New 22" Bettis Medium-thin Ride Cymbal. Dark Vintage Old K Hand Craftmanship

This brand new 22" Bettis medium-thin Dark Ride weighs 2440 grams. She is as dark as dark gets. As a matter of fact, I had to enlist the help of NASA to take the video and pictures of her, because light does not escape her surface. True story. I'm tellin' ya, this chick is D A R K. You want bright? Keep movin', buddy, 'cause this chick ain't your type of girl. You want just a little dark? Nope, this ain't it. You want a cymbal so dark that it makes old people weep and small children fearful of the night? Yes, she is the one.

In order to get as much stick as possible out of my thinner cymbals, I alternate back and forth between hammering and lathing. That process continually work hardens the bronze as I use the lathe to get the cymbal down to the weight and taper that I'm looking for. Going back and forth between hammering and the lathe adds a great deal of time to the process of making a cymbal. Cymbal factories simply can not afford to make cymbals in that manner. I can, because I am not forced to work at a factory pace.

Bettis Cymbals are hand created in a low-production, artisan environment. I begin with raw B20 cymbal blanks, shaping and tuning each one by hand with hammer and cymbal lathe. I spend many hours on each cymbal to ensure that every one is a superior-quality, unique instrument ready for use at the highest levels.

I have documented the creation of some of my cymbals in pictures, and I encourage you to check out those pics at this location. I think you will find it interesting. Also, a short video that shows how I make cymbals can be found here.

Here's what she sounds like played with an Erskine Ride Stick. Music accompaniment Bob Keller It's About Time.

You can download a higher quality version of the videofile here. Large file warning!

She's lovely!

Insured shipping will be a flat $39 in the lower 48 United States. Other locations will cost $69, but Australia will be $79. If the actual shipping and packaging costs turn out to be less, I will happily refund you the difference.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Bettis cymbals are only available to those in mainland Europe through my exclusive European distributor Johannes Musseleck. If you live in mainland Europe and wish to bid on this cymbal, or purchase Bettis cymbals that Johannes has in stock, click on this link for contact information.