You’ve made a great choice sir. Even though I couldn’t part with my old Zildjian and Paiste Formula 602 as I’ve had them so long and still love their sound and playing them, my next cymbal purchases will definitely be Istanbul Agop as from what I’ve heard of them especially in the bigger sizes they are the best new cymbals on the market.
I've owned a couple of pretty much every major cymbal brand (Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Bosphorus etc.) Istanbul agops are by far my favorite, they are just so nuanced and musical.
They all sound amazing. I played a show not to long ago and one of the drummers had a 20 30th anniversary. At first glance I thought is that a Kerope since I have a few but he said no and told me what it was. He let me play it for a bit and it was absolutely beautiful 🥁🔥
The 30th anniversary is my favorite line but I will say I find that each one sounds very different, more so than other hand hammered lines. Definitely need to pick up one of these by playing it first.
My main setup is a 22" 30th Anniversary Ride, 20" Signature Ride (with 2 brass brivets), and an 18" Xist Crash. These are accompanied by my 60's A Hi-hats. The Xist series is such an incredible value for the quality you get.
The 22 30th has to be my next one. I have the xist extra dry 17 hats and 20 crash. I love the trashy sound those get. My understanding is that xist are stamped and so the labor costs are very low. Great sounding cymbals for sure and a great deal.
Nice! Great cymbals and sizes. I just purchased a 24" Special Edition Ride on Reverb yesterday. Can't wait to get it. My favorite crash is 20" Meinl Extra Thin and I'm sure you saw the 30th hats I was using in the video. They're 15s. Love those!
That’s one that can do most of what I need a cymbal to do and always sound great especially under the mics. I just picked up a 24 inch special edition. Going to post a sound demo next week.
Really enjoyed the history lesson! Been into Agop for a couple of years now, and the Dry Dark Brilliant series is currently my favorite. Looking forward to explore the brand more in the years to come 😮💨
Great video Eddie! I have a 21” Mel Lewis Istanbul Mehmet … it’s very rare because Agop got the rights to the Mel Lewis name! But it’s an awesome cymbal! Nice collection of cymbals too!
Thank you Earl. I’d love to hear that cymbal if it’s in any of your vids. The only Mehmet cymbal I have is a Kiko Freitas ride. Great cymbal. Mehmet is an interesting guy and I want to check out more of his stuff.
No doubt. They’re my favorite brand right now and work well for my playing style. In rare occasions where I need a cymbal that cuts thru heavier music, I’d use something else, but short of that it’s all Agop right now.
I have the 22" Jazz ride, its probably the most versatile cymbal I've ever heard/played. It crashes & rides and will produce a staggering range of sounds depending on how/where it's truck. I would buy it again if I needed to. From this clip, it's still my favourite, but any one of these three would be an asset to almost any drummer. I love the darkness of the Signature, that and the Jazz are my 1 - 2. I would have gone for a set of Signatures had my finances allowed it. instead, my dear wife has bought me a 4 piece set f the Xist cymbals, for my birthday - they're under the bed right now, still packaged up, but I must wait until Trafalgar Day (21/10) until I can have them. The Xist set blew me away, terrific cymbals which sound and look loads more costly then they are. Looks like I'll be running 2 rides soon then, but either way, my Zildjians (A & K various) maay not ever grace my drumkit again..............
@@James-um5qe Agop makes my favorite cymbals by far. After I made this video I purchased a special edition 24 inch. I made a video on that as well. Every day is a great day when I have these 4 rides to choose from. Enjoy your Xist set James!
Eddie, I am thoroughly enjoying my Xist set, since my birthday last October 21st. Using the Xist set ride and the 22inch Jazz, is like having at least 7 or more cymbals, but only carrying 5, inc the hats. The Xist is a great option if you can't afford the Signatures. But, one day.......... @@eddieavakian
Beautiful cymbals. It's hard to pick a favourite from your selection. I own a 20" Agop original ride which is most likely the most musical cymbal in my collection. After hearing these other lines, I will be certainly adding to my Agop collection. Well done with this presentation.
I have several of the Traditional line, hats (16") and crashes (19" Med, 18" Paper Thin and 18" Dark). I also have a Sultan 21" Jazz ride.....which I love. I have a 19" Sultan crash which is a bit too heavy, if I use it at all it's as a crash ride. These cymbals are really amazing.
The Agop cymbals are becoming so popular! Them and Meinl are coming quick and they are going to bypass Sabian. Paiste and Zildjian though will most likely always be the top 2
We have sooo many great choices today. I love something about every one of the companies you named. The Agop stuff is truly special tho. Each line has purpose and it’s own sound but they wouldn’t be good for harder music. At least not yet.
@@TheDarkDiaries-sw9re Agreed! I currently use Zildjians. Not to sound pinky out, but I use K’s. Want to do something different. LOVE Paiste, BUT I can’t afford them. I’d be Paiste all the way if it wasn’t for that price tag…. BUT BUT Due to finding something new and different a little cheaper I was absolutely blown away by Agop. They really are the nicest sounding and tbh the best feeling cymbals I’ve ever played!! They are my number 1. Paiste has now fell to second due to price and they just don’t feel as good as Agops… and Agops just sound the best bar none.
So to simplify, clarify and not to sound as illiterate as I did in the previous comment. Istanbul Agop are the best in my book. Over all brands. But agreed they need to add a series of two.
