I'm a 16 inch medium thin crash guy personally, but I like where you're coming from. Great sounding stuff.
For me, it is my 16-inch A. Zildjian thin crash.
There cannot be a better cymbal on this Earth !
Bought it 1976 with an Atlas boom stand for $90, total.
Still have both today and both are still excellent.
I have since purchased many "A"s & "K"s both mediums and thins in diameters of 15, 16 , 17 & 18.........my original 16 A is still the best.
Gretsch USA & Zildjian(What Else Would I Ever Need ?)
I'm a 16 inch medium thin crash guy personally, but I like where you're coming from. Great sounding stuff.
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For me it's my Zildjian 16" A Custom fast crash. Got two of them, love them both.
Don't know if there is a best necessarily. Cymbals are each designed with different types of sounds in mind, it's not like paying more will automatically make an infinitely better cymbal specwise. That question's answer is a rather difficult one because of what each is designed for. Like Z customs for example, designed for brightness and volume just like the projection series from the A custom lines. Does not do jazz well at all, designed for huge rooms to cut through every other object sonically competing with it. It's not like paying more gives you the feature to tell it to sound another certain way - so due to that constant difference you get between every other cymbal I wouldn't really say better, just better sounding towards the player's individual tastes and needs. Personally I feel like A's are top notch for the songs I generally play. They have a balanced sound which records like a bit of a wash, but if you want a bit more focus and attack - you can dampen the underside of them and see what you end up with. Zildjian A 16 or 18" med thin are my ideal cymbal, but K 16 or 18" would be a close second!
Last edited by Russ; 04-07-2013 at 06:40 PM.
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The 16" Zildjian K Dark Crash on my school's set is one of the best sounding cymbals I've ever played. It is so responsive. It's like the cymbal knows the exact sound I want every time I hit it, and produces it every time. I love it.
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I really love my Paiste Alpha 16" Brilliant Rock Crash. It's probably far below everyone else's idea of a "best crash" but it fits exactly with what I like & need.
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My favourite crash I've played is my 16" Byzance tradition thin crash. Mmmmm.
- Zack
I'll stick with the Byzance and say my favorite right now is a Meinl Byzance Traditional 21" Medium crash.
Somebody had to go bigger than a 16" eventually.
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for me its between the paiste 18in medium crash, and the zildjian 18in a custom thin crash
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I'm yet to find that crash I really click with, but I've loved a lot of Paiste's and a few Meinls.
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Ricardo, you know it's a special cymbal when you can identify it as the go-to cymbal. I have an 18" A Custom Fast Crash that's like that for me. I don't think it's about it being 2" larger than my 16". Like you, I think it's about the thinner aspect of the cymbal. To me, it just shimmers perfectly.
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20" Medium A Custom crash. Does it all.
Cassidy
Cassidy
Drumslinger
I have A 16" custom projection that is very nice, the 18" not so much.
But I do have a used 18" Paiste 2000 that I bought off ebay for $60 with S&H that is fabulous. Sounds much better than the 18" A custom projection.
I am looking for a nice A custom 15" or 17" crash, preferably a fast crash to add to the line up.
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My 16 and 18 AAX crashs but also really like my 18 aero crash so many to choose from. Its all in the likes of ones own ears
My 16" AA medium thin is magical.
16" Zildjian A Custom crash...e'nuff said.
19" Z Custom Thrash Ride (technically a crash cymbal)
My Aax 16" studio has a very nice bright sound or my 16" ufip class series medium is awesome, little darker than the aax and a great compliment. Great pair imo
lots of 16's as favorites, intresting. There's a lot that I haven't had the pleasure of playing but at the moment my favorites are my 18'' Zildjian Z custom crashes. Have one on each side.
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Absolutely love my dark AAX's. I have an 18" dark K that I use as well. Has a small crack in it but still sounds fantastic. All about preference though. As long as the drummer likes them its cool.
Dave
Frank "Fiacovaz" Iacovazzi
RIP my friend
Proud member of "PHROGGES AQUARIAN ARMY"
The best set of Crash cymbals I have heard so far is my Sabian AAX Xplosion Fast crashes. The 16" size is my favourite. The nice thing about the fast crashes is that they are very inexspensive. I own all the Evolutions, and the fast crashes are almost identical in sound. Just a little smoother, but almost half the price. Not many people own them, but they should!
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