The first page says that Bonham agrees to allow Paiste to use his name in advertising and marketing. Bonham’s signature is at the bottom of the document.

The second page lists all the cymbals that Bonham received from Paiste. A whole lot of duplicate sets here, probably for different kits housed around the world as Zep was touring.

Bonzo got 15″ Sound Edge hi-hats, 18″ and 20″ Giant Beats, mammoth 24″ Giant Beats, a sprinkling of 2002s, a 38″ gong….and a solitary and clearly overworked 24″ cymbal bag. It looks like everything but the gong was free.

First up is the re-introduction of the 19” and 20” Thin Crashes and the 20” Medium Thin Crash. A brand-new and totally huge 23” Sweet Ride is coming to the A series too.

If you manage to snatch one of the dirty beauts, be sure to send us mucho cymbal porn.

[Press Release]

Today, Sabian announces pre-sale availability of the anticipated “One of 100″ cymbal collection. Buried in an undisclosed location near the Sabian cymbal factory in Meductic, eastern Canada, 100 cymbals are undergoing eight months of dry, wet, hot and cold soil conditioning, as part of the company’s “One of 100″ program.

These buried Artisan Medium ride cymbals are the result of hundreds of annual queries from drum enthusiasts regarding the aging of cymbals by burying them in the ground. Sabian’s Peter Stairs, VP of Sales, notes: “Anecdotal comment indicates that aging the cymbals by burying them in soil actually helps shape their sound. We anticipate they will be dirtier looking, and if what the legend says is true, they may be dirtier sounding as well.”

The cymbals in the “One of 100″ collection will be available to the first 100 eligible buyers who submit a purchase submission form on the Sabian Web site. Once dug up, the cymbals will be sonically approved by the Sabian Vault Team, then individually packaged in a deluxe wood box, complete with official documentation of authenticity signed by master product specialist Mark Love. Additional benefits for “Owners of The Hundred” include an invitation to visit the Sabian factory in 2010 to meet the founders of Sabian and tour the factory, early access to new product and printed information from Sabian, invitation to participate in a Sabian focus group and access to an exclusive “One of 100″ forum which includes direct access to Sabian product specialists.

The purchase window for these cymbals opens at 9:00 a.m. A.S.T. on Thursday, March 5, and more details can be found here. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to charity.

TRX is trying to tap into a little bit of that mixing-it-up mystique with the introduction of its DRK/BRT hats. This time around, though, the combination of choice is a bright top cymbal over a dark bottom. According to TRX, the cymbals produce “bright, penetrating closed hi-hat sounds with fuller, more explosive open and half-open sounds.” You can snatch them up in 13″, 14″, and 15″ models.

[Press Release]

The first orchestral cymbals from Sabian to be included in its premium Vault Collection of cymbals and sounds see the innovative company flex its traditional craftsmanship roots and innovative design capability with the Artisan Traditional Symphonic pairing. Created in response to calls from top percussionists for cymbals that would equal or outperform those currently employed by some of the world’s leading orchestras, the Vault Artisan Traditional Symphonic pairings are crafted from pure Sabian B20 bronze, feature high-density hand hammering, and are available in sizes 16″ through 20″.

“Percussionists from the famed Philadelphia Orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic were among those requesting Sabian replicate their current cymbals, the sounds of which have faded due to the wear and tear of years of use,” said Sabian director of education Nick Petrella. “They recognized Sabian’s world-leading ability to craft hand-hammered cymbals in the traditional style and worked with us to ensure our designs and the sounds they produced met or exceeded their performance criteria.”

Vault Artisan Traditional Symphonic cymbals are individually hand crafted by master Sabian artisans. They are quality protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.

[Press Release]

Following the recent introduction of 16″ and 18″ Artisan crashes to its Vault Collection, Sabian is pleased to debut Artisan hi-hats in 13″, 14″, and 15″ sizes. Consisting of a medium top and heavy bottom, these pairings feature high-density hand hammering with a touch of innovation to deliver a dry, dark, and complex traditional tone with a touch more character and great sticking response. The 14″ pairing delivers a combination of soft, warm sticking and pedal response; the 13″ set is tighter, more defined; and the 15″ produces a bigger, deeper, slushier sound that makes it ideal for players seeking a fatter, funkier sound.