@@tevorlong9581 It’s rare that I ever play in a musical setting where they don’t work. They just always sounds great and record beautifully. Because most of them are hand hammered, you do need to play them, or at least hear them, before you buy. I find the biggest variance in sound is in the 30th anniversary line. It’s my favorite but every cymbal is different. Sometime by quite a bit.
Although I haven't heard these in person, my favorite from your your video is the Traditional Jazz. I'm looking very hard at a pair of Traditional Dark hi hats right now for my smaller venues which require a softer, darker sound. Believe it or not, my Zildjian K Custom Dark hi hats are too bright and "clangy", even though my crash and ride are not. Keep your videos coming, they're great!
Thanks man! I appreciate it. Another thing to look at would be the special edition Jazz series hats. Although I haven’t played them, I purchased a special edition Jazz ride and it had a soft mellow attack. I did a video on it that you can check out. I image the hats having that same vibe. Good luck and keep in touch!
I'm a die hard Agop guy, been collecting them since 2002. Now I own some 30 pieces ranging from 8 to 24 inches, from different lines. Some other Turkish brand cymbals have made a quick u- turn in my house, and then I have returned back to the real thing. Agops simply have a perfect tonality to my ear. I don't know how they do it but I guess I'm pretty dependent on these cymbals nowadays
I agree Seppo. Agop has been doing a lot right and they’re cymbals are the some of best ones that I own. I especially like the 30th anniversary line. I recently purchased a 24 inch special edition jazz ride that sounds beautiful. I posted this video recently in case you want to hear it. Thank you Seppo! ruclips.net/video/wYVQvydNNaA/видео.html
Thank you Paul. I appreciate you saying so. These brands have such a deep and interesting history. My hope is that the people in these stories don’t get forgotten.
Thank you Aaro. Great history and great cymbals for sure! My favorites hats are the 15 inch anniversary. Those are the ones in this video. Thanks for checking it out!
@eddieavakian hey Eddie, thanks again. Who says an old dog can't learn new tricks, really am enjoying your history tours of Zildjian, fantastic, keeper going!
It’s an amazing cymbal for sure, and like many drummers, I’m always searching for that old K sound and I purchased the 30th anniversary w that in mind. I’m looking to purchase a 22 next. Btw the hats in the video are 15 inch 30th anniversary. I didn’t play them in the video but they’re my favorite hats.
@@eddieavakian That's great! I did play a bunch of the 30th anniversaries that missed the high end a little and were a bit too dark maybe bit but this one seems to be perfect! If you select the right one, you will have top quality for sure. I came across a Signature Agop recently that sounded amazing! Again, most I tried were not my taste but that one was incredible! So it's all about finding that right cymbal :D
@@eddieavakian Man, I just picked up a 30th Anniversary ride and played some gigs with it. Incredible cymbals! One of my favorite and a keeper! I even forgot I watched this video just days before.
Great video! Loved getting a quick rundown of their history. I switched to Istanbul Agop from Zildjian almost 5 years ago and I haven’t looked back! Their quality is worth the price, to me. I’m currently playing 16” 30th Anniversary hats, a 24” Sig ride, a 24” Joey Waronker ride, and a 20” OM crash. Love the tones of each. I’m currently looking into a Turk crash or the trash hit crash for my next purchase!
Nice set up. Love the large diameters. I have 15inch 30th anniversary hats in the video. They’ve really done a fantastic job innovating and coming up w a catalog of great sounding cymbals. I recently purchased a 24 inch special edition jazz ride and added that video to my channel. It’s so smooth, dark and vibey. I I just love it.
a drumsmith shop i recently started doing business with carries Istanbul Agop, I liked the look of alot of them and started to learn about them and what they had to offer, listened to alot of them and decided to start converting over, happy that I switched, I currently have 15" Traditional Heavy hi hats 17" Xist Natural Crash 18" Traditional Thin crash 20" Xist Ion crash 21" Xist Dry Dark Brilliant crash 22" Special Edition Fusion ride
Nice man! You’re set up is amazing. They’ve quickly become my new favorite cymbal maker. My next one will be a 22 inch 30th anniversary. I have the 17 inch xist dry dark hats and a 20 inch xist dry dark crash that I just love. It’s a lower line because they’re basically stamped cymbals but have a great trashy sound. You probably saw that the hats in the video were 15 inch 30th anniversary.
@@eddieavakian awesome! yea it seems like everything they make is really nice, and the Xist stuff is definitely very good for the prices compared to other companies cheaper lines, but the sounds of everything just speak for themselves and the quality is outstanding
Have you ever tried the Mantra 22" ride? Every demo I've heard sounds incredible, I play rock and it's checks all the boxes for me. I've been a "Paiste guy" my whole drumming life (since '99) but brands don't matter, what my ears hear it what matters. Great videos, love them all! Thanks!
Hey Dale. I haven’t tried that one. I use mostly Agop myself but my buddy Blake who is in the video has all Sabian cymbals in his studio and I love playing them when I go there.
I have many AGOPs. They are my favorite. The 14” trad jazz high hats are awesome. I have the 20” and 22” trad jazz rides. 22” 30th ride, 15” Turk hats. The 20” Turk jazz ride is one of my favorite cymbals.
Nice man. My next one will have to be the 22 30th anniversary. That’s a dream cymbal. I just picked up a 24 special edition jazz and posted a video on it yesterday. Beautiful sounding instrument.
