Cymbals to compliment Catalina Maple?

drumgod007

Junior Member
Guys,

Getting ready to pull the trigger and buy a Gretsch Catalina maple 7 piece kit. Im debating on what cymbals to put with the kit. Im looking for higher end, so i dont mind spending 900+.

Im looking for a cymbal pack, just because its easier.. I need recommendations on what cymbal pack would fit well with the Catalina maple. Im looking for a bright, light, sweet sound.

I want AT LEAST High hat x1, crash x2, and a ride cymbal.

This is what im considering right now in order of preference:

1. Sabian HHX Evolution Pack - Love the Hats here. Thats what is selling me so far.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drum...tion-pack-with-free-hhx-evolution-ozone-crash

2. Zildjian K hybrid
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drums-percussion/zildjian-k-custom-hybrid-box-set

3. Zildjian Avedis (A classic)- Just found out about these an hour ago and like them very much.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drums-percussion/zildjian-a-classic-cymbal-pack

Please advise!!
 
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If you're looking for bright, the Zildjian A series will do the trick better than your other choices. You also may want to looking into a Zildjian A Custom pack. Personally though, I would buy individual cymbals before I would ever consider a pack. What if you don't like one or two particular cymbals in the pack you purchase? Buying individually, you have the advantage in making sure that you're satisfied with ALL your cymbals.

PS: this thread should be in the cymbal section, not the drum section.
 
I don't think there's any complement/don't complement involved. Not when it comes to Catalina Maples and a cymbal set. Go out and find the cymbals you like. Play every set of hats and ride you can, then make a decision what sound you like. When I buy cymbals, I start with the hats and ride. I make sure they compliment each other. Then I add crashes, splashes, etc. I have 4 sets of cymbals, and seven kits. And all the cymbal sets will work with all the kits. What I don't do. is mix some cymbals from one set, with another.​
Personally, I'm not a big fan of cymbal packs. I like to decide what cymbals go together, and not let the manufacture do that for me.​
 
Maybe some one can tell me what cymbals they currently use on their Catalina maple kit that they have been happy with.

Just looking for other opinions to finalize my decision. I think i'd be happy with either of the 3 choices ive narrowed it down to.

Correct me if im wrong, but i though a positive to buying a cymbal pack is the cymbals have been 'sonically matched' by the manufacturer. Saving me a little time and effort and making sure they 'fit' as a set.
 
I would think you would want to match the cymbals to the music you play more than the kit too. I have 2 catalinas and play them with all manner of cymbals. A's, X20's, AAX, even B8s and never thought about your question.

What do you play?
 
There are no cymbals that go or don't go with any particular drums. There are, however, cymbal sounds you will like and not like. A box set is a unique opportunity to buy both of these kind of sounds at one fell swoop.

For example, I love the HHX Evolution hats and crashes, but the ride is too washy and the bell is too weak for me. Ditto with the K Hybrids. In the A Classic pack, I wouldn't care for the Fast Crashes or the Sweet Ride.

The money you save isn't going to be worth the hassle of trying to get rid of cymbals you don't want. You can put new heads on drums; you can tune them differently; you can (saints preserve us) muffle them. But a cymbal will not sound different unless you crack or break it -- it's going to sound just like it always does.

You state you think the hi-hats are the most important cymbals in your set. Great. Go shopping for them first. I bet some A New Beats, or something similar, will be a good start for you to look at. (The HHX Evolutions and the K Hybrids are also very nice hats.) Then pick out a good ride that has the exact characteristics you want. Then pick your crashes. I honestly guarantee you, you will be happier in the long run.

The "sonically matched" stuff is marketing hype, and to some extent, cymbals from the same line will sound complementary. But a cymbal doesn't have to be from the same line as another cymbal to them to sound good together. The only thing a box set really does is make it easier to shop, and if that's your only criteria for picking out cymbals, you need to stop and do a little more homework. At the prices we're talking about, this is a major investment. You wouldn't buy a car or a major appliance similarly, so don't do it with cymbals. Please. I beg of you.
 
I don't think you have to worry about cymbals complimenting your kit.

