Photos & Article by: Bob Campbell The Avedis Zildjian Company has the enviable reputation of being not only the oldest cymbal maker, but also one of the oldest, highly regarded, and most enduring family businesses in the world.  It is quite incredible to think that this all began over 400 years ago. In 1618, an Armenian alchemist named Avedis I, living in Constantinople, discovered a new alloy that would forever change the world.  Like many alchemists of his day, he dreamt of making gold from other less precious metals. Avedis failed to produce gold, but he instead ingeniously devised methods to produce specific alloys combining copper, tin, and silver, which were especially well-suited to cymbal construction. This exact alloy combination remains a closely guarded family secret. These Avedis cymbals were so unique and impressive that they gained the attention of Sultan Mustafa I of the Ottoman Empire, who requested that […]

January 2024 Issue