Drum Set Ride Cymbal Shopping

In this video I share my tips when shopping for a new drum set ride cymbal. If you're looking for a good Jazz ride cymbal, this video will give you some solid ideas of what to look and listen for.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:45 Entering ACT Drum Shop
01:34 Ride cymbal design tips
02:08 My ride cymbal selection process
02:33 What to bring
03:15 Koide cymbals
04:14 Thin is good
06:46 Mel Lewis Istanbul ride cymbal
08:30 Don't pass up a great cymbal
08:45 Zildjian cymbals
10:42 The brushes test
11:00 Learn to play brushes
11:55 The mallet test
12:08 Try different sticks
12:46 Conclusion

SEE BELOW FOR MANY WAYS TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY DRUMS

[AstAMoore]

I’d take that Istanbul Signature (the green lettering) into the drum room to check out. Some of them are very nice, dark sounding cymbals.

[charlesparenteau]

I do the exact same thing, I can spend a good hour with a cymbal to ear everything it has to offer and I often bring my other cymbals.

If I can add a quick tip: Take the time you need to pick up the cymbal that fits what you seeking and try not to care about what others might think. I remember I had that fear when shopping for my first ride cymbal. I've made impulsive purchase to avoid this situation because I was so shy about my skills at the time and I cared to much about what others might think of the way I hit the cymbal and the sound that is coming out of it.

This tip is not going to relate to everyone but for those who might be in the same spot as I was in, for sake of being able to express yourself and enjoying it as much as you can and your wallet, take all the time you need to pick the right one.

[garydonnelly]

I'm a K Con fan myself. My current set includes a 20" Bounce Ride, 19" Crash/Ride and 20" Flat (dark and smoky with crashability). If you can drop the cash, I consider the thinner Bounce and Renaissance rides to be the holy grail. The Bounce ride I own needed a tad bit of taming. I was using a chain for sizzle effect and then tried one of those sizzlers with rivets on a removable arm. It sounded great and reduced the little bit of wash buildup that I couldn't quite reduce with technique alone (I dislike using tape), but the contraption was a hassle so I bit the bullet and installed a 3-rivet cluster. It's perfect! Slow and medium tempos just float with this instrument and faster tempos stay controlled. I also installed a single rivet in my 19" Crash/Ride just to add a touch of sustain and to add a bit of life with brushes. I just love these instruments. I'm a firm believer in saving some money to acquire a Cadillac and not settle for a less expensive Focus. I like my cymbals to go vrooom! 😁 Great video. I agree, sometimes it's simply best to go in the store and just hit them one after another. If it's right, it will speak to you and say "pick me!!!"

[Strykjarn]

Im not a jazz drummer. I play more in rock and alternitive music bands. But I love to follow you anyway. Wounderful playing in the end of the video.
Greetings from Sweden 🎼🥁🎼🥁

[drums]

Awesome video, and great clips of your playing at the end! You’re a super clean player!

[JigsHidalgoMusic]

I use istanbul turk jazz 22" and a Sabian AA 20" dry ride. Koide cymbals will always be one of my dream cymbals!

[M.A.R.V-cv]

So good Von! Believe it or not, last week I was also choosing a ride for my own drumset that I'm assembling these days. As a beginner I only could trust my inner intuition and I chose a Paiste that “resonated“ with me...

I'm sure your great advice will help me a lot in the future when I choose another ride!

Thanks a lot my friend 🙏

[boomerguy]

Wonderful information that I don't see in other videos. I agree completely with trying different sticks (wood tip, nylon tip, designs, weights, lengths, diameters, etc.), different brushes, mallets and even rods. I've spent countless hours of narrowing down which of these work with specific groups of cymbals. It's amazing how the same sticks will take on different personalities with different cymbals - particularly when you play the different "orchestra" parts of the cymbal.

My favorite "sweet spot" is at the 7:00 o'clock position, about 3 inches in from the edge, but I still play all of the cymbal according to the sound that I want. Likewise, my different styles, weight and thickness of brushes and types of handles have a big effect on the sound.

Then there is the angle of the cymbal. I also have specific stands dedicated to the different cymbals because of their profiles. When I want a quick setup, I like to have the stand's angle and height already pre-set. I do all the fine-tuning at home.

I'm a low volume jazz player and I prefer the more acoustic jazz/pop/soul sound of small venues, so "less is more" is the main focus. (Hard to believe that I started out as a self-taught garage band rock drummer in the 60's.)

