Best China

[ntn2it]

I have to vote for the two that I have as I tried a lot of different one before purchasing the two that I have.

First is my Zildjian A Custom 18". Very loud, trashy and bright.
Second is my Zildjian K 19". Mellow, subdued and very rideable.

I had a couple of those cheap Wuhans in the past, but I didn't really care for them. Sounded more like two trash can lids rather than cymbals to me.

[Shawn76]

This is a hard question to ask since there are so many different China's to choose from.

I like different China's for different reasons.
I have the 20" HHX 19" Vault Holy China 18" HH and 14" HHX Evolution China's.
The 20" just blows every China I have heard away.As mentioned above it would sound good with mallets.
The Holy China,what's not to like about them?Trashy and loud.
I like my 18" ones because they are trashy but not really loud China's.
The 14" I like because it is louder then all of my China's except for the Holy China.It's loud and has a quick decay.Hard to believe it's only a 14" since it does pack a punch when hit.
There really is no "best China" out there.It still depends on the drummer and style of music. I have a strange addiction to China's,not sure why and I refuse to use a Wuhan.I'd rather just spend the money now rather then having to keep buying the same cymbal over and over and the sound being different each time.I have had my 2 18" China's for 3-3.5 years now and they have yet to crack or keyhole and I do use them the most out of all the China's on my kit.

[Northern Redneck]

For all those people who hate Wuhan china's.....

[marko138]

For all those people who hate Wuhan china's.....

What if you just hate the sound of the Wuhan?

[Northern Redneck]

Thats fine, its the people who call them junk.

[Sticks4drums]

for me it sabian paragon 19 inch

+1

[NedgarAllanPoe]

I know they're good china's, but they're just not for me, but apparently because they're all so different I might look around to see if I can get an 18" that I like.

[Drumbledore]

After its been played in for a while, the 16" Zildjian Oriental China Trash is the china sound I hear in my head.

I have the 14" version of it. It goes pretty well with a lot of the percussion set ups that I use, as well as making the occasional drumkit appearance, especially on the less-loud occasions. I often team it up with the 9" Oriental Splash that I also own, and mix these two in the Paiste cymbal set ups I usually use.

[Shawn76]

Thats fine, its the people who call them junk.

I didn't call them junk,I said I don't like them and for me,it's better to just spend money on a cymbal I know that will likely last many years if used correctly.Wuhans played the right way will crack eventually.
I am not saying anything bad to anyone who uses Wuhan,like when I first posted,each person has their "best" China they like.I have a friend who uses the 12" China's and has busted several over the years and he uses a cymbal spring. Since they can be bought for $10-$20,for him it works out ok.

[Northern Redneck]

Wuhans are no more prone to cracking than any other cymbal. The reason you see so many broken is that people know they are cheap and beat the hell out of them.

[Shawn76]

Wuhans are no more prone to cracking than any other cymbal. The reason you see so many broken is that people know they are cheap and beat the hell out of them.

I've seen a few different 12" ones floating around.One is very thick and heavy the other lightweight. Ya you do have a point that people do beat them to death more then they would a $150-$200 used China.Any cymbal is prone to crack but I still think Wuhan's are more likely to crack.

[pcs90]

Not all Wuhans are made well... Often that is the case, where people just abuse them. And I also have heard of some lasting at least 10 years. But they are not made consistently, sometimes the metal is less durable I guess, or the thickness, or whatever else. I've seen some pretty deformed ones... If played correctly they will last longer, but the quality is not always the same as other brands.

[NedgarAllanPoe]

Wuhans are no more prone to cracking than any other cymbal. The reason you see so many broken is that people know they are cheap and beat the hell out of them.

Definitely, I had my 19" AAX X-treme china and I bet the crap out of it even though it wasn't cheap, it has 2 huge cracks on the bow now, I still use it as a secondary china, but ever since i've been so careful with my holy china, I have it on a cymbal spring and I make sure if I hit the edge I don't dig in too hard. If I had a Wuhan I wouldn't be half as careful.

[Russ]

You get what you pay for.

[Shawn76]

You get what you pay for.

Agreed,you get what you pay for. Wuhans aren't for everyone.I don't bash anyone who uses them and think they are being cheap,some probably do sound pretty good.I have limited experience in what the Wuhans sound like.I have heard several 12" ones and some were ok,others needed to be broke on the spot. No one around here stocks Wuhans and since I am not a fan I won't waste money buying one,plus I have several China's already and looking at another (Yikes!!) I seen a 10" China Kang with the holes in it like a Holy China and I thought it sounded good.Trashy and fast decay,should compliment my 14" HHX Evolution China nicely.

We got way off topic so let's get back on topic again! I already listed what ones I like the most but I didn't add that I do like the sound of Paiste cymbals and would of bought them instead but the issue of them being brittle and more expensive turned me off. But they do sound DAMN good!