@@eddieavakian The difference is huge between the trad jazz and 30th. I like both for different things. I’m looking for an AGOP with a bit less wash in a 20” ride. I get excited and hit the cymbal a bit too hard. Looking at the signature, Mel Lewis, and trad dark. Any ideas?
@@jigthepuff4540 the signature definitely has less wash than the other ones that have. It’s also a fairly low volume cymbal so not sure if that’s what you want or not. I haven’t played the Mel Lewis or the dark. That special edition jazz is also less washy than than the trad jazz and and the 30th. Look at that as another option.
Great video. In your opinion, what series would sound like the Zildjan K light? I'm after new cymbals that wouldn't overpower a small room when playing with other musicians and a small "Coffee shop" style crowd.
Thank you! I have four agop rides. I added the special edition jazz after I made this video. I posted a video of that one as well if you want to hear it. But I’d say that that the special edition and the signature ride would be the lowest volume cymbals of the four and the ones I’d take to that gig!
I play a mixture of Turk Jazz and Signature series in low volume settings. 15 Turk Hats,20 sig ride, 22 Sig Ride, 20 Turk Jazz Ride. The Turks are unlathed straight out of the oven. The Sig’s are pin lathed so only partially lathed. These Agops open up very quickly them decay quickly.
Thank you! I’ve got a few in the works but my next one is Sabian so I can round off the Zildjian family. Slingerland and Paiste are in definitely in the cards for later down the road.
I’d love to play one of those David. When I was searching for my Traditional jazz I was considering that one instead but obviously ended up w the one in the video. I want to add a 24 inch ride to my collection so thanks for that recommendation!
@@TomTorbeyns I’d have to try to play some myself and look into their catalog. I checked my vault and I actually have a Kiko Freitas Mehmet ride. Great sounding ride. Super smooth and mellow. Gonna throw on my kit for a bit.
They are always presented as guardians of the tradition but it's often forgotten that they are truly innovative. They were experimenting with partial lathing or unlathed dry cymbals decades before Meinl.
They’re have definitely taken cymbal making to a new place. It’s fascinating and inspiring to see where it all started and now to see where they’ve gone. The brothers really deserve alot of credit for carry the torch forward.
Interesting history isn’t it, seems to be a lot of turmoil in history of cymbal making, but i guess with all the competition in todays market only makes it better for us consumers lol 😉 strongly considering the jump from sabian to agop 🙌
@@eddieavakian Nice one!! Yes meinl and istanbul seem to make the best dry dark cymbals in my humble opinion which is the sound i gravitate to, im super excited cant wait 👍
Mehmet Tamdeger(Istanbul Mehmet) is not just a co-founder of the original Istanbul Cymbals, Zilciler etc. He was the master cymbal maker under Mikael. Each original Istanbul Cymbals carry both Agop and Mehmet signature which I used to own a few.
I met Agop Tomurcuk in 1992 or 1993 at his Factory storage to buy a ride cymbal. He let me try quite a few types of rides and I ended up chosing 21' Sultan Ride. He was really helpful and humble a person considering him being one of the leading cymbal masters at the time.
I just got the pleasure of getting one 20’ medium 30th anniversary. 1906g. I took all my other Cymbals away temporarily to hear this master sounding rich wash of a ride, with drums. 🎶😊🥁. I bough it from Chris Hawthorn @hawthorndrumshop in Pittsburg PA.
I have a 15 and 17 Shop Xist Power Crashes that I'll never sell. So rich and lush sounding. I've tried to pair them up with Ks or Sabian HHs and they just don't stack up with them sound wise. They used to be fairly cheap but I think between inflation and the word getting out there are now as expensive as Zildjian's or Meinls.
I’m not as familiar with the xist line other than the dry series. Those are obviously very different and are stamped rather than hand hammered so they are less expensive. I have a 20 inch crash and 17 inch hats of the dry series and love them both. I’ll have to check out those power crashes!
Hey Eddie, any chance that T-shirt you're wearing is available to purchase? Thanks, I have several of your cymbals and my next purchase will be a 20" Mel Lewis!
Hey there. Thanks for watching the vid! Great cymbals for sure. I don’t remember where I purchased the T shirt but it’s a Marvel print. I think it’s a distressed captain America logo.
@@SalMichael my 21 sig is 1754 and my 20 30th is 1880. I recently purchased a 24 special edition ride. It was a mellow wash and attack like the signature but w a crisp bell. I posted a video on right after this one. Check it out and let me know what you think.
@@eddieavakian excellent, i just traded my 20 sig for a 20 OM crash that plays like a crash ride only w better bell. I will check out your video tomorrow.
Amazing! I’ve been wanting to get the 22 30th. Id love to hear the bigger ones tho. You probably saw that I was using the 30th 15 inch hats in the video. I didn’t mention it but they’re my main hats. Right now the 23 trad jazz ride hasn’t left my kit for months.
You can cover a lot of ground w these three models but they are definitely not geared up for hard rock or heavier music. I’ve never tried them myself but the agop xist brilliant series starts to go down that road.
Agop cymbals are more popular in the US because of their marketing. I'm not knocking Agop, but I've liked the Mehmet cymbals more than the Agop ones I've encountered. I have a full set I use when the occasion calls for it. But, the comparison between Mehmet and Agop is really apples to apples since both companies will manufacture the same series (like Turk and Vezir). In sum I agree with Mel Lewis. If you're looking for the storied musical sophistication thats part-and-parcel of the lore surrounding cymbals from the mid-twentieth century, then Istanbul is the way to go.
