Istanbul, Turkey, is widely recognized as the epicenter of traditional handcrafted cymbals. Master craftsman Mehmet Tamdeger founded Istanbul Mehmet in 1996, after Agop Tomarcuk, his longtime business partner at the original Istanbul factory, passed away. In the ensuing twenty-plus years, Mehmet has continued to refine his classic-style cymbals as well as innovate a wide variety of modern designs. The Hamer models we have for review, which feature large, deep hammer marks for additional trashiness and complexity, should appeal to drummers favoring the dry, dark, quick, and explosive sounds that are currently popular.

September 2018 Issue