What is a good cymbal cleaner?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cobra67
  • Start date Start date
i'm with rami and drummerboy. why clean them at all? does the vibrant shine make them sound better?

the answer is a resounding NO.

gimme character. you can keep the visual "appeal."
 
Greg_L said:
I clean mine because they cost a bunch of fucking money.
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I don't because mine are an investment....actually I'm on the other side. I spread a bit of old wine on my cymbals. I like where the dryness is with older cymbals.
 
The549 said:
I don't because mine are an investment....actually I'm on the other side. I spread a bit of old wine on my cymbals. I like where the dryness is with older cymbals.
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Doesn't old wine become vingar if it is not kept at the right temp?

I have a Zildjian Platinum crash that was given to me years ago and its finish was ruined by someone who tried polishing it. It sounds good although I don't know what it might have sound before. I need to clean all of them up though.

-Thanks for reminding me.
 
I don't have any old wine, so I've been pouring old motor oil all over my cymbals. Seems to be working. They look and sound dirty.
 
Greg_L said:
I clean mine because they cost a bunch of fucking money.
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I'm not a drummer, but the one I play with most often would also never clean them - and would tell you that cleaning them would hurt their value.

Now, this would be referring to old Zildjian A's from the 50's and such.

As a non-drummer, I can say that I prefer to see cymbals (and all instruments for that matter) that have character. If it looks new, it probably has not been played on enough. :)
 
leddy said:
I'm not a drummer, but the one I play with most often would also never clean them - and would tell you that cleaning them would hurt their value.

Now, this would be referring to old Zildjian A's from the 50's and such.

As a non-drummer, I can say that I prefer to see cymbals (and all instruments for that matter) that have character. If it looks new, it probably has not been played on enough. :)
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I couldn't give less of a fuck than what others - especially non-drummers - think about my clean cymbals.
 
yeah old wine turns to vinegar....I said vinegar in the bath tub on page one
 
Cymbal Cleaner

Yes I Agree,Brasso Works Well Also Wrights Brass Cleaner. someone once told me to dip them in muratic acid but i have never tried.
 
Re: Groove Juice

I tried it and it is great. My cymbals hadn't been cleaned in 15 years. There are some stains that can't be removed, possibly a corrosion of some kind. But overall, amazing stuff. Highly recommended.
 
There's a product called Blitz cymbal cleaner that works ok.

Sometimes Whink helps.
Be careful tho... I wouldn't use Brasso.

The best thing is a big sink. Get the cymbals all black with the cymbal cleaner, then rinse them with water and then dry them with paper towels. Do that until you can't stand doing any more. If you don't rinse with water you'll be pushing the black stuff around forever.

I don't clean my K's from the 50's.
 
Groove Juice works ok but I have been using Dunlop 65. I figured for $6.50 it should come with a free rag and China man to clean it.
 
Wrights copper creme is hands down the best cymbal cleaner out there. And its cheap too.....around $5 at your local grocery. http://www.drillspot.com/pimages/2654/265459_300.jpg
Cymbals are mostly copper right? It only makes sense to use a cleaner formulated for copper. Its easy on the logo stamps as well.

I bought the things 'cause I liked the way they sounded new, so I keep them clean. I will also coat them with car wax to shield them from the elements somewhat so I don't have to clean them that often. NuFinish seems to work the best. Works great on my guitars as well.
 
Rami just looks at his and they straighten right the fuck out.
 
We used to have this real pretty brunette OCD singer in our group and she cleaned the cymbals real well........... and the bathroom, kitchen, studio...............got bleach all over my black shirts and drove us crazy. My cymbals were real clean though.
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She was a real pain in the ass.
 
Sabian cymbal cleaner seems to be the best for me. While a cymbal that has been un-cleaned for a long time might have some nice attributes, there is nothing better than just keeping it clean before it gets too much build-up and in a way that doesn't remove metal. To me, the patina just ends up reducing brightness. A cymbal's characteristics develop with the change in the metal as it gets played and ages, it gets the molecules to align and respond better over time, it really has nothing to do with how much patina it has. When you buff it and change the shape of the cymbal it changes the sound. I prefer a cleaner that simply removes the oxidation build-up and doesn't remove metal. That's what the Sabian stuff does. Brasso or anything you have to rub to a polish is bad.
 
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