Ride Cymbals - What do YOU use?

Taste in cymbals is a personal thing, but I have had the hardest time finding a ride to 'love' in the last 12 months. Years ago (maybe 20) I used use a 20" Sabian HH Medium Heavy, and I loved it. But then I joined a loud heavy rock band, and it just didn't cut it anymore. So then I switched to a Sabian 20" AA Heavy Ride. I used that ride up until a year ago. But after all those years, it was just sounding annoying to me, and didn't have enough complex harmonics for my ear, nor did it have enough 'stick' sound (too washy).

I sold it and bought a Sabian 21" HHX Dry. I enjoyed that cymbal for about 4 months, but it turned out to be too 'clangy' for my taste. Next I ordered a Sabian 21" AAX Stage ride, and when it arrived, I played it for all of 15 seconds before packing it up and sending it back (way too washy). I've now been playing a Sabian 20" HHX Stage ride, and I like it a lot, but it's still not 'the one'.

I tried Sabian's new Artisan cymbals, and although they were great sounding, they seem better suited for quiet to moderate volume gigs. Not as useful to me as they would need to be for that price.

I now have on order a Sabian 20" HH Medium Heavy (going full circle). It should be here tomorrow, and I hope this will keep me happy for years to come...but we'll see.

What ride cymbal do you use? Do you love it? Why is it so hard to find 22" rides anymore? The only ones you see are as thick as man-hole covers (aside from the thinner 'jazz' rides like Artisans and K-Constantinoples). How did 20" become the standard diameter for most rides?

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 28, 2005 09:30 PM: Message edited by: drumming sort of person ]</font>

21" K Heavy ride, love it.
Also have a 22" K Custom.

21" K Custom Specil Dry Ride-amazing in any situation.

22" K Custom Medium Ride is very nice- for those louder situations rock, big band...

I also use a 20" K Ride w/ 2 rivets-nice imo

check out the 21" though-very nice cymbal.

20" Zildjian Ping, nice articulation
20" Sabian Evolution Ride nice articulation, spread and crash.

I don't have any first hand experience with Zildjian's K Customs..... I need to remedy that pronto!

20" K Custom Special Dry - when you HAVE TO cut through. It's like a modern day Earth Ride

20" A Medium about 30 years old - Great washy jazz ride

20" A Ping - good all around other than light jazz

22" K Custom Medium - my GO TO ride for pretty much anything.

20 K custom dry light ride
20 Istanbul Agop signature ride.
20 K Custom dry
18 K custom
20 K Jazz ride
20 602 jazz ride.

Not all at the same time [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Want to get: 20 A custom projection ride ( ala Carter Beauford to replace my 20 K Custom dry which I'm bored of),
20 JoJo Mayer fierce ride.
Want to try: 20 Sabian Evolution ride.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 29, 2005 06:39 AM: Message edited by: Rudy_Ment ]</font>

20" K Jazz Ride

22" Paiste Sound Creation "Dark Ride"

22" K-Istanbul

20" Paiste 602 Flat-Ride with 2 rivets.

19" Istanbul Mel Lewis Ride.

I use a Sabian 21" Raw bell dry ride, 20" AAX metal ride, 22" Manhattan ride, 20" HH medium ride and a 20" HH heavy ride. Now I want the new Sabian Artisan ride and a flat ride maybe with rivets.

Not all at once but sometimes two [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Sabian HHX Manhattan Ride 20 (on my left), Sabian AA Raw Ride 20 (on my right).

You can listen me playing both here (video):

http://site238.webhost4life.com/alexsanguine/Jam2.wmv


Best regards from Munich,
Alex Sanguinetti

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 29, 2005 04:15 PM: Message edited by: Alex Sanguinetti ]</font>

I still use the 20" A medium ride that my Dad bought me in 1981. It is a killer cymbal that has survived all kinds of abuse. I don't think I have ever actually cleaned it either. [img]wink.gif[/img]

Paiste 21 New Signature Dark Energy Mark I.
Paiste 20 Signature Dark Dry.
Paiste 20 Flanger Ride.
Paiste 20 Traditional Med. Light.
Paiste 22 Traditional Extra Light.
Paiste 20 Traditional Light Flat Ride.
Paiste 20 New Signature Dark Dry Mark I (arriving soon, I hope!)

Hey Rudy, when I recive my new cymbal I'll have more rides than you!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

....Did I mentioned that I love Paiste [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

I use a 20" A Custom Ping ride which works great in all the music I play, with the exception of small jazz combo gigs. I've borrowed a 20" K Constantinople Medium ride that IMO is perfect, but too d@mn expensive (and i could get one at a deal for about $400!).

