Istanbul Agop Signature is the culmination of a lifetime of dedication to craftsmanship and innovation in cymbal design by Agop Tomurcuk, the founder and master cymbalsmith of Istanbul Cymbals. Destined for the eventual creation of this series, his notebook contained a wealth of cymbal making secrets and ideas. With their unique finish, color, and sound qualities, these cymbals are among the most thrilling ever created.
Signature Crash
- Offers paper thin and trashy feel, provides a distinctive sound that sets it apart from others.
- Boasts a dark, dry tone and a low pitch, resulting in a short decay.
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Reviews
"Another delicate and dry cymbal, but with more wash and finesse. These have your most expansive range of uses. With lots of stick definition and controlled sustain, these cymbals sing. A great crash that decays quickly makes them great for live settings and recording." - Nick Cesarz
"You’ll notice that all the cymbals in the Istanbul Agop Signature have a darker appearance. This appearance is typical of dry cymbals, and these are some of the driest cymbals you’ll find in Istanbul Agop’s lineup. However, I found them to be quite warm as well, giving you a fantastic blend of the two qualities. You’ll find much drier cymbals from other brands, whereas these are a bit more universal in their use. The cymbals are hand-hammered, so they’re highly responsive to dynamic playing. The lightest touches will bring out the purest tones, which is an incredible quality." - Brett Clur
"The Signature crashes sound rather deep and soft, after a fast, slightly hissing attack signal they swing out quite quickly, which makes them interesting for studio work. However, they have comparatively little cut in the high frequencies. The slightly cutting sharpness that is associated with many crash cymbals - and for which you quickly reach for hearing protection - is practically not there, but they do not sound lifeless. They also cope well with loud and dynamic playing, although I would clearly place the intended use in rather quiet to medium volumes. Played with mallets, they open quickly and softly." - Christoph Behm
"The reason we now have a model that's the Agop Signature with green logos is that was Agop's favorite color. So Arman and Sarkis' dad loved green and thought it looked nice on the cymbals, so that's how he liked to make them. After he passed away, they made that Agop Signature series cymbal from a collection of notes he had from cymbal construction, like "How to Make the Perfect Jazz Cymbal" based on feedback from a lot of drummers he had worked with through the years, some of whom are endorsers, some of whom are just really great drummers who visited the factory. Lots of guys, jazz musicians, would pass through Istanbul all the time and they would often stop and visit the factory, check out some cymbals, buy some cymbals, offer feedback. Agop always meticulously kept record of this stuff, and he would keep the records around. After he died, his sons made the Agop Signature Series from his notebooks, and as a tribute to their father gave the series his name along with the green ink." - Scott Liken
"It's not a cymbal for everyone, but the quick accents and ability to speak softly or explosively is equally impressive. It is a good cymbal for mallet work and seems to work well in conjunction with cymbals from other manufacturers. It has its place but when called upon is very musical and expressive in the right situations." - Andrew L.
"Immediately after playing this crash, I realized why this was the Agop Signature series. I use it along side 30th anniversary hi hats and ride, and the Agop Signature fits in beautifully with its dark, esoteric character, which contrasts the more lively 30th anniversary's lush warm sparkle, with its more prominent bite and dark decay . Ride-able and with a great bell, this cymbal is very versatile. " - Joseph J.
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Warranty
Istanbul Agop has ONE year warranty against manufacturing flaws, starting from date of the purchase.
We ship in-stock orders within the same or next business day.
