Thunder 42
Silver Member
Hello DW, I was wondering if anyone playing a Kerope ride or hats could provide an assessment. I found a great deal and have yet to read a bad review. Great sound in YouTube demos.
Kerope
- Thread starter Thunder 42
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mrmike
Silver Member
I have both 22 and 20 Kerope rides. Both are the original and not the medium weight. I also own (all 22) K Cons med thin high and med thin low, Istanbul jazz special edition, Istanbul OM, Crescent vintage, Zildjian K high def and a 20 Istanbul Sultan Jazz Ride. The Kerope 20 might be my favorite ride of them all but the 22 is also fabulous. My second favorite is the 22 Istanbul Jazz special edition.
RickP
Gold Member
I had a full set of Keropes. Very nice cymbals indeed. They are NOT for louder styles. They do NOT cut through a louder band and will wash out easily if played loudly.
I owned 14" hihats, 18" and 19" crashes and a 20" Medium ride.
I really liked these cymbals for small group jazz and some Big Band work. I ended up selling them because I wanted something that had a larger volume threshold. I went with Istanbul Agop and Mehmet instead.
The Keropes are IMHO the most interesting cymbals Zildjian has made in years.
They have their place and are good for low to medium volume music , just be aware when you go to purchase them.
I would have kept my Keropes but they were sacrificed to help finance a drum set purchase.
I owned 14" hihats, 18" and 19" crashes and a 20" Medium ride.
I really liked these cymbals for small group jazz and some Big Band work. I ended up selling them because I wanted something that had a larger volume threshold. I went with Istanbul Agop and Mehmet instead.
The Keropes are IMHO the most interesting cymbals Zildjian has made in years.
They have their place and are good for low to medium volume music , just be aware when you go to purchase them.
I would have kept my Keropes but they were sacrificed to help finance a drum set purchase.
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Roadydad
Senior Member
I concur with RickP. Keropes are not for loud rock or metal. They are also very different. The same size cymbals, with similar weights can sound like night and day from each other, from silky smooth to a dull blah.
If able, try them out before buying.
If you find them to your liking, they are wonderful cymbals for their genre.
If able, try them out before buying.
If you find them to your liking, they are wonderful cymbals for their genre.
Thunder 42
Silver Member
Appreciate this Roadydad, thanks.
Thanks for this, RickP, we're playing medium volume. Too bad about the sacrifice made, hope the new drum set was worth it.
Good marks from no doubt a high quality ear...thanks for this feedback.
I have a set of 15hh and 18/19/20/22 and found them all to be very, very nice cymbals. They obviously have a lower volume threshold in addition to their unique overall sonic signature. I am in the process of eliminating one model to thin the herd and can't decide which one will go.
I chose mine from quite a large selection, which was a fortuitous occasion. There was considerable variability between cymbals in both weight and sound - sometimes surprisingly so between even cymbals close in weight. I recommend spending some time doing intensive listening.
Overall, quite worth it for me as I had never owned cymbals of that type before - darker, more complex. The Keropes made me start to regain faith back in Zildjian after nearly writing them off.
I chose mine from quite a large selection, which was a fortuitous occasion. There was considerable variability between cymbals in both weight and sound - sometimes surprisingly so between even cymbals close in weight. I recommend spending some time doing intensive listening.
Overall, quite worth it for me as I had never owned cymbals of that type before - darker, more complex. The Keropes made me start to regain faith back in Zildjian after nearly writing them off.
P
paradiddle pete
Guest
The 15" hats are a joy but as mentioned not a cutting vibe, but the cymbals in general can be explosive but in a very Kerope kind of way, When you play them you will understand. I agree with trying them out first and select those that agree with each other.
Thunder 42
Silver Member
Thanks, Pete. Explosive in a Kerope kind of way, good, thinking I want to find out.
Thanks so much for this. Please keep me in mind if you decide to thin any of the Kerope crash cymbals.
