Appetite For Destruction Ride Sound Help

Tony Marz

Member
I started playing in a proto-metal band, and my lovely A Zildjian 22" medium ride is not cutting through like I need it to.

I need a sound as close to Steven Adler's Ride sound in Appetite For Destruction as humanly possible.

Do I need an "unlathed" ride?

Do I need a Z Zildjian?

Would a RUDE ride work?

It's not necessary that I have THE EXACT ride as Steven had.

(Besides, there seems to be no consensus on what he used for that album anyways)

lol

I just need some "pointing in the right direction" type of advice.

Thanks in advance!
 
I think that the ride Adler used on AFP was a Zildjian A 21" Rock Ride

I base this on the timeline of the videos released as singles for AFP. "Welcome to the Jungle", he's playing Pearl Drums and Zildjian Cymbals. Same with "Sweet Child of Mine". By the release of "Paradise City" a year or so later, He's playing Tama Drums and Sabian Cymbals.

How accurate am I? I don't know, I could be off. I do remember at that time, the 21" rock ride was very popular, in both Zildjian and eventually Sabian versions. It might have been even on Buddy's kit at this time??? I know I will be corrected if this is not right.

If you find a Rock Ride, play it, and hopefully it will be the one.
 
I think that the ride Adler used on AFP was a Zildjian A 21" Rock Ride

I base this on the timeline of the videos released as singles for AFP. "Welcome to the Jungle", he's playing Pearl Drums and Zildjian Cymbals. Same with "Sweet Child of Mine". By the release of "Paradise City" a year or so later, He's playing Tama Drums and Sabian Cymbals.

How accurate am I? I don't know, I could be off. I do remember at that time, the 21" rock ride was very popular, in both Zildjian and eventually Sabian versions. It might have been even on Buddy's kit at this time??? I know I will be corrected if this is not right.

If you find a Rock Ride, play it, and hopefully it will be the one.

I looked on the Zildjian site to hear that 21" rock ride you mentioned, and it was still too jazzy, without that strong "ping" I need.

I think so far, the only one on the site that came close to what I'm looking for was the 21" A Mega Bell Ride for $309.
 
I looked on the Zildjian site to hear that 21" rock ride you mentioned, and it was still too jazzy, without that strong "ping" I need.

The rock ride is really similar to the ping ride, I wouldn't say they're jazzy at all both are fairly heavy :)

Remember the album was recorded with either an A Zildjian or AA Sabian and then the producers worked their magic.

Try and get an old Zildjian earth ride that's about as heavy and unlathed as you'll find. A Paiste 2002 heavy ride would work, I have a 22" of these it's clean and cuts.

Whatever you get don't sell the 22 A medium. That's a daddy ride! If you're cymbals aren't cutting through here's a mad idea tell your band to turn down!
 
The rock ride is really similar to the ping ride, I wouldn't say they're jazzy at all both are fairly heavy :)

Remember the album was recorded with either an A Zildjian or AA Sabian and then the producers worked their magic.

Try and get an old Zildjian earth ride that's about as heavy and unlathed as you'll find. A Paiste 2002 heavy ride would work, I have a 22" of these it's clean and cuts.

Whatever you get don't sell the 22 A medium. That's a daddy ride! If you're cymbals aren't cutting through here's a mad idea tell your band to turn down!

You're funny Mikyok

No I would never sell my 22" med Ride.
I've had her since I was 10 years old and I'm 41 now.
Never letting her go.
I also have a set of K hats from the same time.
Both cymbals came with my first ever kit (a 5 piece Gretsch Kit that I beat myself up for every day because I sold it!)
At least I kept the cymbals hardware and cases.
Man I was ignorant about gear when I was a teen.

Anyways, I'll start searching for that Earth Ride you mentioned.
I played one many moons ago, and didn't really like it, but I was looking for different sounds back then than I am now.
Thanks for the tip.
 
Anyways, I'll start searching for that Earth Ride you mentioned.
I played one many moons ago, and didn't really like it, but I was looking for different sounds back then than I am now.
Thanks for the tip.

I forgot to say Brilliant finish earth ride they cut more. I had an ordinary 22 earth ride and it was like playing a man hole cover.

I almost forgot, try the original Z rides. One trick ponies but the power rides go really cheap second hand.

I feel the pain with selling a kit you regret, mine was an original Tama Superstar in tobacco fade.
 
To my ear it sounds like a heavier cymbal, but still has a smoothness and a sweetness to it unlathed rides lack.

I think the A. Zildjian Rock Ride stands as good a chance as any to be what he used, but any similar Zildjian/Sabian heavy/rock ride should get you that sound.

I think the danger in trying to match the sound is only focusing on the ping that cuts through in the recordings and then listening to sound clips of a cymbal by itself. You're going to hear a lot more wash in a sound clip of a cymbal by itself that might sound wrong when compared to a full band recording but that wash is still there, it's just blending in.
 
I forgot to say Brilliant finish earth ride they cut more. I had an ordinary 22 earth ride and it was like playing a man hole cover.

I almost forgot, try the original Z rides. One trick ponies but the power rides go really cheap second hand.

I feel the pain with selling a kit you regret, mine was an original Tama Superstar in tobacco fade.

I think you hit the nail on the head with the Z power ride suggestion.
I heard a few on line and that's basically exactly what I want.
I found one for $299+ $25 for shipping + tax.
(so probably looking at about $350)

The best sounding one I found was just some guy making You Tube videos.
He has a 5000 Gram power ride!!!
but it's not for sale theoretically...unless he answers my message to him and agrees to sell it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTNf12JhvyM
 
Check out used ones. There are quite a few out there. I just sold one for $100 to a guy who has bought several cymbals from me. It was a normal Z Power Ride I got in a lot I bought a while back.
 
