Avedis Zildjian III in front of Zildjian Quincy Factory The company was founded in 1981 in Meductic, New Brunswick, Canada by Robert Zildjian, son of Avedis Zildjian III, the head of the Avedis Zildjian Company. Family tradition had it that the head of the company would pass the company down to the oldest son (Armand). After Avedis Zildjian III died in 1979, Armand (who was president of Zildjian at the time) became chairman of the board. This eventually led to a family feud and a legal dispute between Robert and Armand that resulted in Robert leaving Zildjian to form the rival Sabian company.
The companies continue to be rivals, and are both among the world's most popular cymbal brands. The settlement gave Robert Zildjian the Canadian factory that had been producing the K. Zildjian line. As president of the Zildjian Company, Armand had insisted that the K name remain with his company, while the artisans moved to Robert's company. In the settlement, Robert agreed not to use the Zildjian name or to claim that his cymbals were the same.
Mavi Boncuk |
Not only are cymbals an integral and nuanced component of any serious drummer’s rig, they are also one of the oldest instruments in human history, found buried within the tombs of the pharaohs. The story of cymbals, however, is far more relevant to today than old discs of metal from thousands of years ago. One of the greatest family sagas in music history lies at the entwined heart of two of today’s biggest cymbal manufacturers, Zildjian[1] and Sabian[2].
The history of Sabian cannot be told without the history of Zildjian. Through 14 generations of cymbal makers, the still family-owned Zildjian cymbals traces its origins back to 1618. This clocks the company in at just under 400 years, making it one of the oldest operations on earth still in existence. The legend stands that the creator of the Zildjian name, Avedis, was an alchemist searching for the recipe for gold when he happened across a metal mixture and lathing process that gave musical qualities to the metal while remaining durable. When his cymbals gained traction at military and royal ceremonies, the Sultan Osman II granted Avedis the title (Zilciyân) Zildjian, a combination of the Turkish words zil (“cymbal”), dji (“maker”), and -ian (“son of”). From that point on, Zildjian spent centuries distinguishing itself as an authority on cymbals.
Fast forward 300 years and 10 generations of Zildjians to the births of the architects of modern Zildjian and Sabian: Armand Zildjian in 1921 (whose 21” namesake ride this author plays) and Robert Zildjian in 1923. Their father, Avedis III, emigrated from Turkey to America in 1908, leaving the Zildjian company to his cousins in Istanbul. Traditionally, the first-born male of a Zildjian generation is heir to the manufacturing secrets and operations, and because Avedis III’s father allowed the line to pass to his brother, didn’t consider himself eligible. However, in 1927, Avedis III’s uncle Haram wrote him a letter from Turkey asking him to return and assume control of the business after bungled management by his sons and relatives. Avedis III managed to convince his uncle to come to Boston where he lived, and in 1929, just months before the Great Depression, Avedis Zildjian Co. was created in Quincy, Massachusetts.
MORE at Crash Clash: The Shared History of Zildjian and Sabian Cymbals.[1]
[1] In keeping with tradition, Armand passed the Zildjian Secret Alloy to his daughters, Craigie and Debbie (14th generation), both of whom continue to run the family business from the current factory in Norwell, Massachusetts. Other than cymbals, the Avedis Zildjian Company produces products such as drum sticks and other drum accessories. The Artist Series drum sticks allow these endorsers to personalize their drum sticks, and these sticks are sold to the public.
[2] Sabian is named after Sally, Andy and Bill Zildjian. Sabian is a Canadian cymbal designer and manufacturer. It is one of the "big four" manufacturers of cymbals, along with Zildjian, Meinl and Paiste. Robert Zildjian formed the word Sabian from the two first letters of the names of his three children—Sally, Bill and Andy (a nickname for Armand) and "-ian" (indicating Armenian descent)[citation needed]—and initially released two lines of cymbals, HH and AA, both of them of the traditional bell bronze alloy. As of 2006, Sabian's president is Andy Zildjian, the youngest in the family.
Sabian Interviews:
- Robert Zildjian Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2002)
- Willi Zildjian Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2002)
- Andy Zildjian Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2012)