About Us
Hi I’m Brian Spaun, President and CEO of both Spaun Drum Company and Scymtek Cymbals. For quite some time I’ve had great interest in producing a hand-crafted, hand-hammered line of premium quality cymbals that would be complementary to Spaun Drums. With that goal in mind, I began my search to create a distinctive voice in the cymbal world, spending many hours researching and testing all types of cymbals from various manufacturers and foundries before deciding on our current offering. Our Amazing, 100% Hand Hammered, Hand Crafted Cymbals will delight your ears and eyes with all of the quality and sonic beauty you have come to expect from Spaun!
Our factory in Turkey has been creating cymbals for many, many years and for many of today's most recognized cymbal companies around the world- both in the form of completed cymbals as well as cymbal blanks that are finished later at their own factories. Our highly skilled cymbal smiths have made every type of cymbal, in every style of lathing, every possible weight, and every finish available.
Working hand in hand, we’ve created an initial offering that is designed to meet the needs of professional drummers who demand superior quality and sonic characteristics that will perform beautifully in all styles of music. Each line is based on our proprietary blend of Premium Quality B20 Bronze Alloy which is the foundation of their incredible beauty and rich, complex tonal character.
Every Scymtek cymbal is a hand-made, hand-hammered instrument that goes through an extensive number of steps from beginning to end to produce a one-of-a-kind cymbal for bringing out your individual style and expression behind the drum kit. This is quite different from the major cymbal manufacturers whose most expensive line would be hand-hammered, while every line below that is primarily made with machines and has little or no human interaction during the production process. This is the core difference between Scymtek Cymbals and our competitors and the primary reason the rich character, warmth, projection, clarity, versatility, and distinctive voice of Scymtek will quickly become part of creating your “distinctive” voice in the drumming world.
Our offering includes these core series: Classic, Modern, Xtreme, Vented, Vintage, and Desert. Here are the characteristics of each series:
CLASSIC SERIES - Dark, Warm, and Expressive
Our Classic Series features traditional, hand-hammered cymbal making at it's finest. Deep lathing, traditional finishes, and elaborate hand-hammering create complex musical characteristics that add style and substance to your sound. Smoky, warm, and rich with great dynamic range make these cymbals perfect for any style music from jazz to rock. Compare to Zildjian K, Sabian HH.
MODERN SERIES - Bright, Shimmering, and Full-Bodied
Our Modern Series is designed for today's contemporary drummer looking for a brighter voice, rich in musical tones. Being 100% Hand-Hammered, there's a rich and complex tonal spectrum you are sure to appreciate. Sensitive to the touch, yet ready to explode on a moment's notice, our Modern Series has the perfect blend of warmth and brightness. Tighter lathing and a striking brilliant finish create a crisp and full voice suited for today's modern musical landscapes. Compare to Zildjian A Custom, Sabian AAX, Paiste Twenty.
XTREME SERIES - Aggressive, Powerful, and Loud
Our Xtreme Series is just what you need for hard rock and heavy metal drumming. Don't be fooled by it's aggressive nature. Complex musical tones are abundantly available and ready to cut through high energy music with both clarity and power. Featuring a raw, unlathed bell for a penetrating voice combined with tighter lathing and a brilliantly finished bow to add cut and playability. Complex hand-hammering adds musical flavor that's typically left out of this musical genre. Create your own "wall of sound" with our Xtreme Series. Compare to Zildjian Z, Sabian AAX Metal, Paiste Rude.
VENTED SERIES - Trashy, Bright, and Raw
Featuring holes strategically placed around the perimeter, our Vented Series cymbals create a hybrid voice that balances between a china and traditional crash or splash cymbal. The size and placement of holes are carefully chosen for each cymbal to create the perfect balance of both crash and trash. You could call it the best of both worlds or unique and be correct. With great sound and looks, we just call it plain cool! Compare to Zildjian EFX, Sabian O-Zone.
VINTAGE SERIES - Dry, Dark, and Articulate
Our Vintage Series is a great choice for those seeking lush warm tones with increased stick definition. A perfect blend of high-definition sticking with just the right amount of warm undertones. Great for jazz, funk, R&B, and studio. Unlathed, with aggressive hammering and a raw finish, all work together seamlessly to create the dark, dry, articulate voice of our Vintage Series. Compare to Zildjian K Custom Dry, Sabian HH Dry, Meinl Byzance Extra Dry.
DESERT SERIES - Smooth, Dark, and Dry
Our Desert Series features a unique voice that is dry and dark with a smooth, silky undertone. Light and airy, they produce a mix of many colors which can be coaxed out through various playing techniques. Various combinations of lathed and unlathed surfaces, plus creative sandblasting all come together to forge the great sound of our Desert Series. Excellent for jazz, funk, R&B, and studio. Compare to Meinl Vintage Sand Rides, Crashes, and Hi Hats.
Our Factory is Your Factory!
If you have something specific in mind to create your "perfect" cymbal, let us help you achieve that. We can work with our factory on a special order basis to design and create the cymbals of your dreams. We can also add your signature to your cymbals for a personalized touch. Give me a call or send me an email to discuss it. I look forward to hearing from you!
- Brian Spaun