More A Customs

Not trying to boast, I just thought what happened was kind of funny:

I bought a new 14" Zildjian A Custom crash a week and a half ago. It came a few days ago.

So, I'm looking at my cymbal setup and see that I have the following:

8" A Custom Splash

10" A Custom Splash

(2) 12" A Custom Splashes

14" A Custom Crash (the new one)

16" A Custom Crash

17" A Custom Crash

18" A Custom Crash

19" Ziljdian Rock Crash

20" Rock Ride

I said to myself, damn, the only size you don't have is the 15". So, I just ordered the 15" A Custom Crash.

I also have 14" A Custom HH's and 15" Rock HH's.

I don't want the 6" A Custom Splash, because the 8" is basically useless for me. I may just trade that one in some day.

What about some 13" A Custom MasterSound HH????

Scroll down to the Ks and start over.

You got me with that one

Actually I don't want 13" HH's. I really should have gotten 15" A Customs instead of the 14".

I have two kits (one for gigs that's always packed up and one that's always set up for practice and recording). I gig with the 14" A Customs, but I may go back to the 15" Rocks. They both have their good points.

1001gear:

I prefer the A Customs over the K's. I find the A Customs to be more versatile. My band plays classic rock and modern rock. I find the A's fit best for that wide range.

That's just my opinion of course.

No need to defend your tastes. My general opinion of (A)s is

that they are very shimmery and 'high end'sounding;

more'musical' in some circles... but not very powerful. (myth?)

You must be in a very disciplined band with a refined sound.?

Where do the Ks fail?

Yes, my band is pretty tight.

The K's don't fail in any way.

I just find them to be a little darker.

As you said, I find the A's to be more musical. I do find they have pretty good power. But, certainly not as much power as my Z Rock cymbals or the K's.

In fact, I use the two 12" splashes quite extensively. Even those seem to carry quite well.

We usually play larger clubs, so in many cases my set is fully miced up. So, it's obviously never an issue then.

In reality, I should have a couple of K's. I'm such a gear hog, now you're going to make go buy a couple of K's soon.

What size crashes do you really like in the K's?

Got me there. I use the standard generic 16" Zildjian rock and med. thin crashes. Just pickin' your brain.

A different take:

Almost all of mine are A's (not Customs), and I love each and every one of them. Fit any and every musical situation, and if you get the right sizes and weights, and know how to play them they do what ever you need them to.

...but I would still love to have a K Dry Ride though.

Rockbeat:

Please tell me why you like the K Dry Ride so much.

What are it's sound characteristics?

I hope you all know that the Zildjian Cymbal Police Agency have been known to scroll these boards from time to time. Recent studies have shown that they are tighting things up around there and no longer will they tolerate players mixing cymbals lines in their set-ups. Some daredevil radicals have even been known to even mix cymbal brands (gasp). When they find these scumbags they dont take it easy on them anymore. You used to get a warning or something, but they arent meeting their quotas and HQ isnt too happy about that. The ZCPA is far stricter than SAM (Sabian Association for Mixing). Word on the street is the drumhead companies arent liking what they are seeing either. People gotta start getting their sets straight and what not. Hopefully you all will heed this warning and do what's right.

Man, those ZCPA people sound really scary.

The cymbal's name pretty much sums it up. It has a dry, fairly warm tone with very subtle overtones. You can hear a sound sample of it and all of Zildjian's cymbals on their website.

...and as for the ZCPA, they'll never take me alive. When cymbal mixing is outlawed, only outlaws will mix cymbals.

Yeah, I had a basic idea from the name and I've been on the Zildjian site and heard a number of the sound clips.

I don't think much of the clips. I really need to hear a cymbal in person. Cymbals of the same model can sound somewhat different from cymbal to cymbal.

Damn those ZCPA guys, girls, whatever........

Hush! It is not safe

Multiple examples of one cymbal will all sound different and

being drummers we're real picky. We don't have much else.

Then add online shopping, price matching, FedEx .... it's a

joke.

Speaking of K rides, the customs (I believe) have this gorgeous bell tone and clang to 'em.

Not knowing anything else about Ks or your music, that's what I'd recommend.

I like Sabians but I have nothing against Zildjians: in fact I have a mixture of both. (but if you tell anybody, I'll deny it!)

My cymbals: (all bought used)

12" Sab. rock splash

16" Zild. A Med. thin crash

20" Sab. AA? dry ride

16" Zild. A Med? crash

14" Sab. AA reg. hats (bought new w/traded used Zild. hats)

Had a 16" Zild. Med thin crash with my old set and it sounds slightly different than my current one but is one of my fav Zild cymbals.

Want to get a Sab. HH Crash ride. Had a sound control version with my old set. Had a great shimmering crash sound and dry warm bell w/low over tones and got washier the closer you got towards the edge. I miss that cymbal. Also would like to get a 17"/18" Sab. crash with the same sound to be my right side floor tom crash to offset the 16" crashes.

As far as power, I think the Zild A's/customs/ Sab. AA's project farther than you think which may be more powerful than you think. Meaning that the guy at the back of the club may hear the AA's and Customs better whereas the HH's and K's sound more powerful behind the drums because it's darker and lower in tone. The guy in the back of the club may see you hit the cymbal but not hear it because it gets drowned out by the bass and music more. That's where mics help.

For that reason is why it's easier to play a darker song with brighter cymbals than to try and play a brighter song with cymbals that have a darker sound. The song calls for a "splish" crash sound and the darker cymbals make a "splosh"sound. Just my two cents.

As far as the cymbal police: You heard nothing and you know nothing.

I just bought my first A Custom, a 14" fast crash, a month ago and I love it.

Seems like there may a forming of the drummers revolution to combat the ZCPA or SAM. Wonder how the drum manufacturers feel about the kits with a X brand snare, Y brand kick, and Z brand toms with A brand hardware.

We may have to unite....