Cymbal Manufacturers

[mikeh]

I think Paiste are the most consistant in sound - if you purchase say a 16" medium crash in a given product line and then purchase another 16" a year later - they will sound very much the same. In fact that was a large part of their marketing fro several years.

Paiste also tend to be a little more expensive than say Zildjian or Sabian and I have found over many years of visiting music stores in many, many cities that Paiste are also a little harder to find in stores than Zildjain or Sabian.

I've never really spent much time trying often brands - so I can't comment beyond the "big three".

For the record - I played Zildjian for many years and have been playing Sabian for the last 10 or so. I've only owned a couple Paiste - but have played many in various studio settings.

 

[twelveight]

Maybe forever in your young life, but I remember when there was no such a thing as Sabian and Paiste cymbals around. I have photos and video of Tony Williams playing Turkish cymbals and Of Jack de Johnette playing a kit with Boshorous cymbals (he's even older than I am BTW).

I'm not one to argue with pictures I've never seen, but.... Those Turks Tony played were old Turkish K. Zildjians, that's what all those cats played back in the day. Tony was very instrumental in the development of the current Zildjian K line, trying to recreate the old Turkish K sound since those cymbal wre (and are) in increasingly limited supply. The Bosphorus brand has only been around for a few years and Jack's still on the Sabian roster after what, 15-20 years now? May as well be forever.

You must be a dinosaur 'cause Paiste has been around for ~100 years now. Myself, I am older than Sabian and have been playing drums for ~20 years, so I'm perhaps not as young as you assume.

Paiste are the most sonically consistent cymbals made. They are finely hand-made cymbals.

I don't actually own any Paiste, FWIW, but I did used to sell them. I prefer Bosphorus myself, but I like that each cymbal is different and I have the luxury of being able to go through a room full of them.

 

[acattoir]

Not exactly a direct answer to the posted question but. I have found that to get a real variety of cymbal sounds in a mix I've ended up with a mix of brands. And... that for me cymbals are extremely sensitive to the model of microphone used. So...you may not want to look for a brand. I used to be an "ALL PAISTE" guy and only "signature" btw, but have become more practical in my antiquity. Don't know if the UK has the same liberal return policies as the US stores but if so you can buy and return if you don't dig the cymbal. I tried "buy used and buy cheap" and that served me pretty well. Also if you are not a basher and are a little handy you can get cymbals with minor cracks (for dirt cheap) and fix them. I have a couple on my set right now. If you don't like them you are only out a few $$.
I have found that the sound samples will give you a general idea, but as others have pointed out, there may be more than a subtle difference when you receive the actual cymbal.

Ride cymbals are the hardest in my opinion, still haven't found the perfect one. BTW I've had or purchased for others 3 different K custom rides and they were all very similar.

ac

 

[Rimshot]

Yeah, I was wrong.........

I'm not one to argue with pictures I've never seen, but.... Those Turks Tony played were old Turkish K. Zildjians, that's what all those cats played back in the day. Tony was very instrumental in the development of the current Zildjian K line, trying to recreate the old Turkish K sound since those cymbal wre (and are) in increasingly limited supply. The Bosphorus brand has only been around for a few years and Jack's still on the Sabian roster after what, 15-20 years now? May as well be forever.

You must be a dinosaur 'cause Paiste has been around for ~100 years now. Myself, I am older than Sabian and have been playing drums for ~20 years, so I'm perhaps not as young as you assume.

Paiste are the most sonically consistent cymbals made. They are finely hand-made cymbals.

I don't actually own any Paiste, FWIW, but I did used to sell them. I prefer Bosphorus myself, but I like that each cymbal is different and I have the luxury of being able to go through a room full of them.

I went back and checked that video and it was Bosphorus cymbals, but he (Jack de Johnette) was sitting in on somebody else's kit (I should have noticed that they weren't Sonor drums).
Paiste has only really been available after the late 1950's when they moved to their plant in Switzerland and began making a name for themselves and about 5-10 years later their cymbals started showing up in music stores in the States.
I also like Bosphorus cymbals, but I don't own any. They seem to be very colored and different in tone and I like that for certain things but not everything. I am strictly a Zildjian player and especially my older Avedis rides. I have never found a ride that appeals to me as much as that.
You're right about Tony also. I looked at the recording of the Blue Note Anniversary where I remembered seeing Istanbul cymbals, and it was another drummer that followed the Miles Tribute band with Tony Williams, Herbie Handcock and Ron Carter in it.
I'm getting old I guess and having a few senior moments.

 

[mikeh]

I'm 56 and have been playing drums since about 1957. My dad was a drummer who played in the big band era - so I started young on his drums.

He dragged me around to music stores (the few there were back then) and he often got me back stage at a large well known venue (Eagles Million Dollar Ball Room) to watch the big bands (they were still around in the mid to late 50's but the big bans glory was quickly fading. I met many of the drummers and got to see and touch their gear. I became a gearslut at a very early age and paid close attention to brand names, etc.

