Artisan Ride Cymbal Joins Sabian's Vault Series

(Click for a close-up)

SABIAN has introduced the Artisan Ride to its new Vault collection. Cited by the company as 'the ultimate traditional cymbal... a limited-availability, super-premium model,' the Artisan Ride revives numerous centuries-old cymbal making elements, including 'high-density' hand hammering.

According to SABIAN master product specialist Mark Love: "With the Artisan Ride we have created a cymbal that has eluded drummers for ages. It puts out a glassy and well-defined stick 'click' with an aggressive hotbed of dirtied-up, dark-edged tone bubbling underneath. It has a piercing bell and great crash capability. The elements are so intense that the sound almost sizzles with heat."

'High-density' hand hammering is the key to that sound. This traditional, labor-intensive style of cymbal making enhances the tonal complexity of the Artisan Ride by increasing the amount of hammer dimples dotting its surface. It boosts playability and increases the responsiveness of the bronze.

Continued Love: "The Artisan Ride involves an exceptionally high level of skill at every step, and includes many elements of cymbal making that even the most traditional cymbal companies have long abandoned. Our metal -- secret-process B20 bronze from a formula invented almost 400 years ago -- is the finest, but ultimately, it's the human touch; no machine can create the personality we hammer into every Artisan.

"If ever there was an exclusive luxury cymbal, Artisan is it. Each is a statement of individuality... a one-on-one connection between the cymbal maker and the cymbal... a moment in time when the roots of cymbal making come together with the high standards of SABIAN quality. Creating these cymbals is extremely time consuming and requires many years of skill, so there will only be a limited number hammered annually. This is a total cymbal in every sense of the word, thus the 'Artisan' name."

The Artisan Ride is available in 20" and 22" Light and Medium models. The Light Ride produces a defined, low-pitched stick sound and wide tonal spread, while the Medium Ride has a more defined, crisper 'click' and a slightly tighter tonal spread.

Available in Natural and Brilliant Finish, the Vault Artisan Ride is quality-protected by the SABIAN Two-Year Warranty Program.