Old school drummers, what cymbals do you prefer?

Blk Diamond said:
Hi Donald,

I'm an old school classic/hard rocker, and I love my Paiste 2oo2s!
For me, they fit that classic rock cymbal sound in my head to a T.

If I was playing Zildjian, I would also use the classic Zildjian A line to meet most of my cymbal needs. :)
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Agreed. I love my 2002s but it’s hard to go wrong with good old Zildjian A’s. We’ve heard countless examples of both in the past 60 years of popular music.

Comparing the 2002s vs A’s is kind of like Fender Strats/Teles vs Gibson Les Pauls/SGs. Fenders tend to emphasize more of the upper mids with a more pronounced high end. Gibsons are better for that low midrange grunt.

I’d like to eventually grab a good set of A’s to go along with my 2002s. Covers a lot of sonic territory. Either one can work for most classic rock, hard rock, metal, punk, doom, etc.
 
Donald Ray said:
Which one you y'all prefer of having an using. See I'm an old school Zildjain A lines from the Seventies and eighties type of guy. I'd have never experienced with anything else. Drummer's have their own opinions on what they have and use.
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I had 2 models that are no longer available: Zildjian original Z series & the Platinum's.

The Z's were just unreal. No ear could escape them & they were more versatile than you'd think.
The Platinum's had a great look & were along the line of the Pitch Black's we know & (some) love. The silver coating began peeling pretty quick after I got them, so I sold them.

Now I'm all over Sabian's AA line: A 21" dry ride, a Rocktagon & their 13" hats for auxiliaries. Zildjian New Beats 15's & an 17" Projection crash for my main musical needs.
 
Mostly Zildjian, but some Sabians have caught my ear lately.
I had a brief fling with Paiste, but they're mostly not on my radar now.

Got some Dream Vintage cymbals this year, and am pretty happy with them.
But when push comes to shove, it's still Zildjian.
 
I prefer Sabian AA's and AAX's. Peace and goodwill.
 
Paiste.

I have a decent set of Signatures that have been my mainstay for years.

I recently made the switch to 2002 Big Beat for a further refined balance in the mix, for the band I'm in.
 
I'm loving my switch to Paiste but when I think "old school" I think Zildjian A's. A's and 2002's make the iconic classic rock sounds but, IMO the 2002's are a bit too bright for traditional jazz making Zildjian win out for this conversation. Zildjian A's are the most versatile pies around. The ultimate blank slate to allow the artist to tell their tale with. Granted, they are rather "vanilla" and I've grown bored with their sound BUT I'll always respect their throne.
 
I’ve had lots of cymbals….and most all I’ve really liked….but always seem to gravitate back to 2002s and giant beats. My 2 rides currently are a paiste masters 22 thin and the heavy ride is a 20” 3000 gram zildjian k custom brilliant. Splash is a very old zxt that cost next to nothing years ago…but still sounds perfect for the job to me

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I've played almost all the major brands over the decades but I'm all in with Istanbul Agops. They have the sound I was always searching for.
 
At 55, I guess I'm old school? I began with Zildjian in the 70s, then, when I broke my first cymbal in the 80s, I was astounded that I couldn't find one that sounded like the one I broke. Hmm. So sometime around 1986, I found that Sabian made cymbals far more pleasing to my ear and those are my cymbals of choice. I've added bits from Paiste and UFIP and even the Redesigned A's, but nothing will ever make me totally switch from Sabian and they are fantastic to deal with as a company.


Dan
 
Vintage Old School said:
I've played almost all the major brands over the decades but I'm all in with Istanbul Agops. They have the sound I was always searching for.
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First post about something other than the heavily marketed and common brands. The thread was old school but seems that means no earlier than 1970's from all the responses lol. I thought the thread would go to the true old school jazz rides of 50's. Seems more rock-oriented drummers than jazz responding. I'm really old I guess if I don't consider anything rock "old school" lol.

So, for me, for my old school jazz sound if looking at new cymbals for that sound, I look for genuine made in Turkey hand-hammered cymbals on the thin side. Rivets are cool old school, too.
 
equipmentdork said:
At 55, I guess I'm old school? I began with Zildjian in the 70s, then, when I broke my first cymbal in the 80s, I was astounded that I couldn't find one that sounded like the one I broke. Hmm. So sometime around 1986, I found that Sabian made cymbals far more pleasing to my ear and those are my cymbals of choice. I've added bits from Paiste and UFIP and even the Redesigned A's, but nothing will ever make me totally switch from Sabian and they are fantastic to deal with as a company.


