Branching out (Cymbal OCD trigger warning)

Dignan

Silver Member
After years of not posting here, I’m back. And years of playing only Zildjian, I started getting a hankering to try some Paiste cymbals. I just picked up this used Giant Beat Multi 20” and a new PST7 19” thin crash. Man, do they all look out of place together like that. 🤣. Not sure how well those two Paiste cymbals blend or how well the Paistes blend with the Z Ks. I may have to just get used to it.

I really like the Giant Beat. The verdict is still out on the PST7. I’ve just played darker cymbals for so long I think my ears aren’t used to the brightness of the 7.
 

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Welcome back!

A few of us here love our Paiste pies.

0C56EE74-9056-4C70-BFB0-EC4ECD5E5592.jpeg

You’re not the first to…explore Paiste sounds:

 
Welcome back!

A few of us here love our Paiste pies.

View attachment 131788

You’re not the first to…explore Paiste sounds:

Nice collection! Looks like that thread you linked is exactly what I need to absorb. Thanks
 
Must buy more Paiste
 
Oh I’m already there but good lord is a lot do their stuff pricey
Agreed. My collection started in 1994. I bought the less expensive Sound Formula pies. I add to it only if I hear something fresh, that fits the music I’m playing (which varies between bands).

One thing all Paiste players agree on: what you hear on their demos is what you get. And if you replace one with another of the same model & size, it will sound virtually identical.

Their manufacturing is more precise and less organic than Zildjian & Sabian. The raw stock for Paiste is sheets, not ingots, of their proprietary brass.

What kind of music do you play?
 
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Agreed. My collection started in 1994. I bought the less expensive Sound Formula pies. I add to it only if I hear something fresh, that fits the music I’m playing (which varies between bands).

One thing all Paiste players agree on: what you hear on their demos is what you get. And if you replace one with another of the same model & size, it will sound virtually identical.

Their manufacturing is more precise and less organic than Zildjian & Sabian. The raw stock for Paiste is sheets, not ingots, if proprietary brass.

What kind of music do you play?
I've heard that about Paiste's consistency as well. Good to know.

My band is Classic and Southern Rock, Blues, Rockabilly, etc. So I'm going for more of that classic sound (early Zep, CCR, Allman Brothers, etc). My rehearsal kit is usually a pair of14" Zildjian New Beats, a 60s stamp 21" Ride and until my two new acquisitions, an older 17" K Dark think crash and 18" A Zildjian Fast crash.

I really liked what I heard from the Giant Beats (because Bonham). I read good things about the PST 7s as being close to the 2002s. I know they aren't the same but so far it seems good. I think the GB and PST7 will blend better with my traditional Zildjian A hats and ride than my K hats and ride but I'd be curious what your opinion is on the PST-7 and GB crashes in the same setup? They are obviously different sonically but both stem from classic sounding crashes.
 
Welcome back! I've seen your username in past posts and it's always good to see people come back. I'm sure this place felt like home to you once upon a time, just as it does for me now.

Personally, I don't mix my Paistes and my Zildjians. I wouldn't mix B8 and B20 regardless of brand, I don't think. I'm a little too conservative in that regard and need to get over mixing brands (i.e. Zildjian and Meinl) but I think mixing B8 and B20 together is somewhere I probably won't go.
 
I have mixed K Zildjians and A Zildjians (and a ZBT!) with Paiste 2oo2s, 602's, 2000s, 3000s, 802s, Sound Formula, Signatures and Istanbul Mehmet cymbals. In my humble opinion, I thought they all sound great together no matter what set up I used. I never owned a Giant Beat until I recently picked up a G.B. hi-hat. I can already determine I would find no problem using those hats with the other lines.
 
Klyde Klyde Klyde old Friend....

