I know what you mean. Someone like jaye or drumaholic can read the zildjian logos like we read the alphabet. Im still trying to learn all this.

Jaye sent me a PDF document that explains a lot about Zildjian Cymbal Dating. It is very informative.

How do we know that they really know what they know, though, if we never knew in the first place?

Good point!

I think it's a club you have to be invited to join. We can only peer out our windows and gaze longingly at the fabulous gate of entry. I hear they have uber cool rings, too. Man, this sucks. Like I need another club to be ostricized from.

My favorite Groucho line: "I'd like to join a club and beat you over the head with it."

Second fave: "I'd never belong to a club that would have me as a member."

[COLOR="DarkRed"] Mmmmm - actually McJ - at our Round Table in the under the ol' water tower last night - we had all decided we were gonna send you the keys to the clubhouse (along wth initiation instructions)- but - this recent regrettable outburst DOH - ummmmmm - changes things :( As Poppy noted - l have an old article penned\published by Drumaholic a while ago - he's really the master of Zildjian stamp lD - nobody on the planet has spent more time researching and confirming than he - the guy has so many old archives & clips from yesteryear it's insane (also - he and l spent way too much time\energy on that cymbal forum - a place which initially seems cool until you realize how noxious many of the older members are). This place is a far better Forum. l'd be happy to send the article to anyone here who would like it (well - almost anyone). For the most part there are really only a few telltale signs which tip-off the era (and sometimes you have to compare stamp to hammering\lathing patterns also) [COLOR="Silver"]BTW - the diff between #2 and #4 is - they are a tad different [/COLOR][/COLOR]

OUTburst??? Surely you're not speaking of that wonderfully witty and inanely dry bit of dribble scribed last night whilst tipping the glass fantastic...are you?

I was obviously not myself. It was ... oh man. Can I PLEEEEEEEEZE have the key???? I'll be good I'll be good. Promise!

If you like, you could email me the doc. That would be sweet. Then, I would have the POWER over man and beast alike. mmmmmmm.....power. so cold and yet so satisfying. mmmmmmmmmmm.........

for real. could you email me the doc?

I just reread this and its just pretty dam funny! I dont care who you are!

All Zildjian cymbals have stamps. More modern ones also have large inked logos in addition. They are separate features and you're confusing the two. Older cymbals sometimes can also be seem with inked model names or weights such as "Medium Ride"

I'm not seeing any difference between 2 and 4. Sorry. Wait a sec, I looked at them together and they look slightly different. The thing that is bothersome is the surface of (especially) picture 2's cymbal appears to have been abrasively cleaned, like with a brillo pad or something.