Istanbul 21" Mel Lewis Ride

Group: Rides
Type: Mel Lewis Ride
Size: 21 Inch
Series: Istanbul Series
Weight: 2190g, 2216g
Years of production: 1995 - 1996
Sound file: Istanbul 21" Mel Lewis Ride
Istanbul's Description: <<< - >>>
Review: "How often does this happen: You're playing with a group on stage, you strike one of your instruments, and the whole band turns around and smiles at you? Well, the first time I merely touched the Mel Lewis ride I got that response. (Okay, it was only a trio, so only two guys turned; but it still surprised me.) This 21" beauty has two rivets placed about 2" in from the edge and about 5" apart, and the combination of the sizzling rivets and the low pitch of the cymbal is simply one of the most beautiful sounds you'll ever hear.

One interesting thing to note about this cymbal is that, when you're riding on it, you don't really hear the rivets. They're almost imperceptible. You can hear the stick sound speak out just above a warm, trashy spread—very nice. And the sustain from the rivets (once you've stopped riding on it) is a beautiful effect—perfect for ballads when you want that sustained effect. It's not that I simply love cymbals with rivets—more often than not I find them to be annoying—but somehow on this cymbal all of the factors are right. And this was true on all three of the rides Istanbul sent. (The only real difference between the three was their pitches.)

As for the bells of the cymbals, well, they're not great. One of the three had a bell sound you might be able to get away with. But who cares? You want a bell sound? Move to another cymbal, like the crash/ride. The Mel Lewis ride is a fine musical instrument that I can confidently say any jazz drummer would be inspired by. (How's that for a "ringing" endorse-ment?)

Review written by William R Miller ("Istanbul Mel Lewis Series Cymbals", Modern Drummer, October 1996, pp.36-37)

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