Collingwood Cymbals are a line of handmade, independent cymbals crafted by cymbalsmith Dave Collingwood in Bristol, United Kingdom (since 2013).
They are highly regarded for their unique, individual character and the artisan approach to their creation.
Key Characteristics:
- Handcrafted and Unique: Each cymbal is hand-hammered and lathed by Dave Collingwood, ensuring that every instrument is one-of-a-kind with its own sonic personality, avoiding a standard « product line » approach.
- Material: They are made from high-quality B20 bronze blanks, often sourced from Turkey.
- Sound Philosophy: Collingwood’s philosophy is that « Shape is Sound, » meaning the meticulous and non-standard hammering and shaping process directly dictates the cymbal’s unique tone, which is often described as having a lot of character.
- Specific examples of sound descriptions for ride cymbals include: « Dark, dynamic, controlled, present, » and « Very rich and complex » with « Lots of hiss. »
- Products: The line includes a variety of cymbal types such as rides, hi-hats, crashes, and clap stacks.
- Cymbalsmith: Dave Collingwood is a full-time independent cymbalsmith, formerly a touring drummer, who also runs classes and a community for other cymbalsmiths and enthusiasts to share his craft.
