Best Cymbals: a drummer’s complete guide

The buying decision tree

Cymbal buying decisions follow a predictable order. Genre first — rock, jazz, fusion, worship, or metal each demand different tonal characters. Brand second — Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, and Paiste each have signature voices. Line third — within a brand, lines run from premium hand-hammered (K Constantinople, HHX, Byzance, Signature) down to entry-level sheet bronze. Specific sub-type last — once you've picked the genre/brand/line, you choose between ride, hi-hat, crash, splash, china, and effects cymbals.

Most working drummers spend three years getting this wrong before they ask someone what they should have bought in the first place. DrumThat exists to skip that phase.

Every brand ranking + sub-guide

Alloy fundamentals

Three alloys account for almost every cymbal sold today. B20 (80% copper, 20% tin) is the premium standard — harmonically complex, lifetime durable, used by every pro line. B12 sits in the middle — used for pro-tier mid-line cymbals (Zildjian S Family, Meinl Pure Alloy Custom). B8 (92% copper, 8% tin) is the budget-tier alloy — brighter, more one-dimensional, less durable. Below B8 you're into brass, which is functionally cookware.

Weight, finish, hammering — what to actually pay attention to

Within an alloy, three further variables shape the cymbal's character. Weight determines projection and dynamic response — heavier cymbals cut harder, lighter cymbals respond at low dynamic levels. Finish (brilliant/polished vs natural/lathed vs raw) shapes brightness — brilliant cymbals project hard for rock, raw cymbals have warmer overtones for jazz. Hammering pattern (machine vs hand) shapes piece-to-piece consistency — hand-hammered cymbals are deliberately non-identical, which is why pros pay 5x more for them.