like, but also cymbals that will work for your performances whether it is live or studio. Listen to your friends, talk to other drummers develop a sense of what might work for you. Then go out and experience some sounds. It is important that you 'play' the cymbals and get a sense of what they can deliver for you. Below is a brief info on TC.

T-Classic sounds darker, with a rich tonal quality.

T- Naturals have a deep, dry and dark characteristic.

T-Xtra is bright and explosive.

T-Alternative combines full-bodied responses with brightness.

Cymbalmaker, La Pasion Turca and Swing King are mostly for drummers looking for unique sounds that can only be found at handmade original Turkish Cymbals.

Janissary-X project offers efx cymbals that are totaly different in sound and shape. Based on the concept of "old world percussion" that comes with a mind blowing texture of sounds and shapes. A must for any kind of set-up.

Metal Shop project offers drummers a perfect line of heavy sounding bronze disks that cut through.

Punkhead project offers bright & penetrating cymbals to smash your sound.

Each series offers a wide range of models, sizes, weights and sounds. Select from just one series, or mix the various series to create the set-up that you want to play. Please note that traditional handmade cymbals are one of a kind instruments and every individual has its own character and voice.

What is the difference between 'Natural' and 'Brilliant' finishes?
Brilliant finished T-Xtra, MetalShop and Punkhead cymbals are machine buffed and hand polished to a smooth, and bright look. 'Natural Finish' cymbals like T-Classic, T-Alternative and La pasion Turca etc. are neither buffed nor polished, they remain same in their natural state. Cymbalmaker and Swing King has an aged polishing process on them. Janissary-X's have a totally different aging process used by old artisans of antique metals.

The buffing process will smooth the tops of the grooves, creating a smoother touch and look. Regarding the sound brilliant cymbals sound more direct and bright while the natural ones are more darker and deep.

How does the size of the bell affect the sound of a cymbal?
The larger the bell, the more open the sound. Large bells have longer sustain. There are various bell sizes and they all have different roles in defining the response characteristics of the cymbal.

How does thickness and weight affect cymbal sound?
Thicker cymbals are heavy cymbals. They are brighter and louder. Mostly loud playing applications need more power. Heavy cymbals cut through the music with a bright sound and great sustain while the light weight cymbals are lower and smoother. Medium weight cymbals will be a good starting point for those who needs both.

Does T-Cymbals make custom cymbals?
Yes we do. T-Cymbals is the only company that will take orders for custom cymbals even under your name. Please refer to onemanonecymbal section for custom order details or signyourcymbal for the first custom cymbal project under your name.

What is available and how can I order one?
You can order just about anything with in the routine of our manufacturing process. The limit is your imagination. Best thing to do referring to our experiences is to send a description of what it is you want to support@tcymbals.com. TC team will take a look at it and let you know if what you want is possible (In terms of musical needs). Refer to onemanonecymbal page for further details.

Can I arrange a trip to the factory?
Of course, we are always welcome to those who have a passion for our cymbals and want to have a journey inside the world of traditional cymbalmaking. Our guests are free to be a part of our team and they will have the chance to experience of making a cymbal even by hammering one.:)

Does T-Cymbals have a warranty program?
All T-Cymbals are guaranteed against defects in workmanship and materials for all series and provides for a free replacement of detective cymbals for one year from the original date of purchase. T-Cymbals require that all cymbals for warranty replacement be returned to your local dealer/store that you purchased them from. The dealer/store will, in turn, contact its distributor for review and replacement. Please check with your T-Cymbals distributor for warranty coverage and details.

Quality is the most important thing for us and therefore the return cymbal will be in question to improve the quality to its highest levels. A cymbal will not be replaced under the conditions below:

If more than one year has passed since the date of purchase (Please enclose a copy of your original purchase receipt with your return cymbal to determine the warranty period.)

If it has been previously replaced.

If it has been bought second hand.

If it has been used in a lease program.

If it has been treated badly, dropped for played with extreme force.

How do I return my broken cymbal for warranty?
Please contact your national distributor/dealer along with a copy of the dated proof of purchase. If you don't have a distributor in your country please contact us at support@tcymbals.com

Do I get warranty coverage if I buy T-Cymbals from another country?
Any warranty is applicable only in the country you purchased your cymbal.

There are several reasons for this limitation. Because of the high cost of managing and shipping, we can not expect our distributor/dealer to supply replacements for products they did not handle. The taxes and duties on free replacement cymbals can be double or triple the original value of the cymbal itself as well as some countries do not allow any 'free' goods to be shipped to a customer.

If you have problems with a cymbal you purchased outside the country where you live, you would need to return it to the store from which you purchased for a possible replacement procedure. All shipping costs to and from would be under your responsibility. Please keep in mind that this could become very expensive, and consider this next time you see a -great deal- from a source outside your country.

How do I contact T-Cymbals if I have a question?
Please refer to our contact us page.

Hi-Hats
A pairing of two cymbals on a pedal-operated hi-hat stand. Generally bottoms are heavier than the tops. Closed hi-hats produce tighter, more definite sounds; half-open for bigger and louder sounds.

