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Percussion instruments will be reviewed in this section, including drums, cymbals, and similar items.

Zildjian 18″ K Custom Session Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

As part of a limited series releases, Zildjian recently began offering this K Custom Session Crash, which was designed per Steve Gadd's sound preferences. He personally signed a number of them at the factory. The 18" A. Zildjian & CIE Vintage Crash is also one of the limited edition releases, and is reviewed in the Percussion Reviews pages.

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Zildjian 18″ A. Zildjian & CIE Vintage Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Nostalgia is something that we all feel now and then, including drummers. Zildjian recently released several models that reflect their cymbals of decades past. This one is an 18" A. Zildjian & CIE Vintage Crash. It has less of a copper color than some of the more modern cymbals, and the sound does remind me of my college drumming days in the 1960's. I don't think Zildjian plans to keep making these for very long, so if you like vintage sound, get one while they last, because they sound great.

Cymbals

Zildjian 18″ A Custom Fast Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

There are so many lines of cymbals manufactured by most cymbal companies, it is difficult to imagine what they sound like from their name. If someone asked you what is the difference in sound between an 18" thin crash and an 18" fast crash, would you know the answer? I wouldn't. That's the sort of thing we will be working out here at Percussion Reviews. The current article is a review of the 18" A Custom Fast Crash from Zildjian.

Cymbals

Zildjian 18″ A Custom China Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Zildjian first released a China cymbal back in the 1950's in collaboration with Gene Krupa, calling it a Pang cymbal (the collaboration also resulted in the Swish, which is like a Pang, only higher pitched and with more wash). The China went out of production for a while, then came back. Not only does the China cymbal continue to be manufactured today, but in numerous styles. This Zildjian 18" A Custom China Crash looks similar to the original ones, except that it is in a brilliant finish. The sound remains classic though.

Cymbals

Zildjian 18″ A Custom ReZo Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

In my opinion, the A Custom ReZo is one of the best models that Zildjian has ever designed. They have a very distinctive sound because they are thick near the bell and thin near the outer edge, but also because of alternating regions of heavy and fine lathing. Here, we review the 18" A Custom ReZo Crash Cymbal, which turns out to be my favorite of all the ReZo crashes we have reviewed (19" and 20"). It has a beautiful high pitched bell-like ring to it that cuts like a razor.

Cymbals

Zildjian 18″ A Custom EFX Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

It used to be that about the only special effects cymbal available was the China. All that changed in the past few years when lasers acquired the capability of cutting holes in metal. Recently, there has been an explosion of cymbals with several shapes of holes as well as the number of holes. In a few cases, it almost looks like there is more hole than cymbal. The Zildjian A Custom EFX has its own personality, and it is very agreeable. I suppose "trashy" is appropriate, but that word is used with a lot of cymbals that don't have holes in them, nor are they classified as special effects cymbals. You just have to listen for yourself. This one is 18" in diameter and thin in weight.

Cymbals

Matt Nolan 22″ Bronze Heavy Ride Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Well, sooner or later, I figured I would get around to purchasing one of the cymbals forged by specialty cymbal smiths who make them by hand, one at a time. Matt Nolan, of the UK, is a very well known and respected cymbal smith, and I have been browsing various websites to find one of his cymbals that I would like to have. So, I chanced upon this beauty, which is a 22" heavy bronze ride cymbal, weighing 3583 grams (7.9 pounds). I purchased it for $500.

Cymbals

Sabian 18″ HH Hand Hammered Medium Thin Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Sabian's HH series represents vintage sound, meaning dark, with lots of deep undertones. Cymbals in general - except those from Turkey - are machine hammered these days for a number of reasons. One is that the demand for cymbals is high enough that hand hammering every cymbal would just not produce enough product, unless the factory had 100 cymbal smiths hammering away every day. Secondly, machine hammering produces consistency in the sound for any particular model, so if a drummer breaks a cymbal, he can be reasonably sure that the replacement will sound pretty close to the one he broke. Nonetheless, there is a demand for hand hammered cymbals, because the cymbal smith can fine tune the sound and make it unique, and essentially, one of a kind. This review covers the 18" HH Hand Hammered Medium Thin Crash.

Cymbals

Sabian 19″ HHX X-Plosion Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Sabian's classifies their HHX series as "Modern Dark . . . drier, dirtier, funkier". The word "Dark" translates to lots of low frequency undertones, and I think, after having analyzed quite a few cymbals, "dirtier" means more midrange wash . . . more "SHHHHH" to the sound. One of the models is the HHX X-Plosion Crash, and that means it plays loud and is meant to be hit hard. The 19" version reviewed here delivers.

Cymbals

Sabian 18″ Vault V-Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Sabian's Vault series, from their description, represents cymbals that came about through experimentation. Some work out, and others get tossed back into the melting pot. The present review is on the 18" Vault V-Crash. It has an intense bright sound that will cut through guitar amp stacks. It also rides well and has an excellent bell sound.

Cymbals

Sabian 18″ HHX Legacy Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Sabian's HH line represents the dark side of the force, and the HHX are classified as "Modern Dark", with the Evolutions being a specific set of crashes, splashes, high hats, and rides that have special dynamics that make them easy to play. Another variation on the HHX is the HHX Legacy, and the 18" HHX Legacy Crash is reviewed here. It is darker than the 18" HHX Evolution Crash. The HHX series only comes in several diameters, not specified weights, and a Sabian distributor told me that they vary in weight depending on the particular style (Evolution, Legacy, X-Plosion, Studio, etc.)

Cymbals

Sabian 18″ HHX Evolution Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Sabian's HH line represents the dark side of the force, and the HHX are classified as "Modern Dark", with the Evolutions being a specific set of crashs, splashes, high hats, and rides that have special dynamics that make them easy to play. They only come in several diameters, not specified weights, and a Sabian distributor told me that they vary in weight depending on the particular style (Evolution, Legacy, X-Plosion, Studio, etc.) The 18" HHX Evolution Crash is reviewed here.

Cymbals

Sabian 18″ HH Thin Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

If you have a medium crash, and likely you do, there is always the decision whether to get a medium thin, or a thin crash to go with it. We have reviewed several medium crashes, and this review covers an 18" thin crash in Sabian's HH line. The sound is a bit dark, which thin cymbals tend to be, and it is a bright punchy crash, with short sustain.

Cymbals

Sabian 18″ B8 Pro Medium Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Sabian's B8 line has been upgraded with new hammering and lathing techniques, and are available as the B8 Pro. This particular one is the 18" medium crash cymbal. The sound has incredible punch, with a bright, bell ringing tonality with moderate sustain. The B8 Pro's are inexpensive, but don't let that fact, or that they are made from sheet metal stock, fool you. The B8 Pro's could have a spot in your kit. They crash loud and hard, making them ideal for conventional or metal rock use.

Cymbals