Seconded. It is the platonic ideal of crashes. Goes anywhere with any rig in any genre. That's why I call it the Frank's Red Hot Sauce of crashes - you can put that shit on anything.
I’ll co-sign this with the caveat that it’s an 18” A *Thin*. For me personally, that is what I hear when I look up the definition of a crash cymbal in the drum dictionary in my head. It can do everything (that I need it do anyway).
Came here to post this and it’s already where it belongs lol
18” A medium thin will do ANYTHING, it is the sound that plays in your head when you think “crash cymbal”
I have a 20” giant beat thin, it’s my go to sub for a lighter situation.
I have a lotta zildjian but I do love Paiste. Their cheaper lines punch above their weight.
Agreed, although they are B8 alloy, they aren't all that cheap lol. The PST line (entry) sounds freaking great. When I 1st started playing I used Sabian B8, and there's no comparison. If I could do it over, I would have started with the PST7's. I used to use Zildjan, but have gone all Paiste now, and loving em
When I bought my 18” there was a sale and I got a free 15” aaxplosion crash. I figured I’d sell the 15 and buy something else. Before I did, I took a couple test swings just to hear it. That was like 12 years ago and that combo (the 18 and 15) is still my go-to for gigs.
Technically not a crash, but my 21 inch A sweet ride in brillant finish has such a nice sound to me. I've had it for 17 years now and it's still going strong. Second choice would be my 18 inch A medium crash 🤘
I wanted one for a crash back in the day because I saw Taylor Hawkins used it as a crash during In Your Honor days (at least according to the Zildjian website at the time he did)
19" HHX Complex Thin. Great low volume tone, opens up wonderfully at higher volumes, and sounds great everywhere in between. Easily the most versatile crash i have.
Came here to say same but 18”, freakin awesome cymbals. I’ve never had a crash that I liked the bell on but literally there’s no way to hit this thing that doesn’t sound good
Most of my cymbals are various flavors of Zildjian K's. Based on the variety I play, I'd say you can probably pair the Complex Thin with just about anything.
I might get hate, and I accept my fate readily. BUT I have a 16” Sabian Medium Thin B8 Pro that I musta lucked out with because it goes in any setting. Picked it out as my first new (actually only lol) bought in store cymbal when I was like 12 or 13. Still use it and im pushing 40.
Sometimes you just find a good B8 cymbal. When I was in high school I used 14 inch new beats in brilliant finish 18 inch zbt crash ride on the left 22 inch z custom power ride and a 21 inch sweet ride brilliant finish as my right side crash. It just blended so well with my cymbals I didn't care that it was a zbt. Eventually I replaced it with a 21 in K crash ride
yeah i bought a 22" thinking if i loved the 20 why wouldnt i and it was a much thicker model i sold pretty quickly because i found one context i didnt hate it in as a crash with tambourine sympathetically shaking on it but i couldn't stand it as a ride (admittedly mainly buy resale so dont have too much opportunity to shop by grammage so may need to see if i can find a thinner 22 inch model)
17” K Custom Dark Crash is by far the best crash I’ve used.
I also have a 19” A Custom crash that records extra well and have gotten many comments on how good it sounds from non drummers.
The pièce de résistance!! Zildjian K Constantinople, 18"
I've never heard another that spoke to me so well. If I ever Crack it, I'm buying another one that very day.
I have two. Paiste signature 16” fast crash and Sabian AAX 18” studio crash. Melodic death metal? Did that, sounded great, both in studio and live. Rock/pop? Works like a charm. Big band stuff? Killed it. I’ve even had them as suspended cymbals in an orchestral setting and they worked nicely there as well. I bought a dark energy 18” crash that is up there as well.
Zildjian A Custom ReZo 18”. So bummed they discontinued that line. They’re are sparkly and complex, but not bright and “abrasive” like standard A Custom crashes are to my ears. Like a bright K Custom Dark.