I absolutely love Agop but I’m curious which Mehmet models you like the most. I only have one, the Keiko Freitas model, and i like it but I never seem to gravitate towards using it. I’d be interested in exploring more of them.
@@eddieavakian I use a Mehmet 20" Vezir and 19" turk. I can't explain why or how but generally I've preferred the Mehmet cymbals more than the Agop cymbals of those lines. Mehmet cymbals are a tad more rare in the US than Agop cymbals, so I unfortunately have encountered few of their specialty lines in person. The Legend (and Legend Dark) line is another one that stands out to me.
I only have one Mehmet. It’s the Keiko Freitas model. It’s ok but I don’t use it much. If you have any favorites please let me know. I’d love to check them out.
@@eddieavakian that’s all a matter of taste. I like big, thin, dry, dark, earthy cymbals. If your taste is alike, you could try Mehmet Turk Jazz, Sahra, Legend Dark, Origin Dark, Black Sea 1623, Hamer. If you prefer more “traditional” and versatile sound, try Nostalgia, Traditional. I have 10+ mehmets from these series and I like them all.
My “what makes these great” series is geared towards providing historical context. As the title suggests it’s: “History and Demo”. If you’re looking for a demo only video, RUclips obviously has plenty of those for you to check out.
Sold all my Zildjians and now selling my Meinle collection. With Its Istanbul Agop I have found my sound.
Sounds like you and I are on a similar journey. I’m haven’t sold anything yet but my kit is all Agop right now.
You’ve made a great choice sir. Even though I couldn’t part with my old Zildjian and Paiste Formula 602 as I’ve had them so long and still love their sound and playing them, my next cymbal purchases will definitely be Istanbul Agop as from what I’ve heard of them especially in the bigger sizes they are the best new cymbals on the market.
@@davidwinthrop7077 I just got a 24 inch Agop Special Edition Jazz today. Just Amazing! I will probably drop a short sound file on it here soon.
@@eddieavakian
Nice one Eddie, I’ll look forward to hearing that!
I've owned a couple of pretty much every major cymbal brand (Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Bosphorus etc.) Istanbul agops are by far my favorite, they are just so nuanced and musical.
Great history lesson, I didn't realize the Istanbul logo was shared by different companies, fascinating.
It is a fascinating history for sure. And as usual It all goes back to Zildjian. That a tree w a lot of branches.
They all sound amazing. I played a show not to long ago and one of the drummers had a 20 30th anniversary. At first glance I thought is that a Kerope since I have a few but he said no and told me what it was. He let me play it for a bit and it was absolutely beautiful 🥁🔥
The 30th anniversary is my favorite line but I will say I find that each one sounds very different, more so than other hand hammered lines. Definitely need to pick up one of these by playing it first.
My main setup is a 22" 30th Anniversary Ride, 20" Signature Ride (with 2 brass brivets), and an 18" Xist Crash. These are accompanied by my 60's A Hi-hats. The Xist series is such an incredible value for the quality you get.
The 22 30th has to be my next one. I have the xist extra dry 17 hats and 20 crash. I love the trashy sound those get. My understanding is that xist are stamped and so the labor costs are very low. Great sounding cymbals for sure and a great deal.
They all sound great. The 30th Anniversary has a quirky, sweet character that I like best.
I love the entire 30th anniversary series. I use the 15” hats. Love them.
I have a 24" traditional dark ride and 16" 30th anniversary hats. I also have a 20" Meinl Foundry crash. All work very nicely together.
Nice! Great cymbals and sizes. I just purchased a 24" Special Edition Ride on Reverb yesterday. Can't wait to get it. My favorite crash is 20" Meinl Extra Thin and I'm sure you saw the 30th hats I was using in the video. They're 15s. Love those!
Love all three of these. Nice job on the presentation and appreciate the history. Thank you!
Thank you Wendy
Trad jazz 22" pie for me..awesome. Great video and love the history. Thanks for posting!
Yeah it’s a sweeet thing for sure. I love these cymbals and a good history back story to go with them. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you so much!
Best of the best! Love the trad jazz line.
That’s one that can do most of what I need a cymbal to do and always sound great especially under the mics. I just picked up a 24 inch special edition. Going to post a sound demo next week.
Really enjoyed the history lesson! Been into Agop for a couple of years now, and the Dry Dark Brilliant series is currently my favorite. Looking forward to explore the brand more in the years to come 😮💨
Great video Eddie! I have a 21” Mel Lewis Istanbul Mehmet … it’s very rare because Agop got the rights to the Mel Lewis name! But it’s an awesome cymbal! Nice collection of cymbals too!
Thank you Earl. I’d love to hear that cymbal if it’s in any of your vids. The only Mehmet cymbal I have is a Kiko Freitas ride. Great cymbal. Mehmet is an interesting guy and I want to check out more of his stuff.
The 23, great sparkle with good control... didn't wash out
I have one of these cymbals and am saving for another. Great sounding cymbal for the money. Quickly becoming my favorite cymbal manufacture
No doubt. They’re my favorite brand right now and work well for my playing style. In rare occasions where I need a cymbal that cuts thru heavier music, I’d use something else, but short of that it’s all Agop right now.
I bought some Istanbul agop when i went to Istanbul , i still love them,
Hopefully you were able to tour the factory. That would be so cool.
