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Thread: Best China to go with my cymbals

  1. #1

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    Default Best China to go with my cymbals

    Hey all,

    I have a 20" Constantinople Medium Thin Ride High, an 18" K Dark Crash Medium Thin Crash, a 16" K Custom Hybrid Crash, and 15" New Beat hats.

    What would you guys suggest for a Zildjian China cymbal that would 1) fit in well with my existing cymbals, and 2) might be a good contrast to my existing cymbals. I like the darker overall tone of my cymbals, but think that a contrasting China (maybe something brighter) might be an interesting option. So, give me some thoughts on a china that would blend well or contrast.

    Thank you!
    Now, just a tiny bit less than an absolute drum newbie
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  2. #2

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    Oriental?
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  3. #3

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    14" K Fast China..
    Ludwig Classic Maple 22x16,10x8,12x9,16x16
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  4. #4

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    K Custom hybrid china:



    Here's a clip I found of a 19" Zildjian 19" K Custom hybrid:


  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by MDK View Post
    14" K Fast China..
    I like that one too.................saw them on best buy recently for around 130 bones.................not sure if they are still on sale though.

    Chinas are the only cymbal, where cheap ones are actually preferred by a lot of players, myself included.......................they're supposed to be trashy

  6. #6

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    Hey guys!

    Thanks for they ideas! I listened to both the cymbals you suggested, and then listened to a Zildjian 17" K Custom hybrid, which is a little brighter than the 19". I'm thinking I like that one the best of these 3, but the 17" is $300!!

    It's not like I haven't spent a lot of money on cymbals already, but...
    Now, just a tiny bit less than an absolute drum newbie
    DW Collectors Cherry kit, Ludwig Black Beauty Snare, DW SuperSolid Oak/Cherry Snare, DW Sabian Vault Edge Snare

  7. #7

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    Wuhan best chinas on the market.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Northern Redneck View Post
    Wuhan best chinas on the market.
    You still got the 16" Zildjian Oriental China Trash I sent ya? That one blew my eardrums out

  9. #9

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  10. #10

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    Just looked again...............best buy has the 14" K china for $119...............stupid cheap, but I already have a small china

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by late8 View Post
    You still got the 16" Zildjian Oriental China Trash I sent ya? That one blew my eardrums out
    I've got one. It's definitely dark and trashy.
    Mmm... Saturns.

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by late8 View Post
    You still got the 16" Zildjian Oriental China Trash I sent ya? That one blew my eardrums out
    Yeah, I've got the 14" version of that. Don't let it's smaller size fool ya, it still packs a good trashy punch.
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  13. #13

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    R.i.P. FRANK YOU WILL BE REMEMBER AS A GENTLEMAN

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  14. #14

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    I've never been a big fan of Zildjian chinas, at least not up close. In a mix they sound awesome, but up close they all sound too thick and ringy for me.
    Having said that I think the Oriental Trash or K chinas would probably be the most versatile...
    In some ways chinas seem to be some of the most diverse cymbals out there. A crash from any company can sound similar (not all of them clearly, but if you listen to a few similar crashes from different companies and lines, you may get the idea). Chinas have so much variation, from Wuhans, to the B8 stuff, to Zildjians, Paistes, Sabian, Meinl etc. They all have their own sound. I would look at other brands too if I was you. Paiste has some much brighter chinas in their 2002 line. Sabian's chinas, overall, would go really well with what you have if you decided you wanted a dark sound to match your ride and crashes. I know you want to stick with Zildjian, but it doesn't hurt to explore!

  15. #15

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    I'm sure you've already found a china by now... but I've been through A LOT of chinas over the past few years from Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Wuhan, Stagg, Saluda, Paiste, Dream and Istanbul, in search of a china that is quick and smooth as well as not having an insane amount of volume that makes it not able to mix with cymbals from darker lines of cymbals... The ONLY cymbal I've owned thus far that can mix well with a full set of Zildjian Ks, Paiste 602, Sabian HH/Artist, etc. without completely overpowering them in volume is the Sabian HHX 18" China.

    Chinas are very loud and piercing by nature, I've found. They don't lend themselves well to many genres outside of loud rock and metal because of this, even if you buy from a "jazz" line of cymbals. I refuse to believe that there's nothing out there that isn't dark and complex, with less volume, like the offerings in crash, ride and hi-hat cymbals... but it's been a tough ride thus-far. I have a feeling something like an old EAK Zildjian might work well, too, but even lighter chinas seem to be insanely loud.

