Your Go-To Crash Thickness and Reason(s)

[Franklin Nigel Stein]

The title pretty much tells the tale here. I use crashes (and cymbals in general) to personalize a drum's sound, and I always seem to be gravitating toward thin, paper thin and "DON'T YOU DARE BEND THAT CYMBAL" thin. Even my modern stuff is generally at least thin.

Am I missing anything here? Thoughts on benefits of and genres for various cymbal weights would greatly add to my somewhat limited drum knowledge (no pro's live at MY address. . . unless my wife's holding out on me).

Plus, I'm sure there are tons of beginners who would love to read about this too.



Frank N Stein

 

[JDA]

you mean one-hit wonders?
16" medium-thin.

 

[TPC]

18” = 1350 g

Thin enough to open up easily, but still projects.

My most oft-used “crash cymbal” however is a 19” paperthin Nolan. More of an effect cymbal though than an all-purpose “crash”. Sort of a trashy 19” splash.

 

[Franklin Nigel Stein]

I have different cymbal setups and each one has slightly different weights.

I’m sure that’s a central issue. For quiet music it’s the really thin stuff, while I break out the (heavier) thins when I know I’ll need them.

For context, the thickest crash I have is an oversized bell vintage A Zildjian 18in “thin” that weighs in at 1250g.

Why change up the cymbals? Music type, size of room, indoor/outdoor, sound deadening features, sound system or all of the above?

 

[Franklin Nigel Stein]

you mean one-hit wonders?
16" medium-thin.

I’m reading that as either a cymbal stroke on the “one” or my one cymbal I always bring to play. Either way it’s usually one of two that are my favorites.

 

[Franklin Nigel Stein]

18” = 1350 g

Thin enough to open up easily, but still projects.

My most oft-used “crash cymbal” however is a 19” paperthin Nolan. More of an effect cymbal though than an all-purpose “crash”. Sort of a trashy 19” splash.

My equivalent is probably an 810g 16in crash. I’m curious about both why you use it and especially what sometimes makes you leave it home.

 

[foxy_shazamtastic]

My equivalent is probably an 810g 16in crash. I’m curious about both why you use it and especially what sometimes makes you leave it home.

Cymbals with more sustain (I.e. thicker) can sound fuller in louder music. Stuff rarely gets that loud these days.

 

[NobleCooleyNut]

I like the thin reissue 602 crashes the most . They are the sound that I think of when I think of my ideal crash sound.

I like the Artisan crashes from Sabian as well , I would classify them more as medium thin though .

 

[flatwins]

I’ve become quite a fan of thinner crashes. Generally I play a couple Paiste Traditionals (16” and 18” thins). I just don’t normally play loud enough music to need heavier crashes.

 

[AtlantaDrumGuy]

Zildjian K Dark Thins do everything well. Just a basic all around good weight. Unless you need a crash/ride, then perhaps medium thin or medium range.

 

[CC Cirillo]

Count me in the 18” 1301 to 1399 gram range.

Says, hello, takes a bow, and exits stage left.

I guess that counts as Thin?

Or as my Armenian grandmother would say “Tin Zild-dyan.”

 

[hsosdrum]

I have recently replaced my K Zildjian and '80s – '90s-era A Zildjian crashes with post-2013 redesign A-series crashes. I currently have these six models up on my drumset:

18" A Med-Thin (1487 g) 2021
18" A Avedis Thin (1299 g) 2020
18" A Thin (1249 g) 2021
17" A Thin (1114 g) 2020
16" A Thin (959 g) 2016
15" A Paper-Thin (727 g) 1984

The one I wind up hitting the most often is the 17" Thin (1114 g), due to its quick attack, immediate full response, rapid decay, and location on the drumset.

My favorite-sounding one is the 18" A Thin (1249 g). Ever since I was a teenager in the late 1960s, whenever I thought "crash cymbal", it's this cymbal's exact sound that's been in my head. In 1971 I got one that sounded just like it, but a year or so later it was stolen. Out of the seven 18" Zildjian crash cymbals I've owned during the intervening 50 years, the 1249 g example I got earlier this year is the only one I've ever found that duplicates that exact sound that's in my head.

The 15" Paper-Thin was a one-in-a-million find back in 1984 (brand-new). The fastest, sweetest-sounding small crash cymbal I've ever heard.

The others are all great and sound just like I want 'em too, but if the house was on fire the only two crashes I'd grab are the 15" and the 18" Thin A (and my 22" K Heavy ride).

 

[Franklin Nigel Stein]

I’ve become quite a fan of thinner crashes. Generally I play a couple Paiste Traditionals (16” and 18” thins). I just don’t normally play loud enough music to need heavier crashes.

I should probably have mentioned what I would call a thin cymbal. I pretty much never play without at least one of my three 14in crashes. They weigh 500g/560g/660g and they’re legit crashes. Plus they have sounds I haven’t found in any modern cymbals.

Maybe I’m just buying what I heard on my dad’s old records.

Great info though! I’m sure I’ll review this more than a few times.

And if any needs some advice on cymbals that flap in the breeze, feel free to message me.

 

[Franklin Nigel Stein]

The 15" Paper-Thin was a one-in-a-million find back in 1984 (brand-new). The fastest, sweetest-sounding small crash cymbal I've ever heard.

Oh, I completely understand what you’re saying.

Frank N Stein

 

[Shovel&Pale]

Medium-thin and thin. I'm not playing arenas. I prefer Sabian AAX cymbals as they sound good at all volume levels compared to a thin AA crash I have that only develops it's sound when wacked. It appears to be a thickness of lathing issue.

 

[Deafmoon]

I’ve been with my Paiste Sound Formula 17” Full Crash as my go to crash for a lot of years now. I think it’s a medium weight in the 1200 gram area. I do like thins and medium thins as well. Some A. And K. Zildjian as well as Paiste. I don’t like heavy of power crashes.

 

[sixplymaple]

Medium to thick! I don’t enjoy breaking thinner crashes left & right.

 

[Franklin Nigel Stein]

Medium to thick! I don’t enjoy breaking thinner crashes left & right.

Wow. The thick part surprises me. Exactly how hard to you throw down on those crashes? Ever crack a HH?

 

[mattmalloy66]

Thin crashes. 18" K Dark Thin crash, 20" A Thin crash, 17" A Fast crash etc...I like thin crashes.

 

[Franklin Nigel Stein]

Thin crashes. 18" K Dark Thin crash, 20" A Thin crash, 17" A Fast crash etc...I like thin crashes.

Same here. The uber thin vintage cymbals I use are pretty much like a modern K dark sound but with a little bit of splash thrown in for good measure.