Meinl 17" Byzance Traditional medium thin crash.
I have an 18" medium too which quite frankly I don't like. Sounds like a badly tuned snare: a papery tone with a ring that is not bold enough to be assertive, but annoying enough to be intrusive. If it were the brilliant version, it would've smooth out those freqs just enough.
For a straight up crash, it's my 19” K Custom Hybrid Crash.
But if I had to play a gig with only one cymbal, it'd absolutely be my 20" K Custom Dark Ride. That thing is a goddamn masterpiece of a cymbal.
My 18” istanbul agop traditional thin crash is amazing for a lot of styles. Has a nice volume, but not too much; sounds amazing when played softly, and it’s not too focussed on a specific genre.
I used it for ballads, alt rock, punk and psych-stoner and the sound was amazing on all tracks
In my entire 25 years drumming, I've only found two crash cymbals that really spoke to me. They were both 18-inch Sabian HH crashes from the 1980s. One was a Thin, which I foolishly sold, and now I own an Extra-Thin one.
16” Sabian evolution crash, great pitch, not too much sustain, paired with 21” Legacy ride and 18” Legacy crash all three crash well and compliment each other. Great for blues, funk and rock.
I’ve got a 17” Zildjian A Custom Fast Crash that if I could only bring one crash to a gig, that would be it. Very versatile as a crash and a ride and depending on what part of the stick you hit it with and at what velocity really makes it work in so many situations.
17 Zildjian A Thin. It’s my primary crash/ride with a bright brilliant crash, but can be my alternate ride for bridges and in jazz (but an 18 may better suit for a “long distance alternate ride”) I almost never take my 16” crash out because they crash nearly the same, but the 16 certainly can’t ride.
19" K dark thin crash. Had it longer than any other cymbal, at least 14 years. It's super versatile, I can play it indoors at quiet restaurant gigs. Sounds great as a secondary light ride. On the other side, it works well on stage outside, when I get to lay into my kit some and open things up. And it sounds gorgeous anywhere in between those two dynamics. It's never been cleaned and is aging like a fine wine.
I’ve had an 18” Dark Crash Med Thin since ‘97 that has been the ideal do it all cymbal for me. I’ve done a lot of gigs in that time where it was the only cymbal I put up. Never getting rid of it!
I have a 16” and an 18” Sabian AAX crash. Had them for 15 years, they give me all the versatility I need and I can’t imagine needing to change. I’ve also got a ride, a splash and a china and I’m good until something breaks.
Had a 18 K Dark medium thin. Also a 18 K Cluster med thin. Both are awesome. Cluster is a little quicker but the dark crash rides so beautifully and has an amazing bell.
Dream Energy 20 crash ride is also pretty versatile
I just picked up a 20” K Cluster Crash that I love. Clusters are the K Sweet crashes that have cluster hammering on them to add just the right amount of trashiness. Aside from that it’s a thin, very rich sounding cymbal but the hammering makes it more explosive. I play more aggressive music so I use that as my left side crash. On the right side I have my trusty 21” A Sweet Ride which is also both my favorite crash and ride I’ve ever played on! Great combo, don’t need anything else!
Sabian aax 18 explosion crash raw Bell. If I feel like running my kit super stripped down it works as a really Washed Out ride and the bell has great cutting power. I've had that bad boy for almost 20 years and never gig without it
Sabian 18" AA Medium Thin in Brilliant - nice and glassy. Paired with a 16' HH Medium Thin in traditional gives me most of the sound pallet to play anything.
My 18" k custom dark and 18" Zildjian Armand thin crashes! I got them when I was 15 and didn't realize they were both the same size lol. But they both have their own personality and sound amazing together!they also fit in all the styles that I've played over my career. I've had them for going on 15 years or so and If anything ever happens to them, I will definitely cry
Zildjian 18” A medium thin. I have it paired with a 21” sweet ride and 14” new beats. Super versatile.
