Big Drum Thump

Drum and Drummer News and Photos

Category: Cymbals

  • New AAX Memphis Ride From Sabian

    I caught a quick demonstration of this model at the Sabian press conference on Thursday. The cymbal has both a good crash and a good ride sound. If you got room for only one cymbal on that tiny-ass Holiday Inn stage you’re stuck playing on every weekend, you wouldn’t go wrong grabbing a Memphis ride.

    From the press release:

    Combining dry, crisp stick articulation over a wash of glassy bright tone, the Memphis ride offers a range of versatility that makes it an ideal choice for drummers in search of a ride that does it all. Designed with a high profile and AAX hammering, the bottom of this 21″ medium-thin model is cut with narrow pin-lathing to enhance the feel and increase the crash response capability, while the top is line-lathed, resulting in clear stick definition.

    “The Memphis ride is a great combination of ride and crash without compromise,” said Sabian master product specialist Mark Love. “It’s ideal for many styles of music, with prototypes popular with gospel drummers and other soulful players. Aside from the design, the magic in this cymbal is its weight. The Memphis ride is just heavy enough to ensure it performs perfectly as a ride, a crash, and as a crash-ride.”

  • Sabian “One of 100″ Project Offers Exclusive Soil-Aged Cymbals

    Fuck off, Father Time. Instead of waiting decades to get a beautifully aged cymbal, you can just bury that baby in the ground. Or at least that’s what some of the mad-genius cymbalsmiths at Sabian are betting on.

    For a project titled “One of 100,” the company has buried 100 of its primo 21″ Vault Artisan ride cymbals in a specially designed container in eastern Canada. In mid-2009, they’ll be dug up, sonically approved by the Sabian Vault Team (keep in mind the cymbals will have been subjected to the cold, heat, and general misery of the Canadian climate), and then individually packaged in a deluxe wood box, complete with official documentation of authenticity signed by master product specialist Mark Love. Details on how to purchase one of the 100 cymbals will be announced on Sabian’s website in February.

    More info from the press release:

    In a move driven by market curiosity, Sabian has buried 100 of its premium Vault Artisan ride cymbals and will dig them up from the ground in mid-2009. Why? According to Sabian VP of sales Peter Stairs, the company receives hundreds of queries annually regarding the “aging of cymbals by burying them in the ground.” So the specialists in the Sabian Vault have buried the cymbals in an undisclosed spot near the Sabian factory in eastern Canada. The project is entitled “One of 100.”

    Continued Stairs: “Buried cymbals are the stuff of legend. Anecdotal comment indicates that aging the cymbals by burying them in soil actually helps shape their sound. Of course we are as curious as anyone to see what these cymbals sound like when they’re pulled up from the earth. These are custom-sized 21” Artisan medium ride models in a natural finish. They will have endured about eight months of dry, wet, hot, and cold soil including the freezing temperatures of our Canadian winter. We anticipate they will be dirtier looking, and if what the legend says it true, they should be dirtier sounding as well.”

    The cymbal of choice for “One of 100” is no accident, says Stairs. “The Artisan ride exemplifies Sabian cymbal-making artistry in that it is hand-hammered traditional-style, and its tone is darker and dirtier…quite earthy. It’s the ideal choice.”

  • Sabian Press Conference at NAMM 2009

    As soon as the doors opened on Thursday at NAMM 2009, Sabian kicked things off with an official press conference for us drumming journos. Along with announcing a spate of new cymbals and the very intriguing “One of 100” project, Sabian management talked about the struggling economy and how the company was prepared to tough it out. Founder Robert Zildjian even put in an appearance, acknowledging the layoffs that we reported on last month and finding for his company something of a silver lining in the current cash crunch: Sabian is set to survive the economic downturn, but many smaller cymbal manufacturers probably won’t.

    While that Darwinian attrition may be good news for established businesses, it doesn’t exactly leave me with the warm fuzzies. I like that there are (or at least that there were) opportunities for new and creative cymbal companies to put interesting or less expensive products on the market. I like choice. I like options. And I definitely like that the little guys can bust out with big innovations.

    But what do you think? Are there too many little companies causing “confusion in the cymbal market,” as Robert Zildjian implied, or are there not enough options out there for you? Do you play one of the big four—Zildjian, Sabian, Paiste, Meinl? Or do you prefer one of the smaller brands?

