Cymbal Care and Cleaning

Red Cymbals are handmade from high-quality B20 bronze (except Low Volume Cymbals, which are stainless steel), composed of 80% copper and 20% tin — that’s where the ‘20’ comes from. The life of your cymbals depends on how well they’re cared for. Our craftsmen in Turkey put enormous effort into making each one — you can see the process on our YouTube Channel — and our hope is that your cymbals serve you well.

To help you get the most out of your cymbals, we’ve put together some straightforward suggestions below. Any questions, get in touch: info@redcymbals.com

1. Play With a Glancing Blow / Stick Selection

   Avoid hitting cymbals directly — use a glancing stroke rather than hitting the edge or playing ‘through’ the cymbal. This lets the full resonance ring out rather than choking it. Edge cracks are a sign of incorrect technique and can appear quickly if cymbals are played improperly. Cracks around the lathing can also appear over time and don’t always indicate a manufacturing issue. Choose your sticks wisely — heavy sticks (e.g. 5B or 2B) or non-wooden sticks such as graphite on thinner cymbals are never a good idea, and can damage heavier cymbals too.

2. Choose the Right Cymbal for You

   Consider the style of music you play and the volume required. Bright or brilliant-finished cymbals are ideal for players who want projection; darker cymbals are for those who want their cymbals to sit lower in the mix. A loud, heavy-hitting drummer playing dark cymbals will generally break them.

   Buying dark cymbals and expecting them to be loud — then hitting them harder to compensate — is like buying a sports car to go off-road.

   General factors to consider:

   • Weight — heavier/thicker means louder with more ‘ping’
   • Thickness — thicker = louder; thinner = more susceptible to cracking if hit incorrectly
   • Wash — thinner cymbals have more wash but lower volume; thicker cymbals usually don’t wash
   • Finish — brighter finish = brighter sound; darker finish = dark/dry sound
   • Lathing — more lathing = cleaner/clearer sound; less lathing = drier tones
   • Hammering — more/bigger hammering = more trashiness and wash
   • Raw finish — a more complex sound with increased attack
   • FX holes — quicker decay and trashier sound, but more susceptible to cracking if hit hard

3. Protect Your Cymbals

   Use a quality cymbal case or well-padded bag — we recommend SKB hard cases or Red Deluxe Cymbal bags. Pack carefully, never place cymbals under heavy objects like amps or speakers (always put them on top), use dividers between cymbals, and consider Red Cymbals sleeves or Cymbal Sox. Avoid leaving cymbals in extreme heat or cold (e.g. a car in summer or winter), and always protect the edges — don’t drop your case, especially on concrete.

4. Cymbal Stands Matter

   Make sure your stand is sturdy and won’t tip over, and check that quality nylon or rubber sleeves are on the tilter rod to prevent metal-on-metal contact, which causes key-holing and cracking. Metal on metal is only acceptable if you’re intentionally building a cymbal stack.

5. Loose Is Good — Tight Is Bad

   Allow plenty of movement for the cymbal. Use at least a bottom felt (preferably with a top felt and wing nut too). Avoid overly thick felts or Cympads, which restrict movement. Never over-tighten the wing nut.

6. Mounting Angle and Height

   Mount cymbals low and angled toward the player. High and flat — or worse, angled away from you — will almost certainly cause damage. Prioritise longevity over aesthetics.

7. Your Playing Style Might Kill Your Cymbals

   The more aggressive or heavy-handed you are, the more likely you are to break cymbals. Cymbals are designed to be played dynamically and musically, not forcefully smashed.

   If you use IEMs, let the mics do the heavy lifting and bring the overheads up in your mix so you don’t feel the need to hit harder to hear the cymbals. Try taking your IEMs out occasionally to check how loud you’re actually playing.

   Being relaxed is key. Tension leads to smashing, and smashing leads to cracks.

8. Setting Up (Avoid Concrete!)

   Bring cymbals out of their case one at a time and never rest them on a hard surface — especially concrete, which dents edges and causes cracking quickly. Dropping cymbals on any surface shortens their life.

   Sharing is not caring — don’t let just anyone use your cymbals. Make sure others show the same care you do.

9. Cleaning

   Pick up cymbals by the edges where possible — the oils from your hands can leave marks that lead to tarnish, rust, and discolouration. Wipe cymbals after use with a lint-free cloth.

   Brilliant-finish cymbals can be cleaned with a specialist cleaner or polish — we recommend Lizard Spit Cleaner or Polish, which generally won’t remove logos. Darker or traditional-finish cymbals can be cleaned with a small amount of warm soapy water and a lint-free cloth. Avoid polish on darker finishes as it may cause discolouration. Never use abrasive or citrus-based products or household cleaners such as Brasso, Bar Keepers Friend, or similar.

   Cleaning vs polishing: A cymbal cleaner removes stick marks, dirt, and light surface marks. Cymbal polish can make brilliant finishes shine like new, but may remove logos and can adversely affect some finishes — use it carefully.

Warranty

All purchases of cymbals and other gear from Red Cymbals are bound by the warranty below, whether the consumer chooses to read it or not.

As soon as you notice cracks or damage, please stop playing and follow the steps below to make a claim. Cymbals that continue to be played after an initial crack appears may not be considered for replacement — for example, if continued playing has caused parts to break off or large cracks to develop.

Cymbal Hard Case / Bag Warranty

Red Cymbals Hard Cases and Cymbal Bags come with a limited 1-year warranty against manufacturing defects when used as intended. We are not liable for damage caused by misuse or incurred when travelling with any airline. We advise taking out travel insurance even when travelling domestically. Damage caused by airline mishandling should be addressed with the airline and is not covered by our warranty.