Although I prefer listening to the cymbals in person - just like you did, by taking my own sticks and brushes to the drum shop - my favorite one of those you show in this video is the Zildjian K Constantinople. I would like to have seen some Bosphorus models as well.

Thanks for a great video.

[badtriad]

"When you find one that you love, price is no object" made me spill my coffee!! Collector here, Von (++ sets -each w/own cymbals)
Biggest problem I've found w/rides (& Sabian NOTORIOUS for it -yep, even hotsy-totsy HH/HHX/etc. lines) is non-musical RUMBLE or ROAR!

[frankcava]

If you can find one, try a Sabian HH Smoky ride.Great stick definition that doesn't wash out.

[batouttahell]

Who is Von Baron? Who have you worked with? On behalf of many Drummers Thank You for such an Informative and Important Video for many!!

[themole]

Picked up a nearly new 20' Constantinople recently and I am in love. Shop slightly used and save a a couple hundred bucks. A word to the wise: I am an older self taught (along with Von) drummer. I made some mistakes on my first kit because I did not understand that jazz drums don't require a 22' kick, or 16' floor toms. So think about what style and size drums are best for you before buying the first time. Also, spend a little on the cymbals the first time, if you don't you will be re-buying a better set in the future.

[karstenbursak]

Just stumbled across your video.
I just went cymbal hunting last week, and my process is pretty similar to yours.
The only differences:
1. Before I go to the store, I check a lot of youtube videos from manufacturers and music stores to predetermine what might work well with my allready existing arsenal.
2. I ask the cats in the store if they have more in stock that is not on the display, as hand made cymbals even of the same brand and type can vary a lot.
Initially I was looking for just a ride to enhance my Istanbul Mel Lewis set, but ended up buying a whole new set of MEINL Byzance (2 rides, a crash, hats and a trash). Hell, I love that 22 Foundry Reserve Ride ... better than any Keropes and K Cons I ever heard.
And yes PRICE does matter, when you are on a thight budget.
As for me I bought my Istanbuls 2nd hand on ebay and just was lucky that I got a huge discount on those Meinls as my local musicstore is closing down and clear out their stock.
Otherwise I would not been able to get my 800$ ride cymbal.
Sadly more and more smaller Shops are closing down and online retailers like sweetwater or Thomann taking over. But people seem to care more about the price and the best deal and take the risk of getting a bad sounding cymbal.
I remember in the 90s, my then drumshop had the distributer come with a van full of cymbals and the owner handpicked what he wanted ... today you only take what you get.😢
Greetings from Berlin

[perrypezza]

I would appreciate it if you could continue exploring options to find the cymbal you have to buy! Also, great insights into cymbal chemistry 🤙

[thebarak]

The most difficult instrument to select is a cymbal. Adding to everything you have said, (all correct), what we hear from the throne is different from what the front of the house hears. That delicious and beautiful stick definition may not make it very far forward of the kit in an acoustic setting. And then hard players get different results to quieter players when using the same cymbals and same sticks. I switched from K-Zildjians to Bosphorus Turks (very dry) to double-down on stick definition and get less wash than the Ks were building. At the same time I started playing with much less force. It is such a personal choice, but it is also pure science!

[ralphbenites]

Hannah Ford was demonstrating the 20” sweet ride brilliant finish I even wrote down the cereal number to make sure it’s the right one.

[af]

I love the K Sweet Ride. Gotta try a bunch because Zildjian is so inconsistent.

[IllinoisJonRelics]

Great vid!! New subber here. Im also a cymbalaholic, lol. Used Zildjian a and k / k sweets. But have recently gotten on a Meinl kick. The vintage sand ride is awesome! I scored one thats way more hammered than the others. Its dark, great stick definition.
Cool stuff! Great vid!

[irawong]

Great video, Von. On my last visit to Osaka, I stopped by the Mikki Gakki Drum Center and came to the realization that I couldn’t afford my drum hobby in Japan. 😂

Your Japanese language skills are excellent, by the way. Happy New Year!

[clarknova]

Great video! Some really good tips and insight. Nice to see a video of yours outside a gig or rehearsal space too. That shop looks dope! Japan is an amazing looking place - I wonder where else you could film drum-related content and also capture some of the local culture? Keep up the good work!