I have the 22" Jazz ride, its probably the most versatile cymbal I've ever heard/played. It crashes & rides and will produce a staggering range of sounds depending on how/where it's truck. I would buy it again if I needed to. From this clip, it's still my favourite, but any one of these three would be an asset to almost any drummer. I love the darkness of the Signature, that and the Jazz are my 1 - 2. I would have gone for a set of Signatures had my finances allowed it. instead, my dear wife has bought me a 4 piece set f the Xist cymbals, for my birthday - they're under the bed right now, still packaged up, but I must wait until Trafalgar Day (21/10) until I can have them. The Xist set blew me away, terrific cymbals which sound and look loads more costly then they are. Looks like I'll be running 2 rides soon then, but either way, my Zildjians (A & K various) maay not ever grace my drumkit again..............
@@James-um5qe Agop makes my favorite cymbals by far. After I made this video I purchased a special edition 24 inch. I made a video on that as well. Every day is a great day when I have these 4 rides to choose from. Enjoy your Xist set James!
I gave all my Zildjians away and replaced them with AGOP. My first Agop was a Signature Ride. Never looked back
Eddie, I am thoroughly enjoying my Xist set, since my birthday last October 21st. Using the Xist set ride and the 22inch Jazz, is like having at least 7 or more cymbals, but only carrying 5, inc the hats. The Xist is a great option if you can't afford the Signatures. But, one day.......... @@eddieavakian
Beautiful cymbals. It's hard to pick a favourite from your selection. I own a 20" Agop original ride which is most likely the most musical cymbal in my collection. After hearing these other lines, I will be certainly adding to my Agop collection. Well done with this presentation.
Thank you David! I appreciate you reaching out with your positive vibes. I absolutely love this cymbal maker. I can’t recommend them enough.
Also, the bell on that 21 signature is fantastic
Awesome sounding cymbals, own a ride cymbal signed by Mehemet & Agop from back in the day. You wont be disappointed purchasing these cymbals!!!
Very cool!
I have several of the Traditional line, hats (16") and crashes (19" Med, 18" Paper Thin and 18" Dark). I also have a Sultan 21" Jazz ride.....which I love. I have a 19" Sultan crash which is a bit too heavy, if I use it at all it's as a crash ride. These cymbals are really amazing.
I’m a huge fan if these. The 30th anniversary 15” hats are the only cymbals that never leave my kit.
The Agop cymbals are becoming so popular! Them and Meinl are coming quick and they are going to bypass Sabian. Paiste and Zildjian though will most likely always be the top 2
We have sooo many great choices today. I love something about every one of the companies you named. The Agop stuff is truly special tho. Each line has purpose and it’s own sound but they wouldn’t be good for harder music. At least not yet.
@@TheDarkDiaries-sw9re Agreed! I currently use Zildjians. Not to sound pinky out, but I use K’s. Want to do something different. LOVE Paiste, BUT I can’t afford them. I’d be Paiste all the way if it wasn’t for that price tag…. BUT BUT Due to finding something new and different a little cheaper I was absolutely blown away by Agop. They really are the nicest sounding and tbh the best feeling cymbals I’ve ever played!! They are my number 1. Paiste has now fell to second due to price and they just don’t feel as good as Agops… and Agops just sound the best bar none.
So to simplify, clarify and not to sound as illiterate as I did in the previous comment. Istanbul Agop are the best in my book. Over all brands. But agreed they need to add a series of two.
@@tevorlong9581 It’s rare that I ever play in a musical setting where they don’t work. They just always sounds great and record beautifully. Because most of them are hand hammered, you do need to play them, or at least hear them, before you buy. I find the biggest variance in sound is in the 30th anniversary line. It’s my favorite but every cymbal is different. Sometime by quite a bit.
Currently saving up for a 15" 30th anniversary hihat. I Also own a 23" 30th Ann. prototype (Gegerle version) and it is my absolute favourite cymbal.
Those 15‘s are awesome. They’re my favorite hats and the ones I used in this video. I’d love to hear that 23 of yours. I’m sure it’s incredible.
I have a 24” Signature and 22” Special Edition Jazz with 3 rivets I installed. The Agop stuff is just bonkers how good they sound 😃
Couldn’t agree more! Love their stuff. That 24 special edition w rivets sounds like it would be an amazing one.
@@eddieavakian oh yea my 22 Special Edition is my favorite cymbal I think I’ve ever played. Definitely a keeper!!
Wonderful! Details, history and sounds of what I need to hear. Thank you!
Thanks man! I appreciate it.
Although I haven't heard these in person, my favorite from your your video is the Traditional Jazz. I'm looking very hard at a pair of Traditional Dark hi hats right now for my smaller venues which require a softer, darker sound. Believe it or not, my Zildjian K Custom Dark hi hats are too bright and "clangy", even though my crash and ride are not.
Keep your videos coming, they're great!
Thanks man! I appreciate it. Another thing to look at would be the special edition Jazz series hats. Although I haven’t played them, I purchased a special edition Jazz ride and it had a soft mellow attack. I did a video on it that you can check out. I image the hats having that same vibe. Good luck and keep in touch!
I'm a die hard Agop guy, been collecting them since 2002. Now I own some 30 pieces ranging from 8 to 24 inches, from different lines. Some other Turkish brand cymbals have made a quick u- turn in my house, and then I have returned back to the real thing.
