Looking for another Zildjian Massive Crash

Road Bull

Silver Member
Good evening all.

So I am looking for another crash to keep up with my Zildjian 21" Sweet Ride (used as crash). I love the sheer volume that the SW can dish out when pushed, as well as a smooth and mellow crash when hit softly.

My current set up is 14" New Beats, 21" Sweet Ride, 20" Ping Ride (used as ride), and a 20" Constantinople crash. Kit is a Tama Artstar Custom in British Racing Green. 13x11, 16x16, 22x16, and a beautiful 14x6.5 Ludwig 402.

I play in a fairly loud doom style band and being able to tap into a little extra umph is always nice. Plus, just because you have large crashes doesn't mean that you have to lay into them all the time, but it is nice to have the option.

I was thinking about finding a substitution for my Constantinople. I just don't feel right asking it to keep up with an 21" A Sweet Ride. It sounds nice enough, but I don't want to take my hearing protection off to discover a sizzle of doom anytime soon.

I would like to keep it Zildjian for now. I know they make a few 20" crashes, but I have started to think about using more rides as crashes. I was just wondering what rides sound good as crashes besides the Sweet Ride. I mean, I could get another SR, but I that there might be a better option. I obviously want to avoid any "gongy" sounding rides.

I could see doing some sort of K ride. (not the crash/ride, didn't care too much for it) Or I could do another Zildjian A. For what I am doing know, I feel that those two sonic footprints would work for me. I know they are fairly different, but they both can sound great. I have to say that I am impressed with the new 2013 Zildjian As though. However, the K Medium Dark Ride could work as well. Decisions, decisions...

Have any of you used rides for heavy crashes? What have you used and had good experience with?
 
I bought a 24" K Light Ride several years ago.

It is a beautiful instrument.

Lately, I have not really liked playing it as a ride.

I put it up as a second ride over my second floor tom and I really like the big "boooosh" crash.

I also have a Sweet Ride and I like it as a very crashable ride. The K Light Ride is a great crash option.

I think they also make a 22" version. It is probably better than the 24" as a crash.

Check it out.
 
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With the sizes of your cymbals, I was surprised by them "normal" sizes of your drums

LOL. Well, they sound a lot bigger than they look. Many that play the same type of music play huge bass drums and whatnot. I have just always loved the sound a feel of twenty twos. It all comes down to preference and luck of the draw in my case. I picked up the Artstar Customs from a guy on CL for $500, and couldn't pass em up. His sixteen year old Artstars looked as well taken care of as my twenty-two year old Granstars.

Anyway. Thanks for some suggestions. I haven't heard too many K light rides. I was looking to replace my 20" Ping Ride with the new 2013 24" Medium Ride at some point. I was worried that the Medium Ride might sound too gongy, but I will have to find one to test drive.
 
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Maybe when you do that, you should also take a look at that new 23" Zildjian Sweet Ride to use as your other crash.

Yup. That's an option too. I really do like some of the new 2013 Zildjian As. Though, the 23 and the 21 seem to have a fairly different sound to them. The 23" is a bit more washy it seems. I could always get another 21" SR, but maybe that's pretty weird. As long as they don't sound too much like one another it could work.
 
You may want to try one of these … it’s like a dark rolling tsunami of sound, and VERY loud

Try before you buy !

Decent YouTube clip of one ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk7rOj6-wig

pangtop_zpsc39adc39.jpg
 
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Ok, so I ordered a Zildjian K Medium Dark Crash off of GC's used site. It should be here Friday. At last this way I can demo it in person, and if it is not what the doctor ordered I can return it and resume my search.

Now, the waiting game.....

Come on Friday!
 
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I second the A Custom Projection Crash. Every now and then a 20" will show up on ebay even though they aren't made anymore. These are loud, bright, and cut through anything.

Right on. I will have to keep my eye open for one of these. I can't say that I am a huge fan of the A Custom line though. I won't dismiss it though. Lately i have been turning my ear to the redesigned 2013 Zildjian A line. I have to say that I am very impressed with what I heard so far. At the modern I am going back and forth between A and Ks.

something I have been thinking about lately is how they found in the band mix. the band I'm playing in now tunes down to C for the most part. I would like to hear what it sounds like out front and away from the drums. I know that sometimes things are competing for the same sonic space. so in that regard the A's might do better than the K's.

it looks like I should get my 20 inch Zildjian dark ride on Monday, the day of our next gig. so we'll see how that goes.
 
i know you want zildjian, but the sabian 21'' bash ride might be the best sounding crash ive ever heard from a cymbal that size.
 
something I have been thinking about lately is how they found in the band mix. the band I'm playing in now tunes down to C for the most part. I would like to hear what it sounds like out front and away from the drums. I know that sometimes things are competing for the same sonic space. so in that regard the A's might do better than the K's.

Maybe you're already doing this, but I'd suggest recording yourself practicing with just one mic. Then with the same mic placed in the same place record yourself playing with the band (with a few mics for the other instruments).

That way you'll get a general feel of what cuts and how. It's funny how the sound of drums and cymbals change when placed in the mix with other intruments, at least when you have loud, distorted guitars in the band.
 
i know you want zildjian, but the sabian 21'' bash ride might be the best sounding crash ive ever heard from a cymbal that size.

I will give it a spin. I would have to say that if I had to choose another cymbal line, I would strongly consider Sabian. They seem to have a pretty broad selection of different sounds.

Maybe you're already doing this, but I'd suggest recording yourself practicing with just one mic. Then with the same mic placed in the same place record yourself playing with the band (with a few mics for the other instruments).

That way you'll get a general feel of what cuts and how. It's funny how the sound of drums and cymbals change when placed in the mix with other intruments, at least when you have loud, distorted guitars in the band.

Yup. We have been recording most of our practices, so I have been trying this out to some degree. I haven't been able to hear it have a gig yet. We may get a chance this Monday.
 
So I got the 20 inch Zildjian custom dark ride. I tried it out for night at a show for a crash. for me it's a bit too light for a ride, and I think it's a bit too heavy and dark for a crash. considering all the low tunings, it just does not cut through as well as I would like. if I pick up another crash, it will probably be a Zildjian A 20 inch medium thin.
 
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