Cymbal that combines well with K Custom Dark 18"

Grolubao

Senior Member
Hi folks,

My current cymbal setup is:

14" K Sweet Hi-hats
10" K Splash
16" A Custom EFX
18" K Custom Dark Crash
21" A Sweet Ride

I'm quite happy with my setup, but I wanted to add another crash to complement the K Custom Dark Crash 18" which is ultimately my favourite crash of all time. I got myself a K Sweet 17" Crash, but I feel doesn't create sufficient contrast with K Custom Dark Crash.

What would you pick instead? Zildjian only and the type of music is a Pearl Jam Tribute Band (not that the cymbals have to be the same)

Thanks
 
A 16 or 17K or K custom dark crash may fit the bill. I'm using an 18" K dark with a 17" K custom dark.
 
My 3 main crashes are a 17" K Custom Dark, 18" K Custom Dark and 19" K Sweet. I like the contrast between the 18" K Custom Dark and 19" K Sweet, plus the K Sweet is my favorite crash ever, so I'd consider trying that. Or maybe even a 20" K Sweet Crash for even more contrast.

I also discovered that a 16" EFX crash stacks very well over an 18" EFX crash. Mine is a 16" K EFX over an 18" A Custom EFX. But since you already have a 16" A Custom EFX, stacking it over an 18" K or A Custom EFX would likely also sound good. Just a something to think about if you wanted to add a trashy stacked sound.
 
I used the 18" K Custom Dark Crash as my main crash for many years with a 19" K Dark Thin Crash as a secondary crash. That is an amazing combo if you ask me.
Since a year or so i have an 18" K Dark Thin Crash as my main crash and that works great as well if you feel a 19" is a but too much.
Did try a 17" K Custom Dark Crash for a while, but it was a bit out of place with the rest of the set (mostly volume due to the rest being bigger). Having said that; that cymbal will blend in better with your set i suppose or a 17" K Dark Thin.
 
The 'regular' K Dark Thin 19" is a fabulous cymbal that could work well. Personally, I like the separation between 18" and 19" despite the relatively small size difference
 
Yeah, I just think I wouldn't want to go bigger than 18" since the 18" is my main crash so I'd want something or smaller or maybe equal in size
 
My 3 main crashes are a 17" K Custom Dark, 18" K Custom Dark and 19" K Sweet. I like the contrast between the 18" K Custom Dark and 19" K Sweet, plus the K Sweet is my favorite crash ever, so I'd consider trying that. Or maybe even a 20" K Sweet Crash for even more contrast.

I also discovered that a 16" EFX crash stacks very well over an 18" EFX crash. Mine is a 16" K EFX over an 18" A Custom EFX. But since you already have a 16" A Custom EFX, stacking it over an 18" K or A Custom EFX would likely also sound good. Just a something to think about if you wanted to add a trashy stacked sound.

Interesting, see all of those are quite dark in nature, so I'm surprise you find a good sonic palette with them, but glad it works for you
 
Interesting, see all of those are quite dark in nature, so I'm surprise you find a good sonic palette with them, but glad it works for you
I don't think all the cymbals that say dark on them actually sound dark my 18th inch K dark does not sound very dark to my ears.
 
Interesting, see all of those are quite dark in nature, so I'm surprise you find a good sonic palette with them, but glad it works for you
I don't really think of Ks as being all that dark. To me they're really more middle of the road. Plus, I really dislike most bright cymbals.

For truly dark cymbals, nothing beats handmade Turkish cymbals from any of the various manufacturers over there, like Bosphorus, Istanbul Agop, Istanbul Mehmet, etc.
 
Well...... you want a cymbal that 'combines well' and yet has 'sufficient contrast'.
Those two qualities could be at odds with each other.

I bought a K Custom Dark set that had 16 and 18 crashes, and they certainly blended well,
and had sufficient contrast mainly through size, pitch and quickness of response.
So I would say maybe consider a 16" KCD crash.
 
Well...... you want a cymbal that 'combines well' and yet has 'sufficient contrast'.
Those two qualities could be at odds with each other.

I bought a K Custom Dark set that had 16 and 18 crashes, and they certainly blended well,
and had sufficient contrast mainly through size, pitch and quickness of response.
So I would say maybe consider a 16" KCD crash.

Yeah, that's true, I mean often I'm trying to get all of the features in just one cymbal, which is unrealistic.

@TK-421 you are right about that. For example my 18" K Custom Dark Crash sounds less dark than my 17" K Sweet Crash, I even think the pitch is higher for some reason, it's just I don't think between those 2 there's enough contrast, but I agree with you I mostly dislike bright cymbals in general, thus why I'm in a bit of a pickle here... 😕

Maybe I need to try the K Dark Thins, I have a 16" one, but it's a bit too small and more for accents IMO
 
I like a 16 and 18 Custom Dark crash combination, when I'm not playing 16,17,18.
 
@TK-421 you are right about that. For example my 18" K Custom Dark Crash sounds less dark than my 17" K Sweet Crash, I even think the pitch is higher for some reason, it's just I don't think between those 2 there's enough contrast, but I agree with you I mostly dislike bright cymbals in general, thus why I'm in a bit of a pickle here... 😕

Maybe I need to try the K Dark Thins, I have a 16" one, but it's a bit too small and more for accents IMO
I find it interesting that you consider your K Sweet to be dark. I wouldn’t describe my 19” K Sweet as being even remotely dark. In fact, it’s probably my brightest cymbal. Not that it’s bright per se, but noticeably brighter than any of my others.

And I wouldn’t rule out a 19” crash. My 19” K Sweet is by far my favorite.
 
I find it interesting that you consider your K Sweet to be dark. I wouldn’t describe my 19” K Sweet as being even remotely dark. In fact, it’s probably my brightest cymbal. Not that it’s bright per se, but noticeably brighter than any of my others.

And I wouldn’t rule out a 19” crash. My 19” K Sweet is by far my favorite.

Fair, yeah, I'll try it out
 
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