Istanbul

Istanbul

53

Also known as: Istanbul Agop, Istanbul Cymbals, Istanbul Agop Cymbals, Istanbul Zilciler

Unclaimed

Istanbul Agop is a Turkish cymbal manufacturer rooted in a tradition that stretches back to the Ottoman Empire. The company was founded in 1980 by master cymbalsmith Agop Tomurcuk, who had been crafting cymbals by hand since the age of nine. Partnering with Mehmet Tamdeğer, they established the original Istanbul Cymbals brand in a small Bakırköy workshop. After Agop's death in 1996, the company...

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Istanbul Agop is a Turkish cymbal manufacturer rooted in a tradition that stretches back to the Ottoman Empire. The company was founded in 1980 by master cymbalsmith Agop Tomurcuk, who had been crafting cymbals by hand since the age of nine. Partnering with Mehmet Tamdeğer, they established the original Istanbul Cymbals brand in a small Bakırköy workshop. After Agop's death in 1996, the company split: his sons Sarkis and Arman Tomurcuk formed Istanbul Agop (operating as Istanbul Zilciler), while Tamdeğer continued under the Istanbul Mehmet name. The company is headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, with a US office in Los Angeles.

Istanbul Agop produces entirely hand-hammered cymbals using proprietary bronze alloy formulas. Their catalog spans a wide range of series, from the warm, fully lathed Traditional line to the modern, versatile XIST series. The company is well known for its artist signature models, including the Mel Lewis, OM (Cindy Blackman Santana), Epoch (Lenny White), Sterling (Aaron Sterling), and Idris Muhammad lines. Other offerings include the dark, complex Custom Turk and Sultan series, the entry-level MS-X student cymbals, and a dedicated Band & Orchestra line.

The brand's early endorsers included jazz legends Mel Lewis, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Art Blakey, and Jack DeJohnette. The roster has since expanded to include drummers across genres, such as Cindy Blackman Santana, Aaron Sterling, Lenny White, Yussef Dayes, Bryan Devendorf (The National), Joey Waronker, and Dave Turncrantz (Russian Circles), along with members of The Smashing Pumpkins, Paramore, The Killers, and Arcade Fire.

Istanbul has 700 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Ride Cymbals, Crash Cymbals, and Hi-hat Cymbals. Their gear is featured by 63 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Pop, and Jazz. Notable users include Carter McLean, II, and Vinny Appice. Most Istanbul products fall in the mid-tier range — professional-grade without flagship pricing.

Artists Who Use Istanbul

Carter McLean uses 30 Istanbul products

Carter McLean

Drummer

II uses 12 Istanbul products

II

Drummer · Sleep Token

Vinny Appice uses 10 Istanbul products

Vinny Appice

Drummer · Black Sabbath

Noah Ashwood uses 10 Istanbul products

Noah Ashwood

Singer, Guitarist

Aaron Steele uses 10 Istanbul products

Aaron Steele

Drummer · Fences

Joey Waronker uses 9 Istanbul products

Joey Waronker

Drummer, Music Producer · Oasis

Ronnie Vannucci, Jr. uses 6 Istanbul products

Ronnie Vannucci, Jr.

Drummer · The Killers

Brooks Wackerman uses 5 Istanbul products

Brooks Wackerman

Guitarist, Drummer · Korn

Jarrod Alexander uses 5 Istanbul products

Jarrod Alexander

Drummer · My Chemical Romance

Audrey Tait uses 5 Istanbul products

Audrey Tait

Drummer · Franz Ferdinand

Max Bassin uses 4 Istanbul products

Max Bassin

Drummer · Geese

Darren King uses 4 Istanbul products

Darren King

Singer, Drummer · MUTEMATH

Luca Caruso uses 4 Istanbul products

Luca Caruso

Drummer, Composer

Harry Allen uses 4 Istanbul products

Harry Allen

Drummer

Yussef Dayes uses 3 Istanbul products

Yussef Dayes

Drummer, Music Producer

Dave Turncrantz uses 3 Istanbul products

Dave Turncrantz

Drummer · Russian Circles

Michael Shrieve uses 3 Istanbul products

Michael Shrieve

Drummer, Composer · Santana

Jeremiah Green uses 3 Istanbul products

Jeremiah Green

Drummer · Modest Mouse

Charlie Hall uses 3 Istanbul products

Charlie Hall

Guitarist, Drummer · The War on Drugs

Moses Archuleta uses 3 Istanbul products

Moses Archuleta

Drummer, Keyboardist · Deerhunter

Community setups featuring Istanbul

Show yours
alvin_feitsma

alvin_feitsma

Gear IQ 67

chitsure

chitsure

Gear IQ 507

george_nikas

george_nikas

Gear IQ 88

juulhoeben

juulhoeben

Gear IQ 145

mickebackelin_lordbelial

mickebackelin_lordbelial

Gear IQ 198

mickebackelin_lordbelial

mickebackelin_lordbelial

Gear IQ 198

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