(One) More Cowbell!

[bongosnotbombs]

Actually a "Zil Bel made by the famous Zildjian cymbal company from what I can gather. Picked this up used at a local drum shop for $25 to find that they usually go for $150 on Ebay and Vintage drum shops. Other than that I don't know much about Zil-Bel

I can see why they are collectible with the nice shape and beautiful chrome finish. Not to mention this bell has a very excellent sound. More of a clear bell sound with a slight ring to it as opposed to the clonk clonk kind of sound from your typical bongo bell, or flatter sound from the usual afro cuban type cowbell.

Anyways, I'm using this bell on my pedal set up, and it really sounds good with the beater I have on there. Pedal and conga work is pretty challenging to say the least. So far on the right foot I have son clave with various tumbaos, all 4 downbeats, or just beat 1 and 3 with tumbaos and some limited fills and improvising. For the left foot I am developing beats 2 and 4 as suggested by a friend, the high hat ride.

[Mike]

Pedal and conga work is pretty challenging to say the least.

You name it!

At those bright moments when I can really hold a steady rumba foot clave to a guaganco,
I feel delighted. Alas, it is hard work.
BTW as a backbeat on "2" and "4" I personally like to use a small 10" hi-hat for tumbaos.

[Thomas Altmann]

Hi Geordie,

I have one of these, and a little more rustic, raw un-chromed bell of exactly the same shape. They deliver the sound you can hear from the old Swing drummers - and older Tito Puente Mambos! Compare this bell with the photo of Tito from the 50's:

Tito

I'm sure that Cuco could write us a whole story about this bell and perhaps specify it a little better.

Thomas

[bongosnotbombs]

I also notice Tito has his bell taped up a bit, either to dampen the bell or to keep it from moving around? I'm guessing the latter due to the location of the tape, but it could be for the sound as this bell seems to have a touch of a ring to it, a little more like a bell than a cowbell.

[Thomas Altmann]

Cuco has read this and informs us that Tito's bell in the photo is a chromed Blum bell. (He allowed me to pass on the info.) Zildjian's bells were later designed after these, or after another ancient brand, Holstein. The sound was probably similar. Here are photos of my Zil Bel and the old bell that has exactly the same shape and size:

My Zil-Bel

Old bell

Cuco says, my old bell could either be a Blum or a Holstein bell.

Thomas