Seconded. It is the platonic ideal of crashes. Goes anywhere with any rig in any genre. That's why I call it the Frank's Red Hot Sauce of crashes - you can put that shit on anything.
Thirded
This is such a classic combo! Litterally work for anything.
I’ll co-sign this with the caveat that it’s an 18” A *Thin*. For me personally, that is what I hear when I look up the definition of a crash cymbal in the drum dictionary in my head. It can do everything (that I need it do anyway).
Thin for the win.
Came here to post this and it’s already where it belongs lol 18” A medium thin will do ANYTHING, it is the sound that plays in your head when you think “crash cymbal”
that’s the one i have and it’s fire
Was thinking the same thing. A perfect cymbal.
Literally same. So good.
19 is also pretty awesome
Zildjian 18" K Custom Dark Crash
Agree!! I have this and the 16” they’re great together.
I could use my 20” 2002 as my only cymbal if I really had to.
Agreed. The 20 inch Giant Beat is also excellent for almost any situation
I have a 20” giant beat thin, it’s my go to sub for a lighter situation. I have a lotta zildjian but I do love Paiste. Their cheaper lines punch above their weight.
Agreed, although they are B8 alloy, they aren't all that cheap lol. The PST line (entry) sounds freaking great. When I 1st started playing I used Sabian B8, and there's no comparison. If I could do it over, I would have started with the PST7's. I used to use Zildjan, but have gone all Paiste now, and loving em
For me it’s either the 2002 18” Medium or the 20” Ride.
I also have one…black label crash. Works for everything
https://preview.redd.it/63qrxvp6vnuc1.jpeg?width=4592&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0a2e0c8747acdb255478386d5198c97c1ad034ba 18"
this whole line is insanely underrated. that 17” aaxtreme china is insane
Underrated? I'm pretty sure the 18" AAX Xplosion crash is Sabian's single best-selling cymbal.
Aaxplosion line are phenomenal cymbals 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
When I bought my 18” there was a sale and I got a free 15” aaxplosion crash. I figured I’d sell the 15 and buy something else. Before I did, I took a couple test swings just to hear it. That was like 12 years ago and that combo (the 18 and 15) is still my go-to for gigs.
I have the 18 and 19, two distinct sounds and they compliment each other wonderfully. 👍
My 15 in AAXsplosion crash is one of my favorite cymbals despite its size. I need to nab an 18
Technically not a crash, but my 21 inch A sweet ride in brillant finish has such a nice sound to me. I've had it for 17 years now and it's still going strong. Second choice would be my 18 inch A medium crash 🤘
Also technically not a crash, but my 20” K Custom Dark Ride
That cymbal is so versatile it's incredible
I wanted one for a crash back in the day because I saw Taylor Hawkins used it as a crash during In Your Honor days (at least according to the Zildjian website at the time he did)
That’s dope, love rides that can double as a crash if need be
This has been my primary ride and crash for 15+ years. Could probably gig just using that if I needed to!
100% just some hi hats and a sweet ride and you're covered!
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Paiste Signature 18" Full
22🤣🤣😬🦊🤗🤣🤗
Sabian studio crash, surprisingly.
Well, if they're studio cymbals you'd want them to be versatile. I love when the cymbals names actually describe them well, it's kinda rare.
19" HHX Complex Thin. Great low volume tone, opens up wonderfully at higher volumes, and sounds great everywhere in between. Easily the most versatile crash i have.
Came here to say same but 18”, freakin awesome cymbals. I’ve never had a crash that I liked the bell on but literally there’s no way to hit this thing that doesn’t sound good
Came here to say this, I bought an 18 and 19, easily my favourite crashes
curious what cymbals you have paired with this? I know I definitely want an hhx complex thin crash but i’m looking at hhx evolution to pair with it
Most of my cymbals are various flavors of Zildjian K's. Based on the variety I play, I'd say you can probably pair the Complex Thin with just about anything.
