That’s exactly what I said too. I’m by no means in the market for these types of cymbals, but my first reaction was “holy shit, they actually did what the people want for once?”
@@simonr9870 The A Heavy 15" hi hats are my most dreamed about hi hats, i want them more than any other hi hat. But they are discontinued for a long time now...
Can only recommend the T-Cymbals Metalshop Series. Imo the best "Hey, this is for Metal" - line of Cymbals out there (before you ask. Yes, i've played Rude, yes, i've played the Meinl CC Extreme Metal, which are a total joke, etc.)
The first cymbal combo (15h, 17,19c, 22r, 20ch) sound very good and extremely musical! Was not expecting it. Z really did their research, and nailed down a crash sound with good weight and projection, without offering med-thins and heavy that generally won’t sell. You won’t need to have all the extra if you design it right the first time. And those Sonors…❤
Agreed; can’t believe how musical they sound. Had a set of old Zs and always thought they just sounded like very loud beginner cymbals! Though I still prefer the Rudes
Really happy to see the relaunch of Z Customs. I used quite a few last gen era models from 2001 when I saw still in high school until the end of that decade. I feel like these new models have directed all the best parts of the previous incarnations into a single stream. Tight, glassy, and powerful. That being said, the RUDE series still wins out for me. I prefer the thin crashes over the other models, but they just have so much more body and depth while still maintaining a bright, shimmering attack that isn't clangy. I wanted to make the jump to Paiste for years, and I finally did so back in 2017. Regardless, these new Zs sound fantastic, and im really glad Zildjian listened and brought back a key line in their history.
The interesting thing about the Z hats and crashes, is they actually seem to sound quite mellow. Not sure that's what they're going for, but they sound really nice to my ears. Low pitch, almost dark sounding. The rides and chinas definitely cut and would work great for metal, but I think the others would be great for anything! I really like them!
YO, I gotta hand it to Zildjian...these sound actually KILLIN! Definitely more musical than I was expecting, the crashes are pitched nicely, and OH MY GOSH that china is SICK!
Man, the nostalgia! When I started playing drums in 2000 I always wanted Z Customs, saw them in every cool music video. Then tried them later on, and went straight to Paiste, never looked back. These look cool and all, but sadly it's not even close when comparing these to Rudes, they are still way more musical than Zs in my opinion.
@@lrizo3841 Paiste didn't have to change things up from start. Zildjian goes through trail and error; All in all, great sounding cymbals from both companies, I personally favor the Rudes.
I had some rude in the past...outstanding volume and cutting through the band...not versatile cymbals because you have to hit them heavy...happy to listen that these new Z ones now are a true alternative!
I used to use rudes when I was younger. I play Zildjian these days, but this video reminded me of why I played the rudes for so long. I’m a Zildjian user but paiste always has a place in my heart.
I wasn't overly a fan of the Z Customs, but those 15" hats are easily the best 15" hats I've ever heard. I've never really liked how 15s sounded personally but those Zs sound incredible.
Although I am playing thin cymbals (even in metal) I have to admit the new Z's sound quite awesome. It seems like you don't have to bash the sh.. out of them in order for them to open up. And they are not too bright for metal cymbals. That's why I prefer them against the Rude line. With paiste rude I always had to hit really hard to get rid of the "gong" type tone character. They are just really thick :D I like to play with different dynamics but I guess for a hard hitting metal only player both would fit prefectly. great video and insane mix as always.
I switched back to Rudes from Zs 12 years ago. So much better sounding and I haven’t broken one yet. I put 2 sets together, all used. Some date back to ‘83. I would break new Z Custom crashes every 14 months or so. That went on for a decade. The Rude Power rides are great. My favorite crashes are the Bashers and Wild Crashes. The Wild Crash cuts a little more and the Bashers are little smoother, so I use those to record and the Wilds live. Loud cymbals are great in all size venues because in smaller venues, there’s usually no overhead mics. This all pertains to loud, aggressive music styles of course.
Sick they brought back Z Customs. I have a 2001 mega bell ride with the circle shaped hammering, and it's been my favorite cymbal for years. It is an absolute beast. Freaking thing weighs 8.75 lbs! It's the only cymbal I've ever owned that I am 100% confident I will never crack, haha. Kinda funny, considering how notorious most Z Customs were for breakage. Those new crashes sound a lot better than I remember the old ones sounding. Much less clangy than what I recall from the old ones.
