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Inside Zildjian, a 400-year-old cymbal-making company in
Massachusetts

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December 16, 2024

  * Andrea Shea

  
Cymbalsmith Peter Nelson works on a cymbal on a lathe at the Zildjian
cymbal factory in Norwell, Mass. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Cymbalsmith
Peter Nelson works on a cymbal on a lathe at the Zildjian cymbal
factory in Norwell, Mass. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

From symphonies to rock music, marching bands and advertising jingles
-- we hear Zildjian cymbals everywhere. Drummers across the globe know
that name because it's emblazoned on every gleaming disc. What's less
known is the Zildjian family has been making their famous cymbals --
with a secret process -- for more than 400 years.

Since the 1970s, the Avedis Zildjian Co. has operated under the radar
in Norwell, Massachusetts. We jumped at the chance to get inside the
world's oldest cymbal manufacturer.

A Zildjian cymbal signed by Ringo Starr hangs on a wall of famous
drummers at the Zildjian cymbal factory in Norwell, Mass. (Robin
Lubbock/WBUR)A Zildjian cymbal signed by Ringo Starr hangs on a wall
of famous drummers at the Zildjian cymbal factory in Norwell, Mass.
(Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Even in Massachusetts many people have no idea an industrial factory
outside of Boston designs, casts, blasts, rolls, hammers, buffs and
tests at least a million Zildjian cymbals each year.

"There's a lot of mystique and a lot of history at this facility,"
said Joe Mitchell, the company's director of operations, as we walked
past loud, hulking machinery. He's one of the few privy to a Zildjian
process that's been shrouded in mystery since the height of the
Ottoman Empire. It begins in a room that's off-limits to the public.

Joseph Mitchell, director of operations at the Zildjian cymbal
factory. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Joseph Mitchell, director of operations
at the Zildjian cymbal factory. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

"Behind this door is where we have our foundry," Mitchell explained.
"This is where we melt our metal and where we pour our castings. I'll
show you what the castings look like -- but obviously we can't go
beyond this point."

He leaned over a bin filled with chunky, rough-hewn metal discs. Even
in their nascent state, Mitchell said the castings possess the secret
to Zildjian's sound. He struck one lightly to release an enchanting,
reverberant ring.

Eliot Carduff weighs and sorts castings, that will soon become
cymbals. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Eliot Carduff weighs and sorts castings,
that will soon become cymbals. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

The company's proprietary alloy was alchemized 13 generations ago in
Constantinople (now Istanbul) by Debbie Zildjian's ancestor, Avedis
I. He was trying to make gold, she said, but he ended up concocting a
combination of copper and tin. "The mixing of those metals produced a
very loud, resonant, beautiful sound," she said.

Debbie Zildjian shows some visitors around the Zildjian cymbal
factory in Norwell, Mass. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Debbie Zildjian shows
some visitors around the Zildjian cymbal factory in Norwell, Mass.
(Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Debbie explained that in 1618 the Ottoman sultan summoned Avedis to
the Topkapi Palace to make cymbals for elite military bands. The
metalsmith's work pleased the ruler, who gave him permission to found
his own business in 1623. The sultan also bestowed Avedis the family
name "Zildjian" which actually means cymbal maker. He went on to
craft cymbals that were widely used, including in churches and by
belly dancers.

Debbie Zildjian's grandfather Avedis III emigrated to the U.S. in
1909. Two decades later he re-located the family's cymbal business
from Turkey to Quincy, Massachusetts with his uncle. (Courtesy
Zildjian)Debbie Zildjian's grandfather Avedis III emigrated to the
U.S. in 1909. Two decades later he re-located the family's cymbal
business from Turkey to Quincy, Massachusetts with his uncle.
(Courtesy Zildjian)

By the 1700s European composers, including Mozart and Haydn, added
Zildjian cymbals to their symphonies. "So, that's how the reputation
grew," Debbie said.

Zildjian became synonymous with cymbals after her grandfather Avedis
III, an ethnic Armenian, emigrated to the U.S. in 1909. Two decades
later he re-located the family's cymbal business from Turkey to
Quincy, Massachusetts with his uncle.

At the time jazz was exploding, so Avedis III travelled to New York
City so he could develop new sounds with pioneers, including Gene
Krupa. "Not only was he a fabulous drummer," Debbie said, "he was
also very flamboyant in his style." This made Krupa an ideal
ambassador for Zildjian.

