Ongoing History Daily: The oldest musical instrument maker in the world

There are a lot of musical instrument companies that have been in business for a long time.

• Steinway has been making pianos since 1853.
• Martin started making guitars in 1833.
• Boosey & Hawkes began making brass, woodwind, and string instruments in 1760.
• We can also look at Nuremberg Musical Instrument Manufacturers and their brass and woodwind instruments. The roots of that company—which is still in existence—go back to at least the mid-17th century.
• But the longest-surviving, still-operating musical instrument manufacturer in the known universe is Avedis Zildjian, the company makes some of the finest cymbals on the planet. They’re used by drummers worldwide, including some of the top players. Zildjian was founded in Turkey in 1623 and has been run by the Zildjian family for over 400 years.