Agops simply have a perfect tonality to my ear. I don't know how they do it but I guess I'm pretty dependent on these cymbals nowadays
I agree Seppo. Agop has been doing a lot right and they’re cymbals are the some of best ones that I own. I especially like the 30th anniversary line. I recently purchased a 24 inch special edition jazz ride that sounds beautiful. I posted this video recently in case you want to hear it. Thank you Seppo! ruclips.net/video/wYVQvydNNaA/видео.html
Eddie, I just viewed your video on Sabian & Istanbul cymbals. Both are excellent and you are a gifted teacher.
Thank you Paul. I appreciate you saying so. These brands have such a deep and interesting history. My hope is that the people in these stories don’t get forgotten.
Thanks for this. Really interesting history. Took me a long time to find a hihat I liked. Ended up with Mel Lewis 13" hat that is just perfect.
Thank you Aaro. Great history and great cymbals for sure! My favorites hats are the 15 inch anniversary. Those are the ones in this video. Thanks for checking it out!
Amazing, thank you, I now know what I need to do!
Thanks Mike!
@eddieavakian hey Eddie, thanks again. Who says an old dog can't learn new tricks, really am enjoying your history tours of Zildjian, fantastic, keeper going!
@@mjtpogo thank you so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to reach out to me with your encouraging words. ✌️
I wish you luck . Cheers mate!!!
Thank you!
I think this might be my favourite RUclips channel at the moment. Loving the insight. Keep it up!
Thanks Jack! I appreciate the uplifting comments. I’m always searching for inspiration and will bang out videos accordingly. Thanks again brother.
That 30th anniversary in the video sounds like the real deal. Like old K.
It’s an amazing cymbal for sure, and like many drummers, I’m always searching for that old K sound and I purchased the 30th anniversary w that in mind. I’m looking to purchase a 22 next. Btw the hats in the video are 15 inch 30th anniversary. I didn’t play them in the video but they’re my favorite hats.
@@eddieavakian That's great! I did play a bunch of the 30th anniversaries that missed the high end a little and were a bit too dark maybe bit but this one seems to be perfect! If you select the right one, you will have top quality for sure. I came across a Signature Agop recently that sounded amazing! Again, most I tried were not my taste but that one was incredible! So it's all about finding that right cymbal :D
@@eddieavakian Man, I just picked up a 30th Anniversary ride and played some gigs with it. Incredible cymbals! One of my favorite and a keeper! I even forgot I watched this video just days before.
My favorite too. At first glance, I thought it was an original old Istanbul K. Very nice.
I own a 20" 30th anniversary. Very dull to my ears. I also have the 20 and 22 traditional jazz rides and they're absolutely incredible.
nice vid playa
Thanks man! I appreciate it
Hi Eddie, that was nice
Thank you Bob. I appreciate it!
Great video! Loved getting a quick rundown of their history. I switched to Istanbul Agop from Zildjian almost 5 years ago and I haven’t looked back! Their quality is worth the price, to me.
I’m currently playing 16” 30th Anniversary hats, a 24” Sig ride, a 24” Joey Waronker ride, and a 20” OM crash. Love the tones of each.
I’m currently looking into a Turk crash or the trash hit crash for my next purchase!
Nice set up. Love the large diameters. I have 15inch 30th anniversary hats in the video. They’ve really done a fantastic job innovating and coming up w a catalog of great sounding cymbals. I recently purchased a 24 inch special edition jazz ride and added that video to my channel. It’s so smooth, dark and vibey. I I just love it.
Here is the video on the special edition i just picked up.
ruclips.net/video/wYVQvydNNaA/видео.html
@@eddieavakian Sounds absolutely lovely! Might need to add it to my own wishlist. 😂
@@XBOXGUYnaPSWORLD yeah my list is growing also!😁
a drumsmith shop i recently started doing business with carries Istanbul Agop, I liked the look of alot of them and started to learn about them and what they had to offer, listened to alot of them and decided to start converting over, happy that I switched, I currently have
15" Traditional Heavy hi hats
17" Xist Natural Crash
18" Traditional Thin crash
20" Xist Ion crash
21" Xist Dry Dark Brilliant crash
22" Special Edition Fusion ride
Nice man! You’re set up is amazing. They’ve quickly become my new favorite cymbal maker. My next one will be a 22 inch 30th anniversary. I have the 17 inch xist dry dark hats and a 20 inch xist dry dark crash that I just love. It’s a lower line because they’re basically stamped cymbals but have a great trashy sound. You probably saw that the hats in the video were 15 inch 30th anniversary.
@@eddieavakian awesome! yea it seems like everything they make is really nice, and the Xist stuff is definitely very good for the prices compared to other companies cheaper lines, but the sounds of everything just speak for themselves and the quality is outstanding
Great video, thanks!
Thank you!
Have you ever tried the Mantra 22" ride? Every demo I've heard sounds incredible, I play rock and it's checks all the boxes for me. I've been a "Paiste guy" my whole drumming life (since '99) but brands don't matter, what my ears hear it what matters. Great videos, love them all! Thanks!
Hey Dale. I haven’t tried that one. I use mostly Agop myself but my buddy Blake who is in the video has all Sabian cymbals in his studio and I love playing them when I go there.
The Mantra is not Sabian . It’s the AGOP Cindy Blackman ride
I have many AGOPs. They are my favorite. The 14” trad jazz high hats are awesome. I have the 20” and 22” trad jazz rides. 22” 30th ride, 15” Turk hats. The 20” Turk jazz ride is one of my favorite cymbals.