  • Cindy Blackman Joins Istanbul Agop, Has New Signature Cymbals

    Cindy Blackman has joined forces with Istanbul Agop to create a new line of signature cymbals called the OM series. The cymbal line will be unveiled at this year’s NAMM show (stay tuned for our pics!) and will include a 20″ ride, three crashes (16″, 18″, and 20″), and a pair of 15″ hi-hats. From the press release:

    The Cindy Blackman OM series was designed in conjunction with Cindy to capture the vibier, more dynamic cymbal sounds from the golden era of jazz. The 22″ ride has a clear, slightly metallic stick due to the unique blue/black finishing and intense hammering, and features a dry, trashy crash sound. The 15″ hi-hats are low, dark and sloshy, with a clear chick and a dark and mellow wash. Crashes are paper thin, with an explosive attack and a quick decay. The 20″ makes a dynamic, yet powerful and versatile left side or crash/ride.

    [via Drummer Cafe]

  • TRX Unveils Big-Ass BRT Series Cymbals

    Got a need to whack some seriously large cymbals? TRX has some new metal for you.

    [Press Release]

    In response to requests from hardcore and progressive drummers for larger, more powerful cymbals, the TRX Cymbal Company has announced that it is expanding its popular BRT series to include a 24″ ride, 21″ and 22″ crashes, and 15″ hi-hats.

    “In the past, the biggest crash cymbals were 20″ and only the most aggressive players were using them,” comments TRX spokesperson David Levine. “We recently began noticing that more and more drummers were playing the bigger sizes and some were even using 21″ and 22″ ride cymbals as crashes. But ride cymbals aren’t designed to be crash cymbals. It’s just not the right sound. So, we developed these larger crashes and matched them with a bigger ride and hi-hats to meet the needs of today’s hard rock players.”

    TRX’s BRT series cymbals are custom-crafted by master Turkish cymbalsmiths and feature heavier weights with extensive hand-hammering and a highly-polished surface. Available in a wide range of crash, splash, ride, hi-hat, and china models, the line is noted for its clarity, projection, and durability in high-volume playing situations.

    “We don’t want anybody getting hurt by the massive sound and extreme power of these big BRTs, though,” Levine adds. “We’re warning players to use them carefully. With great power comes great responsibility.”

  • Bill Zildjian Wins Lawsuit Against Sabian Cymbals

    Bill Zildjian, son of Sabian founder Robert Zildjian, filed a lawsuit against his family and the cymbal company back in April, claiming that as a shareholder he was owed dividends. At the time, there was some talk that Sabian would be required to “wind up, dissolve and liquidate the company and assets as a whole” if necessary to pay up. That thankfully hasn’t come to pass, but a judge did recently rule against Sabian and award Bill $517,575 for dividends owed plus another $2,500 for court costs. No word yet on whether Sabian will appeal the judgment…or if Bill was invited over for Christmas dinner.

    Update: Bill Zildjian was also awarded five percent interest on the outstanding dividend payments, which amounts to another $200,000. Sabian is definitely appealing the ruling. The lawsuit will likely drag deep into next year and get much uglier because Bill is alleging that “his father Robert misuses company funds for personal expenses and that his brother Andy actively undermines his position and influence on the business. He also claims his father has ignored established business regulations and protocols so as to maintain complete control of Sabian Ltd.”

  • New Soundcasters From Meinl

    Made from a B12 bronze alloy, the new line of Soundcaster Fusion cymbals from Meinl features two types of lathing to produce a sound described as “rich, full, and warm with enhanced wash and a relatively short sustain.”

    Available models and prices are below:

    • 10″ Splash: $204
    • 14″ Medium Hi-Hat: $570
    • 16″ Medium Crash: $370
    • 18″ Medium Crash: $440
    • 18″ China: $440
    • 20″ Medium Ride: $510
    • 20″ Powerful Ride: $510
    • 22″ Powerful Ride: $640

  • Evelyn Glennie Endorses Hammerax…

    And she was also inducted into the PAS hall of fame a few weeks ago, but we’re actually more jazzed about the endorsement. We first posted about Hammerax’s cymbals months ago, when the Whipcrash was unveiled, and were duly impressed with the company’s innovation and creativity. Dame Glennie apparently was too. She says:

    Life begins with sound and ends with sound. The sense of curiosity that percussionists have seems to be forever magnified and there’s no question that Hammerax has made it a commitment to stretch our imagination and curiosity beyond words. The range of products is fantastic with so many possibilities for their use in countless different musical contexts. I have no limits as to how I use these products—they are simply a great addition to my already expansive range of instruments.