    FWIW, I've disliked nearly every Wuhan I've played. Currently, I have a 12" Wuhan china that works ok as an accent cymbal, but frankly, it sounds like a broken gong if I beat on it more than a few times in a row. No bueno. Those cymbals have no depth whatsoever and it always boggles my mind when people say they prefer them over some of the more expensive offerings. I get that the cymbal is supposed to be trashy... but those things literally sound like you're hitting a trash can lid.

    Aside from the HHX, the only other that's come close is the Paiste Signature Thin China. It's far more of a mix between a crash and a china, though. I currently own the Heavy China, which is far too overbearing in volume for me to use as a "crash china" on my kit, but it sounds great as a trashy ride cymbal, which suits the style of music I'm playing more lately.

    Another option is a stack - I use a 12" AAX Mini Chinese with a 10" Saluda Mist splash on top that makes a really cool trashy sound that's super quick and stays more on the level of volume as my crashes.
    Last edited by MatrixClaw; 05-07-2014 at 05:21 PM.

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by late8 View Post
    K Custom hybrid china:



    Here's a clip I found of a 19" Zildjian 19" K Custom hybrid:

    Agreed, one of my all time favs.
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  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by riouel View Post
    +1
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  18. #18

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    The Orientals are AWESOME chinas. They really cut. Like was mentioned they might be a little harsh for solo use. So that might be something to think about. Are you gonna use it alone or in a band setting?

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Northern Redneck View Post
    Wuhan best chinas on the market.
    I'll second this, especially if you are wanting something sort of trashy. I've had a couple of Wuhans (I think I had something like a 16" and a 10", but memory is fuzzy). I got rid of them because I simply didn't need them. I did have a 22" Zildjian china boy high. It was ok, but it was a little "much." I bought it for $100, played it for 5 years, then I sold it on eBay for $120.

    If you get a Wuhan, go ahead and pick up one of those cymbal springs. It'll help the china to keep from cracking, and a normal wing-nut will not fit down into the "cup" of a Wuhan b/c it's so deep, so get a cymbal spring. Also, Wuhan chinas are CONSIDERABLY cheaper than the other alternatives mentioned, as in you can get one between $40-$50 easy.

    Best of luck!

    Edit: This is a pretty accurate sound clip of what my china sounded like (through my headphones anyway):

    Last edited by porkpieguy; 05-08-2014 at 03:08 PM.

  20. #20

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    count me among the Wuhan fans---A friend of mine picked up an 18" from a pawn shop for 15 bucks because he just liked the funky shape (he's not a musician), and holy crap this thing is amazing! It doesn't "go" with anything---it's an in your face trash can lid on steroids, but I love it anyway

  21. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by porkpieguy;592320
    Edit: This is a pretty accurate sound clip of what my china sounded like (through my headphones anyway):

    [YT
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30lIJcOnkxY[/YT]
    Not sure why so many people like that tone. Sounds terrible to me :P

  22. #22

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    I guess I'm kinda like rickthedrummer with cowbells. 40+ years drumming and I've never owned a china cymbal. Don't sound all that great to me. I just don't "get" them I guess.

    all the best...

  23. #23

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    I guess I'm kinda like rickthedrummer with cowbells. 40+ years drumming and I've never owned a china cymbal. Don't sound all that great to me. I just don't "get" them I guess. I used to deliver papers in snow blizzards so I could save up for cymbals that didn't sound like "trash" LOL

    all the best...

  24. #24

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    My current set-up is using hats plus 9 cymbals (I like brass)...........all I own is Zildjian except for the two china cymbals which are both Wuhan.
    I have had an 18" for 15 years and a couple of years ago I added a 14".
    Love them both.
    I use them mostly for effects.............not hit very often but they get attention in the right spot.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  25. #25

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    The thing with china cymbals is that you can't really listen to them on a recording and make an educated decision. They are far and among the hardest cymbals to judge based on a recording, because they track VERY well. If you're just looking for a good china for recordings, then mostly anything will do - for some reason, overhead mics love them... if you're looking for something that's going to sound great in the room, good luck. You're likely going to have to try a ton before you find the right one.

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