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Recommended Mods
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Big bells on cymbals tend to be loud and difficult to control.
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Umbrella shapes don’t always allow for enough hammering to draw out the best sound
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Cymbals can always be lathed thinner, but thin cymbals are more limited (especially if the desired effect is more definition and clarity)
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Some non-B20 alloys are too soft to have sustaining and musical sounds when lathed super thin
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We recommend modifying cymbals that are newer than 1979. These cymbals can be hammered and lathed to alter the sound. Older cymbals run the risk of damage during hammering if the alloy is compromised.
Not Recommended
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Many of these have very big bells AND very tall (umbrella) profiles. The options are limited and the sounds that can be drawn out are not particularly versatile.
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These cymbals are made from a different alloy that does not respond very well to modifications. The benefits of modding them typically don’t outweigh the modification cost, so we don’t accept these cymbals.
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Sometimes these modifications can be successful, but it depends on your expectations. Making a machine-made cymbal sound like a fully hand-hammered cymbal is impossible, even though we can take the sound in that general direction.
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Cymbal alloy gets more brittle over time, so hammering or significantly modifying any pre-1980 cymbal is not recommended. Only lathing is possible on these cymbals.
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The shipping charge is for BOTH to and from the shop. After your order is placed, a member of our team will be in touch with instructions regarding packing and shipping your mod. If you have your own account that you would like to ship with, please email us prior to placing the order, and we will give you a code that removes the shipping charge. After placing the order, we will be in touch with the shop address.
*Please allow 8-10 weeks from the date I receive your cymbal(s) for completion of the modification(s). (I will notify you if there are greater lead times due to a higher workload)
*Hi-hat pairs count as ONE mod (not per cymbal). We count the weight removal collectively. For example, if you want approximately 100g removed from each cymbal you will choose the 100-500g weight removal option.
In most cases, we limit our communications to email only for efficiency’s sake due to our small staff and busy work schedule.
All of our modifications are engraved beneath the bell with the date of the modification and the signature.
ALL INTERNATIONAL ORDERS, please read the shipping information found HERE before placing your order.
All orders within the United States will receive an email shortly after ordering with next steps on how to receive the shipment label from us.
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We cannot pull any sound out of any cymbal. Every cymbal has been worked into a predestined shape, so there are big limitations to what a mod can accomplish.
Here are some things we can do with most cymbals - Lathe weight off, Lower or raise the pitch; craft darker/more complex sounds, trashy/dry sounds, and smoother/cleaner sounds.
In general, flatter/lower profile cymbals (and ones with smaller/flatter bells) have more “room” for modifications. Big-bell’d, umbrella-shaped cymbals (like typical rock rides from the 80s and 90s) are difficult to pull nuanced sounds out of when lathed thin and heavily hammered. However, medium and lower-profile cymbals with standard-sized bells allow us the freedom to aim at many different sounds.
It is risky to hammer old bronze (pre-1990) because cymbal alloy gets brittle over time, thus leading to an increased risk of cracking when worked. We will hammer older cymbals, but you must assume the risk of a potential crack. If a crack occurs, we will repair it with no additional charge as a part of the mod.
We do not modify cheap, entry level cymbals. B20 and some higher-quality B10/B15 alloys are what we accept. If you are unsure about what your cymbal is made of, or if it qualifies for a mod, send us a pic or tell us the brand/model and we’ll let you know!
We do not remove more than around 1000 grams of weight.
The maximum weight cymbal we will modify is around 4200 grams (around 9lbs.)
Many factors determine a cymbal’s durability, but with modified, and especially thinner cymbals, the chance of cracking is increased when care is not taken in how the drummer plays the cymbal(s). Therefore there are no returns and no warranties. If your modified cymbal cracks, reach out to us about a repair.
