New Zildjians...

[Groovemeister]

Has anyone else been able to try out the new Zildjian K Custom Complex Rides designed in cahoots with Bill Stewart? I've trid both weights and I've got to say, they're pretty nice!

They sound like the drier older 'K's but with a dirtier wash. Pretty lovely if you ask me, but utterly specialist and will appeal to a very very niche market...

Also talked to Steve Smith about his new development with Zildjian on the Rides front. It's called the K Custom Hi Bell Ride. Looking forward to that one too!!!

MP

[Tom Hipskind]

Originally posted by mja61:
Something like the "Dry Light Ride" is okay, but it's almost "too" dry, and not available in 21" or 22" sizes.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Actually, it is; I have a 22" Dry Light ride that sounds great (though the bell is too low-pitched for me), and the somewhat different (just a touch washier and higher-pitched) but very similar Special Dry ride is a favorite of mine, which is a 21". That's the ride Steve Smith uses in his DVD.

It also sounds like the K Custom Medium ride might be for you. I have a 22" and it's my most-often-used ride by far! But, you've probably already checked it out?

-Tom

[Jan jansson]

Can?t wait to get my hands/sticks on the Stewart Cymbals!
His cymbals on the last Scofield cd is fantastic.

Janne
My drum page

[Klemme]

How can you intellectualy describe the sound of a symbal? I find it very difficult describing the sound of my symbals. when i go out an buy some new cymbals i mostly just hear if it is me, or it is not.

What is the procedure to analyze the sound of a cymbal?

[CLWarunki]

I'm sure they are nice, however for the same price you could get a real vintage K or constantinople that I think these rides are somewhat based on.

Then again, I am strictly a Sabian guy [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[mja61]

Tom -

Yeah, good catch on that one. I haven't checked them out in a while, but I tend to confuse the "Dry" (20" only) and the "Dry Light" (20" and 22") models. Actually, the Dry Light sounds meatier than the plain Dry from what I remember. I'll have to give the 22" Dry Light another look, but it would be nice if the bell were a little bigger. I've also been thinking about just a plain K Ride or K Heavy Ride. Seems everyone has forgotton about the good ol' K series lately!

I agree that the Custom Medium, Special Dry, and High Definition rides are all beautiful rides, but they seem to be more suited to music like the latest incarnation of Vital Info, as opposed to Karizma or Jing Chi. I keep thinking the Custom Medium would be perfect, but every time I play one, it just seems to lack a certain "something."

I prefer a 21" or 22" ride with a decent-sized bell. My current main ride is a 21" A Rock Ride that I bought about 15 years ago. It's a bit heavy and clangy for my taste these days, though I would never get rid of it. I'd like to get something with that kind of presence but with a more sophisticated sound.

As long as we're on the topic, I'll just mention that I've checked out the new Special Dry crashes a few times, and they sound terrific!!

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ September 30, 2004 11:57 PM: Message edited by: mja61 ]</font>

[mja61]

What's this about Steve Smith designing a ride with Zildjian??? Can't wait to hear that one!

I think they are missing one key cymbal in their catalog: a medium-heavy K ride with the "meat" of a K Custom, but without the "clanginess." One with some punch that you can still crash controllably. The A-Custom rides are the right profile and weight, but they lack the classic "K" sound.....something roughly like one of the Sabian HHX rides.

The Zildjian K Custom rides have a lot of nice sounds, and they're very crashable, but, unless you're playing "swing fusion" a-la Steve Smith, I find those rides to be too wimpy--bells are not clear and powerful enough, not enough cut and articulation from the bow, etc.

I thought the "High Definition Ride" might have been the key, but it lacks a certain punch. Something like the "Dry Light Ride" is okay, but it's almost "too" dry, and not available in 21" or 22" sizes.