NEW Zildjian Z Customs | The Best Cymbals for Metal?

The newly revamped line of Zildjian Z Customs live up to their loud legacy, but are they the ultimate cymbals for cutting through the mix? You tell us! Buy them using the links below.

Chapters:
00:00 - Orrr ewwwe Radday
01:06 - New Z Custom Stuff
02:41 - Z Custom Demo #1
04:41 - Z Custom Demo #2 w/Mega Bell
06:40 - Paiste Rude Demo
08:26 - The Drums
09:03 - Head to Head Comparison

Buy the new Zildjian Z Customs here:

Buy Paiste Rudes here:
Paiste Rude Sound Edge Hi Hat Cymbals 14"

Paiste Rude Thin Crash Cymbal 17"

Paiste Rude Thin Crash Cymbal 19"

Paiste Rude Wild China Cymbal 20"

Paiste Rude Power Ride Cymbal 20"

Buy the sickest drums here:
Sonor SQ2 Maple 3pc Drum Set Black Green W/Black Hardware

Sonor SQ2 Heavy Maple Snare Drum 14x6 Black Green W/Black Hardware

Microphones used to capture the drums:

Bass Drum:

Snare Drum:
Earthworks SR117

Toms:

Overheads:

Room Mics:

Follow us on:

[adamfrost]

There’s also a 20” Z Custom Crash and 20” Ride we didn’t feature. They sound remarkably similar to the Z Customs we did feature.

[nope]

I know it’s meant to pump the new Z’s but those Rudes are just chefs kiss

[benben]

Holy shit... no way they actually listened to the people and brought them back New

[lrizo]

Zildjian always finds a way to keep me playing their cymbals

[tobecomezero]

Don’t forget your hearing protection with Rudes

[fld]

There's only one game in town for sheer volume - Paiste Rudes.

[tylerbailey]

It troo! Finally, there's legit been such a vacuum for heavier cymbals in recent years

[officialedge]

The Rude's still remain the King.

[TedDiabetes]

Really happy to see the relaunch of Z Customs. I used quite a few last gen era models from 2001 when I saw still in high school until the end of that decade. I feel like these new models have directed all the best parts of the previous incarnations into a single stream. Tight, glassy, and powerful. That being said, the RUDE series still wins out for me. I prefer the thin crashes over the other models, but they just have so much more body and depth while still maintaining a bright, shimmering attack that isn't clangy. I wanted to make the jump to Paiste for years, and I finally did so back in 2017. Regardless, these new Zs sound fantastic, and im really glad Zildjian listened and brought back a key line in their history.

[drummaman]

The first cymbal combo (15h, 17, 19c, 22r, 20ch) sound very good and extremely musical! Was not expecting it. Z really did their research, and nailed down a crash sound with good weight and projection, without offering med-thins and heavy that generally won’t sell. You won’t need to have all the extra if you design it right the first time.
And those Sonors…❤

[demonicsweaters]

The interesting thing about the Z hats and crashes, is they actually seem to sound quite mellow. Not sure that's what they're going for, but they sound really nice to my ears. Low pitch, almost dark sounding. The rides and chinas definitely cut and would work great for metal, but I think the others would be great for anything! I really like them!

[hiptoalieu]

YO, I gotta hand it to Zildjian...these sound actually KILLIN! Definitely more musical than I was expecting, the crashes are pitched nicely, and OH MY GOSH that china is SICK!

[meddandrummer]

pAisTe rude by far, really amazing cymbals for rock and metal

[cyanhobbit]

Man, the nostalgia! When I started playing drums in 2000 I always wanted Z Customs, saw them in every cool music video. Then tried them later on, and went straight to Paiste, never looked back. These look cool and all, but sadly it's not even close when comparing these to Rudes, they are still way more musical than Zs in my opinion.

[johngiummarra]

The Rudes all day long. Paiste got it right in 1980.

[masdrums]

I switched back to Rudes from Zs 12 years ago. So much better sounding and I haven’t broken one yet. I put 2 sets together, all used. Some date back to ‘83. I would break new Z Custom crashes every 14 months or so. That went on for a decade. The Rude Power rides are great. My favorite crashes are the Bashers and Wild Crashes. The Wild Crash cuts a little more and the Bashers are little smoother, so I use those to record and the Wilds live. Loud cymbals are great in all size venues because in smaller venues, there’s usually no overhead mics. This all pertains to loud, aggressive music styles of course.

[peteluce]

Love the Z Mega Bell and the Crashes. Love the Rude Hi Hats, China and Ride! Mix and match for me!

[AF]

I wasn't overly a fan of the Z Customs, but those 15" hats are easily the best 15" hats I've ever heard. I've never really liked how 15s sounded personally but those Zs sound incredible.

[woodydawg]

These new Z customs are more musical than I expected! Really nice. Well done!

[daynnethedrummer]

These are the best any of the Z's have ever sounded by miles.