The A Custom Ping cuts great, has a nice bell, but has an interesting character. I've used it with VF SD4 combos and VF 5Bs.

-Scott

[/QUOTE]Haha pedro, but if anyone deserves to have lots and lots of cymbals it's you, because you can certainly play man!
[img]cool.gif[/img] [/QB][/QUOTE]

Thank you Rudy!!, I'm sure that you deserve more cymbals than you have [img]biggrin.gif[/img] .

I also want to use this space to give a big thank you to Paiste, who has given me unconditional support for more than 5 years and has given me the opportunity to play some of the most beautiful cymbals ever made...........ups!!!.... did I sounded like a sales man!!!
[img]redface.gif[/img]

I use a 20" K Custom Dry Light ride currently. Great all around cymbal.
I've also use a 20" K Custom Dry as well.

Paiste 602 21" heavy ride. A great all around cymbal. I believe this was the same type that Jeff used and can be seen on his instructional video.
CB

ZBT all the way!!

THis is the most versitile ride EVER!

(sounds CRAPPY in EVERY situation!!!)

But as a soundman said to me once, if you are having fun, any cymbal is a good cymbal... so i dont need a good cymbal yet. I am still a student so I will get a good one when I need it.
Besides, it doesnt make sense for me to get one especialy, if i dont have anywhere i can test it out either.

Looking at these lately.
HHX Manhattan jazz.
HH jazz
HH raw bell dry ride
K Ride
K Cystom　special dry ride
K custom dry ride
K custom dark ride

But probably will go with Istanbuls. Either the SUltan, TUrk or Mel Lewis rides. In a heavier jazz weight. Ill probably wait until going to NY to get any though.

By the way, I was in Japan in later may, and saw that they have a new signature cymbal for Zildjian. Its called the K custom Hybrid Ride and it is by Akira Jimbo. Its one of those cymbals that has a raw circle around the bell. The ads say its like a K outside with a K custom inside. It sounded pretty good and I wanted it, but didnt have the money. By the way this is like an only japan cymbal for now... which is pretty WTF... but whatevers.

Judging by the responses, it looks like the K Custom variety is the most popular. I should have my HH Medium Heavy tonight. I'll report back once I play it.

Ooops...double post. This hostboard site is pretty clunky sometimes....

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 29, 2005 04:26 PM: Message edited by: drumming sort of person ]</font>

K Custom 20" is my preferred ride.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 29, 2005 04:40 PM: Message edited by: Avi_drums ]</font>

sounds like you need to switch to zildjians! [img]wink.gif[/img]

i recently got a 21" A - sweet ride. haven't had a chance to really open her up yet, but like what i've heard so far.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Da Chuch:
sounds like you need to switch to zildjians!

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The first cymbals I ever bought were Zildjians, but when Sabian came on the scene, I started buying them, because they were essentially the same cymbal, and they were much cheaper in Canada. I still think that Sabian's hand hammered stuff is pretty amazing for the price. But I've definitely neglected Zildjian for a long time, and the difference in price is now negligible (especially now that I live in the U.S.)

20" K Heavy ride

Not real happy with it. Want more of a bright sound. Willing to sell or trade.

Related topic: How reliable is the sound from recordings, especially older stuff from the 70's regarding ride cymbal sound?

20 class series ufip ride
20 natural series ufip ride
21 sabian jojo mayer fierce ride

I don't think any of these would be very good for the type of music you are playing. You might want to check out the Sabian aa studio ride.

I have a Jack DeJohnette 20" min i-bell ride that records really well and sounds amazing for jazz. Lots of engineers and producers have sniffed round it asking what it is - It looks odd too!! I'd never swap it.

[img]biggrin.gif[/img]

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Dazzler:
I have a Jack DeJohnette 20" mini-bell ride that records really well and sounds amazing for jazz.

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Is that really dry, or does it have some wash too?

Boshorus 20" Traditional Sizzle Ride with Rivets removed.
Sabian 20" HH Manhattan (love this one!)
Zildjian 20" K Custom Ride
Zildjian 18" K Custon Flat Ride w/ 3 Rivets
Sabian Andre Ceccarelli 21" Signature Ride
Sabian Carl Allen Signature ride w/ all rivets in
Zildjian 60's K (Istanbul) 18" Ride
Zildjian 60's A 21" Ride
Zildjian ReMix 18" Ride
Sabian 21" AA Dry Ride
Sabian 21" JoJo Mayer Fierce Ride

I might be forgetting some but that is about it. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

im cymbal poor compared to you guys,

Only had a ride which aint even worth mentioning. And then also now i use the Sabian AA El Sabor 20" Ride

all i can i say is that it is great for crashing and has an amazing bell sound!