Nice man. My next one will have to be the 22 30th anniversary. That’s a dream cymbal. I just picked up a 24 special edition jazz and posted a video on it yesterday. Beautiful sounding instrument.
@@eddieavakian The difference is huge between the trad jazz and 30th. I like both for different things. I’m looking for an AGOP with a bit less wash in a 20” ride. I get excited and hit the cymbal a bit too hard. Looking at the signature, Mel Lewis, and trad dark. Any ideas?
@@jigthepuff4540 the signature definitely has less wash than the other ones that have. It’s also a fairly low volume cymbal so not sure if that’s what you want or not. I haven’t played the Mel Lewis or the dark. That special edition jazz is also less washy than than the trad jazz and and the 30th. Look at that as another option.
Here is the special edition jazz video. I know it’s a 24. Haven’t tried a 20. ruclips.net/video/wYVQvydNNaA/видео.html
@@eddieavakian thanks.
I like the OM series but i also have a set of 30th anniversary sets
Never tried the OM series. I’ll need to check it out!
Great video. In your opinion, what series would sound like the Zildjan K light? I'm after new cymbals that wouldn't overpower a small room when playing with other musicians and a small "Coffee shop" style crowd.
Thank you! I have four agop rides. I added the special edition jazz after I made this video. I posted a video of that one as well if you want to hear it. But I’d say that that the special edition and the signature ride would be the lowest volume cymbals of the four and the ones I’d take to that gig!
I play a mixture of Turk Jazz and Signature series in low volume settings. 15 Turk Hats,20 sig ride, 22 Sig Ride, 20 Turk Jazz Ride. The Turks are unlathed straight out of the oven. The Sig’s are pin lathed so only partially lathed. These Agops open up very quickly them decay quickly.
cool videos man! thanks...
be nice to see what else comes!
Slingerlands?
Paiste?
(my favs!... 😉)
Thank you! I’ve got a few in the works but my next one is Sabian so I can round off the Zildjian family. Slingerland and Paiste are in definitely in the cards for later down the road.
Wish this also had the special edition jazz ride.. my favorite Agop I had a 24”
I’d love to play one of those David. When I was searching for my Traditional jazz I was considering that one instead but obviously ended up w the one in the video. I want to add a 24 inch ride to my collection so thanks for that recommendation!
Hi David. I did purchase one and posted a video on it. Check it out when can. It’s an awesome cymbal!
Wow very interesting
Glad you liked it Mr Hugo! ✌️
A comparison between Mehmet and Agop cymbals please
That would be a good one. I’d have to dig into Mehmet. I don’t have any of their cymbals.
@@eddieavakian I have a Samatya ride if that coudl be of any help.
@@TomTorbeyns I’d have to try to play some myself and look into their catalog. I checked my vault and I actually have a Kiko Freitas Mehmet ride. Great sounding ride. Super smooth and mellow. Gonna throw on my kit for a bit.
Interesting. Never heard of them. Tribute could also be interesting but they could be Agop.
They are always presented as guardians of the tradition but it's often forgotten that they are truly innovative. They were experimenting with partial lathing or unlathed dry cymbals decades before Meinl.
They’re have definitely taken cymbal making to a new place. It’s fascinating and inspiring to see where it all started and now to see where they’ve gone. The brothers really deserve alot of credit for carry the torch forward.
Interesting history isn’t it, seems to be a lot of turmoil in history of cymbal making, but i guess with all the competition in todays market only makes it better for us consumers lol 😉 strongly considering the jump from sabian to agop 🙌
I was playing mostly meinl but switched to Agop. I still have a couple meinl favs but the entire agop line works for me.
@@eddieavakian Nice one!! Yes meinl and istanbul seem to make the best dry dark cymbals in my humble opinion which is the sound i gravitate to, im super excited cant wait 👍
Mehmet Tamdeger(Istanbul Mehmet) is not just a co-founder of the original Istanbul Cymbals, Zilciler etc. He was the master cymbal maker under Mikael. Each original Istanbul Cymbals carry both Agop and Mehmet signature which I used to own a few.
That’s correct! The picture that it’s the video at 1:19 is of Mehmet w Mikael at the original Zildjian factory in Istanbul.
I met Agop Tomurcuk in 1992 or 1993 at his Factory storage to buy a ride cymbal. He let me try quite a few types of rides and I ended up chosing 21' Sultan Ride. He was really helpful and humble a person considering him being one of the leading cymbal masters at the time.
@@selo8050what an amazing experience for you. I hope you kept that one!
That opening groove is PHAT son
Thanks brother!
I just got the pleasure of getting one 20’ medium 30th anniversary. 1906g. I took all my other Cymbals away temporarily to hear this master sounding rich wash of a ride, with drums. 🎶😊🥁. I bough it from Chris Hawthorn @hawthorndrumshop in Pittsburg PA.
Congrats man! I’m sure your not disappointed. My fav series. I use the 15 inch hats as well . Love them.
I had the Istambul Agop set (Xist Series). The best cymbals that i had ever.
I have the xist extra dry 20 crash and 17 inch hats. They are so trashy and the mics love them.
