This might help:

http://black.net.nz/avedis/avedis-gallery.html#SolidInkZ

Looks like a K Custom. They came out in the late 80's in 16", 18", 20" sizes. They were heavier cymbals that were designed as crash/rides. They had a nice pronounced stick, but were fairly crashable too with limited spread. They introduced a 22" a year or so later.

They discontinued all sizes except the 20" by the early to mid 90's. Yours would have to be from the very late 80's or early 90's. If you can locate the engraved trademark, there should NOT be a serial number below it (these started in 1994).

V

Thanks for the link freddie. Gerard is in the same city I am, although we have yet to meet up in person. I'm watching this one Gerard, but I hadn't thought to comment on the model and series.

And here's a little more detail with pictures and some more specific years.

That hammering looks K Custom. The machine and hammer face used for the early K Custom leaves a fairly distinct pattern. According the Zildjian's list of model introductions the very first Custom was before there was an actual K Custom series as such. It just said Custom on one K ride within the K series. The K series Custom was introduced in 1987 in 16", 18", 20". The K series Custom in 22" was added in 1988. The K Custom line itself didn't come in as a separate line until 1995.

Yours fits the ink pattern, the hammering pattern, bell style, unlathed and heavy constitution of the 22" K Custom. Here is the reference example I've got in my database:

[img]http://black.net.nz/avedis/images/22-K-custom-ink2.jpg[/img]

[img]http://black.net.nz/avedis/images/22-K-custom-top.jpg[/img]

[img]http://black.net.nz/avedis/images/22-K-custom-bot.jpg[/img]

Note that the Zildjian on the bottom has the little registered symbol ® at the end of it. That came in at 1993 (the year before laser trademarks in 1994). I don't see the ® on yours, so it should be from between 1988 and 1993 on present evidence. Unless there is a trace of an ® which just doesn't appear in the photo? The other decider is whether it has the laser stamp (1994) or the die stamp (1988-1993).

The bottom of yours has some bottom hammering which looks a bit different from my reference example. That might be an early/late distinction (if yours is indeed earlier) or it could just be part of the level of natural variation. For those of you who haven't seen it, I'm looking at it here:

https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1594697366

I have yet to write up the K family to the same depth as the A family, but I have put up a preliminary page:

http://black.net.nz/avedis/NAK.html

which mentions the introduction years for the K Custom as part of the K series.

Thanks to all of you, particularly Zenstat for your very detailed and helpful analysis. Good to know what I have!

Glad to help out. I'd love to know if you do have a laser serial or a die stamped one, and if it is a laser stamp the first two letters of the serial number which give the year. And also if you can spot any trace of a little ® nestled in the tail.

[img]http://black.net.nz/avedis/images/Zildjian-R-bot.png[/img]

I’ve had a good look at the decal and I’m pretty certain there’s no reg mark after the N. I have however located a small round factory stamp (see attached photo) but no serial number that I can see.

Thanks for having such a close look. The die stamp puts it at 1988-1993.

Zenstat-where can I find your history of the Zildjian A line? Would love to read it......

In my signature there is a link to my Avedis Zildjian gallery and timeline, and a separate link to my reports on prices and weights. There are many other specific topic pages linked off the timeline and gallery including info on lathing and hammering and bell shape classification systems. What isn't there yet is my work on all the model ink and when different models were produced since 1929. That's still just sitting as a great pile of images of cymbals, ads, catalogs, etc, waiting to be organized. The bell classification is out of date because since the initial work was done it seemed like a three way bell lathing classification (coarse, medium, fine) rather than just coarse and fine would do a better job. I try to create simple classifications so people can apply them easily and reliably, but sometimes the cymbals won't let me. ;)

gallery: http://black.net.nz/avedis/avedis-gallery.html

annotated year by year timeline: http://black.net.nz/avedis/avedis-by-years.html

bells:http://black.net.nz/avedis/bells.html

hammering and lathing: http://black.net.nz/avedis/hammering.html

prices and weights: http://black.net.nz/avedis/avedis-prices.html

holes:http://black.net.nz/avedis/holes.html

There are more pages, with links found in the gallery or annotated timeline. My favorite place to start is with the annotated timeline, which is basically an index to the gallery and other pages. The whole site needs a reorganization and better cross referencing, but that's always the way of things.