Ringo's Cymbals- a timeline

[GiantBeater]

April 1965- Italy

May 1965- Spain. Notice the lathe line and flat profile of the 18"

Ed Sullivan show August 1965

Houston - August 19th 1965

 

[coyote]

one more then..
(he nearly died when he was just a kid)

Every time I hear folks say Ringo “just got lucky”, I wanna scream. He’s a great drummer, an incredibly musical drummer. Two bands, similar positions... The Beatles grab Ringo and proceed to conquer the world, while the Hurricanes lose Ringo and vanish from the scene. Nope…. Ringo deserved, and earned, his place in the Beatles and in the world.

 

[GiantBeater]

Hollywood Bowl August 1965. I am showing so many pictures of specifically this 20" on Ringo's left because I want to compare to Sgt. Pepper session pictures later.

November 1965- filming promos for We Can Work it Out, Day Tripper
This is where things get hazy.. the band had already recorded Nowhere Man and others in which you can clearly hear a riveted 20" cymbal with lots of compression. There are not enough photos of the Rubber Soul sessions to determine which cymbals you are hearing. I am starting to believe he used a rivet chain or jewelry on this cymbal- Paul would do something similar on band on the run 8 or so years later. On camera, though, it looks like he is still using the 20" Zildjian he got in the summer of '64.

 

[K.O.]

This is a great thread. Ringo's cymbals have always been a deep void of information with the general assumption being that he was all Zildjian once he could afford them.

 

[coyote]

This is a great thread. Ringo's cymbals have always been a deep void of information with the genral assumption being that he was all Zildjian once he could afford them.

Oddly, I had never - until seeing this thread - thought about Ringo’s cymbals! In fact, I had never really thought much about anyone else’s cymbals. With the exception of Ian Paice, and that’s only because he was the first Paiste user/endorser of whom I was aware.

To me, all cymbals have ever been about is “does this sound good?” with no concern for the label or for who else might or might not be using them.

 

[GiantBeater]

November 20th- 1965. Ringo goes Paiste!
As you can see, the Beatles were gifted or delivered almost a brand new set of gear around their London Christmas show 1965. A fender Bassman appeared, a black Stratocaster with matching headstock, and what looks like an Arbiter Custom Paiste 602 20" cymbal.
Whether this is the 20" 602 medium ride we now see in Get Back is up for conjecture, but my thought is that this one is a different one. Though @toddlittle827 did say that these Arbiters would have red ink stamps like the medium ride discovery in the new get back documentary.

 

[type85]

Details on Arbiter:

Identify Your Paistes - Cymbal

www.cymbal.wiki

 

[type85]

That is DEFINITELY a standard formula 602 stamp, not an Arbiter 602.

 

[GiantBeater]

ah! My educated guess is still going with the Custom Arbiter. For some reason I can still see the "CU" on the last blown up picture you posted. Let's keep talking about it!

 

[type85]

ah! My educated guess is still going with the Custom Arbiter. For some reason I can still see the "CU" on the last blown up picture you posted. Let's keep talking about it!

This is from my preserial mid to late 60's 602, you can see the logo is very "rectangular" like in Ringo's pics (or not?).

The Arbiter logo to me seems to be more "vague" and does not have as strongly defined corners....

 

[GiantBeater]

December 8th- 1965
At this point, I am near to giving up on trying to find a stamp on Ringo's 18" zildjian.

From a gig around xmas '65.looks like he is using the 602 based on the shininess of the underside.

 

[GiantBeater]

April 13- 1966. Recording Paperback Writer
a keen eye will see the familiar lathe line in that 20" zildjian

NME Poll Winners Show 1966

 

[Talktotommy]

These photos are amazing and the information and research as well. Just want to say thank you and I am enjoying this immensely.

 

[Ludwigboy]

Yes, I am enjoying it also, good research and lots to ponder........thanks for your research, GiantBeater!

 

[GiantBeater]

June 16 1966~ Top of the Pops- looks like the same cymbals seen in the Revolver recording sessions

July 1966- Munich
you can really see the flat profile & large bell of the 18" here, so crucial for its sound.

Thin lathing on the 18" and the deceivingly small bell on the 20".

the 20" bell looks bigger at this angle

Great picture of Thee 18" crash/ride. It is too bad this photo is too compressed when uploaded, but still no sign of a stamp. I bet that this cymbal was heavier but "played" lighter.

July? 1966- notice the familiar lathe line in the 20".

 

[JimiAllison]

Here’s a couple of pics from the new Get Back documentary: the 20” 602 medium ride (to his left) and 14” sound edge hi hats.

 

[coyote]

“Played lighter”…. Yeah, in the screaming mayhem of their concerts in those days virtually any cymbal would seem to “play lighter”. No matter how heavy.

 

[Mcjnic]

This thread is justification for the ridiculously large and clear LOGO choices of the cymbal manufacturers today.
No doubt what the drummers are playing today. You can read the cymbal logos from the nosebleed seats.
I love the depth you are hitting GiantBeater.
GREAT thread!

 

[Frank Godiva]

Ok that’s it. All over.

No need to debate what’s the best thread of 21.

Look no further, it’s right here!!!!!!!

 

[John DeChristopher]

This thread is justification for the ridiculously large and clear LOGO choices of the cymbal manufacturers today.
No doubt what the drummers are playing today. You can read the cymbal logos from the nosebleed seats.
I love the depth you are hitting GiantBeater.
GREAT thread!

I agree. For years I fought the battle to make the logo smaller. I lost during my 24-year tenure, but had a small victory after I left.