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Sunday for Monday

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Sunday for Monday

#1

Sunday for Monday

This is not a wood question except for the early molds involved. The business is quite old and was continued from a family business when the �wayward nephew� who bolted the homeland and lived in America quit his candy making business to go back to family roots which begins in 1623 in what today is the mideast. He brought the business to America where it has stayed.

The originals were made for the military, but by 1680 they were used for other purposes which mostly was involved with enjoyment of people.

In 1927 the business by default came to America in Massachusetts. Back then it was hand work but today heavy duty machinery does the job more accurately. While the basic process is well known and now practised by others, there are secrets involved which only few are privy to. Practically every person has seen the item. Many have used it. There is a sense of power in its use. For groups of certain capabilities the item is standard equipment.

There is metal involved but not a secret, as that lies in finishing. The item starts out weighing about 16 pounds, but loses weight as it is finished. The company owns 50% to 60% of the world market

What is the item? Who is the company? Some of you may never have heard of the company. Others of you have waited a long time to be able to afford one or more.

Re: Sunday for Monday

#2

Re: Sunday for Monday

I don't know many details about the manufacturing process, but based on you description of the company history, I'm guessing that their product is mostly 'symbolic'.

Re: Sunday for Monday

#4

Indeed

Re: Sunday for Monday

#5

Monday Answer

Bill gets the gold star for this day.

The answer is cymbals. Specifically the Zildjian cymbal company. According to American Heritage writer Frederick Allen, the firm is the oldest continuous family business in the United States.

Founded in Turkey in 1623.

First used in orchestra (or whatever passed for it) in 1680.

Brought to the U.S. in 1927 because all of the relatives in Turkey were gone. The cymbal was increased in stature by the drummers of the 1930�s and, of course the big bands of WWII, then rock and roll rhythms of the 1950�s onward. There is also another Zildjian relative who also shares the secret through family connections but in Canada.

The metal is typical bell formula, two parts tin to eight parts of copper. The secret is the hammering, first done by hand over a tree stump mold but now fully computerized to provide stick bounce, and consistent ringing within select audio ranges.

When made a cymbal is silver in color looking more like aluminum, but tempering and plunging them into water brings out the bronze color. The metal is pressed, hammered, and trimmed, and sent out to those who know what they want.

A �smallish� Zildjian 18� crash cymbal will cost you between $190 to $300; hi hat cymbals double that. Now there are over ten models and a like number of sizes for each model covering most applications. Many rock and symphony cymbals are custom made at substantially higher prices.

Even though Zildjian is still a family run business most of their employees are serious drummers. Few sales and marketing people representing the firm will not be able to give you a nice demonstration.

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