Dark Rides at medium weight

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scheme

scheme

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Hi guys,

Help me stimulate my cymbal addication and recommend me some dark rides at medium weight (around 2500 to 3000 grams for 22“). The K Custom Dark Ride would be an example, what are similar options?
Mehmets preferred, but doesn‘t matter in the end.

Thanks!
 
Dark is a very general term. Sound Creation, K Custom, Paiste Masters all use the word, yet the cymbals sound very different.
What made you think dark in the first place? Any recorded sound you could link to as an example of what you're looking for? What would be a musical context you would be using the cymbal in?
 
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Istanbul Agop Mantra 22" Ride is right up your alley. Mine weighs around 2820 if I remember correctly. Killer ride.
 
scheme said:
Help me stimulate my cymbal addication and recommend me some dark rides at medium weight (around 2500 to 3000 grams for 22“).
Click to expand...
most every B20 brand at that weight and diameter will share a similarity
3000 is getting kind of close out of Dark range with few exceptions.
Can deny weight only so far. Recommend staying closer to 25
 
scheme said:
Hi guys,

Help me stimulate my cymbal addication and recommend me some dark rides at medium weight (around 2500 to 3000 grams for 22“). The K Custom Dark Ride would be an example, what are similar options?
Mehmets preferred, but doesn‘t matter in the end.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
This is what I’d consider a dark medium heavy ride. These sound great in music. Enough heft to be heard, but not harsh at all.

 
The 22" Mehmet Traditional Medium Ride is a solid choice. I bought one a few years ago and it has become my all time favorite ride that I have ever had. Until now...

Because I still have a little bit of Cymbalholic left in me I had to go and muddy up the situation, rather than leave well enough alone, and recently added a 22" Mehmet El Negro Medium Ride which is really perfect for what I want.

At this point it would be impossible to chose between these two Mehmets. The Trad is a little darker and slightly beefier. The El Negro is is slightly drier and more crashable. Both are excellent and a joy to play. They both do their jobs so well.
 
Paiste Dark Energy Rides might fit what you're looking for. They're both incredibly versatile and crashable too. The Mk1 is fairly dry and the Mk2 is normal dipping it's toes in dry. 21" are my favorites but they're all great.
 
Sabian HH med , preferably from the nineties .
Sabian Garibaldi sig unlathed heavily hammered 18 or 22
TRX dark unlathed except for a dozen or so lines couple inches from the edge top and bottom .
K Cindi Blackman 22 dark med . - this one my first choice .
 
I have a 22” Constantinople Medium that’s about 2650 grams or so and fits that description (to me anyway). It’s more “complex” than, for example, a K Custom … which is both a pro and a con depending on the context in which you’re using it. I think it’s a wonderful cymbal though in the last few years, I haven’t played it much.
 
Seb77 said:
Dark is a very general term. Sound Creation, K Custom, Paiste Masters all use the word, yet the cymbals sound very different.
What made you think dark in the first place? Any recorded sound you could link to as an example of what you're looking for? What would be a musical context you would be using the cymbal in?
Click to expand...
Always hard to describe. Maybe that way, I have a Mehmet Legend Dark 21“ which I really like. A heavier version with more ping, beefier and a stronger bell could describe it. Retaining the basic dark sound but with more potential to cut.

The Signature DE mentioned are my holy grail, but way out of budget. Some cheaper alternatives would be nice too, but I guess they are pretty unique.
 
My 20” KCD weighs in at 2266g. It’s my favorite ride cymbal

Edit. Misread the first post, those weights are for a 22”. Whoops
 
scheme said:
Always hard to describe. Maybe that way, I have a Mehmet Legend Dark 21“ which I really like. A heavier version with more ping, beefier and a stronger bell could describe it. Retaining the basic dark sound but with more potential to cut.
Click to expand...
Similar to these but heavier? what makes them darker than others, what aspects should be the same? I would listen to any heavily hammered medium ride with a bigger bell, most won't crash as easily though.
 
Seb77 said:
Similar to these but heavier? what makes them darker than others, what aspects should be the same? I would listen to any heavily hammered medium ride with a bigger bell, most won't crash as easily though.
Click to expand...
I think the ratio of low and high frequencies and some added complexity. A good example are the Legend Dark Hats 15“ which I own too. They are fairly heavy and cut way better than their ride counterpart.
Crashability isn‘t very important.
 
scheme said:
Always hard to describe. Maybe that way, I have a Mehmet Legend Dark 21“ which I really like. A heavier version with more ping, beefier and a stronger bell could describe it. Retaining the basic dark sound but with more potential to cut.

The Signature DE mentioned are my holy grail, but way out of budget. Some cheaper alternatives would be nice too, but I guess they are pretty unique.
Click to expand...
What is your budget? Are you considering used cymbals also?
 
KillinBill66 said:
What is your budget? Are you considering used cymbals also?
Click to expand...
I think 400CHF max (1CHF = 1.04$). Mehmets are fairly cheap here (+-300CHF for a 22“), which is a big plus and why I prefer them. The big four have similar prices as in the US.

I wouldn‘t mind to buy used, but the local used market is quite small and the vast majority are B8 Paistes. Welcome to CH :)
 
I got myself a used 21" Mehmet Turk Medium Ride not too long ago and it´s really growing on me. Sounds a bit darker than this one but it´s in the ballpark:

 
If you can get your hands on either a Sabian HH Liquid Ride or a Sabian HH Sound Control Ride, I would highly recommend those two cymbals for a dark, heavy sound. I encourage you to check out video examples on YouTube.
 
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