How to Clean Cymbals With A Lemon - Does It Work? Life Hack for Drummers Paiste 505

[@samjcdrums4019]

"The cymbal makes a good cutting board as well" actually made me shiver....

[@TSGChannel2]

+SamJC Drums I hope you noticed that I didn't actually touch it with the knife. :D

[@Sonatarium]

yeah lol as the knife was approaching the cymbal i was like nooo hahah

[@amerijamtwentytwentyone4092]

Yo! I used to Brasso my sixties cymbals IN THE ACTUAL 60's when I was eight. They never looked as good as the method you just taught me. Thanx.

[@Lucky-pf1io]

Used it on my Paiste PST 5 and it worked like a charm, Thank you so much!

[@seivaDsugnA]

It also leaves your cymbals smelling fresh and fruity.

[@TSGChannel2]

And no caffeine!

[@elliebean1118]

TSG Ch 2 CRISP AND KA-LEEEN

[@pijankodupe]

The way you cut that lemon... It just hurts my brain.... :) Thanks for vid!

[@TSGChannel2]

haha yeah that was a weird way to do it. You will notice, however, that I did not cut the knife on the surface of the cymbal!

[@pijankodupe]

@@TSGChannel2 anyways, I tried with apple cider, and it worked great.

[@MartinDee2000]

Funny to go into the drum section of a music store, and there's a basket of lemons.

[@TSGChannel2]

Works for me!

[@musshwins412]

for 10x the cost of store bought.

[@TSGChannel2]

Yeah probably!

[@brak1381]

I would only make my drum purchase at this imaginary place.

[@jdsgotninelives]

This works for copper saucepans as well, with one extra ingredient, salt. After applying some juice to the area, sprinkle some ordinary salt over the same area and go to work with the piece of lemon. The light abrasiveness of the salt grains, in combination with the acid from the lemon, combine to give a beautiful sheen. You can use vinegar, but if you have access to a lemon tree, then that is much cheaper.

[@TSGChannel2]

I think it will work with lots of things, as citric acid reacts this way on most metals that I have seen.

[@daveglassman4779]

Wow, I'm amazed! It actually works! A good friend of mine gave me his old drum set - the cymbals are really old and discolored. They're Zildjian ZBTs. I hope the lemon trick will work on these. BTW, great video!

[@TSGChannel2]

Thanks for taking the time to watch! Share it with your friends so they can also get that great lemon smell!

[@leonaharfouche]

Did it work?

[@nestorivan112]

It does work.. for a day or two until the acidity of the lemon starts to make the cymbal dark. Just buy a cymbal cleaner meant to be for cymbal cleaning. However, props to you for taking your time to show those who don’t know 👍🏽

[@TSGChannel2]

I rinsed the lemon juice off with water. No darkening problems later. It works great but don't forget to rinse the acid off. That's the takeaway.

[@Ade987654321]

An excellent video. You can do the same thing using citric acid crystals dissolved in hot water. Use a sponge to rub the cymbal with the solution, then rinse the cymbal with clean warm water and then dry it with a cloth. Ade.

[@beevernator4048]

tested on an old cymbol that was sitting in the attic for around 11 years that looked quite bad. WORKED LIKE A CHARM! Shame it still didn't make it sound any better whole reason it was up there.

[@TSGChannel2]

You can rub lemon on a turd and it will still be a turd. :D

[@beevernator4048]

did it with my other cymbals too surprisingly good. bit of brasso after and looked nice got the crap logos off too. Dont want people knowing i have cheap cymbals do I! hehehe

[@TempoDrift1480]

Like you said, the key is to let the acid do its thing. I use mustard and a paint brush, let it set for 20 minutes or so and rinse it off. I think the elbow grease isn't all that necessary unless you use this method.

[@almendratlilkouatl]

you missed that spot over there

[@oscarharding3429]

Would a lime do the same thing?

[@Mrcastleskeep]

This is great! I'll definitely use this in the future.

[@TSGChannel2]

Thanks for watching, and spread the good news - lemons are cheap and it's easy to make your cymbals look awesome for your gig if you play out and don't mind using them.