Crashes
Ranging from 14" to 20", crash cymbals are designed for accenting or crashing. Thinner models are warmer and explosive, heavier models more direct and bright.

Rides
Ranging from 18" to 24", the ride is the main cymbal for playing rhythms and grooves. The bell area is bright and crisp, across the bow you can get bigger sound. Heavier models produce more definite sticking.

Efx
Ranging from 6" to 12", splash cymbals are played for fast and short accents. Chinese cymbals feature an upturned edge. Mostly played for effect sounds, they do offer dirty ride sounds on short, dirty punches at accents. Janissary-X offers efx cymbals that are totaly different in sound and shape. Based on the concept of "old world percussion" that comes with a mind blowing texture of sounds and shapes.

Bell Size
Larger bells generally produce more overtones and higher volume than cymbals with smaller bells. Small bells due to its nature are softer and lower. A smaller bell reduces ring and sustain and provides a more defined stick sound for riding. Larger bells produce more overtones and a longer full-bodied sound.

Weight
Most cymbal models are available in a range of weights. Simply size and weight combine to increase the volume, power and response. Weight affects the volume, overall sound and power of a cymbal. Thin models respond faster (vibrations move through the metal faster). Thin crashes are explosive and full. The sound of thin rides are warmer. Thinner cymbals are well suited for light to moderate volumes. Heavy cymbals respond with big, loud and cutting sounds. Crashes are penetrating and cutting with attack. The hi-hats and rides have increased stick definition while the strokes are more clear and definite. Medium weight models are versatile, so the medium cymbals are a good starting point. Mixing weights may be your answer to a great sounding set-up. If you are a hard hitter medium to heavy weights are well suited for your playing. Medium and heavy cymbals are thicker. These are more durable cymbals designed to perform in loud musical situations.

Heavy weight: High volume, high pitch

Thin weight: Low volume, low pitch

Profile
The higher the profile the higher the pitch. Low pitched sounds blend with the music. High pitched sounds are cutting and suited for loud playing.

High profile: High pitch, brighter response, cutting sound.

Low profile: Low pitch, warmer response, fuller sound

Pitch
Pitch represents the perceived fundamental frequency and it is the dominant sound of the cymbal. Cymbals are non-pitched instruments. A good cymbal produces frequencies in each of these three areas High, medium and low. The proportions between them determine the character of the cymbal. Higher pitched cymbals cut through the music while the low pitched blend into it, making for a bigger and fuller sound.

Sustain
The sustain of the cymbal largely depends on the decay of the high frequencies. The highs are the first to cut through, the low frequencies will last for a quite long time.

Size
Larger cymbals have more volume and longer sustain. Their response is slower when compared to smaller cymbals. Smaller cymbals produces small sounds and lower volumes.

Large cymbals: More volume, long sustain, big sound, lower pitch

Small cymbals: Less volume, short sustain, small sound, higher pitch

Finish
Brilliant finish: T-Xtra, MetalShop, PunkHead

Brilliant cymbals sound brighter, having more high-end than the natural ones. While lathing cuts tonal grooves into the cymbal, the buffing process evens out the surface for a smoother and shimmering response.

Traditional finish: T-Classic, La Pasion Turca, Swing King
Traditional cymbals produce a full range of high and low tones. The vibrations are being broken up on the ridges which helps to give a warm response with an added bite and presence.

Natural finish: T-Natural, Air
Natural cymbals are unlathed. Because of not having tonal grooves they are drier than the others. The vibrations are not broken this helps the cymbal to produce a darker definite sound.

Hybrid Finish: T-Alternative, Dancing Devil
An oxidation process applied to the cymbal ends with muting the mid-highs. Lathing near the edges smooths the response.

Aged finish: CymbalMaker, Janissary-X
Old world lathing techniques helps to maintain the vintage sound. While the hand polishing gives that pure, balanced tone.

Metal
The formula is not about what the alloy consists of, but the way it is prepared. Our metal is called B20 at chemistry - SnBz 20 - 20% tin (Sn, Stannum) and 80% copper besides minimal amount of silver. The composition is NOT a secret, the way we make it makes them unique.

Taper
The degree to which the cymbal changes in thickness from the cup to the edge.The design of the taper will contribute to the amount of Crash-like or Ride-like qualities in the cymbal. Medium-Thin Rides have the most extreme taper being thick at the cup and thin at the edge.

Ride Area
The center portion of the cymbal. Which doesn't open up immediately, mostly effective for pronounced stick tones and patterns.

Crash Area
The outer edge where a cymbal responds immediately, mostly strucked to produce an instant crash response.

Hammering
Hand hammering applies the hammer strikes irregularly all over the cymbal surface. This lowers the profile and pitch, reduces and darkens overtones, adds dryness and increases the amount of warmth and body of its sound. Over-hammered cymbals receive additional hammer strikes after they are lathed. This further reduces overtones, adds dryness and shortens decay.