Dan
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53 year old guy here & when I was shopping for cymbals in the 80's, there were Platinum series, Rocktagons & super dry Jack DeJohnette offerings.
Luckily, the Sabian AA series & Zildjian Z's were there to rescue me (even though I still have the Rocktagon).

Now we have so many offerings that there's no reason for issues. The sky is the limit.
 
Cmdr. Ross said:
53 year old guy here & when I was shopping for cymbals in the 80's, there were Platinum series, Rocktagons & super dry Jack DeJohnette offerings.
Luckily, the Sabian AA series & Zildjian Z's were there to rescue me (even though I still have the Rocktagon).

Now we have so many offerings that there's no reason for issues. The sky is the limit.
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I sort of wish I had an original era Rocktagon....just as a memory of some 80's cheese
 
I did my first paid gig in 1985 so I guess that makes me old-school. I don’t really go for single brand loyalty, I have one set (hats, 2-3 crash, 1 ride, 1-2 effects per set) of the following; Zildjian A customs, Zildjian K Custom Special Dry, Paiste Twenty, Bosphorus Staton Moore, Istanbul Agop 30th anniversary.

I also have some Zildjian A custom projection crashes, that are great for loud bands. They all have their place, just depends on context. Back in 1991-1994 I had a set of Zildjian K (in brilliant finish), 13 hats, 15, 17 crashes, 22 ride that were great, I wish I still had those kind of old school cymbals. My favourite is a 17 A custom crash that is just so played-in it is almost a “mellow“ A custom.
 
Vintage Old School said:
I've played almost all the major brands over the decades but I'm all in with Istanbul Agops. They have the sound I was always searching for.
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Same here man. I fell in love with the agop stuff. has that classic jazz sound that you can't beat.
 
I've never played a better bell/cup sound than Zildjian. And there's two Zildjians ; three if you include Sabian- which I wager you should (altho I've only owned one a Sabian 22" raw Ride AA briefly).
There's old K Zildjian from Turkey and there's Avedis from America.
The cups on either don't disappoint.

When I hit an Avedis cup I hear a "thousand popular recordings". When I hit a Turkish (all era) K. Zildjian cup I hear a '100 jazz recordings).
in either case it's a medium-to low pitch that fit's in (with what's going on around) harmonically..

Modern Turkish brands- of which I have owned many starting with Istanbul company around 1984 of which I have owned many in the 90s and today I own many Bosphorus.
The stick sound on the body of their cymbals is nice and pleasant (and add all the cool adjectives) but I have yet to hear that "Zildjian bell" on next to none of their cymbals. . It doesn't matter in the hi hats which can be equal to Zildjian A or K, where the bell isn't that integral but in the modern Turkish made companies ride cymbals 18"-22" I have not found that "Zildjian" bell.

Starting with Istanbul (company) pre split or afterwards Cups too hi pitched.
Similar a little less so with Bosphorus.

Piercing stratospheric pitched that can't emulate the older recordings nor carve out a new sound spot. They just imho stink.

when Zildjian left Turkey and the ex-workers started their own companies and those workers branched off to the 10/12 Turkish companies we have today I think....(....) their understanding of cymbals was almost of ...I call it.. Costume jewelry.

They profess (and do) say "just like the old" company (Zildjian) but something got lost..

The irony I contend, is Avedis in America transferred certain aspects of what was in Turkey---better---than today's companies that are ---actually in Turkey--.
In other words----if you ask Avedis in America (include Sabian in Canada in this)... If you ask Avedis and you ask all the Turkish companies of today------to do "their best" old K imitation..

I'll wager Avedis---with all their computer and machinery---- will do a better job.
It's like Avedis (sabian) have "the Ears".....whereas the mid 80s Istanbul and all them that followed-----have the method but don't "Hear the why".

So decent Costume jewelry (I like their flats and swishes- something old K Zildjian never built and their 19s; rare to find in old Zildjians, are welcome.
but their bells forget about it. rarely hit the mark.

that's Me 2 Cents
 
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