Home
Brands
Istanbul Agop

Istanbul Agop

Istanbul Agop's founder, Agop Tomurcuk, was born in Istanbul-Turkey in 1941. Growing up in the Samatya neighborhood of Istanbul, he followed in the footsteps of his older brothers Oksant and Garbis, by beginning work as an apprentice cymbal-smith at the age of 9 at the only cymbal factory in Turkey. Here, Agop learned, and later helped to refine every aspect of the cymbal making process, becoming a master at every process and eventually becoming the chief cymbal-smith, until that company ceased production of their cymbals in Turkey in 1977.
Feeling “like a fish out of water,” after a little over a year spent working various odd jobs, Agop became to determined to continue the Turkish tradition of handmade cymbals on his own. With a little bit of asking around, he was able to locate and buy up much of the equipment and tools he used at his previous company. He rented a small workshop in the Bakırköy-Kartaltepe area of Istanbul, and began to experiment and produce some cymbals with the help of his dear wife, Uskui Tomurcuk. But the limited resources and manpower made things very difficult.
“At the end of the day, my father’s cousin once brought him home by carrying him on his back” explains Agop’s son and now company Co-President, Arman Tomurcuk. Eventually, he was able to set up a small, but functional factory and his older brother, Oksant joined the company as chief cymbalsmith. They began by selling cymbals locally to some music stores in Istanbul’s Tünel area, but the prospects of this were limited.

Istanbul Agop 20" Mel Lewis 1982 Ride

Now only: $1,029.11

Now only: $566.01

Order Soon. Only 1 left!
Istanbul Agop 18" OM Cindy Blackman Signature Crash

Now only: $851.24

Now only: $468.18

Order Soon. Only 1 left!
Istanbul Agop 20" 30th Anniversary Ride

Now only: $1,201.20

Now only: $660.66

Order Soon. Only 1 left!
Istanbul Agop 10'' Xist ION Splash

Now only: $245.63

Now only: $135.10

Order Soon. Only 1 left!
Istanbul Agop 8'' Xist ION Splash

Now only: $229.90

Now only: $126.45

Order Soon. Only 1 left!
Istanbul Agop 19" Xist ION Dark Trash

Now only: $490.05

Now only: $269.53

Order Soon. Only 1 left!
Istanbul Agop 21" Xist ION Dark Ride

Now only: $597.74

Now only: $328.76

Order Soon. Only 1 left!
Istanbul Agop 17'' Xist Dry Dark Hi Hats

Now only: $857.89

Now only: $471.84

Order Soon. Only 1 left!
Istanbul Agop 10'' Xist Dry Dark Hi Hats

Now only: $490.05

Now only: $269.53

Order Soon. Only 1 left!
Istanbul Agop 21" Xist Ride

Now only: $597.74

Now only: $328.76

Order Soon. Only 2 left!
Istanbul Agop 14" Signature Agop Hi-Hats

Now only: $1,074.15

Now only: $590.78

Order Soon. Only 1 left!
Istanbul Agop 15" Xist Hi-Hats

Now only: $750.20

Now only: $412.61

Order Soon. Only 3 left!
Istanbul Agop 14" Xist Hi-Hats

Now only: $612.26

Now only: $336.74

Order Soon. Only 2 left!
14" XIST Power China

$169.95
20" XIST Brilliant Raw Ride

$308.13
Backordered-Reserve Now