I've but 3- 14 preserial 602s One fine Two w/minor edge cracks One is a SE bottom. 850/899/972g
An 18 PS602 1587g and a 19 PS 602 2012g-that sounds like an old Intermediate K..
Both w/damage/ not fatal in the 19s case/18 sounds a bit Wonky/
Glad to Bundle!! Package!
Get em outta Here@ I don't do Swiss Alps-age
Nice place to visit
5 for 500 mailed Pm
Special for you- 500
 
Klyde Klyde Klyde old Friend....

I've but 3- 14 preserial 602s One fine Two w/minor edge cracks One is a SE bottom. 850/899/972g
An 18 PS602 1587g and a 19 PS 602 2012g-that sounds like an old Intermediate K..
Both w/damage/ not fatal in the 19s case/18 sounds a bit Wonky/
Glad to Bundle!! Package!
Get em outta Here@ I don't do Swiss Alps-age
Nice place to visit
5 for 500 mailed Pm
I really thought you had . sound creation 22 dark rides and dark medium hi hats.
 
I really thought you had . sound creation 22 dark rides and dark medium hi hats.
I Had em Back in the day Brother/ 20s never a 22/

They - along with Istanbuls- convinced me to move on to old Ks- as Sam and Dave or Mickey Dolenz would
say "I thank them" "Stepping Stones"
 
Welcome back! I've seen your username in past posts and it's always good to see people come back. I'm sure this place felt like home to you once upon a time, just as it does for me now.

Personally, I don't mix my Paistes and my Zildjians. I wouldn't mix B8 and B20 regardless of brand, I don't think. I'm a little too conservative in that regard and need to get over mixing brands (i.e. Zildjian and Meinl) but I think mixing B8 and B20 together is somewhere I probably won't go.
I hear you. My OCD is really struggling with it. Comes down to the fact that I can’t afford a new set of hats and a ride right now to go with my two P crashes. It will be a gradual process. I plan on pairing the Paiste crashes with my vintage Zildjian A hats and ride. I think they will blend better than with my Ks but still not as well with like Paiste cymbals.
 
I have mixed K Zildjians and A Zildjians (and a ZBT!) with Paiste 2oo2s, 602's, 2000s, 3000s, 802s, Sound Formula, Signatures and Istanbul Mehmet cymbals. In my humble opinion, I thought they all sound great together no matter what set up I used. I never owned a Giant Beat until I recently picked up a G.B. hi-hat. I can already determine I would find no problem using those hats with the other lines.
Good to hear. I always mixed Ks and As. Unless I’m willing to break the bank now, I’ll have to live with blending brands and alloys for now
 
My band is Classic and Southern Rock, Blues, Rockabilly, etc. So I'm going for more of that classic sound (early Zep, CCR, Allman Brothers, etc). My rehearsal kit is usually a pair of14" Zildjian New Beats, a 60s stamp 21" Ride and until my two new acquisitions, an older 17" K Dark think crash and 18" A Zildjian Fast crash.
Those New Beat hats are the gold standard in most circles. The 602 Modern Essentials is similar in sound to these. I have a pair of 15” that I frequently use. The entire line of 602 ME cymbals are ”warmer” than the Signature line. There’s some good demos of them in YouTube.

what your opinion is on the PST-7 and GB crashes in the same setup?
I can’t answer that. I’ve not used or tried a PST-7 cymbal. Your ears are judge and jury in regards to how it pairs with a Giant Beat.
 
Good topic.
I have good experiences with B20 hi hats and rides with B8 crashes.
A Zildjian hi hats and rides mixed with 2002 big beat "blacks" would be a good combo, the big beats are darker and mellower than 2002's and Giant beats.
PST7's are really good sounding cymbals for the price but are no match for 2002's, on close inspection, they can sound one dimensional and "plain" compared to top line cymbals. To their credit, they are great for practice cymbals and even for club gigs when you don't want to put a lot of mileage on your vintage collection!
 
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Thanks for adding the context of where the Big Beats sit in this. They definitely sound like a sound that fits with my perception of “what a cymbal should sound like). I’ve been drumming for almost 30 years but feel like I’m learning about cymbal types all over again after delving into Paiste.
 
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