I have a 15 and 17 Shop Xist Power Crashes that I'll never sell. So rich and lush sounding. I've tried to pair them up with Ks or Sabian HHs and they just don't stack up with them sound wise. They used to be fairly cheap but I think between inflation and the word getting out there are now as expensive as Zildjian's or Meinls.
I’m not as familiar with the xist line other than the dry series. Those are obviously very different and are stamped rather than hand hammered so they are less expensive. I have a 20 inch crash and 17 inch hats of the dry series and love them both. I’ll have to check out those power crashes!
I like the 30th the best, I just love 20s
Nice choice Brent. It’s a gorgeous cymbal and records like a champ. I didn’t mention it in the video the hi hats are 15 inch 30th anniversary.
Hey Eddie, any chance that T-shirt you're wearing is available to purchase? Thanks, I have several of your cymbals and my next purchase will be a 20" Mel Lewis!
Hey there. Thanks for watching the vid! Great cymbals for sure. I don’t remember where I purchased the T shirt but it’s a Marvel print. I think it’s a distressed captain America logo.
I would love to put the bell of a 30th on my signature 20 ride
My current set up is two rides and no crash. I always have the 30th on the left because it’s makes a great crash and that bell is always available
@Eddie Avakian Nice, what weights? My 22 sig is 1900 the 20 is1733.
@@SalMichael my 21 sig is 1754 and my 20 30th is 1880. I recently purchased a 24 special edition ride. It was a mellow wash and attack like the signature but w a crisp bell. I posted a video on right after this one. Check it out and let me know what you think.
@@eddieavakian excellent, i just traded my 20 sig for a 20 OM crash that plays like a crash ride only w better bell. I will check out your video tomorrow.
I have sold all my many Zildjian and Meinl cymbals. I am now exclusively an Agop man.
I get it Charles. They really do stand out. After this video I purchased a 24 special edition jazz ride and it’s my new favorite.
What are your thoughts on S.E. jazz model?
Love it. A lot. I didn’t own one when I made this video but I purchased one shortly afterwards. Did a short video on it. Here’s the link.
ruclips.net/video/wYVQvydNNaA/видео.html
Beautiful cymbals Eddie!! May I ask what the weights are for each cymbal? Thank you.
Hi Edward. Thank you! I don’t have the weight for the 22 traditional ride but the 20 30th is 1880 and the 21 signature is 1754.
@@eddieavakian Thank you Eddie!!
I’ve got the 30th series, 14 and 15 hats, 19, 20,22,24, and 26”
Also have the traditional jazz series 14 hats, 20, 22
Amazing! I’ve been wanting to get the 22 30th. Id love to hear the bigger ones tho. You probably saw that I was using the 30th 15 inch hats in the video. I didn’t mention it but they’re my main hats. Right now the 23 trad jazz ride hasn’t left my kit for months.
Definitely Jazz only Cymbals.
You can cover a lot of ground w these three models but they are definitely not geared up for hard rock or heavier music. I’ve never tried them myself but the agop xist brilliant series starts to go down that road.
Always wondered what their history was. With due respect the Turkish cymbal story is more intriguing than Paistie's.
Yeah I’m not familiar w the Paiste history but i doubt it was started hundred of years ago for something unrelated to drumming
👍
Agop cymbals are more popular in the US because of their marketing. I'm not knocking Agop, but I've liked the Mehmet cymbals more than the Agop ones I've encountered. I have a full set I use when the occasion calls for it. But, the comparison between Mehmet and Agop is really apples to apples since both companies will manufacture the same series (like Turk and Vezir). In sum I agree with Mel Lewis. If you're looking for the storied musical sophistication thats part-and-parcel of the lore surrounding cymbals from the mid-twentieth century, then Istanbul is the way to go.
I absolutely love Agop but I’m curious which Mehmet models you like the most. I only have one, the Keiko Freitas model, and i like it but I never seem to gravitate towards using it. I’d be interested in exploring more of them.
@@eddieavakian I use a Mehmet 20" Vezir and 19" turk. I can't explain why or how but generally I've preferred the Mehmet cymbals more than the Agop cymbals of those lines. Mehmet cymbals are a tad more rare in the US than Agop cymbals, so I unfortunately have encountered few of their specialty lines in person. The Legend (and Legend Dark) line is another one that stands out to me.
The funny thing is Mehmets sound better to me, despite being way cheaper than Agops.
I only have one Mehmet. It’s the Keiko Freitas model. It’s ok but I don’t use it much. If you have any favorites please let me know. I’d love to check them out.
@@eddieavakian that’s all a matter of taste. I like big, thin, dry, dark, earthy cymbals. If your taste is alike, you could try Mehmet Turk Jazz, Sahra, Legend Dark, Origin Dark, Black Sea 1623, Hamer. If you prefer more “traditional” and versatile sound, try Nostalgia, Traditional. I have 10+ mehmets from these series and I like them all.
@@pessi.zaplerI have the same taste as you. I’ll check those out for sure. Thanks for turning me on to those models!
I liked the 20" ride sticking definition was morepronounced.
Yeah the 30th anniversary is a great cymbal. It also has an amazing crash sound. I’d like a 22” next.
🇦🇲 🤘
If I was in a proper band, I'd buy a set of jazz cymbals and play metal on them until they broke.
😄
You talk more than you taste the dishes... Waste of time it was.
My “what makes these great” series is geared towards providing historical context. As the title suggests it’s: “History and Demo”. If you’re looking for a demo only video, RUclips obviously has plenty of those for you to check out.