“Artisan Hats are traditional in every sense of the word, but we’ve enhanced their response with a touch of innovation,” said Sabian master product specialist Mark Love. “The result is—like the Artisan ride and crashes—a soft sticking feel and a response that is deep, dark, and funky, but with an edgy ‘bite.’ Funk, blues, jazz, and groove drummers in general will find these have great tone and feel.”

Vault Artisan Hats consist of a medium top and heavy bottom. They are hand crafted from pure Sabian B20 bronze, available in a natural or brilliant finish, and quality-protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.

Sabian has added a crash model to its Vault Artisan range of premium, professional cymbals. The Artisan crash, a thin/extra-thin model in 16″ and 18″ sizes, was designed in the Sabian Vault to produce a dark, traditional tone enhanced with the benefit of modern projection. Featuring high-density hand hammering by Sabian master artisans and a touch of innovation, the Artisan crash offers traditional tonal darkness and complexity.

“Artisan crashes have been the single most requested Sabian model since the introduction of the Artisan ride,” noted Sabian product specialist David Williams. “The Artisan ride reminded drummers of the real value of traditional hand-hammered cymbal craftsmanship. As a result we had so many requests for similar hats and crashes that we researched early cymbal designs and then designed what we feel is a better traditional crash. This Artisan model has that soft, warm, deeply musical tone drummers have been asking for.”

Hand crafted from Sabian B20 bronze, the Artisan crash features high-density hand hammering for maximum tonal complexity. This is augmented with jumbo-peen dimpling to increase tonal quality and projection. All Artisan models are quality-protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.

Responding to popular demand, Sabian has introduced the 21″ HHX Raw Bell Dry ride. The company’s Raw Bell Dry ride design is now available in all four primary Sabian series—the vintage-sounding AA and HH lines as well as the modern AAX and HHX lines. With its hot, simmering sound and innovative “Tone Projection” design, the HHX Raw Bell Dry ride offers consistently solid stick response and a loud bell, making this modern, dark-sounding model suitable for a full range of music—from jazz, latin, and blues to rock and beyond.

“Because it delivers consistently crisp stroke articulation wherever the drumstick lands, the Raw Bell Dry ride design is considered by many to offer the ultimate in performance versatility,” said Sabian product specialist Lorenzo Wright. “This HHX version has a large, unlathed bell and a surface heavily textured by jumbo-peen hammering. This HHX version has ‘Tone Projection,’ so its dark, simmering sound projects through the music around it. For a modern dark sound and great versatility, the Raw Bell Dry ride is the answer.”

Crafted from pure Sabian B20 bronze, the 21″ HHX Raw Bell Dry ride is quality-protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.

[Press Release]

The latest addition to the Sabian APX series of cymbals is the 15″ Solid Hat. Designed to deliver sheer and bright sounds to cut through the raging guitars and high-powered amps of today’s loudest rock bands, the heavier APX Solid models not only make it easier to be heard but also deliver penetrating volume and cut, taking less energy to play and giving players the freedom to focus on their performance instead of playing extra hard in an effort to be heard.

“For sheer cut and power, APX Solid models are ideal because they deliver an extremely bright, tightly focused, and high-powered glassy sound that cuts through the loudest and heaviest bands,” said Sabian product specialist David Williams. “These 15″ Solid Hats deliver fast, crisp, and clear, so even the most complex strokes are heard through the music.”

APX cymbals are crafted from uni-rolled bronze, which according to Williams “is the ideal metal for tonally, tight, bright and focused sounds.” Solid Hats are also available in 13″ and 14″ sizes. APX cymbals are quality protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.

[Press Release]

The popularity of its 7″ and 9″ Alu Bells has prompted Sabian to introduce the larger 11″ size. Formed from lightweight aluminum, the Alu Bell offers drummers and percussionists a highly versatile percussion piece with a soft, bright, highly musical response and lingering sustain.

“Along with the Chopper, the Alu Bell is small enough to fit anywhere in a drum or percussion setup, and because it has such a well balance of stick stroke and tone, it can be used to play rhythms or simply to add ambient accents,” commented Sabian cymbal specialist Kevin Lasky. “Its small size and light weight make it ideal for use with a cymbal stacker arm, which eliminates the need to purchase another cymbal stand.”

Crafted from lightweight aluminum, the Alu Bell is quality protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.