[@okachobi]

You should not use this method on many newer paiste cymbals as the acids in the lemon will remove the lacquer finish. Also most B8 bronze Zildjians/Sabians have a coating applied. You'll find that if you do the cymbal will become discolored as the coating is removed unevenly. The lemon method works primarily with traditional lathed b20 bronze cymbals that have no factory coating applied.

[@TSGChannel2]

+okachobi Good tips. Mine are old enough that it probably does not matter. All my Paistes are lathed and well over 20 years old now. Yikes - that is weird to say.

[@amerijamtwentytwentyone4092]

Yeah. factory coating, BOGUS. Not a real cymbal.

[@popitn2nd]

How long did it last before they get oxidation or ruined?

[@jeshanrajganeshwaran4990]

Hi, how often should l clean my cymbals?

[@biadrum]

oh wow.. and I have a lemmon tree at home.. I'll start cleaning my cymbals now!

[@TSGChannel2]

+biadrum Sounds like a great plan - thanks for watching!

[@jamesberlo4298]

What about Stick Mark's ?

[@TSGChannel2]

Did you see that I uploaded a video that demonstrates cleaning a cymbal with several different substances AND includes a sound test as well!

[@TSGChannel2]

Sorry I forgot to place the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o

[@musicmanlistener2]

@@TSGChannel2 lol

[@rodolfodumaliangiii7342]

Does it also take off fingerprints?

[@TSGChannel2]

I'm sure it does!

[@crlaw75]

Would lemon juice from a bottle work as well?

[@TSGChannel2]

Why don't you try it and let us know. If it does not work, I'd love to hear some ideas about why that was the case.

[@crlaw75]

It works just as well as the lemon.

[@TSGChannel2]

Did it meet your expectations?

[@crlaw75]

Yes it did.

[@TSGChannel2]

That's great!

[@knocker3210]

Cheers and good luck with your future videos. I'll keep an eye out. take care.

[@TSGChannel2]

Thanks for watching - you might like this one too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o

[@timothyreadon4857]

Does it work with lime?

[@TSGChannel2]

Yes it sure does and it smells great with lime too!

[@harveygilson7758]

I am so excited to try this

[@TSGChannel2]

It's a great trick.

[@Sonatarium]

can you please capture the cymbal that you'll soak and upload it?

[@TSGChannel2]

If I ever do that experiment I will certainly upload a video of it!

[@TSGChannel2]

I did a different experiment that involved soaking one cymbal in vinegar and one in coke. Check out the results: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o

[@odalesaylor]

Have you tried a paste of vinegar and salt? It works great with old copper pennies.

[@TSGChannel2]

I have a set of nasty old hi-hats that I am making plans for. Pennies are copper, cymbals are brass. Not sure they react the same way. Maybe we will find out!

[@odalesaylor]

Bronze is mostly copper; I think about 11% tin, so I think it will work. Good luck.

[@TSGChannel2]

I ended up doing another test with a few different approaches: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o

[@sustan4532]

Hi.. Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪 Thanks for the vid... Does lemon help remove oxidation spots and when you were finished did you wipe down the cymbal with a dry cloth To remove any lemon ? I thought it best to keep cymbals away from water?

[@TSGChannel2]

The answers to all your questions are on the video! Did you watch it?

[@jim874]

Has Dan tried this on his HO layout track?

[@tsgmultimedia]

I don't think so! :))

[@Pentoute45]

Nice 505 one btw !

[@TSGChannel2]

+ludovic teflon Thanks! You don't see these very often any more, and is sounds great. I plan to open the case it has been stored in since I did this cleaning video to see if the lemon clean lasts.

[@Pentoute45]

+TSG Multimedia Miscellaneous. Yeah, the 505 line was discontinued in the mid 80'. Pretty vintage but always a keeper (as it's based on the 2002 alloy). Maybe a few bags of silica crystals in the storage case could prevent the oxydation to come back too soon.

[@TSGChannel2]

+TSG Multimedia Miscellaneous I opened the case today to do a video today and it still looks fabulous, so the answer is "yes, the lemon clean lasts" at least in storage. If you were out playing all the time you would have to clean it more often, of course.

