NAMM Report #2: What is your Cymbal?

Originally posted on DrumChattr.com on January 15, 2011.

There were a lot of cymbals released at NAMM, including cymbals from Paiste, Zildjian, and Sabian. In yesterday’s post, I talked about the new Gen16 cymbals by Zildjian. I really think these cymbals were one of the top announcements at NAMM and I look forward to hearing your thoughts once people start using them. Today, I want to introduce the new lines by Paiste and Sabian.

SABIAN
Let’s start off with Sabian. They added three new cymbals to their inventory:

1) AAX OMNI
This cymbal was developed with the assistance of JoJo Mayer. According to Sabian.com, this cymbal is “a medium-weight center in brilliant finish, and an extra-thin, natural finish edge make for a cymbal that’s striking in appearance. But it’s the highly musical tone structure and careful balance of frequency that enable this cymbal to sit so well in any musical setting.”

2) HOLY CHINA
This cymbal was developed for Chad Smith. Sabian.com says, “the Holy China is not for the faint of heart. The combination of 51 holes in the 19″ model (64 holes in the 21″ model!), large raw bell, high profile and wide lip create a monster of loudness and cut. It’s a unique and explosive package, and it was developed with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith – only from SABIAN.” Check out this video of Chad Smith and the Holy China cymbal.

3) B8 PRO
The last announcement is the new “Better” B8 Pro. This introductory line of cymbals is one of Sabian’s top selling cymbals over the past 20 years and this new cymbals offers a “richer sounding cymbal, with a complexity of tone not typically found in cymbals at this price point. It opens up when hit hard, but now also “gives up the goods” when played lightly.”

PAISTE
If you haven’t heard yet, Paiste re-introduced their Formula 602 cymbal. The original cymbal, released in 1959, was a favorite cymbal of Joe Morello, Art Blakey, Ndugu Chancler, Charlie Watts and more. According to Pasite.com, “Formula 602s were especially coveted as the ultimate cymbal in jazz, the burgeoning beat and rock music of the times, avant-garde and acoustic genres of music for more than three decades. Demand began falling away with the advent of increasing volume through amplification and electronic music, and production of the Formula 602 series ceased in the 1990s. The warmth of the traditional CuSn20 bronze and the superior sound quality are back in demand, however – hence the reintroduction of the most popular Formula 602 range of models.”

Paiste also introduced the Twenty Masters Collection and the Alpha Series Trashy Crash. The Twenty Masters Collection are a hand hammered cymbal. There are eleven cymbals in this line, including: the Dark Rides (20″ and 22″), the Dark Crisp Rides (20″ and 22″), the 20″ Sweet Ride, the 20″ and 21″ Medium Rides, the 20″ and 21″ Dark Dry Ride, and the 24″ Deep Ride (which weights about 10 pounds…). These cymbals are a good addition to their jazz ride line. The Alpha Series, which are another “holy” cymbal, adds a trashy accent cymbal to any percussionist or drum set set-up. I am not sure about the fascination of cymbals with holes, but it seems to be the trend in cymbal making in the past few years.

Did anyone get a chance to hear these cymbals at NAMM? Leave your impressions and comments in the Chattr Section.