Here's one for you. I spot this old 20" Avedis with the 50's stamp and factory rivet holes on page 10 of the used cymbals eBay listings with no watchers and a $0.00 starting bid and 6 hours remaining and it's the middle of the night, so I figure I'll throw a max bid of €100 and see what happens. I'm guessing that's it's a nice light one. It has rivet holes and it's from the 50's. It's surely a nice light Ride, right?. So, the following morning I wake up and I have an email saying I won the auction, but it went all the way to €96. I was hoping I'd get it for a song and dance ( never happens on eBay) Then I notice I can't pay for it because the seller is in a neighboring country and hasn't specified postage to my country, but I figure it's only going to cost another €25 or so for postage. I send a request for an order total and later on the seller gets back to me with a shipping quote for €45. I ask to please use a different courier company, but I'm eager to get the cymbal and the seller's saying it may take a while because they're busy etc. At this stage I just agree to pay the ridiculous shipping cost because I want the cymbal ASAP. While I was at it I asked the seller if they'd happen to know the weight of the cymbal. They told me that according to their kitchen scales it's 2500 grams in other words a sewer cap! So, now I've got a sewer cap that I don't want and I'm paying over the odds for. I have a 2350g 20" Avedis that I can't even give away. I've had it listed online for €100 for months and nobody is interested in that thing.I suppose what I'm trying to get at is WHY were Zildjian making such heavy cymbals back then? I can't take a punt on a 50's era Avedis. Some of them are heavier than those hollow logo Rock Rides. This was supposed to be the jazz era or the beBop or the Swing or whatever the heck era it was and the cymbals were by and large quite hefty. I know that some are under 2000 grams, but you just can't take a chance on one of those 50's era Zildjians. I think that any Avedis, regardless of the era -if's it's a clunker it's worth 100 bucks. I don't care what the stamp is. Lesson learned. No more eBaying for me. ps. Anyone want this thing? it'll cost you €150 which would be maybe 160US then add on the shipping cost and of course the import fees as I'm in Europe. Oh, and I would have to ask for a finder's fee of course. You're probably looking at well close to 250 dollar and did I mention it's got a key hole? No takers then? Going once.... going twice? Do I hear $250? All done at 60 bucks then? Sold! Lol

No disrespect intended, but if it was me I would have at least asked for the weight before I bid on it. And if I could not get the weight I would just let it pass no matter how nice it looked. Frankly, even if it was light it could still sound like crap. At this point I've only bought two cymbals off eBay,. Both had weights very complete descriptions and sound files. I'm curious what made this cymbal so exciting that it was worth the risk.

I think I already explained my reasons for taking a chance on the cymbal and why I bid without knowing the weight. I mentioned it was the middle of the night. I was about to go to sleep. I thought I'd take a cance on the cymbal. I wouldn't have got a reply at that hour. As for what was so exciting about the cymbal? You don't think cymbals that are 60 plus years old are exciting? I do, but I understand that not everyone has such discerning taste.

You seem upset by my comment. I certainly did not intend to do that and apologize if you felt insulted. I've been playing since the late '50s, and my son is a professional drummer. I've been very excited by vintage cymbals for decades. Living in the New York metropolitan area I have had easy access to a large number of vintage A's over the years and as a result I've only purchased two, of the dozens I've owned, online. I do have very discerning taste, that's why I'm so selective about what I lay my money down for. My main focus these days are Trans stamps, of which I currently own four. My search for a thin 22" Trans has so far been elusive. My experience is that for every great cymbal i purchase, two others are just OK. Being able to discern this isn't always possible on first listening even when given the opportunity to hear a cymbal live before purchasing it. In my opinion, each cymbal really comes into its own only after being played in the context of your drums and the music it is going to be used for. I'm guessing the availability of vintage As is much smaller in your area, so I can appreciate the need to take a risk and purchase online. Over the years I've come across a number of relatively heavy A's from the '50s. The weights you give, while on the heavy side, are not that rare in my experience. Most of my old twenties tend to be between 1800 and 2200 grams. But I've also had a couple of heavier ones and thinner ones. And you'll have to trust me on this, there are plenty of $100 vintage A clunkers that are definitely not worth it if the intention is to play them! All this being said I will soon have for sale about half a dozen vintage 20" A's, from the 50s and 60s, at what I believe are very reasonable prices. Unfortunately getting them across the pond may be expensive and problematic. I am not interested in going the eBay route, and will attempt to sell them privately. When I'm ready, I will provide pictures, weights, and sound files.

No, man. You just caught me in a bad mood. I know I shouldn't have taken a chance on this cymbal. Sorry if I sounded like a bit of a you know what. :)

No apology necessary, perhaps my response to you was not as sensitive as it should have been. I'm sorry you got frustrated by your experience with this purchase..