[HolyChina]

Definitely, I had my 19" AAX X-treme china and I bet the crap out of it even though it wasn't cheap, it has 2 huge cracks on the bow now, I still use it as a secondary china, but ever since i've been so careful with my holy china, I have it on a cymbal spring and I make sure if I hit the edge I don't dig in too hard. If I had a Wuhan I wouldn't be half as careful.

How do the cymbal springs work like are they good and worth the investment it makes sense in all just wondering

[Riouel]

wuhan are unconsistent that their problem
1 sound good and how many sound bad ???

[NedgarAllanPoe]

How do the cymbal springs work like are they good and worth the investment it makes sense in all just wondering

I think there's another thread about cymbal springs somewhere. But basically you just screw it onto your cymbal stand and some people are really skeptical about how you have to put the screw into the threads and it could damage them. But that's beside the point, they let the china breathe a little and vibrate more naturally, it seems to be working so far. Only time will tell if it lets my china live longer.

[ntn2it]

I don't consider them to be junk. When I said cheap, I should have said "inexpensive". Would this have been more pleasing to the sensitive feelings of the Wuhan lovers? For me, they just didn't produce the sound I was looking for. For me, they were too "clangy". For me, it didn't make sense to keep trying them, at any cost, in the hopes of finding a good one or two.

What some endorsed player plays means absolutely nothing to me. I love Neil Peart's abilities, yet I don't care for Sabian cymbals. Stewart Copeland is my personal drum god, yet I've tried and wrecked countless Paiste cymbals (too thin and brittle, but their sound is to die for. I just don't have a big enough wallet to play them.). I happen to have had great luck and awesome sounds from my Zildjian's for over 30 years now. Does that make me a "cymbal snob"? Sure. I'm ok with that. I love my sound. My band loves my sound. The people that come out to see me/us every weekend don't seem to mind either. Other drummers comment on how beautiful my kit and cymbals all sound. That works for me, and is all that I care about.

FWIW, I use the yellow Aquarian cymbal spring on my china and it works great. There is another thread all about it, and I've commented there as well.

[PHROGGE]

i myself prefer da zildjian "k swiss mini china" (SO DOES STEVE SMITH)

[Shawn76]

I don't consider them to be junk. When I said cheap, I should have said "inexpensive". Would this have been more pleasing to the sensitive feelings of the Wuhan lovers? For me, they just didn't produce the sound I was looking for. For me, they were too "clangy". For me, it didn't make sense to keep trying them, at any cost, in the hopes of finding a good one or two.

What some endorsed player plays means absolutely nothing to me. I love Neil Peart's abilities, yet I don't care for Sabian cymbals. Stewart Copeland is my personal drum god, yet I've tried and wrecked countless Paiste cymbals (too thin and brittle, but their sound is to die for. I just don't have a big enough wallet to play them.). I happen to have had great luck and awesome sounds from my Zildjian's for over 30 years now. Does that make me a "cymbal snob"? Sure. I'm ok with that. I love my sound. My band loves my sound. The people that come out to see me/us every weekend don't seem to mind either. Other drummers comment on how beautiful my kit and cymbals all sound. That works for me, and is all that I care about.

FWIW, I use the yellow Aquarian cymbal spring on my china and it works great. There is another thread all about it, and I've commented there as well.

I agree with you on this 100%. I don't care if people call me a cymbal snob because I will use only Sabian cymbals. They are what I like,what sound I am going for and I get a lot of compliments about how my cymbals all blend together nicely.Of course it took time and money to get that all figured out but it works smoothly now.
The Wuhans never sounded good to me and I wouldn't waste my time on them. If I see a 12" for $10 I'll pick it up and resell it to a friend for the same amount since he likes the 12" ones and goes through 2-3 a year. Heavy hitter and uses a cymbal spring.
I prefer the 14" HHX Evolution mini China.That one sounds good to me for the size and price range.
I posted above about Paistes and if they would make the cymbals more durable I'd have no problem switching to them.My pockets aren't deep enough to keep replacing them and I personally think they are the best sounding cymbals to my ears. They could make a killing if they made more durable cymbals.

[Northern Redneck]

Holy reaction. Its almost as bad as saying I dont like DW's or Neil Peart as a person

Seriously guys all I wanted to do was let people know not to let the price tag or faceless people on the internet scare them away from a piece of gear. Even the biggest names who can afford the most exspensive gear on the planet go by sound not price.

[HolyChina]

Holy reaction. Its almost as bad as saying I dont like DW's or Neil Peart as a person

Seriously guys all I wanted to do was let people know not to let the price tag or faceless people on the internet scare them away from a piece of gear. Even the biggest names who can afford the most exspensive gear on the planet go by sound not price.

Agree it's nice when you here a cymbal and its sounds good but cheap but it comes right back when it sounds nice and it is super costly

[slinky]

isn't the Wuhan factory kind of a hole in the wall place?

[Russ]

Wuhan = the money hole.