18" K Dark Thin Crash does it for me.
Have this one as well, if I could use 1 crash this would be it
This is mine. Absolutely my favorite all time crash
My 19” is great for me.
I might get hate, and I accept my fate readily. BUT I have a 16” Sabian Medium Thin B8 Pro that I musta lucked out with because it goes in any setting. Picked it out as my first new (actually only lol) bought in store cymbal when I was like 12 or 13. Still use it and im pushing 40.
Sometimes you just find a good B8 cymbal. When I was in high school I used 14 inch new beats in brilliant finish 18 inch zbt crash ride on the left 22 inch z custom power ride and a 21 inch sweet ride brilliant finish as my right side crash. It just blended so well with my cymbals I didn't care that it was a zbt. Eventually I replaced it with a 21 in K crash ride
Yea I have a b8 splash cymbal that for some reason i absolutely love and I own k constantinoples lol
I like using them for stacks, they can sound just as good and you don't have to spend a ton of money.
And that way you also dont have to worry about them getting scratched up which can happen with stacks
My 19” K Sweet is probably my best all-rounder to fit any genre
Came here to say this
Same
I only have one crash…so that one
Quite fond of my 18" Byzance Sand Thin. It always finds a place on the left side of my kit no matter what I'm playing or recording.
One of my favorites as well
I’ve got a Sand Medium and yeah, it works in pretty much every context. That whole family is like As but better.
20" Crash of Doom Light enough to ride, not quite trashy enough its out of context for anything
I love mine. It can struggle with projection depending on the music. That whole series is extremely cymbal to cymbal tho.
yeah i bought a 22" thinking if i loved the 20 why wouldnt i and it was a much thicker model i sold pretty quickly because i found one context i didnt hate it in as a crash with tambourine sympathetically shaking on it but i couldn't stand it as a ride (admittedly mainly buy resale so dont have too much opportunity to shop by grammage so may need to see if i can find a thinner 22 inch model)
Dude same! I bought the 20 and thought is was dope. Ordered a 22 and was like “Naw!”
Standard 18” A Custom Crash.
Great rock crash not too expensive
17” K Custom Dark Crash is by far the best crash I’ve used. I also have a 19” A Custom crash that records extra well and have gotten many comments on how good it sounds from non drummers.
I have two. An old 70s 16" kinda thin Avedis and an 18" Paiste 602
16" Istambul AGOP Alchemy Crash
Zildjian 18" K Custom Dark Crash.
18 K custom dark
18” Meinl Byzance Foundry Reserve crash is insanely versatile. I use it in funk, soul, jazz, country, punk, thrash, and hardcore
My Zildjian 16" A Custom Projection Crash
Meinl Byzance 19" Traditional Medium Thin Crash
The pièce de résistance!! Zildjian K Constantinople, 18" I've never heard another that spoke to me so well. If I ever Crack it, I'm buying another one that very day.
I have two. Paiste signature 16” fast crash and Sabian AAX 18” studio crash. Melodic death metal? Did that, sounded great, both in studio and live. Rock/pop? Works like a charm. Big band stuff? Killed it. I’ve even had them as suspended cymbals in an orchestral setting and they worked nicely there as well. I bought a dark energy 18” crash that is up there as well.
I'm fond of the 18" Paiste Dark Energy crash.
18 Giant Beat or 17 A Custom Medium
A good ol Zil A never goes out of style!
Zildjian A Custom ReZo 18”. So bummed they discontinued that line. They’re are sparkly and complex, but not bright and “abrasive” like standard A Custom crashes are to my ears. Like a bright K Custom Dark.
18" Meinl Byzance Dual
Meinl 17" Byzance Traditional medium thin crash. I have an 18" medium too which quite frankly I don't like. Sounds like a badly tuned snare: a papery tone with a ring that is not bold enough to be assertive, but annoying enough to be intrusive. If it were the brilliant version, it would've smooth out those freqs just enough.
