Cymbal Choice, please help, opinions please Im so confused

A

abbo69nz

New member
Ok so first off, Ive ordered my new mapex saturn kit, now I've got to decide what cymbals Im going to go with, Im not going to ask what is the best cymbal, because no answer to that is right,
all Im looking for is experienced drummers opinions etc (I Should point out that I have only used a e-kit for 2 years so I have 0 experience when it comes to acoustic cymbals)
I've tried countless cymbals out in my local music store, and to tell the truth my ears are so confused I'm sure there playing tricks on me lol
anyways I was starting to lean toward Zildjian A Customs , Im looking at getting a pack if I can due to my budget, This particular pack had 14 a custom hats, 16 a custom crash, 18 a custom crash, 20 a custom ride and a 16 china trash,... However Im also liking the sounds of the sabian hhx evolutions now too, in particular a pack containing 14 hhx evo hats, 16 hhx evo crash, 18 hhx evo crash, 20 hhx evo ride,14 hhx mini chinese and a 10 hhx evo splash,

Could I get some opinions please??, I play old rock, modern rock, No metal, Stuff like CCR, Beatles, Tom petty, that kind of stuff. I quite like a quicker decay, More definition and not so much wash?? (I think its called) but Im sure my ears are playing tricks on me...

Any opinions or thoughts would help me out so so much
thanks guys
 
Either one of those models would be fine. They're both very good. Me personally, I like the Sabians better.
 
I would do the Sabians like Greg said. The HHX evolutions have a darker tone than the A Customs (but still loud and with a bright edge to them).
You usually hear A customs in more aggressive settings (louder modern rock, metal, punk). I'm not saying they are not suitable for other situations, as they can even be used in jazz and blues. They are very versatile cymbals. It's just that the sound definitely have a more bright tone and louder sound. The A custom fast crashes have a lot of decay, the regular ones will ring out a bit more.

Either way you you won't lose. But the Sabian's seem more towards what you might want.
 
Thanks guys,
Yeah I really like the overtones of the HHX's a bit more, they seem to blend a bit more rather than cut, is that right? or is it just me thinking that,
 
I would like to recommend paiste's but they are expensive and hard to find, at least in the big box stores, unless you like 2002's.

You cant go wrong with zildjian or sabians as long as you stay away from their b8 cymbals.
 
Been a zildjian guy for 30 yrs but recently got some paiste signature series for studio and have been extemely happy with them. In fact zildjian's haven't been out of the case much since. It will come down to a matter of taste so I'd recommend going somewhere (i.e., music store) and spending some time listening to as many cymbals as you can. This might not be that easy because the sales person wants to make a quick sale so be persistant.
 
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Another thing. I always have someone else play the cymbal and stand back aways to get a listen. You would be surprised how some cymbals dont sound as good or sound better when you try that method. You might get a weird look but it works for me. Just a suggestion.
 
Another thing to consider when testing...they all sound different when you hit them hard compared to tapping them lightly. Test them the way you will play them.
 
Here's my take:

Purchase cymbals of various manufacture so that you can have the broadest range of sounds available.

I have all Ziljian A Customs, and I regret it - they all sound too much alike.
 
I just went through this as I am new to drumming. Here are my few .02. mycymbal.com has sound clips of every cymbal. this will probably help you out a little but could confuse you more. Instead of getting a pack you can often find a set of cymbals used that you might like. I ended up buying more cymbals than I needed and played a few of them in my house on my kit to find which ones I really liked. Also, size matters. I personally like a 17" crash and a 22" ride, but I also have a 22" kick and I believe 15" hats but I forget. the only way to find out which ones I liked was to actually buy them. sucks but its true.
 
Of all of the manufactureres of cymbals, Zildjian and Sabian are the closest in sound and quality. Yes there are subtle differences, but not much. These two manufacturers make mostly caste cymbals as opposed to Paiste which makes mostly sheet cymbals. Which is better? It depends on the sound that you like.
I began my drumming career before there ever was the Zildjian family fued and one of the brothers broke off and started Sabian. I am strictly a Zildjian person, but I do own cymbals from Sabian, Paiste, Istanbul and Bosphorus. They are all good cymbals, but my taste leans toward the sound of the Custom A Zildjian (especially for recording). I play mostly jazz and blues and occasionally classic heavy rock. You need to find the cymbal voice that best suits your style. I usually recommend trying the used cymbal rack in places like Guitar Center or any other larger retailer. This way you can examine them and try them out. Deals can be had on eBay or Craigslist, but you'll be buying deaf. You may get a perfectly good cymbal at a great price, but the sound is all wrong for you. It's always better to hear the cymbal.
 
Lol. As usual I'm just the opposite of rimjob. Zildjians are my least favorite major manufacturer. I prefer Paistes, although I haven't played em all from every brand. I think the sabian HH and AAX stuff is really nice too. I used to like the Zildjian Z Customs, but I think they quit making them, so I'm left pretty unimpressed with the entire Zildjian lineup. After much research I bought a bunch of 2002's and a RUDE and I couldn't be happier. I don't even pay attention to cymbals anymore.
 
Zildjian A's , not customs, will give you the greatest degree of versitility from jazz to hard rock. A customs are brighter and glassier than straight A's, more like Paiste's. Z's are for metal heads and sound like hitting a steel pipe in my opinion, K's are very dark and quiet, relatively speaking. As far as all other brands, why bother, Zildjian is, was and always will be the best. Really the only serious choice.
 
Greg_L said:
Use real drums!
Click to expand...

Mid 60's Slingerland 3 ply on Rims mounts, DW hardware and Tama Iron Cobra pedals. Doesn't get any more real than that. My Radio King snares beat anything. You metal boys can bang on your Pearls and Yamahas all day. Real men play vintage american drums.:D
 
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