Zildjian K Custom 18" Session Ride

Group: Rides
Type: Session Ride
Size: 18 Inch
Series: K Custom
Weight: 1912g, 1948g, 1983g, 1986g (2003 Serial Number), 2015g, 2018g, 2026g, 2040g, 2054g, 2073g, 2075g, 2095g, 2146g
Median Weight: 2026g (n=13)
Years of production: 2003 - ?
Sound file: K Custom 18" Session Ride
K Custom 18" Session Ride
K Custom 18" Session Ride
K Custom 18" Session Ride
K Custom 18" Session Ride
K Custom 18" Session Ride
K Custom 18" Session Ride
K Custom 18" Session Ride
K Custom 18" Session Ride
Zildjian's Description: <<< - >>>
Review: "Several years ago, I had the good fortune of playing Steve's prototype ride and his "mismatched" hi-hats backstage at the Modern Drummer Festival Weekend. I was so excited at the opportunity that I shot photos of those cymbals to commemorate the occasion.

To my recollection, Steve's 18" ride at the festival was drier in tone than the current Sessions ride. In fact, I'll admit to being surprised by a pronounced clanginess in the review cymbal. In my test room it seemed to be all ping and high-end wash.

The ride was such a contrary animal that I phone Paul "The Hammer" Francis, Zildjian's Product Development Specialist. Paul assured me that he had faithfully reproduced the Gadd prototype cymbal (with the exception of the crack!) and urged me to persist in my examination of the cymbals. Accordingly, I set about playing the ride when practicing at rehearsals, mostly in small rooms. Its plentiful overtones and relatively high pitch continued to leave me puzzled.

The breakthrough came when the phone rang for me to sub in a variety show. The repertoire ranged from Sinatra to The Clash. I brought the Gadd ride and (just in case) a 22" K. After soundcheck I was kicking back when I heard a band member playing a shuffle on my drums. I did a double-take. In that large club, the ride sounded nothing like it did in the test room. It was fatter, and it emitted a low-pitched, simmering cushion of wash, over which sat the highs from the bead of the drumstick. I uttered to myself, This is the Gadd cymbal I doubted?

Now completely stoked, I embraced the 18" K Custom Session Ride as my sole ride for the evening. I played it as I reckoned Gadd would, tapping it with the bead of the stick, slapping it across the bow with the shank, and (when things got loud), riding the body with the butt end. The cymbal served as a mighty full-out crash, with more than a hint of the exotic. The bell was clean and precise. Even when I leaned into it, it didn't excite the body of the cymbal excessively. As for the test-room clang - well, it seemed to have vaporized!"

Review written by T. Bruce Wittet ("Product Close-Up - Zildjian K Custom Session Cymbals - Gadd Personified", Modern Drummer, August 2004, pp. 28-29)

Artist/song where it can be heard: Steve Gadd