About Tom Stubbs

Tom Stubbs has been considered one of the finest cymbal players in the world with a collection of cymbals heard on many Grammy Award-winning recordings and in Concert Halls around the world. He owns a collection of some of the finest cymbals ever heard.

The six pairs in “The Tom Stubbs Collection by Matt Nolan” reflect the cymbals that have been used in his 51 year career as cymbal specialist in the St. Louis Symphony. They can still be heard on the extensive and in some cases Grammy award-winning recordings of the SLSO. The Tom Stubbs Collection by Matt Nolan represents the finest six pairs of cymbals used by Mr. Stubbs throughout his career.

Here are Tom’s reflections on the cymbals currently being made by Matt Nolan –

“I had the good fortune to have the favor of Maurie Lishon, of Frank’s Drum Shop in Chicago and Carroll Bratman of Carroll Sound in New York City –

Especially kind to me & my love for the “old K’s” was Carroll Bratman. Not long after joining the St. Louis Symphony in 1970, I would travel to New York to borrow cymbals from his extensive collection. I especially remember one pair he claimed was 300 years old. It had only Turkish markings. My wife who attended a concert said you couldn’t hear them crash but only feel the impact of a crash.

Carroll amassed his large collection by contacting the family of a recently deceased percussionist and offering to buy his old equipment. Carroll invited me to come the day before his big auction of his extensive remaining collection to get” the pick of the litter”.

About Matt Nolan

Matt Nolan is the UK’s only cymbalsmith and gong maker, making some of the finest cymbals in the world. Matt has earned an international reputation with clients for his bespoke work including Björk, Massive Attack, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Danny Elfman and many top Orchestras and Operas around the world.

Matt uses ancient forging techniques in combination with modern-day materials to create instruments that range from the traditional to the cutting edge. He works with his hands, eyes and ears using simple mechanical tools – hammers, anvils and fire – to turn inanimate pieces of metal into “gorgeous instruments that not only sound great but blur the line between musical instruments and art”.

The Tom Stubbs Collection by Matt Nolan