The Istanbul Black Sea Crash 16" is a hand-hammered crash 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 powerful crash sound is very dark and dry and is especially suitable for music where a dark sound with a 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 Tamdeğer'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 Tamdeğer also learned every detail of this ancient Turkish art. His teacher was Mikhail Zilcan, the grandson of Kerope Zilcan. In the 1950s Tamdeğer finally started to work in the K. Zilcan factory in Samatya. The new Black Sea 1623 series of cymbals is now also Mehmet Tamdeğers homage to the legendary Turkish cymbal art, as well as a reminder of his personal roots.
Like all Istanbul Mehmet cymbals, the Black Sea 1623 variants are 100% handmade in Turkey. Old tradition meets modern and innovative approaches to achieve the best results. The classic B20 alloy, which is used as standard for most professional cymbal series, is used.
You could use this as a light high pitched ride as well as a crash. Not as bright as a lot of heavy crashes and all the better for it to my ears. The 18" must be a beast.