Istanbul BS-R22 Black Sea 1623 Ride Cymbal – 22″

The Black Sea 1623 Ride is a hand-hammered ride cymbal made of high-quality B20 bronze in a natural finish. The blackened finish gives the cymbal a unique look and allows the many filigree hammer marks to stand out clearly. The defined ride sound is very dark & dry and is especially suitable for music where a dark sound and soft feeling is required.

If you trace the traditional Turkish art of cymbals back to its origins, you will finally find it in the Black Sea region in northeastern Anatolia, where Mehmet Tamdeer’s birthplace is located. In 1623, with the official permission of the Sultan, the production of cymbals began in a suburb of Constantinople called Psamatia, now known as Samatya.

Based on this history, in which the knowledge and craft of cymbal making was passed down from generation to generation, the young Mehmet Tamdeer also learned every detail of this ancient Turkish art. His teacher was Mikael Zilcan, the grandson of Kerope Zilcan. In the 1950s Tamdeer finally started to work in the K. Zilcan factory in Samatya. The Black Sea 1623 series of cymbals is Mr. Mehmet’s homage to the legendary Turkish cymbal art, as well as a reminder of his personal roots.