Istanbul Agop Traditional Series cymbals offer the largest selection of sizes and weights to cover any style of music or tastes. Istanbul Agop cymbals are the ultimate in handmade Turkish cymbals

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The History of Istanbul Agop

The art of Turkish cymbal making dates back to the 16th century; the time of the Ottoman Empire. The very first cymbals manufactured in Turkey were actually bells, created for the use in churches. Later on, as the story goes, cymbals were produced for the Ottoman Army band. In 20th century, it had become a well-known fact that Istanbul, Turkey had evolved into the cymbal making capital of the world. Generations of master cymbalsmiths developed, refined and redefined this art in their endless search for perfection. They formulated the most musical alloy, developed and tested hand crafted methods which have been used for centuries. As the 20th century drew towards its close, the traditional Turkish method for hand crafting cymbals had all but been abandoned due to the efficiencies and mass production facility provided by machines. In 1980, the very first Istanbul Cymbals began to enter the market place and the drummers around the world took notice immediately. What they heard and what they saw was the work of our founder, Agop Tomurcuk, who had been developing his skills since the age of 9 and had worked at the original K factory in Istanbul as the foreman until the factory''s closure in 1978. He started this new venture in 1980, with his partner Mehmet Tamdeger under the name ‘Zilciler'. Shortly thereafter, the legendary name Istanbul was founded.

In the following years, the name of the brand; ‘Istanbul Cymbals' became glorious for creating those unique and classic sounds. During those years, we also developed many completely original, inimitable, cutting-edge designs, while we were still employing the traditional methods. Many of these inventive designs are in our production-line today, such as Turk, Sultan, Vezir, Empire, Ottoman and Pasha. In 1996 Agop Tomurcuk passed away prematurely because of a tragic accident. At this point the company was being pulled in two separate directions. It was determined that the company must be split. Agop' s sons; Arman and Sarkis continued their way by following the footsteps of their father and Mehmet was free to run his own separate company as he saw fit. Arman and Sarkis Tomurcuk were ready to bring their own fresh ideas by using their experience which they had gained in many years in the business, while they were still being loyal to the tradition. Both companies would have had the benefit of the well-respected ‘Istanbul' name but it was distinguished by the clauses ‘Agop' and ‘Mehmet', which can be seen on respective logos.In the 21st century, the art of cymbal making mentioned with the name Istanbul Agop, as it is one of the few firms which manufacture hand-made cymbals for generations. We have recently introduced the Agop Signature Series, a tribute to our founder. By being consistent to the mentality of integrating new, cutting-edge designs with age old handcrafting techniques, we have introduced many different models. ISTANBUL AGOP is proud to celebrate the 25th anniversary of traditional cymbal making, as the story goes on.

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Istanbul Agop Traditional Cymbals

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Istanbul Agop cymbals are the ultimate in handmade Turkish cymbals. Blending old world workmanship and new world technology into a product of unmatched quality and sonic abilities. Istanbul Agop offers cymbals for every type of drummer and every style of music from heavy metal to light jazz. Istanbul Agop has you covered.

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Traditional Hihats Samples

The Istanbul Agop Traditional Series cymbals are made from the most musical alloy ever...Istanbul's own B20 formulation. These hand crafted cymbals reflect the dedication and artistry that has been passed down through generations of Master Cymbalsmiths.

13" Medium

14" Medium

13" Regular

14" Regular

15" Regular

13" Heavy

14" Heavy

14" Funk

10" Mini

12" Mini

Traditional Crash Samples

16" Paper Thin

13" Thin

14" Thin

15" Thin

16" Thin

15" Medium Thin

16" Medium Thin

17" Medium Thin

18" Medium Thin

18" Crash/Ride

19" Crash/Ride

20" Crash/Ride

14" Medium

16" Medium

17" Medium

18" Medium

19" Medium

20" Medium

14" Dark

16" Dark

17" Dark

18" Dark

16" Heavy

17" Heavy

18" Heavy

Traditional Ride Samples

19" Original

20" Original

21" Original

22" Original

20" Jazz

21" Jazz

22" Jazz

20" Dark

21" Dark

22" Dark

20" Medium

21" Medium

22" Medium

20" Heavy

21" Heavy

22" Heavy

24" Heavy

20" Sizzle

20" Mini Cup

22" Mini Cup

18" Flat

20" Flat

22" Flat

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Traditional China Samples

8" Mini

10" Mini

12" Mini

14" Regular

16" Regular

18" Regular

20" Regular

22" Regular

20" Pang

20" Swish

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Traditional Splash Samples

6" Splash

8" Splash

9" Splash

10" Splash

12" Splash

6" Heavy

8" Heavy

12" Heavy

Traditional Trash Samples

8" Trash

10" Trash

12" Trash

14" Trash

16" Trash

18" Trash

20" Trash

22" Trash