At that time, every drummer I ever saw played Zildjian (as already indicated the old Turkish Zildjains). Sabian was not around and if Paiste was around, they weren't in the stores and/or were not very assessible. For all practical purposes, Zildjian was the only widely recognized cymbal brand (at least in the States)

Somewhere in the mid to late 60's Paiste started to become more common but at the time they were not as consistant in sound as they are now - they were in my mind too brite sounding (perhaps becuase I grew up listening to the old "dark" Zildjians). Naturally, Sabian was not even around at the time - since the Zildjian family were still working together.

I do not choose to play Paiste (although they are fine cymblas)- and as I indicated in an ealier post, I played Zildjian for about 30 years (40 years if I count my dad's cymbals) until I changed to Sabian about 10 years ago - after visiting the factory and seeing the pride and craftsmanship (many longtime Zildjian employees had made the move to Sabian). I really liked the HH Sabians (which I thought were as good or better than the Zildjians K's). So I've played Sabian since.

 

[MadHatterTCM]

Personally. I'll push paiste and meinl any day of the week.

But remember what you heard in store, is not the same room as your house that you play it. Just like your recordings, it's not that the cymbals are that really inconsistant. But hearing one in either a large open store, or a treated small cymbal room, doesn't sound like your room.

Another thing. hitting cymbal after cymbal till you hear one you like, doesn't mean, that you'll like it with your drum kit/tuning/other cymbals...

yet another. Most cymbals that i like from zildjian/sabian are hand hammered, of coarse they're not going to be 100% consistant, but to me, the zildjian k and sabian hh's are much better than any of their other "consistant" products...

 

[twelveight]

I went back and checked that video and it was Bosphorus cymbals, but he (Jack de Johnette) was sitting in on somebody else's kit (I should have noticed that they weren't Sonor drums).
Paiste has only really been available after the late 1950's when they moved to their plant in Switzerland and began making a name for themselves and about 5-10 years later their cymbals started showing up in music stores in the States.
I also like Bosphorus cymbals, but I don't own any. They seem to be very colored and different in tone and I like that for certain things but not everything. I am strictly a Zildjian player and especially my older Avedis rides. I have never found a ride that appeals to me as much as that.
You're right about Tony also. I looked at the recording of the Blue Note Anniversary where I remembered seeing Istanbul cymbals, and it was another drummer that followed the Miles Tribute band with Tony Williams, Herbie Handcock and Ron Carter in it.
I'm getting old I guess and having a few senior moments.

They say the memory is the first to go. I hear Ginko Biloba helps

I never really had too much regard for Paiste, being a dyed in the wool Zildjian dude, but after seeing how they are made I was rather impressed. They are very fine instruments, indeed.

Anyone into old Zildjians (especially Turkish) should look into Bosphorus. They're 100% hand-made by 3 men with rather crude tools. They're the real deal as far as that goes. They've got this vibe like nothing else. I sold some cherished american K's to buy some Bosphorus, if that tells you anything.

I feel you on the Avedis. My bottom hat is a way-old A. New Beat bottom that I've had for ~20 years. I've tried all kinds of hats, even just different bottoms, but nothing else sounds or feels good. I just realized that hat bottom is the only piece of gear I've never sold, replaced, traded off, etc. Whoa.

 

[RAMI]

3 men with rather crude tools.

That was a great movie!

 

[beatbug]

Finding the right cymbal sound is a challenge for me as the sound varies in different acoustical environments. I'm a 55 yrs old weekend drummer and still haven't found the perfect cymbals for every situation. I buy what what sounds good to me and is affordable. Don't pay attention to the brand, listen to the cymbal. But as long as my cymbals sound decent so what?

 

[twelveight]

That was a great movie!

It was the sequel to "Log Jammin" wasn't it?

 

[_brian_]

Ride cymbals are the hardest in my opinion, still haven't found the perfect one. BTW I've had or purchased for others 3 different K custom rides and they were all very similar.

ac

Don't hit me, I know everyone'll hate me for saying this but a ride is not a problem in my book, I bought a XS20 ride S/H for £26 & love the sound of it, the bell sounds great as well, in comparison to the sabian online samples the one I have sounds much better, prehaps just lucky, but I'm happy!!

Crashes, I seem to be a little stuck on, I love the sound of 2002's but they do have great samples online in compraison to other sites. I've played 2002's a few times as well as one of my mates is a retired drummer & that's all he's ever bought. No point in asking his opinion!!

Hats - can't decide at all upon, they all sound very similar to me (is this just me?)

 

[willers2]

onestly

Onestly it all depends on the drummer if he likes his cymbals, Good for him then. Ther isn't "a best cymbals that you can buy".If you know what i mean. one cymbal may be good for one personne but the other.
You must choose for yourself and just try them out.( Go in a store and just try them out.)