wuhan chinas

bmeat

Senior Member
I was wondering how different a 16" and 18" china sounds?
 
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Are you located near any guitar centers? They have the wuhan chinas under a proprietary name "Agazarian" (spelling?). They are the wuhans with just a different stamp. And my local store always has a 16 and 18 in stock. So you could go in and hit them and listen.

I think the 18 sounds more like a china and prefer that one to the 16, but that is personal taste. I haven't found the wuhans to break that much easier. I've been horrible on cymbals for years and so far the wuhan has lasted me the past year.

You really should try to hear the cymbal. If you could take your current one in, you can set it up next to the wuhan on a kit at the store and play both to hear the difference.

I like them though. Great price for a very good sounding cymbal. There are definitely people that think those chinas sound as good as any. And man are they inexpensive.

good luck!
 
In my opinion , if this is going to be your only china, get at least the 16", preferably an 18".

A 14" is more a specialty sound; more of an over-sized splash effect.
 
The bigger the Wuhan, the better. Go 18" minimum. I play a 19", but wouldn't hesitate using a 20" or 22".

Personal opinion and experience, Wuhan last longer than any Zildjian China I've ever owned. The 19" K China was the best cymbal I've probably ever owned, but it developed a nasty crack. The 19" Wuhan keeps kicking.
 
Wuhans are usually thin, so they can break if you hit them too hard. But they are usually so loud and trashy that you don't have to. I have a 16" and 18" Stagg Traditional (which is a Wuhan in sheeps clothing). The 16 is good for fast accents, and the 18 has a nice swell. My next target is a 22", which unfortunately is not carried by the stores in my country.

When you're ready to choose, have the store bring out all the ones they have and choose the one you want. Wuhans (like most b20 cymbals) are notorious for inconsistency. There are no "bad" ones though, just those you like and those you dont.
 
I use a 14 and 22 wuhan chinas, chalk and cheese but love them both!
14 is very fast and bright, like breaking glass, great for accents and surprisingly loud for a small affect cym.
My 22" is a beast of a china, dark and complex great for big comedowns and wash riding and just fits my hardcase! Takes a stern beating too, that one and have gigged with them both for a year or so with no issues.
Had a 16" a while ago but not as suitable for my ear and style as the two above. For what its worth they are as good as any high end china on the market and a fraction of the cost (only my opinion).
 
would i be silly to buy it off amazon without inspecting it first? i dont have a guitarcenter or samash nearby where i can pick one

Because of the way they made, there are HUGE variations between each Wuhan china cymbal.

If you had 10 of the same sized all lined up, all 10 would sound different. I highly recommend NOT buying on one and testing them out in person.
 
As already suggested it would be a very wise move to go listen in the flesh because of the huge difference in sound.
I made the mistake of not hearing my 16" before i bought it off E-bay.
 
The off center hole is not unusual. No problem.

The "knife wounds" are not unheard of. If it affects your confidence in it, ask for a replacement. But if the sound is irresistable, keep and enjoy it. I kept my shallow wounded 16" Stagg Traditional because it sounded perfect. I figured if it breaks, its so ridiculously cheap I can just get another one.
 
I think Wuhan chinas sound pretty sweet. Well not sweet in that way, but I like them. They are not sweet at all. They are trashy, quick, great china sound in my opinion.

As to their durability, I can see how they might break relatively easily. They seem kinda thin and malleable. But for the price... what have got to lose??

I'll stand by my 18" Wuhan China. At least until I can afford to upgrade to Paiste :p

But that's only for my OCD. I love the Wuhan.
 
Those small chinas just seem so glassy to me. I like a deeper tone but it all comes down to personal preference. I have a 19" Sabian prototype cymbal which is very close to the paragon line, which is a favorite among a bunch of users here.
 
i mean the 16" is more expensive than the 14" for a reason right?

Dude - have you not noticed that in all cases - bigger cymbals within the same range as smaller ones are more expensive. More bronze, more work to make, more shipping costs (etc...). It's more expensive because it's a bigger cymbal.

Also - be careful banging your cymbals with rubber mallets to alter them with some considered experience. You can dramatically alter the sound of a cymbal by changing its shape in any way.
 
im actually liking the more musical sound of the zbt. why do people hate on the zbt china so much? to me it sounds similiar to the zildjian a or k "high" china.

Is this based on youtube clips, or actual personal experience?
 
scratch that. anyone know if the wuhan crashes/hi-hats/ride are better than the zbtz?

i heard my friends B8 ride yesterday, and although it looked like a much older model, my zbt ride sounds SO much nicer than it.

im wondering if the wuhan cymbals sound nice. thinking about trading in my zbts for them. wish i knew they had a "traditional" 3 pack before i bought my cymbals

I haven't heard the wuhan cymbals besides the china. But I've heard my bud's old zbt's. They were dreadful.. more so than the Sabian B8's I started out with in my opinion. I've heard good thing's about the wuhan's sound, but not to their durability.
 
just the chinas, or also the crashes/ride/hats?

Oh. Well I love my Wuhan china it's just that I've heard negative things about their durability. Mine's still going strong though! In regards to their crashes, hi hats and ride I have no idea.
 
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