[@McFlyGuitarsandStuff]

Great video. Thanks

[@TSGChannel2]

You're quite welcome!

[@meeksmachihumphrey6586]

The real question is How much different or better those it sound? make a video plz

[@solveigallan2734]

Yeah I was also thinking that the acid might wear away at it but I don't think lemons are acidic enough to do any real damage, at least compared to actual cleaning products so I think this is safe

[@Mrcastleskeep]

rDavidr left a cymbal in vinegar (acetic acid) for a month and it didn't affect the weight. Certain kinds of acids work on certain metals. It's more than just the Ph level. For instance, a solution called Aqua Regia (Nitric and Sulphuric acid) dissolve gold. Sulphuric alone has almost no effect. Nitric alone works very slowly. Together,' it's fairly quick.

[@TSGChannel2]

Did you see that I uploaded a video that demonstrates cleaning a cymbal with several different substances AND includes a sound test as well!

[@TSGChannel2]

I forgot to include the link to my other video that has a sound test in it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o

[@grandeline]

Brilliant!!! i gonna try this :)

[@TSGChannel2]

Cool - you will be pleasantly surprised, I bet!

[@wanridzwan1996]

thanks pal for this info👍👍👍

[@itsjawzgaming]

how long does it take to do one?

[@TSGChannel2]

This only took about 20-30 minutes for the top and bottom.

[@mata.yoguee]

So this has being like 2 years ago, so I have a question, did your cymbals got any side effect from the lemon? like stains or something?

[@TSGChannel2]

+Jorge Mata No side effects, the cymbal is just nicer to look at now.

[@mata.yoguee]

excellent! Will try so.... thanks for the answer

[@SeanLaMontagne]

Cymbal still look good?

[@jeromewieland55]

Amazing video thank you!!!

[@Pablodrumdroid]

this works with B20 Alloy?

[@TSGChannel2]

I have not tried that. Let us know how it works if you do it!

[@Pablodrumdroid]

Don't worked for me, i tried on an Sabian XS20

[@TSGChannel2]

Is that brass?

[@Pablodrumdroid]

TSG WTF no, is B20 alloy like an a custom or k custom of Zildjian

[@Pablodrumdroid]

i've tried and nothing

[@carmolva]

I really suggest to use the cymbal cleaner according to the brand of cymbals you use. For serious results

[@TSGChannel2]

Carlos Enrique Molina Vargas Thanks for commenting, but did you watch the video? I talked about using the brand-specific rubbing compound-type cleaners. They take way more work, are more expensive, toxic, and the results aren't any better than the lemon!

[@meeksmachihumphrey6586]

TSG Multimedia Miscellaneous To me the real question is how much better or different those it sound? Make a video plz

[@TSGChannel2]

+MeeksMachi Humphrey I am not sure you could tell the difference on a video since 1) I did not test it before cleaning it so there is nothing to compare it with and 2) Microphones and speakers do not give you the full dynamic range of an instrument like this - at least not enough to be able to tell for sure if there is an improvement over KZbin.

[@TempoDrift1480]

No... No you don't. That's how you spend money on shit you don't need. A company will insist you purchase what they manufacture. It's a marketing technique. Use a fuckin lemon, mustard, ketchup or whatever is around your house and that's how you clean your cymbals like a man. Going out and purchasing stuff because a manufacturer recommends something is how sheep clean their cymbals. Don't be a sheep.

[@TSGChannel2]

I did a video with a sound test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o

[@knocker3210]

good video but I wish you had done a before and after sound test.

[@TSGChannel2]

Do you really think you could tell the difference on a KZbin video?

[@TSGChannel2]

I understand. I didn't really take it as an ego thing. I can tell you, though, that it would take some pretty special audio recording equipment and playback equipment to be able to hear it. I might do a spoof video about before and after at some point, since it has been brought up by a few people now. Thanks for watching, by the way!

