Can someone explain Zildjian Z custom ride cymbal???

INFails

I just got one of these for $90 used at a Guitar Center. I understand the new ones are a lot more $$ but what makes them better than the no name brand one they had that was $99 new?

To my ear the new one sounded brighter and it had a pleasant sound, and initially I didn't think much of the dark sound of the Zildjian, but when I felt how much heavier the Z was and how long it's sustain was I decided to trust the advise of the GC guy over my 3 weeks of drum experience and I got the Zildjian.

Now that I have it home I love it. It has such complex over tones and it sounds completely different depending on where it is struck.

What makes one cymbal cost so much more than another? Is it the metal? Is it the way they are made?

kuniggety · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 3:34 pm Post subject:

Both of those and brand name. A company with a big name like Zildjian can charge more for something and people will pay it. It is deserved though because when people get a cymbal from a big name company, they know they're getting quality.
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INFails · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 3:54 pm Post subject:

kuniggety · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:22 pm Post subject:

It's all about sales... supply and demand. Is a K Custom any better than an A Custom? No, but the K Customs cost more and that is just supply and demand. They offer a different sound, in this case darker, and people tend to pay more for darker cymbals.

You should look at the websites of Zildjian, Sabian, and Paiste and even some of the other guys such as Saluda as they give descriptions of the cymbals and how they sound, letting you see how various cymbal making techniques effect the sound. Brighter cymbals tend to be highly polished whereas darker cymbals have more raw finishes and tend to have some hammering to them, giving them a more complex sound. Pressing gives a more focused sound compared to cast which gives a more dynamic range - tending to give a darker sound too.
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INFails · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:26 pm Post subject:

kuniggety · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:18 pm Post subject:

Read the descriptions and not just listen to the sound files. I think the best website for this is Saluda's... they list the techniques used for the finishes and the hammering techniques. The mixture, b8 b12 b15 or b20 does make a big difference in the sound. b8 will be the brightest out of the bunch but it does not have the dynamic range of b20, nor the durability. Almost all professional cymbals are made with b20, the notable exception being Paiste who uses b8 and b15 bronze in most of their cymbals. b12 bronze isn't very common.
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seeker1834 · Little Guppy Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 32

You should really just ignore price or brand when it comes to buying cymbals. I personally cant STAND the sound of B8 cymbals, but some people actually prefer them for punk sounds. B20 is generally considered the best, but like kuniggety said paiste does not use this, and they make amazing cymbals. But anyways, the main things that really determine price for a cymbal is thickness, size, type of metal used, and how it's made. Cymbals that take longer and are harder to make (like hand hammered cymbals) tend to cost more, but there are always exceptions, like Wuhan. Wink