Sabian Buries 100 Cymbals in Hopes the “Legend” is True

Interesting story from the good folks at Sabian Cymbals. I’ve always heard of guys burying ride cymbals for six months in their backyards for the purposes of drying them out. My first teacher did it. His Zildjian K Custom Medium Ride is a dry as they come. Sounds great! Looks like Sabian is trying their hand at it with their “One of 100” project. Feels a touch gimmicky to me, but I’d be interested in hearing what they sound like.

From Sabian.com

SABIAN ‘ONE OF 100’ OFFERS EXCLUSIVE SOIL-AGED CYMBALS

Jan 16, 2009

Market Curiosity Prompts Burying of Cymbals in the Ground

MEDUCTIC, Canada – In a move driven by market curiosity, SABIAN has buried one hundred of its premium Vault Artisan ride cymbals and will dig them up from the ground in mid 2009. Why? According to SABIAN VP Sales Peter Stairs the company receives hundreds of queries annually regarding the ‘aging of cymbals by burying them in the ground.’ So the specialists in the SABIAN Vault have buried the cymbals in an undisclosed spot near the SABIAN factory in eastern Canada. The project is entitled ‘One of 100’.

Continued Stairs: ”Buried cymbals are the stuff of legend. Anecdotal comment indicates that aging the cymbals by burying them in soil actually helps shape their sound. Of course we are as curious as anyone to see what these cymbals sound like when they?re pulled up from the earth. These are custom-sized 21” Artisan Medium Ride models in Natural Finish. They will have endured about eight months of dry, wet, hot and cold soil including the freezing temperatures of our Canadian winter. We anticipate they will be dirtier looking, and if what the legend says it true, they should be dirtier sounding as well.”

The cymbal of choice for ‘One of 100’ is no accident, says Stairs. ”The Artisan Ride exemplifies SABIAN cymbal making artistry in that it is hand hammered traditional-style, and it?s tone is darker and dirtier…quite earthy. It?s the ideal choice.”

Once dug up, the cymbals will be sonically approved by the SABIAN Vault Team, then individually packaged in a deluxe wood box, complete with official documentation of authenticity signed by master product specialist Mark Love.

”Innovation happens in many ways,” concluded Stairs. And though ‘One of 100’ is another industry first from SABIAN, it is also a reminder that we are more than willing to experiment in an effort to ensure drummers can play the sounds they want to hear.”