Tonal Grooves
Tonal grooves applied at lathing process helps the sound energy escape from the cymbal. Larger, deeper tonal grooves open up the cymbal sound. Fine, shallow grooves smoothen the sound. Cymbals with no tonal grooves (unlathed) have fewer overtones.

Drum Sticks
Stick selection influence the cymbal sound more than you can imagine. Such as the tip type (wood or plastic) and shape. Mostly the the plastic tips produce brighter sounds while the wood tips are more warmer. Refer to the drumstick manufacturers websites for detailed info.

If a cymbal is not played correctly it may crack.. But you can reduce the potential risk of cracking by choosing the right weight, size, and positioning for your needs. What you can do to protect your cymbals are:

Choose right cymbals
Hitting hardly to a small or thin cymbal won't help to get a big sound and volume due to its strength and limitation. Do not use use small and thin cymbals for high-volume settings, unless you need a contrast in your entire set-up. Don't forget that they are not as durable as the heavy ones. For volume and durability, go for the big and heavy models. It would be a good decision to consider bright and powerful sounding cymbals, such as MetalShop, PunkHead, T-Xtra and T-Alternative. Low pitched cymbals like Cymbalmaker, La Pasion Turca, T-Natural and T-Classic etc.

Pay attention to your stands
Be sure that the metal of the stand doesn't hurt the cymbal. Use a nylon tube over the center rod.

Use a felt on top of the metal washer under the cymbal. Pay attention to prevent metal to metal contact.

Use a felt on top of the cymbal

Pay attention to wing nut tightens. Not to loose, not to tight.

Use smaller felts especially on hi-hats.

Do not over tighten the cymbal

Don't forget that vibrations generate the sound in the cymbal. To achieve a better sound, loosen your cymbals and give them space to vibrate. Over-tightening a cymbal will kill its sound. It won't vibrate enough and produce a sound as dampened by a piece of tape.

Playing an over-tightened cymbal will cause to much pressure and creates a stress in the metal, this may end up by cracking. Usually around the base of the bell or straight from the edge.

Pay attention not to over angle crash cymbals
If the angle of the cymbal is too steepy, then there would be an extra pressure which may end up by cracking. At this kind of playing situations position the cymbals fairly flat and give an angle towards yourself. Pay attention at tightening the cymbal.

Play your crash cymbals correctly
The edge of the cymbal is meant to be 'crashed', but there are two things you can do to get the most and best sound out of your crashes plus avoid cracking them:

Don't hit directly into the edge. Hitting directly to the edge may cause a harm both at your stick and your cymbal. You won't be able to get the perfect sound because the cymbal won't vibrate in control. Striking and pulling back will be the best way at these kind of musical needs.

Glancing strokes will make the cymbal move freely and the vibrations will be in control which will cause a better sound. These kinds of strokes will be more satisfactory since the stick is on an off the cymbal before the vibration. This will end up by a smooth sounds and you will be able to get the best out of your cymbal.

Protect Your Cymbals
Bu sure that your cymbals are safe after they are off their stands. Avoid leaving your cymbals out of their bags or cases ( a small nick may be a bigger crack)

Use quality cymbal bags or hard-shell cases to store and carry your cymbals.

Insert dividers between your cymbals such as clothes, towels, plastic bags etc. to prevent contact. Stack your cymbals and fit small ones into larger sizes.

Onemanonecymbal
TC hopes to change the way drummers view a custom handmade Turkish cymbal. At OMOC, the word custom holds quite a bit more reverence. It means we made it, not assembled it. It means everything about the cymbal is made by hand, one piece at a time, by a OMOC master cymbal artist. From hand selecting the finest bronze and tin, painstakingly melting the alloy, to roll the casts and shaping the cymbal by hand hammering to its unique shape. A cymbal having the OMOC by T-Cymbals signature is one of a kind ultimate acoustic instrument, hand made to your specifications, with the expertise and quality no other company can match. So, invest in your art by creating your masterpiece by onemanonecymbal.

What is onemanonecymbal?
Onemanonecymbal is the name of the project that offer drummers true custom handmade cymbals. T-Cymbals build custom cymbals based on your specifications and design under onemanonecymbal project. No limitations. Just tell us exactly what you want to create, we can build it for you. With over an experience based on a tradition of centuries, we're ready to help you achieve the sounds you're looking for. Don’t forget only custom cymbalmakers can create your masterpiece.

What are the basic specifications ?
All cymbal sizes from 6" to 24".

All OMOCs are 100% handmade Turkish cymbals from T-Cymbals B20 alloy.

How can I order OMOC?
Wanna get custom then get started, simply contact us at support@tcymbals.com. Tell us what you want and begin your onemanonecymbal experience. TC team will take a look at it and let you know if what you want is possible (In terms of musical needs) and work with you together throughout the entire process - from design through shipping – to create your OMOC.

A few other points to remember concerning OMOC custom orders
Price based on size and process.

TC warranty. Please refer to faq for warranty deals.

OMOC custom orders take 4 to 8 weeks according to the type, size and number of units.

Please note that due to the unique nature of your onemanonecymbal, all sales are final.