[@TSGChannel2]

I uploaded a new cleaning video that includes a sound test. I even created a poll so you can tell the rest of the world if you could hear a difference. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o

[@Assimilator702]

I’m curious how it does on heavy tarnish spots or mystery liquid stains. I just got a pretty nice Zildjian Splash for a nice price and overall it had stick marks and some heavy liquid stain on the bottom. NOTHING removes the stain. I even wet sanded it with 1500 grit sandpaper. Next move is lemon juice then I’ll try something like Bar Keepers Friend. Beyond that I’ll leave the stains if they prove to be too stubborn.

[@TSGChannel2]

It did not clean the heavy spots. I showed it during the video.

[@amerijamtwentytwentyone4092]

DON'T EVER USE SANDPAPER. It will dramatically DECREASE the value of the cymbal. Leave it looking ugly to be safe. Sometimes the sound is less bright, but great for recording.

[@Assimilator702]

@@amerijamtwentytwentyone4092 Bar Keepers Friend mostly took care of the spot. The cymbal is in perfectly fine shape and not damaged at all. When I wet sanded it I was very gentle and hardly used any pressure at all.

[@rishitakale2901]

Does it works

[@garysmith3173]

A sound comparison before and after would have been good.

[@TSGChannel2]

Yes, I have heard this suggestion before. We're all in luck, because I found a really oxidized set of hi-hats that I thought I had given away long ago. I intend to try a couple different cleaning techniques on them. I will post that video WITH a sound test sometime in the near future. I still have to produce it, so it will be a couple weeks before I have anything to post.

[@TSGChannel2]

I finished the new test and uploaded a video of it WITH a sound test included: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o

[@Anearthworm]

Do they stay that way after you clean them. Would this be suggested to clean any cymbal? I dont wanna remove the laquer of any cymbals I have. I have an A custom crash, a B8 ride, and B8 hhihat, also a pitch black crash.

[@TSGChannel2]

+Ballsack Jack Nice name, by the way!

[@TSGChannel2]

+Ballsack Jack The answer to your question is I don't know. My cymbals are old enough and tarnished enough that I don't care about any lacquer.

[@Anearthworm]

Thanks! But did this cymbal stay clean and shiny after a couple days?

[@TSGChannel2]

+Ballsack Jack It has been stored in my cymbal case since this video was made and it is still just as nice and shiny as it was the day I cleaned it.

[@Anearthworm]

Nice! I'll definitely do this to my older cymbals. I only have limes, I'm sure those will work just as well.

[@meeksmachihumphrey6586]

The realty question is how much different or better those it sound make a video

[@TSGChannel2]

+Mona Humphrey How would you recommend going back in time to hit it before I cleaned it? That would be a very important part of the video you are requesting.

[@meeksmachihumphrey6586]

TSG Multimedia Miscellaneous yh but I would like the finish clean sound

[@TSGChannel2]

I uploaded another video that has a sound test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o

[@suspend6]

Irrelevant. The cymbals made a certain sound when purchased new. They did not have any crap on them then.

[@jakerau8804]

The oldschool ketchup method works well I always use a lemon at the end tho.🤙🍻

[@isaachannigan920]

Its the acid. Similar organic acids are used in cymbal cleaners.

[@simonelse1150]

Bonus, it makes you play just like Bonham bashing out The Lemon Song.

[@TSGChannel2]

That would be a definite bonus!

[@harveygilson7758]

It works so well😁😁

[@TSGChannel2]

Yes. Yes, it does.

[@proslice56]

You do know what the key ingredient in the lemon is that does the trick right! A grapefruit, orange, and lime will work as well.

[@TSGChannel2]

Indeed, I mentioned it in one of my videos - I think the one about the grapefruit. It's all about the citric acid.

[@carmolva]

In fact, during years I used the lemmon, ketchup, car wax, tooth paste and others and it was a nightmare. No one made it as good and simple as the Paiste Cleaner. I love the brand new looking my pro cymbals have now. If you had good results, you can keep it that way, but this message is more for those who had problems :/

[@shartlover420]

Thanks for the info, Paiste marketing department.

[@lvvry1855]

I guess this one is for playing brighter tempos

[@TSGChannel2]

Imagine what it sounds like when I play heavy dark stuff!

[@bonhamcymbal]

I want your 505!!!!

