Your Paiste Cymbal Rig

My Sound Edges were just delivered! First ones of my to be revised setup the upcoming months! Also realized I never posted which Paistes I already have lying around, so;

Signature 14" Sound Edge Hi-hat
2002 4" Accent*
2002 6" Accent
PST-X 10" Swiss Splash**
PST-X 14" Flanger Crash**
3000 Reflector 18" China Type*
Sound Formula 20" Dry Ride*
2002 20" Novo China ( :love: )

* = not in use
** = used in a stack


I am thinking of using the 3000 china with the 14" Flanger Crash in a big trashy stack instead of what I use now (both PST-X's are used in a stack with a Meinl Filter China). Might use the Dry Ride as a left side ride some time (scaling down drumwise leaves a lot of free room on my left side).

Wishlist
Signature 22" "Monad" Dry Heavy Ride (will order this once it is in stock again)
Signature 18" Full Crash (somewhere around Christmas)
Signature 19" Full Crash, but still debating between that or an 18" Fast or Mellow Crash
2002" 20" China Type or 602 Modern Essentials 22" China (early next year)
Splash(es); haven't decided if I want to use one or two, but at least a 10" (next year as well)
 
Decided to return the Sound Edge hats. Had a good session with them, but realized it was not the sound i wanted. Expected them to be a bit louder than they were, so thinking of maybe Power/Heavy hats or 602 ME 15" hats. Initially thought about Rudes, but they lack the obvious complexity compared to lathed models.

EDIT: forgot to mention that the top hat had some scratches on them when i got them. Should be a new item, but it looked like the blank had scratches on it since the scratches weren't in the tonal grooves. So not totally happy with it and therefore i will return it. Open for suggestions :)
EDIT 2: also cancelled my order for the ride. My creditcard is still being charged/reserved, so i'd rather free that space up since it will take at least 5 more weeks before it's in stock
 
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I've put my Paiste obsession aside to save up for buying a house. Might surprise you, but those things tend to be expensive hehe.
Was playing yesterday and realised while playing my Zildjian 21" A Sweet Ride that it isn't cutting it anymore. And then i just realised 'my dude, remember the Paiste ride you got years ago and have tucked away because you didn't want to sell it?'.

Just got it out of the bag and taking this with me next session. Should be good: more ping, less wash :)

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Kinda funny to go back and see what I was diggin’ two years ago. Since then, something in my tiny little cymbal brain snapped. Got really tired of the dark, trashy “tah” cymbals after a twenty year deep dive and went for something much more crystalline. At first it was the Giant Beats that did the trick, but I eventually arrived at a select few reissue 602s as “my” thing moving forward.

Central to my current playing headspace is leaving left side cymbals out of the lineup. Based on Charlie’s ‘68-‘77 black Gretsch setup, I’ve found that not having the left side cymbal stimulates different choices. It forces me (in a good way) to really commit to a cymbal strike instead of flicking my left hand up to the left cymbal out of habit/proximity.

15” SE hats, 20” Medium (2207g) and a 17” Thin crash. Tasty snacks!

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Lately, a variation on a 2-crash theme based in both cases on the 22" 2002 Ride and the 15" 2002 SoundEdge Hi-Hats and dependant on room size, or at least that's the plan:

- 17" 2002 Crash
- 18" Giant Beat Multi
Or
- 19" 2002 Crash
- 20" Giant Beat Multi

These voicings with a one inch difference sound really good to me, after always using, if I recall, a two inch, even-numbered difference between crashes. And the versatility of the GB is nice to have. Good times.

I am delving into the Paiste-ville. I just picked up a used GB 20" multi and a new 19" PST7. The GB I absolutely love and the PST7 I'm not sure about. I may return it and get either an 18" GB Multi or an 18" 2002 crash. How do you like the GB paired with the 2002?
 
I finally completed my Paiste set when I got the18” crash:
14” 2002 Sound Edge Hats
22” 2002 Ride
16” 2002 Crash
17” 2002 Crash
18” 2002 Crash
13” Signature Hat Bottom as an effect Crash
14” PST 5 Mini China
10” Wuhan Splash (cost a whopping $30 and sounds better than my Sabian Splash)
 

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Downsizing is almost complete:
14" 2002 Heavy Hi-Hat bottom with a PST7 Thin Crash on top
16" 2002 Crash
17" 2002 Crash
18" 2002 Crash
20" PST5 Medium Ride

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Gone are these really loud cymbals:
10" RUDE Splash
16" 505 Heavy Crash
18" 3000 Crash
18" 3000 Reflector China
20" 3000 Ride
20" 505 Crash
 
I've just about finished swapping to Paiste, just one cymbal left on order. I've no idea why I haven't done this before after 35 years playing, most of my favourite players now use Paiste. I had used Dream for the last 10 years - gorgeous cymbals if you find the good ones. I just felt the desire to change now I am back gigging again.

I'm a weekend warrior these days so I've deliberately gone for non-top level cymbals, as no one in the bar cares and I save some money for life and stuff! They sound excellent and I don't feel any compromise.

Cover Band Gigs

14" PST 7 Hats
18" 602 Modern Essentials Crash*
21" 2002 Big Beat**
20" PST 7 Light Ride***

Rock/Metal Gigs

14" 900 Heavy Hats
18" 602 Modern Essentials Crash*
17" Signature Precision Crash
20" PST 7 Light Ride***
20" Signature Precision Heavy Ride
18" Signature Precision China

*Got this from my local drum store 2nd hand as new for less than the 18" Signature Precision Thin Crash I ordered.
**This is an awesome warm crash, and it also makes for a great vintage sounding ride.
***Used as a crash or a ride. Every Paiste player should own this - it makes for a lovely simple medium volume ride with a clean ping, but it is also a gorgeous full crash and has the sweetest bell I have ever heard on a cymbal. Better than many cymbals three times its price.
 
My rig Mk II:
14" 505 Medium Hi-hats
15" Dixie Medium Thin
16" 2002 Crash
20" 404 Ride
20" 602 Medium Ride

Potential add-in in the foreseeable future:
10" 2002 Splash
14" 3000 or 15" 602 Sound Edge Hi-hats
18" 2002 or 505 Medium
18" 602 Thin Crash
20" 505 or 2002 China
 
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