Collection: Istanbul Agop Cymbals

When it comes to hand-hammered Turkish cymbals, Istanbul Agop is the real deal. When they say “Play The Original”, they mean it.

Made from the most musical of all alloys, B20 bronze, these cymbals have a unique sound that drummers have been raving about since their launch. 

From the age of 9, the founder, Mr. Agop Tomurcuk, worked at the only cymbal factory in Turkey, becoming its chief cymbal smith until its closure in 1977.

After that, he helped revive the tradition of handmade cymbals in the late 1970s by starting to make cymbals himself. 

In 1982, Istanbul Cymbals made their infamous debut at the NAMM Show in the US, where legendary drummer Mel Lewis declared “They’re Back!” referring to the sound of his beloved hand-hammered vintage Turkish cymbals.

Throughout the years, other cymbal companies continued to produce machine-hammered cymbals, labeling them “hand-hammered” because an operator rotated the cymbal under a hammer machine. This was far removed from the original hand hammering of Istanbul Agop cymbals.

From the distinctly modern and innovative XIST Dry Dark, Ion & Dry Dark Brilliant Series to the Traditional, Signature, and 30th Anniversary series (the truest expression of the most ancient form of Turkish cymbal making), Agops are known for their unique sound.

See why Istanbul Agop is a top Turkish cymbal brand loved by musicians worldwide…

PLAY THE ORIGINAL

Search using the text "Hand-Hammered" to see ALL models that range from Traditional to the 30th Anniversary series.
Search using the text "XIST" to see ALL series of XIST cymbals.