Playing a Crashable Ride (or a Rideable Crash)

[Drumolator]

I have owned and played the following crash-ride cymbals (all Sabian).

20" AA El Sabor Ride (I no longer have it.)
18" AA El Sabor (I no longer have it.)
18" AA Crash-Ride (I no longer have it because the crash was way too high pitched.)
21" AA Bash Ride (It is at the church where I play. It is my favorite ride ever.)
20" HHX Evolution Ride
18" SR2 Thin

To play a crash-ride cymbal, one must play near the bell / middle if you want ping. The closer to the edge one plays, the more wash, and the closer to the middle, more ping. Many drummers do not seem to do this correctly. What do you think? Peace and goodwill.

[SpazApproved]

You know the funny thing is I tell ALL my beginner students to stay away from cymbals that are made as "crash/rides" because they are all cheap and sound like crap... never heavy enough for a good right and never thin enough for a good crash lol


But... with that said.. I have a 20" AAX Metal Crash that has become on of my favorite Crash/Rides. It's not designed as a ride but it's heavy enough to get away with it and I recorded one of my youtube videos with it as a ride. It's extremely versatile even as a heavy big crash. But I would still never recommend anyone to buy a "crash/ride". You buy a Ride you like and buy a crash you like.

[slinky]

I love my 19" Zildjian Thrash Ride as a crash.. sounds and feels good when I hit it.

(The later version Z3 timeframe)

[Ricardo]

"You buy a Ride you like and buy a crash you like."

AMEN !

When I need a wash (seldom), I use a crash.

[drummer]

You know the funny thing is I tell ALL my beginner students to stay away from cymbals that are made as "crash/rides" because they are all cheap and sound like crap... never heavy enough for a good right and never thin enough for a good crash lol


But... with that said.. I have a 20" AAX Metal Crash that has become on of my favorite Crash/Rides. It's not designed as a ride but it's heavy enough to get away with it and I recorded one of my youtube videos with it as a ride. It's extremely versatile even as a heavy big crash. But I would still never recommend anyone to buy a "crash/ride". You buy a Ride you like and buy a crash you like.

Same here. With the exception of one Zildjian K I use for light jazz, most cymbals that double as crash/ride just don't work. I've always thought of it as a gimmick.

[noreastbob]

I look at "crash/rides" as a compromise...and as with most compromises..."sport-touring bikes", "on/off road vehicles", etc, etc, they are not particularly good at either of their classifications due to trying for both.
The only one I ever bought was an 18" Zildjian crash/ride and the first cymbal I ever bought. Guess the naive beginner thought it was a good compromise. Pretty medium weight.
That said that cymbal is still on my kit. I have a lot of cymbals so it's not that big a surprise but it's there a few inches above my 16" FT as a Beatles ride analog, a sloppy crash, and most of all... I can use it on endings when I'm flourishing on the tom and simultaneously hitting the bottom of the 18"er for a nice swell of cacophony.

[PHROGGE]

My favorite "crash /ride"??? Before i switched all to paiste 2018...
Was a 22.5 " sabian aax chad smith explosion crash,,used as ride
chad signed it in 2006 /i sold it (dummy) then bought another one!!!!now on my suitcaesw drumkit my "sweetheart cymbal "is a 15" paiste heavy alpha bottom hihat cymbal (4 holes drilled)
bought it used for $25!! Best investment in long time !!!

[SpazApproved]

I just bought not one but two Sabian AA Bash rides because they are incredible... ride them or bash the crap out of them like a ride and they sing.

[Olimpass]

I have an 80’s 18” Zildjian crash ride that is decent but my input is if it sounds good as a ride and crashes nice, it’s a crash ride no matter what name they put on the cymbal. Sometimes you just want a different sound for the variety of the situation.