Paiste 2002 Big Beats?

Neal Pert

Silver Member
I've been taking a shine to these Paiste 2002 Big Beats as I'm looking for a louder, slightly brighter alternative to my Paiste Masters cymbals. Do any of you have experience with them? I'd be using them for indie rock, Americana, folk type stuff. I had a set of big, thin Zildjian As (23" Sweet, 20" Thin Crash, 18" Thin Crash, 15" New Beats) and they were great for the stuff I was playing. Looking for similar. I may need a ride with more stick definition, but the other cymbals sound perfect in all the videos I've watched.

Are any of you playing these cymbals? In what contexts? And are you happy with them?
 
From what I've heard they are the best sounding B8 cymbals on the market.
 
I have played the Big Beats and they are my favourite Paiste range. They sound great, and very versatile.
 
Because of this thread I just got back from giving them a listen on YouTube. I thought you meant Giant beat but realized big beats exist!. Beautiful sound..i have and still feel that drummers who aren't playing Paiste haven't played them. They have always sounded EQ'd to my ears. Just incredible.
 
I recently got a full set 15 hats, 19, 20, and 22. I really like them. They are a softer mellower 2002. The hats in particular are really cool. They have the b8 chick, but are noticeably mellower than standard 2002s. Also, they are not super loud. They probably have more volume potential than giant beats (it has been years since I played those), but definitely less than 2002s.
 
I played several a while back and thought they had a darker, 'smokier' tone than the Giant Beats. Very nice.

The only (minor) thing that I didn't care for was how they felt under the stick. To me, they felt a bit more rigid than the 2002s and Giant Beats I compared them with. Anyone else notice this?
 
I recently sold my BB's, not because there was anything i didn't like, i was just chasing something else. I absolutely loved the BB's for americana, folk, blues and classic rock. I had 15" hats, 18, 20 and a 22. I thought they were fantastic. I also bought a 24" Giant Beat for a different ride sound and used the 20 and 22 BB's as crashes and it was great for my stoner rock/psychedelic band. They're a fantastic line and i would immediately go back to them if i wanted that sound. They're very sensitive to dynamics, so if you wanted more stick sound on the ride a stick with a pointier tip would make a huge difference. I also would put the ride on a slightly steeper angle towards me to get more definition and less of the wash. The cymbal will really give back what you put into it, so i'd try the BB as a ride first. If it doesn't fit the bill it will make a great large crash..
 
Thanks for the advice. I ended up buying the Big Beat pre-pack-- 24, 20, 18, and 15" hats. They really are great cymbals! As I sort of predicted, I will probably end up selling the 24" because I like more definition in a ride cymbal, but I really love it as a sound. Maybe I will try different sticks. I'm wondering if I should just try to get a 2002 22" ride or something. I mean, if I want definition I now have a DE 21" Mark 1 AND a Masters Dark Dry 21", so it's not like I don't have things that'll work. I just want like 25% more stick definition out of the 24 for what I do. There are lots of gigs where it would be perfect, though.
 
Thanks for the advice. I ended up buying the Big Beat pre-pack-- 24, 20, 18, and 15" hats. They really are great cymbals! As I sort of predicted, I will probably end up selling the 24" because I like more definition in a ride cymbal, but I really love it as a sound. Maybe I will try different sticks. I'm wondering if I should just try to get a 2002 22" ride or something. I mean, if I want definition I now have a DE 21" Mark 1 AND a Masters Dark Dry 21", so it's not like I don't have things that'll work. I just want like 25% more stick definition out of the 24 for what I do. There are lots of gigs where it would be perfect, though.

I have a 22" 2002 Ride and the 2002 Big Beat 22, Definitely more definition from the 2002 red label. The Big Beat is better for Jazzy like settings- a Smoky B8 is how I describe it. A thick stick on the Big Beat does not make it pingier, just louder and darker.

My 24" Giant Beat is a different animal altogether also. I would recommend just getting a cheaper line Paiste B8 for better stick definition, most all have that, thats why I hold on to my early model Alpha Ride. For those settings, I just add the ride to the right as an auxiliary ride and store it away when I dont need it.
 
I have a 20" Big Beat. Great cymbal. Use it as a crash or ride. Good bell. More washy than pingy, but still with stick enough definition. Way darker sounding than a regular 2002, IMO. A keeper, for me.
 
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