I remember selling a lot of these back in the day. A comment i got a lot was, "I dont love them but theyre loud"...I know theyre designed for a specific purpose, but im curious if these are made much differently and also sound better in person? When they were re-done, that definitely helped. I understand with being heavy in weight, certain characteristics are likely. But yes, these should definitely sell well again...the comments about not crashing the mega bell made me think of the prototype Craig Reynolds was working on.
With the Crashes I like the Rudes a lot more. The China is way better from Zildjian, the Rides are both genius, also totally different Sounds and with the Hihats I like the Zildjians more. Great Video again, thx!
Man when I first started drumming z customs with that brilliant finish and cool hammer pattern were my favorite cymbals before I ever even heard them! Obviously I was even more in love with them once I heard and played them.
The Z crashes sound nice, but when he laid into it with the hats open, the crashes got lost. I switched to Paiste when I first heard 2002’s in the 70’s. Paiste’s are so much crisper and really cut through. Love the sound edge hats, so crispy and clean. Love the Rude crashes and have two in my setup with a 2002 Power Ride. Those drums sound really great, the tone on the Tom’s is awesome. Great comparison video!
I think this actually sold me on the Paiste's more than the new Z's lmao. I came here expecting to be wowed by the Z Customs! Still, amazing demo, and I may be picking up some Paiste's now
I have the 21 inch Z Custom Mega Bell Ride from the early 90s and it is still one of my favorite rides. Its a beast. Also pairs great with a 9 inch Zil bel.
There are some things about the Z’s that I liked but the crashes sounded dull compared to the Rudes. The Paiste’s overall were cleaner & crisper than the Zildjians but that’s to be expected. Would have been nice to compare the Rude 22” power ride (Reign) and the 24” mega bell (Eclipse) to be a little more apples to apples in the ride department.
That older spiral hammering is nice looking too. They still use it in the.Zildjian K Constantinople. How does the star hammering hold up and is it more for appearance. S family is pretty loud too!
Glad they brought them back, because their previous Z3 line had some flaws. But IMO they pale in comparison with Paiste Rudes. I think B8 bronze its just better for heavy music.
They need to bring the platinum series to the Z line up!!!! The sound was pretty cool but they looked awesome!!!! If Zildjian did that I would scrap all my Meinls and go with them.
the whole lineup sound really buttery to me! I really like that in the crashes and the 20" china!! sooo good!! But the hi-hats remind me of like meinl medium classics custom or something...
Since you compared the Z Custom crashes to Paiste Thin crashes, does that mean the Z Custom crashes are also thin weight? Maybe the "Thin" description on the Rude series is a relative classification. I really don't know. It is logical to compare apples to apples but I'm not sure if that is what's happening here.
The only edge I’d give to Paiste here is the rude china. Something special about that cymbal. I’m surprised how clean the z crashes are. I expected something clankier but they’re right there with A Customs.
How do they balance with the snare in the overall mix? do they overpower it and make it hard to get a good snare room tone? Also do they bleed into close mics noticeably more than medium weight cymbals? Great vid
depends on how hard drummers hit shells, but yeah they overpower everything and bleed all over the close mics. i hate when drummers bring super loud cymbals
These sound fairly similar to the original Z Customs. It's hard to tell from the video since there isn't a direct comparison, but is the new Z Custom ride closer to the old Z Custom Ride or the old Z Power Ride?
Before watching this video, I am interested the Z custom. After watching, I want RUDE 😂😂. Those thin RUDE cymbal project volume much batter than Z custom 👍👍
Since I was a kid I've always loved anything bright and shiny! I like Paiste ansd Zildjian cymbals for different reasons but in this instance the Z's win. They sizzle and cut more plus they look spectacular! BTW I'm 53 but still a kid...
I'm a creature of habit and have preferred Paiste since my first kit in 1984, 2002s to be specific but I really like the Rude series, nice deep ambiance and shimmer. They also look badass, designed for a heavy beating.
To my ear (or rather: taste) the Zildjians sound way better than the Paistes. It's mainly the B8 bronze I think, the B20 bronze just sounds so much more complex, even with minimal lathing. I was also surprised how bright the Z's sounded. Does the return of the Z's mean the Z/K hi-hat combo is coming back as well? Hope so!
Normally a Paiste 2002 guy but the 2000 2nd generation era Z Customs were a great line. I used a 18" and sometimes a 20"medium crash for everything from blues to punk and they were musical without sounding clangy like the first generation. They have since devolved but this new lineup sounds good.
24 yrs after i sold my 1980s Paiste 22 in 3000 Rude Power Ride i got it back, i regretted it shortly after I sold it for $80 because I switched to bass. I found at a pawnshop for $130 and I know it's the same one because my friend Ruben who I sold it to told me he pawned it there at that pawnshop 👍
