Is it just me, or are wuhan cymbals fragile?

[Ray on the Drums]

My favorite effects cymbal

[pcs90]

A Wuhan china cymbal is just as strong as any other cymbal as a whole. But having said that when you turn the china right side up with that thin flange pointing up and that's where you hit it with the same force used with any other cymbal, you can expect it to break in that area way sooner than other cymbals. It has lasted for 3 years until you turned it right side up. China's should be played upside down hump up with the use of a cymbal spring as well for maximum protection.

I have to disagree here. I've always played my chinas right-side up and never cracked one. I use very thin chinas as well. Granted I'm not a super hard hitter, but I use chinas pretty often and they're always right-side up. They are pretty loose on the stand so that they can move freely when hit (as with all my other cymbals) and I've never had a problem. I was always told that the hump was a stress point so I don't ever hit there. In adition, at least with the china I currently have, it sounds much fuller when mounted bell-up. I don't know, maybe I'm just very lucky...

[wolvie56]

I have to disagree here. I've always played my chinas right-side up and never cracked one. I use very thin chinas as well. Granted I'm not a super hard hitter, but I use chinas pretty often and they're always right-side up. They are pretty loose on the stand so that they can move freely when hit (as with all my other cymbals) and I've never had a problem. I was always told that the hump was a stress point so I don't ever hit there. In adition, at least with the china I currently have, it sounds much fuller when mounted bell-up. I don't know, maybe I'm just very lucky...

Probably a combination of being on the light side as far as forceful hitting, and a conscience effort to take it easy on that thin flange. People tend to smash their China's because they sound cool and different, and they make a good end to a roll like a crash does. Not sure about the hump being a stress point. Physics would tend to point to the edge as being the weakest point on a China cymbal I would think. Maybe not. Yeah, loose on the stand, or the use of cymbal springs is the way to go. I use them on all of my cymbals. I think your method is cool even though it's the exception rather than the norm.

[pcs90]

Probably a combination of being on the light side as far as forceful hitting, and a conscience effort to take it easy on that thin flange. People tend to smash their China's because they sound cool and different, and they make a good end to a roll like a crash does. Not sure about the hump being a stress point. Physics would tend to point to the edge as being the weakest point on a China cymbal I would think. Maybe not. Yeah, loose on the stand, or the use of cymbal springs is the way to go. I use them on all of my cymbals. I think your method is cool even though it's the exception rather than the norm.

Yeah, I use them at the end of rolls and when there's a big build-up sometimes I may hit them a little harder, but even then it's a lot less than many other drummers I know in person. I know one person who hit their china much less than me, but had it upside-down and hit probably 3 times as hard and his cracked. It was also thicker than mine. As for the stress point, not sure, that's just what I've been told. It could make sense if the cymbal is bent to make that shape but the edge is often a lot thinner. I guess there could be an argument for both, really. I've never tried a cymbal spring but if I had my china upside-down I definitely would. All my cymbals are on the thinner side, and mounted loose they all have plenty of flex which seems to help with the impact when I do hit harder.

[EyePea]

My favorite effects cymbal

What does that thing sound like? (sound file ?)

[Ray on the Drums]

What does that thing sound like? (sound file ?)

Sound file? Never done one but I'll look into it soon though.

I know you've all probably seen this video before but I don't see a cheap china doing this for very long.

[wolvie56]

Yeah, I use them at the end of rolls and when there's a big build-up sometimes I may hit them a little harder, but even then it's a lot less than many other drummers I know in person. I know one person who hit their china much less than me, but had it upside-down and hit probably 3 times as hard and his cracked. It was also thicker than mine. As for the stress point, not sure, that's just what I've been told. It could make sense if the cymbal is bent to make that shape but the edge is often a lot thinner. I guess there could be an argument for both, really. I've never tried a cymbal spring but if I had my china upside-down I definitely would. All my cymbals are on the thinner side, and mounted loose they all have plenty of flex which seems to help with the impact when I do hit harder.

I know you've all probably seen this video before but I don't see a cheap china doing this for very long.

Yeah, that is an amazing video. What's even more amazing is the fact that a thin cymbal is more able to survive this treatment than a thicker cymbal. Which seems backwards because we all think that thicker, bigger, and heavier is better. But the thicker cymbal has it's own mass working against it. The thicker the cymbal is, the harder the strike force has to work to make it's way through the cymbal. So instead of a constant flow, sometimes the wave is impeded by it's own mass creating a stress fatigue point that ends up later being a crack over time. Usually on the edge, or along the tonal ridge lines. That's why a crashing a ride hard is a bad idea. A thinner cymbal has less mass which allows the strike force to travel nearly unimpeded through the cymbals mass.

[MR. G]

great post #31...Thanks Ray