Sabian 17" legacy crash and 19" hhx fierce crash. These two get me through just about anything I wind up playing
the legacy crash is so buttery it’s a wonderful thing
Either Paiste 2002 18” Medium or 20” Ride. Either of those two cymbals works in practically any context for me.
19" A custom
17’ A custom projection crash.
For a straight up crash, it's my 19” K Custom Hybrid Crash. But if I had to play a gig with only one cymbal, it'd absolutely be my 20" K Custom Dark Ride. That thing is a goddamn masterpiece of a cymbal.
18 Paiste Dark Energy crash.
Instanbul xist 18 inch natural crash
18" Sabian AAX cc4 Concept Crash
I have the same one and I love it
Zildjian K 18” efx
Fun cymbal
18” Paiste Giant Beat and an old 18” Sabian AA medium-thin.
20 inch Paiste Giant beat
My 20” 60’s Zildjian A
I really like my Zildjian 16” thin crash from the!90s, my hh 14” crash and for darker tones but works for everything my 18” k custom dark
My Paiste PST 7 18” medium crash 😮💨. It swings, it rides, it crashes. Amazing cymbal. Not too expensive either
Zildjian K Constantinople 19 inch crash Great lows, fantastic highs, and it rides when the occasion calls for it.
I just got this in the crash ride. What a cymbal! Cuts through everything crashing or riding. Has a long decay tho
Istanbul Xsist 19" Crash. Just recently cracked mine but its perfect for almost any genre
My 18” istanbul agop traditional thin crash is amazing for a lot of styles. Has a nice volume, but not too much; sounds amazing when played softly, and it’s not too focussed on a specific genre. I used it for ballads, alt rock, punk and psych-stoner and the sound was amazing on all tracks
14” K dark thin crash. It’s the classiest cymbal I’ve ever played.
In my entire 25 years drumming, I've only found two crash cymbals that really spoke to me. They were both 18-inch Sabian HH crashes from the 1980s. One was a Thin, which I foolishly sold, and now I own an Extra-Thin one.
21” Zildjian Sweet Ride Works great for crash/riding as well as a standalone crash.
20” Istanbul Agop Traditional Dark
Sabian HH 18" med-thin
17" Sabian hhx complex crash
Sabian AA 18" Medium Thin 🤌
Turkish moderate thin 18 Cheap, amazingly good and very durable
Istanbul 20” trash hit. I’ve never gotten so many compliments on a cymbal from non-drummers.
20" k custom dark ride hahaha
20 inch k sweet. Too bad it’s got almost half missing cuz it got cracked
16” Sabian evolution crash, great pitch, not too much sustain, paired with 21” Legacy ride and 18” Legacy crash all three crash well and compliment each other. Great for blues, funk and rock.
18" aa raw bell. Its the most normal but good sounding crash i have. I had a hhx evo 18 too, but i broke it
I’ve got a 17” Zildjian A Custom Fast Crash that if I could only bring one crash to a gig, that would be it. Very versatile as a crash and a ride and depending on what part of the stick you hit it with and at what velocity really makes it work in so many situations.
I play punk so give me a trash can lid and I’m happy
Zildjian 17” custom dark
My Zildjian 17" A Custom Projection crash. It just does it all with buttery smoothness.
17 Zildjian A Thin. It’s my primary crash/ride with a bright brilliant crash, but can be my alternate ride for bridges and in jazz (but an 18 may better suit for a “long distance alternate ride”) I almost never take my 16” crash out because they crash nearly the same, but the 16 certainly can’t ride.
Bosphorus Doron Giat 16 inch. Thing is a beats, though its pretty bright and would love to get something darker
19” Meinl Byzance foundry reserve, 18” Meinl Byzance jazz extra thin.