Looking to get k custom dry light 20", k custom med 20" and k custom ride 20"

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Pedro G:
Paiste 21 New Signature Dark Energy Mark I.
Paiste 20 Signature Dark Dry.
Paiste 20 Flanger Ride.
Paiste 20 Traditional Med. Light.
Paiste 22 Traditional Extra Light.
Paiste 20 Traditional Light Flat Ride.
Paiste 20 New Signature Dark Dry Mark I (arriving soon, I hope!)

Hey Rudy, when I recive my new cymbal I'll have more rides than you!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

....Did I mentioned that I love Paiste [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Haha pedro, but if anyone deserves to have lots and lots of cymbals it's you, because you can certainly play man!
[img]cool.gif[/img]

20" A custom medium- kind of airy with a little meat to it. Perfect for r&b, especially ballads.

22" K custom medium- my go to ride for everything.

22" K custom dry light ride- jazz ride

I want to get the 21" K dry ride and the 20" K session ride.

22" KCon Medium
22" K Custom Dry Complex Ride
22" A Swish Knocker (with 6 instead of 20 rivets)
21" Paiste Dark Energy Mark 1 Ride (For sale or trade)
20" Istanbul Agop Signature Ride
20" Istanbul Agop Mel Lewis "1982" Ride (for sale or trade)
18" Canadian K Ride/Crash Medium

20" Zildjian A ping w/ rivets.

Mainly a 22" Zildjian K med. Custom....took a while to get used to the stick response which is slow compared to the ping

Quote:

---

Is that really dry, or does it have some wash too?

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">DSOP - It's not really dry and has a nice, controlled wash. I love it coz it's really distinctive and totally unlike any cymbal I've heard or played. It's also fairly thin and will wobble when you play it! Check one out if you can.

20" K Custom--early 90's--my main ride
20" Sabian Jack Dejohnnette Series 1--got it for 70 bucks and it is real cool.
20" Sabian Duo HH--a bit light, but nice
22" Sabian HH Crystal Flat ride--saw Roy Haynes in NYC, then went to Manny's. For some reason I didn't sound like Roy when I played it. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]
20" K Custom Dark--"New!"-a nice recording ride for rock--not too pingy--good spread---nice open bell sound

I'll throw down....I have a pile of 'em, but lately I've been using mainly (this is for Jazz mind you);

20" Istanbul K
22" K Custom High Def.
20" K Custom Left Side (on the right side, with one of the 3 rivets removed [img]smile.gif[/img]
18" Istanbul K
18" Stagg (yep) Black Metal series, sounds like a nasty old K for about $63
18" Paiste Sound Creation or 602 flat ride with or without a sizzle chain ( i fell in love with this sound after "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs" )

Thats it...For more back-beaty stuff, which I hardly ever play anymore, I favor a First American K Custom I've had for years, or a Paiste Sig. Dry Dark 20".

I got my Sabian HH 20" Medium Heavy ride today. I'll play it on a gig next week and report back. First impression is that it isn't as 'dark' sounding as most hand hammered rides, and it is heavier than my HHX Stage ride. I think it's going to be a good one, but we shall see....

20" K Custom for all-around.
20" A Mini-cup (circa 1978) as 2nd ride for Jazz (sometimes w/sizzler).
also have and occasionally will use;
20" K Heavy Ride (bell a bit too clangy).
22" K Heavy Ride (old one; pre Sabian Canadian K).
20" A Ping Ride.

Just my opinion on 22"; they can get out of control on you unless you have that special magic touch (which I don't and that's why I prefer 20").

(LOL @GoMan about ZBT!)

I use a 20" Sabian HH Duo Ride.
I actually have gotten used to having those two slightly different feels and sounds in one cymbal. I love it,- I think my next Ride need to have just a bit more ping (not to be pingy!!) to it.

A 22" Zildjian with an extra large bell I bought at Arnold & Morgan in 1978. Thought I had found a replacement with a 22" Sabian that shimmered when I played it, bitchin' jazz ride, the metal seemed to bend when I had a pattern going. I sold the Sabian and kept the Zildjian, it sounds like a hammer on an anvil when you play the bell and at eight o'clock that round hunka brass sings.

It was gold when I bought it 27 years ago but it's mud-colored now. I dare not wash it. Gadd said when cymbals get dirty they 'take on a whole personality of their own.'

Side note: Ever notice how cymbals absorb cigarette smoke? My cymbals stink when I get them back home from a gig.

20" K Custom Flat Top Ride, which I am in love with