Warranty Policy — Summary

Terms:

• 12 months for individual consumers not sharing their equipment. Original purchaser only — does not apply to second-hand sales.
• Churches, schools, studios, and other multi-user organisations may submit a claim, but claims may be rejected if there is evidence of improper use or care.

How to claim:

1. Complete the Warranty Claim Form below.
2. Send the damaged cymbal to Red Cymbals for assessment.
3. Allow 7–10 days for assessment.
4. If successful, a replacement will be ordered and shipped to you. Allow up to 10 weeks for delivery.

All shipping is the consumer’s responsibility.

Shipping address:
9 Trinity Way, Pakenham, Victoria, Australia 3810

Email: info@redcymbals.com
Phone: +61 422 500 071

Not covered: Edge cracks, cracks around the bell, cymbals with tape residue, cymbals with key-holing, cymbals with logos removed, and cymbals with evidence of misuse (see detail below).

Please note: We replace a cymbal once only for the original purchaser. Any replacement cymbal does not carry a warranty and will not be replaced a second time.

Warranty Policy — Detail

This warranty applies to manufacturing flaws only, for the original purchaser, from the date of original purchase from an authorised Red Cymbals dealer. Churches, schools, studios, and other multi-user organisations may submit a claim but must take into account the factors below that impact cymbal life expectancy. Claims may be rejected where there is evidence of improper use or care.

Warranty void: The warranty is void if there is evidence of misuse, including but not limited to: logos being removed, use in a stack (unless labelled as a stack), or evidence of tape, moon gels, or any dampening that inhibits the cymbal’s natural resonance.

It is a condition of sale that a cymbal subject to a warranty claim is returned by the original purchaser (at their cost), with a copy of the original dated receipt and a completed warranty claim form, within the warranty period.

All cymbals have a natural life expectancy. By the nature of their use, cymbals are beaten — and eventually beaten metal will thin out, weaken, and crack. Red Cymbals are professional instruments designed to be used professionally and for the purpose for which they were designed. Proper cymbal care includes maintaining sleeves and felts, using properly operational stands, and mounting cymbals low and angled toward the player.

Life Expectancy

Manufacturing flaws
A cymbal with a hidden manufacturing flaw will typically reveal it under stress, usually within the first few hours of use. If a cymbal has been used across multiple sessions without issue, future breakage is more likely the result of user error, misuse, or overuse.

Overuse
Cymbals used more frequently will break sooner. Overuse occurs when multiple users shorten a cymbal’s life by using it more often and in different ways than a single player would. A cymbal used across several church services each weekend accumulates far more stress than a gigging musician’s cymbal. It is therefore unfair to claim warranty on a cymbal that has been prematurely worn through overuse.

Misuse
Using a cymbal in a manner it wasn’t designed for — including incorrect positioning, angle, or striking technique — causes premature breakage. For example: using a jazz cymbal for heavy or loud music will cause it to fail prematurely, as a jazz ride is thin and not designed for heavy playing or heavy sticks.

Fairness and Fit for Purpose

Our warranty is based on the legal principles of quality, fairness, and fit for purpose. It protects the original purchaser against unknown manufacturing flaws (which typically appear within the first one or two uses), and only while the cymbal is being used for its intended purpose. It does not cover cymbals showing signs of misuse or knowing overuse.

A cymbal’s warranty is void or significantly limited (at Red Cymbals’s discretion) where:

1. The original purchaser is not the claimant;
2. The cymbal shows signs of misuse and/or overuse;
3. The item has been purchased for hire or multi-user use by unsupervised users who have not been properly instructed on the correct use, setup, and care of cymbals.

Where a cymbal is purchased for group, hire, house of worship, or other multi-user purposes, the increased risk of damage should be understood — multiple users introduce multiple and prolonged stress, often with differing skill levels. Standard warranty periods may not apply.

Player issues that will prematurely damage cymbals include: incorrect technique, heavy hitting, using sticks too heavy for the cymbal, improper treatment or misuse, stacking or inverting cymbals, incorrect cymbal selection or setup, poor habits, and inexperience.

Damage from misuse or overuse typically presents as:

1. Edge cracks, broken sections, or denting (waving) around the edge — mostly from misuse or striking at an angle other than parallel to the cymbal’s bow.
2. Key-holing — wear at the cymbal hole from metal-on-metal contact, which if left unattended can lead to bell cracks.
3. Flea bites — usually from dropping a cymbal on its edge, causing a shattering effect to the metal. A dropped cymbal will break sooner.
4. Bell cracks — around or near the base of the bell, usually caused by restricting the cymbal’s movement and then striking it in a way that creates cross-stress or centrifugal force.

An item claimed under warranty will be replaced with the same or a similar stocked item of equal or lesser value, at the sole discretion of Red Cymbals.

Cleaning: Wipe/buff your cymbals with a microfibre or soft cloth after use. Do not use Brasso, Windex, citrus-based, or abrasive cleaners — this voids your warranty and may remove logos as well as causing discolouration, rust, and tarnish.

Playing technique: Mount cymbals low and at a slight angle toward the player, and use a sweeping motion across the cymbal rather than hitting straight down. Mounting cymbals high and flat, or angled toward the audience, can cause irregular force on the edge and lead to premature cracking.

Any warranty questions can be sent to info@redcymbals.com

To submit a warranty claim, visit our Warranty Policy page.