OK so I work for a sound reinforcement company. Recently we did a gig, got wet and although we tried to wipe the cymbals off and keep um clean as we always do, the humidity of sitting the truck the next day did a number and we've started to get a bit of funk growing on um. Looking to nip this problem in the bud before it gets worse.

anyone have any experience polishing brass like cymbals. I'm looking to try using the my porter cable with a white pad and some cymbal polish, see what that does. anyone else got ideas. I'm just looking to cut down on the elbow grease with the PC.

 

no experience polishing brass but your process sounds good ! could also try a mother's powerball

 

ahh yes, the trusty PB. I use that all the time on my polished aluminum bike frame. hadn't even thought of that, thanks!

 

If you're talking brass drum cymbals go get yourself a tube of Zildjian's cymbal cleaning polish. It works really well, but is time consuming. I tend to do it in front of the tv.

 

Are they bare brass or do they have a protective finish on them?

If they are bare brass, I would wash them with Bar Keeper's Friend first and then polish with Brasso.

If they are coated with something, you need to find out what the finish is and go from there. I would suspect that they are laquered.

 

we use the zildjian polish, just looking to cut down on the elbow grease by using the PC or powerball. We have some other products that manufacturers have sent us, like paiste and other cymbal brands. Sadly we own over 120 cymbals in our shop. thankfully only 10 of them got wet.

Some of them feel coated, some feel like bare brass. Gonna go give it a shot now.

 

I have a DW drumset with Sabian AA cymbals all around.

Product should be available locally.

Pro-Mark Groove Juice: Great of mold and stains. Apply again and buff to shine. Will not take off the lettering on the cymbals.

 

wow DW with sab's, must have some money floating around. good for you man. I'm lucky since I work for this company and I have access to so much stuff! I'm no musician, and our companies focus is not on band gear, it's just something we have to own to get by, but it's fun anyway.

 

Yeah, I would consider myself a multi-instrumental musician. I play piano foremost, but I am also proficient in guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, trumpet, and voice. Took 2 years of music theory in highschool (best class I got out of that place), and I want to become an Acoustical Engineer. Dream job would be constrution of stadiums and venues, planning out the acoustics of the room. MAybe also doing noise cancellation or sound renforcement? Something that pays modestly well and keeps me next to music.

 

acoustic engineering is interesting stuff, but you'll find that you mostly spend time designing office building stuff and lots of civil projects. Worst of all, sound is always an afterthought and when budget gets cut, the first thing to go is sound deadening material.

Sound reinforcement pays well, but the hours suck, I've been doing it for 12 years and it's getting old. It's a great business to go to school on though. Lots of money for only working 2-3 days a week, it's just hard to work the schedule around school somedays, but other days it works out perfectly. Touring is great too, cause you can do a 6 month tour then take 2 months off when you get back. it's much better than a 9 to 5.

If you do end up designing arena's and stadiums do me a favor. Put the loading dock in a logical place, use good absorbent materials on the walls to help deaden the room. it'll make my job easier and sound guys will say good things like "wow whoever designed that room really knew what they were doing!"

A good thing to get familiar with also is line array technology and cylindrical wave generators like V-DOSC. L'acoustics, JBL, Nexo and all the other large PA manufacturers are making them nowadays. Excellent technology and it's probably gonna carry our industry for at least another 10-12 years before something better comes along. If you are serious about looking into acoustic analysis and sound reinforcement, spend a few bucks and take a class from SIA on their SMAART or Acoustic Tools programs when it rolls through your town. Best $500 I ever spent.