[@TSGChannel2]

It's a nice-sounding cymbal!

[@meeksmachihumphrey6586]

Begging and end sound hit the cymbals so we can hear the difference

[@TSGChannel2]

+MeeksMachi Humphrey If you could tell the difference in sound on a video like this you would be my new hero.

[@meeksmachihumphrey6586]

+TSG WTF you probably could but just for those of us who want to know sound difference

[@TSGChannel2]

I uploaded another video that has a sound test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o

[@RohanSharma2671]

IT ACTUALLY WORKS!!!!!!

[@TSGChannel2]

YOU'RE RIGHT!

[@manuelfuster9525]

Lemon and salt works even better.

[@TSGChannel2]

This is a good tip. I used salt with vinegar in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7bm6J4qLiVi5o and it worked like a charm. It smelled awful, but it worked very well.

[@riojonindoops145]

Good

[@TSGChannel2]

It was a great experiment.

[@knocker3210]

depends on the speakers you are using maybe. I said good video. I'm just a little hesitant to try cleaning and losing the tone they have now. there was no ego intended in my comment. just a suggestion for future videos. thanks.

[@SKARKIBANEZ]

YES IT DOES....!!!

[@TSGChannel2]

I was pretty impressed with the results, as you can tell by my reaction on the video. I really wish I had known about this trick when I used to play out often. It was a real chore polishing with those solvents I talked about in the video. They were hard work and smelled awful.

[@SKARKIBANEZ]

Man.......i did it myself...........PRETTY KICK ASS............and the other way is the baby wet wipes......!!! But NOT as the Lemon......!!!

[@TSGChannel2]

Are you serious? Baby wet wipes are supposed to be very gentle for a baby's ass. I can't imagine they would strip anything off metal except maybe dust or baby crap. :))

[@AndyPutt1]

Many drummers feel the natural ageing process of a cymbal improves cymbal sound in a way that cannot be reproduced. Cleaning cymbals can entirely ruin the sound the ageing created undoing sometimes decades of natural ageing. Cymbals are for hearing alot more so than looking at in my opnion.

[@TSGChannel2]

+AndyPutt1 That is true. I don't happen to be one of them. I am always very excited to have freshly polished bright-sounding cymbals and brand new heads on the drums. Nothing sounds better than that to me. It sounds loud and it sounds fresh. It probably depends on the genre of music you play. As a rock/hard rock guy, that bright punchy sound really appeals to me.

[@AndyPutt1]

Sure thing TSG :) I think the mellowing of cymbals is generally more appreciated in the jazz genre. All the best

[@TSGChannel2]

+AndyPutt1 See what I mean? :D

[@jorymil]

It's funny: I cringe as I see that patina dissolving away! I've got a couple of used cymbals that I'm actually looking to get rid of because someone cleaned them before selling them to me. They sound much hollower than my naturally-aged cymbals.

[@swashington942]

+John Miller Dude you are full of shit.

[@DoroTheExplorer]

I did this also. It works for me.

[@theeyeofgod8316]

A tea bag works as well.... use it together with the lemon.... If for some reason it doesn't work, at least you'll get a cup of tea out of it...

[@TSGChannel2]

+THE EYE OF GOD Yeah but then people will call you a tea bagger.

[@meeksmachihumphrey6586]

The best thing to use is the rub the lime first then you throw some cokeacola/cola/Coke on it

[@Egang03]

Is it ok to do this I'm scared I will damage the sound

[@TSGChannel2]

Probably will not harm the brass. Some other commenters think it takes off a patina on the brass. All I know is that it looks way better than a dingy old oxidized thing. I rinsed mine off with water when I was done rubbing the lemon on it.

[@Egang03]

+TSG WTF I use bronze cymbals will it still work

[@TSGChannel2]

I don't see any reason it would not work. You could always try it on the bottom of one in some inconspicuous spot and see what happens. Let us know what you find out!

[@Egang03]

+TSG WTF I'll probably just do that will let you see the results do u have a Instagram

[@AlexSlavenDrums]

i find it works better on older cymbals

[@danieljackson7940]

Is this real?