The company really took off with a little help from The Beatles' 1964
appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. "Everybody wanted to become a
musician," Debbie said, "and it was in a matter of months that we
were totally backordered because Ringo was a huge celebrity. So that
catapulted our business into the modern era."

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In 1973, Zildjian moved to a state-of-the-art factory in Norwell.
 Debbie said her father Armand, who was then running the company,
loved music like his own father. "What my father really understood --
and kind of preached to all of us here -- was we have to follow the
music," she said.

Armand, who started working in Zildjian's melt room when he was 14,
eventually brought Debbie and her sister Craigie inside to teach them
the secret process. The family business had always been passed down
to the eldest male, but Debbie and Craigie were their father's heirs.

"For us, it was very natural on the inside, but the music industry
had a hard time accepting women in the business," Debbie said. "The
players were all men, manufacturing was done mostly by men, the
salespeople were all men."

Mill operator Matt Fraser feeds disks of hot metal into a roller at
the Zildjian cymbal factory. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Mill operator Matt
Fraser feeds disks of hot metal into a roller at the Zildjian cymbal
factory. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)After coating, cymbals hang out to dry.
(Robin Lubbock/WBUR)After coating, cymbals hang out to dry. (Robin
Lubbock/WBUR)

Craigie became CEO in 1999. Now she's president and executive chair
of the board of trustees. Debbie gravitated to manufacturing and
oversees Zildjian's proprietary alloy process taught to her by her
father.

Over the decades, drummers across all genres have embraced Zildjian
cymbals - from Lars Ulrich of Metallica to Grammy Award-winning jazz
drummer Terri Lyne Carrington.

A cymbal printed with the Zildjian trademark. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)A
cymbal printed with the Zildjian trademark. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

"I normally play about six cymbals plus hi-hats," she said, "They are
the sound I've been playing my whole life because most jazz drummers
play Zildjian cymbals."

Carrington founded and directs Berklee College of Music's Institute
of Jazz and Gender Justice in Boston. She's also a Zildjian artist,
which means she exclusively endorses and plays the company's cymbals.
Carrington said they've helped forge her musical identity since she
was 10 years old.

"Your cymbals are your signature," she explained. "So whenever you
play, you're generally recognized by your cymbal sound, and your
touch, and your cymbal patterns -- at least in jazz."

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Carrington's drum kit is like a painter's palette. The sound of each
cymbal guides her to the next stroke. She's visited the Zildjian
factory many times and still marvels at what they do. "I don't know
the secret sauce," she said, "but to make a piece of metal sound so
pretty -- and become this beautiful instrument that's a part of every
kind of music that you hear -- is pretty remarkable."

Zildjian's manufacturing has evolved to keep up with demand for its
600 models of cymbals sold in more than 100 countries. According to
the company, it takes a minimum of 15 people to complete a single
cymbal. Today machines hammer the alloy instruments, but their forms
are still finessed by skilled craftsmen.

Eric Duncan tests cymbals for quality and sound. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
Eric Duncan tests cymbals for quality and sound. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Before each cymbal is deemed worthy for artists or retail it has to
pass a human ear test. That's Eric Duncan's job. "This is the make or
break point," he said in the testing room.

One after another, Duncan lifted cymbals from a rack to compare their
sound with a pristine example. "We test anywhere from 1000 to 4,000
cymbals a day, depending on how busy we are."

Each approved cymbal gets stamped with the family name. They call it
the "Zildjian kiss."

A display of cymbals at the Zildjian cymbal factory in Norwell, Mass.
(Robin Lubbock/WBUR)A display of cymbals at the Zildjian cymbal
factory in Norwell, Mass. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

While so much of the cymbal-making process hasn't changed since the
1600s, Debbie Zildjian said expansion and innovation have been
critical for the company's longevity. She pointed to merging with the
drumstick company Vic Firth in 2010 and this year's debut of
Zildjian's first electronic drum kit.

"We will never abandon the acoustic," Debbie said, "but electronic is
the wave of the future."

Debbie loves sharing her family's storied past, but, as a keeper of
their closely-guarded 400 year old alloy she doubled down, "The
secret part will remain a secret."

This segment aired on December 18, 2024.

Music

Related:

  * Zildjian brand cymbals are everywhere. But how they're made is a
    400-year secret.

Headshot of Andrea Shea

Andrea Shea Correspondent, Arts & Culture
Andrea Shea is a correspondent for WBUR's arts & culture reporter.

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