Home » Product Close-Up: Zildjian A Series Cymbals (From the February 2014 Issue)

Product Close-Up: Zildjian A Series Cymbals (From the February 2014 Issue)

On 02nd Jan 2014

by Michael Dawson

When classic rock emerged in the 1960s, Zildjian’s American-made A series cymbals were right there with it, gracing now-classic recordings by Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Cream, and countless others with their sweet, bright tones. Many of the greatest jazz drummers of the twentieth century, including Papa Jo Jones, Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, and Buddy Rich, also favored the smoother, cleaner character of the A series over the darker and more complex variety being imported from Turkey.

Over the years, the A series has been amended with new models, and the weight scale increased as drummers demanded louder and more durable cymbals to compete with amplified guitars and PA systems. This past year, Zildjian refocused on the A series and brought the crashes back to lighter weights, introduced a few larger crashes, and adjusted the profile shape and cups to achieve more optimal tones.

We were sent samples from the revised A series, which included 13″, 14″, and 15″ New Beat hi-hats ($299.95, $339.95, and $369.95), 14″ Quick Beat hi-hats ($339.95), 16″ Thin, Medium Thin, and Medium crashes ($199.95), 17″ Thin and Medium Thin crashes ($219.95), 18″ Medium Thin and Medium crashes ($239.95), an 18″ Crash Ride ($239.95), 19″ Thin and Medium Thin crashes ($254.95), 20″ Thin and Medium Thin crashes ($274.95), 20″ and 22″ Medium rides ($274.95 and $329.95), and a 23″ Sweet ride ($339.95). Advertisement

For more on the cymbals, check out the complete review in the February 2014 issue of Modern Drummer Magazine.

Click here to check out the 13″ New Beat hi-hats.