[@TSGChannel2]

What does that mean?

[@Egang03]

+TSG WTF he means dose it really work

[@TSGChannel2]

Seems like s stupid question since you can watch the video to find out the answer...?

[@anthonyrandall2256]

Wow

[@saedricedquila7805]

I'm on my way to the market to buy lemons

[@WadeCu]

Should I be concerned about the logo coming off with this trick?

[@TSGChannel2]

+baconwatermelon bv It did not seem to affect my logos.

[@alexbond8240]

Just rub lightly when going over the logos...

[@midnightraiin4035]

Dam. thanks

[@TSGChannel2]

You're welcome. I wish I had known about this when I used to play out!

[@rickabick1982]

try with Ketchup

[@TSGChannel2]

+Al R I have seen those videos too and suspect that the vinegar in ketchup is what does the trick. Maybe I will try ketchup in a future video.

[@pawelmorrison]

+TSG Multimedia Miscellaneous Dont do ketchup!! It left some weird pinky stains on mine

[@นัฐพงศ์บัวระพันธ์]

Thai Lemon cool

[@sidneylacroix204]

I HAVE THE SANE CYMBAL SAME SIZE TO LOOLOLOO

[@robertowaldoayalaacuna4806]

Los platillos no se deve limpiar con ácidos produce un destemplamiento en los bronces baja el volumen y la calidad etc.

[@KingSeafoam]

Didn't have lemon. Had lime. Used lime. Worked like lemon.

[@TSGChannel2]

+Bored4Fun Yes, I think any citrus fruit works. I made a video with a grapefruit too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5S6Y5ukbKmgg9E

[@thetype85]

It's not "brass", it's made from BRONZE, big difference!

[@drummerdon5093]

You cut the lemon wrong .. 😱😱

[@TSGChannel2]

Sorry about that. It didn't affect the effectiveness of the technique, apparently!

[@harveygilson7758]

I also don't want to ruin my cymbals...they're to expensive (and I'm not being cocky)

[@TSGChannel2]

So try it on a cheap one first. My cymbals are the most expensive part of my set. I won't hesitate to use the lemon trick again.

[@harveygilson7758]

TSG WTF the only issue with that is that my cheap cymbals aren't in need of cleaning and my expensive ones are 😕

[@amerijamtwentytwentyone4092]

You MIGHT only ruin Zildjian cymbals if they were made in the Seventies and earlier. After that they are pressed out and are POOP.

[@amerijamtwentytwentyone4092]

NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU PAID FOR THEM.

[@amerijamtwentytwentyone4092]

And you can't ruin them unless they fly off the roof of your nova DOING 65

[@jazzdrummer000]

people that manages the CuSn8 Bronze? because I paiste pst5 CuSn8 Bronze

[@DuroSamples]

I use a LIME... Either way, does not last long.

[@seivaDsugnA]

Immediately seal with a bit of automotive wax.

[@TSGChannel2]

Does that work? Seems like it should, but I'd worry about the wax embedding itself in the little grooves where the cymbal was turned or in the marks where it was hammered if it's a hammered one.

[@mediumstudio]

just use an SOS soap pad

[@TSGChannel2]

Haven't tried that before!

[@mapenn_]

only works with some cymbals

[@TSGChannel2]

+Mapenn Pennington Which ones did it not work with?

[@mapenn_]

It worked a little on my Paiste Alpha's made in Switzerland. But it didn't work on my crappy Planet Z cymbals.

[@TSGChannel2]

+Mapenn Pennington What is Planet Z? Are they made out of something other than brass?

[@rodstewart74]

Your radio voice makes it sound more like a joke

[@TSGChannel2]

Is that good or bad? Either way, thanks for watching!

[@rodstewart74]

@@TSGChannel2 Good lol

[@vanillacru1]

Your carpet is fckd up..and you brush 2hrs..otherwise it doesn't work in uk

[@tsgmultimedia]

What carpet? Did you even watch? It is clearly identified as a TOWEL at 1:58.

[@lukimusika2264]

No, it doesn´t work, you only will gloss it till get dry again

[@TSGChannel2]

It is dry in the video.