Paiste Formula 602 22" Dark Ride

Group: Rides
Type: Dark Ride
Size: 22 Inch
Series: Formula 602
Weight: 2889g - 3475g (median 3240g) n=41
Used Prices: $400 - $910 (median $636) n=45
List Price: $288 (as at 1977) or about $460 inflation adjusted to June 2019
Years of production: 1975 - 1977, with a few mysterious ones which lack serial numbers

Production History: Dark Rides are in the 1975-1977 era based on serial number dating. There are no 602 Dark Rides with serial numbers from 1972, 1973 and 1974 out of 32 serial numbers. There are currently 8 non serial 602 Dark Rides documented. The Dark Rides without serial numbers can't automatically be assumed to be pre serial (before mid 1972).

The dark ride was Fredy Studers brainchild:

2022 interview: "I told Robert since the first half of the seventies that Paiste needs a darker sound which would hopefully turn on Jazz drummers. So far they were not attracted to Paiste because the sound was too bright and too clean for them. To be honest, I came up with the idea for the 22" Dark ride because I wanted to have a cymbal like that for myself! I bought many different records for Robert and the two of us were spending nights (including beer and good red wine) listening to many Jazz players and their cymbal sound (like Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, Al Foster, who became a Paiste endorser later on, Elvin Jones and many more). This helped Robert to understand what sound I was talking about."

Jack De Johnette is also credited with early development, and his Dark Ride in the Paiste Profiles 2 (1975) is consistent with the serial number evidence.

There are also what are called the Transitional Dark rides which all come from 1976 and 1977 based on serial numbers. These lack the words Formula 602 at the bottom of the embossed stamp, but other than that the hammering, lathing, and ink look like the 602 Dark Rides. The Transitional Dark Rides correlate with Rogers taking over Paiste distribution in the USA. The Rogers price list and catalog from that period shows that Rogers placed a few 602 models in among their 2002 catalog offerings and did not mention the Formula 602 series. This would explain why the words Formula 602 were left off the embossed stamp and the ink. In 1978 the Sound Creation series appears and the Dark Ride is found in that series from then on. There is one 602 Dark Ride from 1979 which is consistent with production tapering off rapidly at that time. There is one 1981 Dark Ride cymbal with serial PAISTE 602 142560, 602 Dark Ride ink characteristics and hammering, but no embossed stamp at all. This might be as close as it gets to a 602 Blue Label period Dark Ride.
Sound file: Formula 602 22" Dark Ride
Paiste's Description: The basic character of the cymbal is deep and dark with a full-bodied sound. The precise ride floats dark and brilliant over a lively, constantly resonating full deep ping. The sound can be increased to short, sharp crash effects by intense strong hits with the stick flat on the cymbal surface. Translated from the German 1976 catalog seen below.
Review:
Review written by
Artist/song where it can be heard: Barry Altschul, Erich Bachträgl, Alex Bally, Dan Brubeck, Jerry Chardonnens, Jon Christensen, Pierre Courbois, Jack De Johnette, Pierre Favre, John Gilston, Marc Hellman, Jon Hiseman, John Marshall, Alex Riel

602 Dark Ride with the full 602 stamp and ink

• 22 dark.jpg

  602 Dark Ride top

• 

  602 Dark Ride top

• 

  602 Dark Ride top

• 

  602 Dark Ride printed stamp

• 

  602 Dark Ride embossed tamp

• 22 dark 6.jpg

  602 Dark Ride bottom

602 Dark Ride (Transitional) without the full 602 stamp and ink

• 

  Transition dark ride, note lack on "Formula 602" below the Paiste stamp

• 

  602 Dark Ride (Trans) top

• 

  602 Dark Ride (Trans) bottom

• 

  602 Dark Ride (Trans) stamp

• 

  close up of emboss and Paiste stamp

Notice that the embossed stamps are different. The European 602 Dark Ride uses the outline version of the full stamp. The U.S Rogers distributed 602 Dark Ride (Transitional) uses a version which has TRADE underneath the E of Paiste (archaic 602 stamp from '63 to '65). This version is called the mixed version of the embossed stamp when it includes the Formula 602 underneath. On the 602 Dark Ride there is ink saying Paiste Formula 602 above the bell. On the Transitional version the Paiste ink is there, but the Formula 602 is not. Here is the price list from the Rogers 1977 catalog which has the Dark Ride (Part No 52-1822) placed among the 2002s.

• 

  Prices from Rogers Catalog

• 

  Prices from Rogers Catalog (part 2)

• 

  Paiste Catalog 1977 Description

Factory refinished 1975 Dark ride: notice the black instead of blue 602 ink used, this was common for cymbals refinished in the 90's.

• 
• 
• 
• 
•