Let's talk cymbals

jive1 · #1 12-06-2006, 02:20 PM

I dig cymbals, and a drummer who knows how to use them cymbals tastefully.

So what cymbals do you like/prefer?

What do you dislike?

Dave · #2 12-06-2006, 02:26 PM

I like chinas and splashes used tastefully and nice bright, smaller crashes. The higher line Sabians and Zildjians sound good to me.

Freaky Fender · #3 12-06-2006, 02:29 PM

For a hi-hat, I usually really like a nice dry jazzy sound, nothing too "wet" at all. I really like it also when drummers use mallets on a dynamic part in a song on the ride cymbal, so it feels like the drum part is growing and breathing with the rest of the band's dynamics.

**Vorago** · #4 12-06-2006, 02:32 PM

A nice dry hihat 'tsjk'

JPJ · #5 12-06-2006, 02:39 PM

I was always a HUGE fan of the Paiste Signature Series. I used a mix of Paiste Signatures and Zildjians, but would stick entirely with Paistes now. Not a big fan of Sabian.

Joey3313 · #6 12-06-2006, 02:52 PM

I use mostly Sabian, and my HHX Groove Ride...it's just...wow. The single best cymbal I think I've ever heard. It has a great bell, and is really crashable, but has great definition when played with the tip. I tend to go for larger crashes, 18" and up. Thinner cymbals as well, for the darker tone (I use a 20" Istanbul Mehmet Lite Ride as a crash, but when I want to ride it, the thing sizzles). Hihats...so long as they have that good "chick" sound, it's all good. I used to have some 15" New Beats...they were huge...now I got some 14" Sabian AAs.

Not a fan of chinas or splashes though...but that's just me.

Paiste...sadly I've only gotten to hear a few of them, but I was impressed, but the lack of dealers/high cost around here makes Sabian all the more appealing.

Essentially though, any cast cymbal is going to sound good, so it really doesn't matter what brand.

jive1 · #7 12-06-2006, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPJ

I was always a HUGE fan of the Paiste Signature Series. I used a mix of Paiste Signatures and Zildjians, but would stick entirely with Paistes now. Not a big fan of Sabian.

Me, I like Sabian. It's mainly because of their consistency.
When I shopped for cymbals, I found that Zildjians varied widely in tone among the same models and lines. I heard Ping Rides that were had more wash than their Medium Rides, and vice versa. It was hard finding two crash cymbals that sounded alike, or in a similar range. But I do love the Custom K dark ride. Very sweet sounding, especially from a distance.

On the other hand, the Sabians, especially the AAs and AAXs, had a very consistent tone from one to the other.

I like Paistes, but they don't seem to play well with other cymbals. They seem louder than similar cymbals of the same weight/thickness.

I have an electronic kit, but haven't been able to get rid of my cymbals. I spent too much time looking for what I like, and don't want to go through the search again. I have a Sabian Hand Hammered Raw Bell Dry Ride and a set of Sabian Hand Hammered Regular Hats. I absolutely love them.

marcray · #8 12-06-2006, 02:55 PM

I do not like the sounds of paiste cymbals... they don't have the attack and fast deteriation of Zildjians...

markjazzbassist · #9 12-06-2006, 03:37 PM

my drummer uses Sabians and i like the sounds he gets out of them. He really likes them too.

scuba steve · #10 12-06-2006, 04:11 PM

i really like zildjian A customs for church(modern praise and worship). but my drummer in my rock band bought some, and we didn't like them for that music, they were too dark sounding, so he went back to the zildjian zbt's, as they are much brighter and fit better for our rock. i also like paiste cymbals.

tplyons · #11 12-06-2006, 10:35 PM

I enjoy Sabian AAX and Zildjian A customs. Depending on what I'm going for, but my 100% personal, all time favorite was a Sabian B8 8" Splash.

bongomania · #12 12-06-2006, 11:27 PM

Bosphorus! My love for Bosphorus cymbals is nearly fanatical. I get shivers every time I play them. They have the most lush shimmer, intriguing overtones, personality, and expressiveness. I buy them from http://www.cymbalsonly.com/ , partly because Tony's service is excellent but mostly because he records multiple sound samples of every single individual cymbal that he has for sale.

I mostly use them for jazz and "world" music, but they make excellent rock and funk cymbals as well. Even if you don't feel like wading through every cymbal listed on his site, you can email Tony with a description of the sorts of tones you are looking for, and he'll make some very good recommendations.