  • Sabian’s APX “Show No Mercy” Tour

    In support of Sabian’s APX series of high-decibel cymbals, drummers Ray Luzier of Korn, Chris Pennie of Coheed and Cambria, and Seven Antonopoulos of Opiate for the Masses are going to hit the road for a mini-tour of the United States. The drummers will be demonstrating how the APX cymbals are designed to cut through hard rock and heavy metal music (i.e., you might be needing some ear plugs for this one). Scheduled stops include the following cities:

    • Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Austin, Texas – Nov. 8
    • Skip’s Music in Sacramento, Calif. – Nov. 9
    • Milano Music in Mesa, Ariz. – Nov. 10
    • Drum Pad in Palatine, Ill. – Nov. 11
    • Fork’s Drum Closet in Nashville, Tenn. – Nov. 12
    • Paradiddles in Spartanburg, S.C. – Nov. 13
    • Sam Ash in New York, N.Y. – Nov. 14

    For more info, be sure to check out the “Show No Mercy” tour page. It includes a handful of APX-related goodies.

  • Zildjian Rezo Crash Video

    Boston Drum Center has posted a little clip of a 17″ Zildjian Rezo in action. Fast-forward to the 0:12 mark.

  • Zildjian K Custom Dry Complex II Rides

    Man, Zildjian is seriously busting out with the new gear lately. First Pitch Blacks, then Rezos, and now Dry Complex II rides in the K Custom line. They were designed in consultation with jazz guru Bill Stewart and feature a wider bell design with a lower profile that helps to control metallic overtones, hence the “dry” in the cymbals’ moniker. Three sizes are available: 20″, 22″, and a big old 24″.

    Check out the promo vid, again not capable of being embedded, here.
    Sigh.

    [Update 2022: the promo vid is down of course, but we’ve embedded a demo vid from our fav cymbal-demo-channel, Memphis Drum Shop.]

  • Zildjian’s Pitch Black Promo Vid

    Today is the day that Zildjian officially unveils its Pitch Black line (even though pics and prices and actual purchasable product leaked weeks ago). The promo vid, irritatingly unembeddable, is available here on the Zildjian site and features Diecast drummer Dennis Pavia bashing the new cymbals.

    Surprisingly, they don’t seem completely horrible…but there ain’t no way we’re trading in our A Customs. Sound quality, after all, is still the new black.

    [Update 2022: the official promo video is no longer available, but there is a different version in French below as well as some other vid tidbits.]

  • Zildjian Rezo Crashes

    Not content to unveil only one much-talked-about line of cymbals (can you say Pitch Black?), Zildjian is showing off some sweet-looking new crashes called Rezos. They are part of the A Custom line and feature alternating bands of spiral and full lathing techniques in traditional and brilliant finishes. You can grab ’em up in six sizes: 15″, 16″, 17″, 18″, 19″, and 20″.

  • Paiste Black Alphas

    Well, we’ve devoted a considerable amount of bytes to Zildjian’s Pitch Black line, so now it’s Paiste’s turn. The Swiss cymbal maker’s Black Alphas were designed with input from Slipknot shredder Joey Jordison and are made from Paiste’s proprietary CuSn8 bronze, the same alloy that is used in the excellent 2002 line. The sound is described as “bright, crisp, energetic, powerful, and cutting.” Anyone tried them out yet?

  • Zildjian Pitch Black Cymbals in France

    An online music store in France is displaying pics, prices, and descriptions of Zildjian’s Pitch Black cymbals. They are essentially coated ZHTs, and it looks like they’ll be heavily marketed to the young, up-and-coming bashers among us. For pics, scroll past our very rough (and possibly inaccurate) translation of the French promo text. If there are any native French speakers out there, let us know in the comments if we blew it bad.

    Pitch Black: “Black is black”! Change your vision of cymbals! The Pitch Black series has a formidable and explosive Rock sound that approaches perfection! These cymbals were designed by and for heavy hitters who need a huge sound! Based on the manufacturing process of the 12% bronze formula that is already used in the ZHT series, the Pitch Black line has an additional tin element that reinforces the cymbals’ character. That in particular makes it possible to add weight and width to these cymbals, which gives a profile to the Black Pitch that is perfect for metal heads! These cymbals are guaranteed 100% Rock’n’roll, 100% brilliant, 100% as you love them! Zildjian worked for months to find a process that makes it possible to keep the black coating of your cymbals intact, even after years. Eight models of common Rock sizes are available. Once again, Zildjian is confirmed as being THE mark of innovative cymbals for discriminating musicians.