Cymbal Cleaner Preferences...

[joe_04_04]

Ive just recently boughten sabian cymbal cleaner, and it only took off the dirt, and some grime, but didnt get rid of white marks and such, so i decided to buy some groove juice, i havent used it because its hard to find around my town, so i have to pay a few bucks extra to get it from this asshole music dealer in my town, also my cymbals are still pretty clean from the last time i cleaned them

[oliv_da_skinmasher]

Don't clean mine

[Trembling Willows]

I wipe the surface dust off of mine but i can honestly say i've never cleaned mine.

Around here though lemon juice seems to be quite popular.

[oliv_da_skinmasher]

Well yeah I wipe finger prints and stick marks off with a dry towel but no cleaner

[innerlo2]

I sometimes wipe the fingerprints off of my Reflector crash, buth other then that, I don't believe in polishing them.

People pay top dollar for aged cymbals... right?

[Doublebasssabian]

Don't clean them. Especially my ride. But I know people who use Sabian and it's not that good.

[Mirror.Circuit]

Mostly just use a soft towel,but when I do clean them.
Lemons.

[ant_182]

Mostly just use a soft towel,but when I do clean them.
Lemons.
1 2 3

[Talos]

Window cleaner or lemon juice.
Both work well.

[Retarded Chipple]

^^^Same

For bringing the shine out for gigs and what not I use either warm soapy water or window cleaner...

...for properly cleaning them I use lemons.


Used Groove Juice....my cymbals hated it!



You have to work a little harder to get stick marks out. Don't just expect the cleaner to be able to do it...

[ant_182]

Any sort of window cleaner?

[MeaninglessPhoto]

Windex for a shine and removal of stick marks.

and Lemons for a great smell and cleaning.

[Zildjian]

paiste cleaner all the way

[moogoogaipan]

just a question.

Why clean your cymbals?

Everything I've ever learned about cymbals sounds involves the fact that cymbals sound better after they have had time to patina.

I'll never ever clean a cymbal I own, but for everyone else, I'm just curious what the allure of a clean cymbal is.

[drummguy731]

Some people(not to stereotype), like a lot of metal players, want their cymbals to be nice and shiny for the show so they look awesome. I think it's purely asthetic.

[Bonham#1!]

Hahaha home made concoctions. Only because its so cool of an idea, I dont actually clean mine.

[Chippy569]

paiste cleaner AND protector. only choices for my sigs :)


i don't like the sound of a dirty cymbal. Keep my crashes bright please ;)

[Killtacular]

I've never cleaned mine, and I think they look much better dirty (sound too?).

The ride (HH Raw Bell) is the only thing that would probably look better clean, but it's the only brilliant cymbal I have. It's filthy. Oh well.

[Tillmon]

Mostly just use a soft towel,but when I do clean them.
Lemons.

Cymbals are expensive. Here's a few other things that lemons (by themselves) can do:

Turn your hair blonde - similar to hydrogen peroxide... which you wouldn't want on your cymbals

Power a light -look up "lemon battery" on youtube. ever gotten battery acid on your skin? it hurts. a lot. I can't imagine your cymbals would like it either.

Cook meat - seriously, you can cook meat with lemon juice without even putting it in heat. I wonder what cymbals taste like after you cook them?

I just let my cymbals collect the dirt and dust that they will and allow the characteristic sound to shine even if the cymbal is dull.

[moogoogaipan]

yeah, cleaning may brighten up a cymbal, but it also kills off all the good qualities of the cymbal that you had established.

A perfectly clean cymbal never ever sounds as good as it can. That's why tons of the legendary jazz players would bury their cymbals in dirt.

[Chippy569]

there's a difference between "dirty" and "loose." I don't like a dirty cymbal. I DO like a loose cymbal.

and tilmon, potatoes can be batteries too. But i'm pretty sure potatoes aren't acidic. Food-powered lights/clocks/whatever don't use acidity to power the electrical circuit. Therefore your connection is flawed.

[Damo]

yeah, cleaning may brighten up a cymbal, but it also kills off all the good qualities of the cymbal that you had established.

I disagree. Cleaning dirt from the tonal grooves will enhance sound, not diminish it.

Of course, 20 years later the lathe lines may be significantly worn down, but lets be honest... Whether a cymbal is dirty or clean, it isnt changing the sound of it a noticable amount. We just think it has because were wanting to hear the difference.

Record a before and after and youll see what I mean.

[Tillmon]

there's a difference between "dirty" and "loose." I don't like a dirty cymbal. I DO like a loose cymbal.

and tilmon, potatoes can be batteries too. But i'm pretty sure potatoes aren't acidic. Food-powered lights/clocks/whatever don't use acidity to power the electrical circuit. Therefore your connection is flawed.

The point was that the acidity of the lemon will no doubt corrode the cymbals... they're metal, metal corrodes.

[Chippy569]

true, but the analogy is internally flawed :)

on to more important matters...

[Talos]

I dont see how the cymbal being clean or dirty really effects the sound. Id love to do what Damo suggested, unfortunately, at the minute I dont have the equipment to do it. Maybe someone else does?

[Chippy569]

the idea comes from.... here is your flat cymbal. Now someone runs a lathe over your cymbal, making the grooves or lathing marks, which are cuts into the otherwise flat cymbal. Now add some dust, dirt, finger oils, sweat, water, smoke, etc. All of that crap gets into the lathing grooves. This adds a little weight to your cymbals and, some say, "darkens" their sound.
The deeper and thinner the lathing grooves, the more noticeable it would be...

[the_pure_drummer]

coolness^

Lemons are good.

[Inkstar]

Mostly just use a soft towel,but when I do clean them.
Lemons.

This.

[GhostNote]

So, this isn't a valid poll. It isn't taking into account those of us that dislike leaning our cymbals.


-GN

[Drummer300btx]

i use the promark brand.

[Sharkey Boy]

I dont clean mne either =)

[Retarded Chipple]

i use the promark brand.


Pro Mark make Groove Juice though don't they?



Or do you mean the orange goo stuff?

[ant_182]

I dont clean mne either =)

YOU should be ashamed of yourself!

jk :p

[gimp fest]

i don't clean mine, only because they aren't pro cymabls and don't mean that much to me.

[joe_04_04]

So, this isn't a valid poll. It isn't taking into account those of us that dislike leaning our cymbals.


-GN

well i was only taking a poll on the preferences of those who do clean their cymbals, not an overall clean/dont clean your cymbals

[Panopticon]

yeah, cleaning may brighten up a cymbal, but it also kills off all the good qualities of the cymbal that you had established.

A perfectly clean cymbal never ever sounds as good as it can. That's why tons of the legendary jazz players would bury their cymbals in dirt.

whats good to some is crap to others.

[Josh-NL]

Paiste cymbal cleaner :thumb: