Some drummers snobbishly claim that their dirty cymbals sound better. Do not be fooled. This is a ridiculous ruse designed to cover up the fact that they are lazy liars who just don't want to clean their cymbals.
Most drummers want shiny new cymbals with the big Zildjian logo clearly emblazoned on them, as if they are personally sponsored by the company and required to advertise for them. If their cymbals start to collect fingerprints or darken with age, they would rather just buy new ones than risk cleaning the precious logo off.
Cymbals that are old and dirty are [wink, wink] re-classified as "vintage" and sometimes sold at a profitable price if they really are collectible or at all desirable. But most of the time the cymbal is just old and dirty, and nobody wants it. You have a "vintage" 16-inch Medium Thin Crash? Yeah. Who doesn't, buddy?
This is when you can score some sweet-sounding cymbals to add to your collection without spending a fortune. When a seller wants to unload a cymbal that is quite tarnished and brown with age but not really vintage or unique enough to garner a higher price, he will sometimes be sensible and list it for a reasonable price.
For example, I got this pair of 14-inch Quick Beat Hi-Hats for an even hundo.* These cymbals are clearly NOT vintage, as Zildjian continues to manufacture them today. A brand new pair carries a MSRP of $339.95 which you can joyfully pay on the company website, or you could check The Guitar Center online and find a used set for anywhere between $129 to $200, or you could walk in to your neighborhood music store and.....
....they wouldn't have any but could order them for an exclusive price of $320 and they would arrive in six to eight weeks.
FORGET ALL THIS! Look, you people have got to get over the "Zildjian logo" fascination. Nobody cares what cymbals you play unless you're Neil Freaking Peart (or some other famous drummer popular with your generation). Until then, let's be more practical, conserve a little cash and learn to maintain and appreciate our equipment. As I said, I acquired this set of hi-hats that were quite used. The blessed Zildjian logo is fast fading away, soon to be lost from sight, which is why no one else wanted these cymbals.
But now watch what happens when one takes the time and puts forth a little effort to revitalize and refurbish these classic, professionally-made instruments. First we apply a little elbow grease to the top hi-hat cymbal:
Do you see that? Wow. When you stop focusing on the ugly black logo you start to admire the beautiful shiny brass finish, huh? And you know what? Clean cymbals sound much better.
These cymbals now look worth much more than $100, don't they? Maybe you should consider cleaning your cymbals, or at least your nostrils once in a while.**
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*Sorry, but this is a term Mike uses on the TV show "Amercian Pickers" that means one hundred dollars. I just thought it sounded hilarious.
**Actually, you should consider cleaning your cymbals but you should NOT do it. When I clean cymbals I use a sophisticated method wherein I mount them on a motorized spinner that allows me to apply firm and consistent pressure all the way around the cymbal, NOT short back-and-forth strokes as are used when cleaning them by hand alone. This, and the professional-grade metal polish that I use, enables me to acheive the smooth, even shine pictured above. Your cymbals would never come this evenly clean if you tried to polish them with a little Brasso and elbow grease.
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