Thunder 42
Silver Member
A hearty thanks to all who commented here. I set up and played my K Keropes for the first time today:
24" crashable ride (3136g),
15" hats (top 934g/ bottom 1164g),
and also set up a new 20" crash Istanbul Agop Signature (1680g).
The 24" ride is so so smooth, dry, and yes, explosive in a Kerope kind of way. Silky and very pleasing to the ear. The hats are sloshy, dry, crisp and dark and so much fun to play. I have a 22" crashable (left side) ride on order.
The Agop Signature 20' crash is dry, complex and pleasing.
Thrilled with this very musical set up. Thanks again.
24" crashable ride (3136g),
15" hats (top 934g/ bottom 1164g),
and also set up a new 20" crash Istanbul Agop Signature (1680g).
The 24" ride is so so smooth, dry, and yes, explosive in a Kerope kind of way. Silky and very pleasing to the ear. The hats are sloshy, dry, crisp and dark and so much fun to play. I have a 22" crashable (left side) ride on order.
The Agop Signature 20' crash is dry, complex and pleasing.
Thrilled with this very musical set up. Thanks again.
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Thunder 42
Silver Member
Thanks, they were limited, not sure if they still are, but I feel pretty lucky about now.
Destroyer772
Gold Member
That 24in is a whole lot a beauty. I have a 18in that I treasure. I think they made four hundred of your 24. Man that sure is special, congrats.
Thunder 42
Silver Member
That's right, they did. It is very special, so smooth, dry, I cannot leave her alone.
P
paradiddle pete
Guest
Thunder, Just wondering if you noticed how nicely the 24" ride, rides with some foot chick..??
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octatonic
Senior Member
I have most of them and I play rock.
The 15" hats, 18" and 22" cymbals are the ones that live on my kit most of the time.
My right hand crash is an 18" K Custom Dark Crash and that is brighter than the 18" Kerope by a fair margin.
I auditioned 5 different 22" cymbals and picked the one with the lowest pitch- it was a tone lower than any of the others and sounds gorgeous.
Very happy with them so far.
They do tend to wash out a bit if you smack them too hard but I actually like that as an effect.
There are a lot of different tones there- especially moving from riding the 18" to the 22"
They fit under the vocal, rather than competing with it, which I really like.
The 15" hats are especially tasty- very dynamic, they get very crunchy when you lay into them.
The 15" hats, 18" and 22" cymbals are the ones that live on my kit most of the time.
My right hand crash is an 18" K Custom Dark Crash and that is brighter than the 18" Kerope by a fair margin.
I auditioned 5 different 22" cymbals and picked the one with the lowest pitch- it was a tone lower than any of the others and sounds gorgeous.
Very happy with them so far.
They do tend to wash out a bit if you smack them too hard but I actually like that as an effect.
There are a lot of different tones there- especially moving from riding the 18" to the 22"
They fit under the vocal, rather than competing with it, which I really like.
The 15" hats are especially tasty- very dynamic, they get very crunchy when you lay into them.
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Thunder 42
Silver Member
Great picture - Yes, Pete, rides like a dream - smooth and musical; I am enjoying this set. Just added a 22in 2364 grams. Appreciate your words at beginning of this.
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Thunder 42
Silver Member
BachBeat
Senior Member
So great to see the Kerope love.
I've got a set of 15", as well as 18", 19", 20" Medium and 22". They are sensational cymbals, and having been through a whole set of Agops looking for the right vibe (which many people love), I sold the rest of my cymbals and got a set. They just capture my voice, and the sound in my head so well.
I've got a set of 15", as well as 18", 19", 20" Medium and 22". They are sensational cymbals, and having been through a whole set of Agops looking for the right vibe (which many people love), I sold the rest of my cymbals and got a set. They just capture my voice, and the sound in my head so well.
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I'd love to get Kerope's but right now I'm building up a set of K's: 14" hats, 16" & 18" medium thin dark crashes, and three 20" rides: Medium, Custom dark, and a heavy custom. Even picked up a 17" China! Seven cymbals purchased used in great shape for around $800USD. I cringe at how much these would have cost NEW!!!!!