However, I cannot recommend HHX Evolutions enough. They are second-to-none modern sounding cymbals. The 18" crash, 14" hats, and 20" ride are some of my favorite cymbals ever. Try them out sometime. You could also try out the new Formula 602 Modern Essentials from Paste.

Al, you must like really strong bells if you thought the Evolution was weak in that area. I thought mine had a very impressive bell for a cymbal that light & washy.
 
So your saying its not recommended to mix Zildjian and Sabain cymbals together on the same drum kit?

He meant that he has 4 sets of cymbals (presumably each with a different overall sound) and wouldn't mix them together.

Mixing brands is as valid a tactic as any other cymbal selection. Some people get annoyed by the differing logos, but there's no law against mixing cymbal brands. I have Saluda, Sabian, and Zildjian cymbals on my set. My ideal setup right now also has Meinl and Amedia in it. It all is just what sound you prefer.
 
Thats exactly what i was thinking too. Just wasnt sure. Personally if it sounds good - i'd put in on my set. Who cares what brand it is..
 
There are no cymbals that go or don't go with any particular drums. There are, however, cymbal sounds you will like and not like.

This^^^

You're approaching this from the wrong angle mate.

I use the same cymbals on my Cats that I've used on every other kit that I've owned or played on over the years. Simply put, drums don't get paired with cymbals........cymbals get paired to your taste.
 
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So your saying its not recommended to mix Zildjian and Sabain cymbals together on the same drum kit?
Not at all. I used to mix brands all the time. But I'm at a place now, where my cymbal sets are pretty specific, to exactly what I want. If mixing brands gets me where I need to get, I'll do that. But more, I mix series .... rather than brands.​
Example .... one set consists of an 18" Zildjian Breakbeat ride, 10" Special Recording hats, two 14" A Custom crashes .... and a 17" A Custom crash. Works out they're all Zildjian, but they don't necessarily have to be. But they're exactly what I want, as a set, and you'll probably never find another collection just like it.​
Besides the Zildjians, I have a Paiste set, an Istanbul set, and a mixed set of Soultone, Masterwork, and Buzin. With the Istanbul cymbals, they're kinda like Zildjian/Sabian. In that they had a family split. Agop/Mehmet. And then you have pre split and post split cymbals out there. And I have all three types. They co-exist fine.​
 
If you want the A pack - better grab 'em now. They're not listed on the Zildjian site anymore:

http://zildjian.com/Products/Drumset-Cymbals/Cast-Bronze-Cymbals/A-Zildjian-Series

Also, when I got the pack with those cymbals, I'm pretty sure it was being called the Sweet Pack, because of the Sweet Ride. The Classic Pack came with a 20" A Medium Ride.

The only A pack listed there now is the Inspiration Pack, which has an interesting mix of cymbals.

EDIT: also, in your first post links #2 and 3 point to the same K Custom Hybrid Pack.


.
 
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Al, you must like really strong bells if you thought the Evolution was weak in that area. I thought mine had a very impressive bell for a cymbal that light & washy.

The one I had simply didn't cut through the mix at all. I typically play with in-ear monitors and at first I thought I simply didn't have an overhead turned on. But no, that bell really wasn't projecting. Perhaps it was a dud. I do like a good strong bell, but nothing so piercing as an AA RBDR or anything.

To answer the OP's question about mixing and matching brands: If the cymbals sound good together, there is no issue. But I must reiterate, because maybe you're missing this all the times it's being said: It all winds down to what sounds good, and sounds good together. And the best way to determine that, is to listen.

When I was a young pup, and I didn't have a car, and there were no music stores to speak of within thirty-five miles, I mail-ordered a set of Zildjian crashes based on the models that I had heard in person, and based on what my at-the-time favorite drummer, Neil Peart, played. That meant I got 16" and 18" A Zildjian crashes. In a few years, I heard Dave Weckl and I was blown away by his ride sound, and ended up with a 20" K Custom. Different lines, but they sound great together. (Now I have a set of 13" K/Z hi-hats, pretty much nailing the sound I heard on those late 80's and early 90's records.)

So may I recommend you look at your favorite drummers, and their cymbal setups and sounds, and start making some educated guesses that direction?
 
There are no 'rules' as such just personal preference. Buy quality cymbals of your choice, whatever you like the sound of, they will go with your kit.
 
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