I heart Bosphorus!

jive1 · #13 12-06-2006, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Bosphorus! My love for Bosphorus cymbals is nearly fanatical. I get shivers every time I play them. They have the most lush shimmer, intriguing overtones, personality, and expressiveness. I buy them from http://www.cymbalsonly.com/ , partly because Tony's service is excellent but mostly because he records multiple sound samples of every single individual cymbal that he has for sale.

I mostly use them for jazz and "world" music, but they make excellent rock and funk cymbals as well. Even if you don't feel like wading through every cymbal listed on his site, you can email Tony with a description of the sorts of tones you are looking for, and he'll make some very good recommendations.

I heart Bosphorus!

Have you heard them compared to Istanbuls?
I was considering Bosphorus, but didn't have any to listen to in person. Considering they are expensive, I had to hear em first.

I almost got an Istanbul Agop Ride with the different lathes, but it wasn't versatile enough. But it had some amazing tone that my meager skills couldn't milk the most of. But, in the end, I love my HH Raw Bell Dry Ride.

jive1 · #14 12-06-2006, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

Depending on what I'm going for, but my 100% personal, all time favorite was a Sabian B8 8" Splash.

You are the fist person I've ever heard that had anything good to say about the B8s.

bongomania · #15 12-06-2006, 11:42 PM

I have indeed compared them to Istanbuls. It's hard to generalize about hand-hammered metalwork... probably even wider tone variables than wood. However I felt that the Bosphorus cymbals had more "air", more high end sparkle, and more musically-pleasing harmonics. But that's a broad generalization, there are certainly examples where they're the other way around.

jive1 · #16 12-07-2006, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

......It's hard to generalize about hand-hammered metalwork... probably even wider tone variables than wood......

Ain't that the truth. I have found that shopping for fine cymbals to be ones of the hardest things to shop for, if you really want to get the best sound possible for you.

Not only do you have to find the right cymbal, but you have to make sure they fit with the others you have.

Add to the fact that it's hard to "tune" a cymbal or tweak it's tonal properties, the challenge becomes even harder.

Edwcdc · #17 12-07-2006, 10:33 AM

I was actually doing a little "hand hammering" this morning.

Seriously, I would like to spend a little more money on cymbals next year for my little studio. I am a hack at best when it comes to playing drums. Right now I have some Zildjian Avedis 14"hats, a couple of Avedis thin crashes, and a Sabian XS20 ride.
I would like to get a china and maybe a splash. I would also like to upgrade my crash situation. My hi hats sound pretty decent when I record them so I may hang on to them for now.

Jive, you seem to be obsessed with drums lately.

I am too for some reason.

jive1 · #18 12-14-2006, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwcdc

I was actually doing a little "hand hammering" this morning.

Just don't let your kids see you doing that.

Quote:

Seriously, I would like to spend a little more money on cymbals next year for my little studio. I am a hack at best when it comes to playing drums. Right now I have some Zildjian Avedis 14"hats, a couple of Avedis thin crashes, and a Sabian XS20 ride.
I would like to get a china and maybe a splash. I would also like to upgrade my crash situation. My hi hats sound pretty decent when I record them so I may hang on to them for now.

Jive, you seem to be obsessed with drums lately.

I am too for some reason.

I guess I'm a little obsessed with drums lately, because I've gotten back to playing them and trying to get my meager chops up. But, I've always been interested in the way they sound, even before I dropped my IQ to bang on the skins.

I guess since I now I have a shop, I need to fill my GAS requirements elsewhere.

bongomania · #19 12-14-2006, 09:31 PM

Speaking of GAS, have you had a chance to listen to some of the clips over at Cymbalsonly yet?

JPJ · #20 12-14-2006, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Ain't that the truth. I have found that shopping for fine cymbals to be ones of the hardest things to shop for, if you really want to get the best sound possible for you.

Not only do you have to find the right cymbal, but you have to make sure they fit with the others you have.

Well...in my opinion, it's downright impossible!

I was perpetually frustrated whenever it came to decising on Cymbals. Luckily, back in my drumming days, I managed to stumble across a couple that I was happy with. But...I have a feeling that this was primarily due to ignorance. If I ever have the chance to tour the Paiste factory, they'll never get me out. The problem is that the possibilities are rediculously numerous, almost to the point where it's prohibitively expensive for any one store to carry all of the different models from a manufacturer in all of the different sized available.

Sorry to hear you've crossed back over to the dark side, Jive. Life is MUCH easier for a bass player. Just wait until you've done the "tear down, move your set, set up, play, tear down, move your set, and set up" thing about 20 times. You'll bag it for good!