You may want to take a look at the sabian aax metal ride too, cutting bell and low wash. The problem with the mega bell rides is that they sound like the bell regardless of where you hit them.

yeah those are pretty close to want I want
but the Z power ride is what I'm officially looking for now.
But for some reason, there's way more 20's out there than there are 22's.

Call me crazy, but I don't trust 20" rides.
(they're all being passive aggressive at me)

22" rides stand there with justified pride and confidence because they don't need to prove anything to anyone.
 
Here's an obvious question. Are you mic'ed up with your band? Maybe your ride cymbal needs an overhead microphone to compete in the huge sound collage your mates are putting out.
 
The AFD ride has got to be a 22 Ping Ride. Definitely not a 21 Rock Ride, which has a certain "clang", and isn't as glassy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stz7VzEMY-A

yeah to me it sounds like a 22" Z....or at least I should say I heard a 22" Z Power Ride that sounded almost identical to Steven's AFD ride.

Here's an obvious question. Are you mic'ed up with your band? Maybe your ride cymbal needs an overhead microphone to compete in the huge sound collage your mates are putting out.

We're just a bar band so I would be surprised if I ever got mic'd up.
But still, that particular ride sound on AFD is just as important to me as the volume I'm looking for.
 
I started playing in a proto-metal band, and my lovely A Zildjian 22" medium ride is not cutting through like I need it to.

I need a sound as close to Steven Adler's Ride sound in Appetite For Destruction as humanly possible.

Do I need an "unlathed" ride?

I just need some "pointing in the right direction" type of advice.

Thanks in advance!

Well, an unlathed ride will certainly get you close, and has a lot of cut.
Suggestions from Zildjian range:
K Custom ride is unlathed, pretty heavy and cuts very well but has some warmth too. That would be my choice.
Also:
Earth Ride
Z Power ride (Light or heavy, they're both unlathed)
and the Z Mega Bell ride is about as heavy as it gets!
 
Ride cymbals are strange beasts.
I genuinely can’t remember if it was a 22” Paiste 2002 Heavy Ride or (if memory serves me) a Meinl MB10 Mega Bell Ride, but whichever it was I felt it was too washy despite these being very much Rock cymbals. So I sold it on. Then later heard a recording made from out front at a theatre gig and the ride cymbal sounded just perfect. All TING, no wash. Gutted.
 
I'll give you a crazy suggestion: Get a marching band cymbal. I personally guarantee those thick and heavy disks will cut through anything!!

I put one on the kit I played in high school one time and those sitting right next to it said it was the most obnoxious sounding thing they'd ever heard.
Sure, it was all kinds of musical, but the volume had people mad at me.

I've seen used singles on EBay from a pair where one was damaged & they just wanted to get rid of the other side.
Worth a look if volume and cut on the cheap is what you want.
 
I always thought it sounded like an original Z series ride. But going through old youtube live videos, it could have been a platinum rock or ping ride.
 
I once had a sabian aa raw bell ride (Edit : hh raw bell)

Perfect for rock like on apetite.

Uncrashable and very limited for any other genre, but a phenomenal one-trick pony.
 
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Well, an unlathed ride will certainly get you close, and has a lot of cut.
Suggestions from Zildjian range:
K Custom ride is unlathed, pretty heavy and cuts very well but has some warmth too. That would be my choice.
Also:
Earth Ride
Z Power ride (Light or heavy, they're both unlathed)
and the Z Mega Bell ride is about as heavy as it gets!

I listened on line to all those and still the ZPower Ride in a 22" was the closest. I keep finding 20"s though and very few 22" but I'll keep looking.
Thanks for the tips
here's the one i want, but the guy is not selling it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTNf12JhvyM

Ride cymbals are strange beasts.
I genuinely can’t remember if it was a 22” Paiste 2002 Heavy Ride or (if memory serves me) a Meinl MB10 Mega Bell Ride, but whichever it was I felt it was too washy despite these being very much Rock cymbals. So I sold it on. Then later heard a recording made from out front at a theatre gig and the ride cymbal sounded just perfect. All TING, no wash. Gutted.

man I feel your pain
I've regretted 90% of what I've sold in my life.

I'll give you a crazy suggestion: Get a marching band cymbal. I personally guarantee those thick and heavy disks will cut through anything!!

I put one on the kit I played in high school one time and those sitting right next to it said it was the most obnoxious sounding thing they'd ever heard.
Sure, it was all kinds of musical, but the volume had people mad at me.

I've seen used singles on EBay from a pair where one was damaged & they just wanted to get rid of the other side.
Worth a look if volume and cut on the cheap is what you want.

I'm not familiar with marching band cymbals at all.
Is there a different categories like "crashes" and "rides similar to trap drum set cymbals? What should I be looking for?
Just "band Cymbals?"

I always thought it sounded like an original Z series ride. But going through old youtube live videos, it could have been a platinum rock or ping ride.

Yeah, I found a Z Power Ride on line that sounded basically identical to steven's. on AFD.

I once had a sabian aa raw bell ride.

Perfect for rock like on apetite.

Uncrashable and very limited for any other genre, but a phenomenal one-trick pony.

I just played one of those new raw bell dry rides from sabian.
The bell was god-like.
But the regular "bow?" part was just regular average good, but not "cutting" for rock.
As far as "crashable" rides goes, I don't care about that.
I only play rides like that in Jazz bands.
 
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