20th Anniversary
A limited cymbal set to celebrate our Anniversary
The Anniversary cymbals
Following our rich heritage and standards
of craftsmanship for 20 years
A beautiful new group of cymbals finished in B20 bronze, the Anniversary set is a melange of cymbal textures that give you flexibility in a wide range of musical styles and scenarios.
With an earthy tone, medium dry decay and articulate response, the Anniversary set is brilliantly suited to jazz, funk, and “grungy” rock styles.
These cymbals respond excellently in all dynamics ranges to give you a delicate, nuanced tone from lighter strokes that you can dial up all the way to a roar while keeping harsh overtones to a minimum.
So how did we do it?
The techniques used here work the metal harder. At the same time, it’s crucial to keep the same natural appearance.
That means careful management of every step of the manufacturing process. No lathing is used for these cymbals; it’s all down to the craftsman’s hammer.
That makes the hammering all-important, including during the finishing stage. Here, the tone begins to darken.
For the Anniversary set, our artisans selected a larger and more pointed hammer than the one they often use on standard cymbals. The result is a captivating range of rich, detailed sounds and a beguiling look.
The 20th Anniversary cymbal set.
Limited to 75 pieces worldwide.
The limited set contains a special combination of high class cymbals in dedicated sizes.
Here are a few impressions and various pictures of the Anniversary cymbals:
The Zultan Story
It all started without a name.
Introducing any new product is a special event and we gave our first Zultan cymbals a special launch at the beginning of the third millennium. At the Musikmesse trade show in Frankfurt in the year 2000 founder Martin Hofmann and his Brother Johannes presented our first ever cymbals without a brand or product name.
Naked, you might say. To ensuring that nothing would prejudice the drummers who gave their opinions on sound and quality, we decided to keep the origin and maker of our cymbals a secret.
Thankfully, the response was positive across the board. Even disregarding their price point, these cymbals held their own in terms of finishing, quality and sound when compared to cymbals by renowned makers.
That was the first chapter of the Zultan story, written before our cymbals even had a brand name.
When planning the market debut and distribution strategy for our cymbals, we chose to forge our own, less worn path. When we decided 20 years ago to offer our cymbals only online, many thought the internet was a poor sales medium for cymbals. It was no surprise that many drummers were sceptical. But that spurred us on towards an approach that was radically new at the time: make cymbals audible on the internet
Zultan was the first brand in Germany (and probably worldwide) to offer audio files of its cymbals as part of the product description content. This was before YouTube even existed. From that point on, we have continually extended our cymbal range. Currently this encompasses 12 different cymbal series as well as attractive accessories, with each and every product displaying consistently high level of product quality despite the exceedingly attractive pricing.
The first series was christened the Rock Beat series. As is typical for a debut release, the range was limited in terms of the breadth of its appeal. Consequently, the new cymbals weren’t able to satisfy all tastes. Louder cymbals such as the Q and F5 were added to the portfolio, named after nature’s fiercest storms. Over time, we extended our Rock Beat and CS series, incidentally one of the world’s only cymbals made using B25 bronze.
Next came the Aja series, produced in East Asia. Its name was a nod to the Steely Dan album that marked the breakthrough of Steve Gadd. All other series are manufactured in Turkey. There the know-how and expertise of local artisans and their experience with traditional manufacturing enables Zultan to offer an enticingly diverse range of products, delivering aesthetic and sonic variety thanks to a multitude of different processing techniques and tools.
The Series
Zultan cymbals are made from high-quality bell bronze with an alloy ratio of 80% copper and 20% tin.
The only exception is the CS series, which contains 25% tin and possesses its own distinct sonic
characteristics. The sonic variance within any one series is very small.
The Rock Beat series was the first series of cymbals offered under the Zultan brand. (...) Show Cymbal Set
As the name “Aja” suggests, the cymbals of this series are the only Zultan cymbals produced in China. (...) Show Cymbal Set
The hand-hammered cymbals of the Zultan Q series are easily distinguishable from regular cymbals by their looks. (...) Show Cymbal Set
The F5 series was named after the classification system for the wind speed and destructive force of tornadoes. This series contains Zultan’s loudest cymbals, perfect for drummers who love to let it rip. (...) Show Cymbal Set
There are only a few cymbal makers who possess the ability to process B25 bronze in a way that results in cymbals equally as durable as B20 cymbals. (...) Show Cymbal Set
The Caz cymbals are somewhat thinner and lighter than traditional Turkish cymbals. They offer a rapid response and rich harmonic content yet their volume range is not overpowering. (...) Show Cymbal Set
The Zultan Dark Matter series was introduced in the autumn of 2013. The cymbals receive their extraordinary, dark look from submerging them in a special liquid, before the resulting layer is polished with bronze fragments. (...) Show Cymbal Set
The RAW series was introduced in 2016. Instead of being milled, these cymbals are left in their raw state after an elaborate hammering process, resulting in their extraordinary look. (...) Show Cymbal Set
The Heritage series was created to honour the legacy of genius cymbal makers of the past. Each cymbal is meticulously hand-crafted according to ancient traditions and meets the highest standards. (...) Show Cymbal Set
The Dune Series cymbals are hand hammered and made of B20 bronze alloy. (...) Show Cymbal Set
Our 20th anniversary special cymbals series in limited quantity (...) Show Cymbal Set
From the blazing hellfire of Istanbul to the stages of the World.
Casting
After melting the copper and tin, the „hot lava“
will be filled into small pots.
Squeezing Machine / Heating
The blanks will be squeezed and heated
repeatedly to get the right size and thickness.
Bell-Press
The press shapes the cymbal and presses
the bell into to center of the cymbal.
Drilling
The hole for the cymbal stand is drilled.
Hammering
This is the most critical part of creating a cymbal.
Depending on the size of the hammer, the number
of hammer marks and the position the hammer
hits the surface, the cymbal achieves its unique
character and sound.
Milling
In the milling process the cymbal will be
given its shape and look of the surface and
it can also be made thinner.
Polishing
The polishing protects the cymbal’s surface
from dust and dirt and provides a longer life.
Logo printing
The Logo is printed by hand on each cymbal.
