After playing my guitar players Gretsch kit,with Zildjian cymbals.I set out to find some 13" quick beats. His sounded fantastic-to me anyway. I found some at a music shop went and bought them $99 seemed a good deal. When did Zildjain start puting a sderial number under the stamp ,mine say's JA 160*****. What does this mean? Thanks in advance MME
They sound pretty good too. Monday will be the first gig with them
Produced in January of 2010, or October of 2001. Can't remember which order they are in. Must be the first, since I think that the serial numbers came after 2001.
Disregard this post...I am simply wrong about that, zentstat has it correct.
About Zildjian Laser etched Serials from Zildjian:
The serial numbers do represent what the cymbals were, who made them, and when they were made. The initial information is stored here for 5 years before being discarded but we can offer you the codes of those numbers that tells the year of manufacture (via the first 2 letters of the lot number). They are as follows:
ID - 1994
IE - 1995
IF - 1996
IG - 1997
IH - 1998
II - 1999
JJ - 2000
JA - 2001
JB - 2002
JC - 2003
JD - 2004
JE - 2005
JF - 2006
JG - 2007
JH - 2008
JI - 2009
JJ - might be a duplicate but more likely they shifted to something else like an initial K?
Anybody got examples of 2010 onwards? So we can check? I haven't got any to look at.
This came from Zildjian a few yeas back (year JF) via Mike Tarrani, so that years JG onwards are extrapolated.
About Zildjian Laser etched Serials from Zildjian:The serial numbers do represent what the cymbals were, who made them, and when they were made. The initial information is stored here for 5 years before being discarded but we can offer you the codes of those numbers that tells the year of manufacture (via the first 2 letters of the lot number). They are as follows: ID - 1994 IE - 1995 IF - 1996 IG - 1997 IH - 1998 II - 1999 JJ - 2000 JA - 2001 JB - 2002 JC - 2003 JD - 2004 JE - 2005 JF - 2006 JG - 2007 JH - 2008 JI - 2009JJ - might be a duplicate but more likely they shifted to something else like an initial K?Anybody got examples of 2010 onwards? So we can check? I haven't got any to look at. This came from Zildjian a few yeas back (year JF) via Mike Tarrani, so that years JG onwards are extrapolated.
I have a relatively new 16" K Custom Dark Crash, serial number starts with "AB". I Believe it was made this year, 2012. Hope this helps.
Thanks Ludwig-dude.
Just got back from an Internet outage which started just a second after I posted. I was actually searching Google just to see what is out there (and maybe amend my post) and found this tidbit at DFO
Out of curiousity I looked through my collection of Zildjians...this is what I found:I have a 20" Constantinople Medium ride with a JH (2008).All of my Armands, including the boxed set I just received last week begin with JG (2007).These include: 20" ride, 18" Thin crash, 16" MT crash, 14" hats, 10" splash (x2).Also with a JG (2007) is a 22" Constantinople High Bell.So that means the letters continue in the same pattern and I assume that JI (2009) will be next. And if the same process is applied they will switch the letter in 2010?
There are a few hits using search terms "zildjian serial number lookup" and the like, but nothing else I saw of note.
Part of the problem is that cymbals might well sit in a warehouse or a retail shop for a couple of years so it's hard to get an exact fix on year of production even if it is a "brand new" cymbal still in the shop. I think I'd better go and investigate locally to see what's there in the stock.
** EDIT *** forgot to say that I too have Armand hats which are JG. I bought them used so I have no accurate idea of age other than the JG = 2007.
Thanks for the info! V