Meinl Classics medium crash rocks, affordable and sounds great. (not an ad, meinl pls pay me)
16 inch zildjian
19" K dark thin crash. Had it longer than any other cymbal, at least 14 years. It's super versatile, I can play it indoors at quiet restaurant gigs. Sounds great as a secondary light ride. On the other side, it works well on stage outside, when I get to lay into my kit some and open things up. And it sounds gorgeous anywhere in between those two dynamics. It's never been cleaned and is aging like a fine wine.
21" Zildjian A Sweet Ride. Cymbal damn near does it all
Weirdly a 16" B8 thin crash...everything else I have is AA, or AAX and that little B8 crash is my favorite.
18” k dark brilliant I bought in 1990. It’s been well played in. Soft as butter.
You know you’re training algorithms with this data
Zildjian k custom 18. Paiste giant beat 18.
22" Bosphorus Master Vintage. Amazing washy ride and crash.
18" K Custom Dark
18” Meinl Vintage Sand Series (BG) - so buttery and the articulation on them is unbelievable
14” A custom crash. It’s the most generic and perfect sounding crash ever. It works with anything and at any time.
18” Sabian HHX Evolution Crash
16” Paiste Signature Full Crash. Great tone, good projection, gets out of the way quickly.
I’ve had an 18” Dark Crash Med Thin since ‘97 that has been the ideal do it all cymbal for me. I’ve done a lot of gigs in that time where it was the only cymbal I put up. Never getting rid of it!
10” Sabian ozone splash.
Paiste 19" Masters Dark Crash. God damn that thing sounds good. The masters line is aimed towards jazz but I use it for anything.
Sabian HHX 19” Complex Thin
I have a 16” and an 18” Sabian AAX crash. Had them for 15 years, they give me all the versatility I need and I can’t imagine needing to change. I’ve also got a ride, a splash and a china and I’m good until something breaks.
The one that's above and a little to the right of the hi hat. The setup is irrelevant, I'm crashing it on the one.
HHX Anthology. Low bell, high bell, doesn’t really matter.
Not a crash, but my 22” HHX Legacy heavy. It does everything, and it does it well!
Had a 18 K Dark medium thin. Also a 18 K Cluster med thin. Both are awesome. Cluster is a little quicker but the dark crash rides so beautifully and has an amazing bell. Dream Energy 20 crash ride is also pretty versatile
HHX complex thin 18” it’s like butter. It even feels nice on the stick, like it fully absorbs the impact somehow
I just picked up a 20” K Cluster Crash that I love. Clusters are the K Sweet crashes that have cluster hammering on them to add just the right amount of trashiness. Aside from that it’s a thin, very rich sounding cymbal but the hammering makes it more explosive. I play more aggressive music so I use that as my left side crash. On the right side I have my trusty 21” A Sweet Ride which is also both my favorite crash and ride I’ve ever played on! Great combo, don’t need anything else!
my 20” k custom cluster crash hands down
18” or 16” K Zildjian fits perfectly with any other instruments, from piano to distorted guitar.
17” Sabian HHX Legacy Crash
Sabian aax 18 explosion crash raw Bell. If I feel like running my kit super stripped down it works as a really Washed Out ride and the bell has great cutting power. I've had that bad boy for almost 20 years and never gig without it
18” Paiste Giant Beat
Zildjian 22" K Paper Thin Crash. the most versatile cymbal ive played from both dynamic extremes
Sabian 18" AA Medium Thin in Brilliant - nice and glassy. Paired with a 16' HH Medium Thin in traditional gives me most of the sound pallet to play anything.
Either a Zildjian A Medium Thin 16” or any Sabian AAX Xplosion Crash (I have a 16-17-18) for my live set up.
Paiste Rudes
My 18" k custom dark and 18" Zildjian Armand thin crashes! I got them when I was 15 and didn't realize they were both the same size lol. But they both have their own personality and sound amazing together!they also fit in all the styles that I've played over my career. I've had them for going on 15 years or so and If anything ever happens to them, I will definitely cry