Zildjian K 18" Custom
Group: Ride
Type: Custom
Size: 18 Inch
Series: K Zildjian
Weight: 1755g, 1870g, 1950g, 2070g, 2200g
Used Prices: not yet available
Years of production: 1987 - 1995
Sound file: K Zildjian 18" Custom
Description: The Custom model is a pre K Custom series cymbal. The K series Custom was hammered on the relatively new rotary hammering machine, then pressed into shape, then some additional irregular hammering was added. The rotary hammer machine is why these have unusual hammering patterns compared to other Ks. You can see circles of hammering, and on the underside they "print through" as concentric circles. If this looks familiar that's because the rotary hammering machine is also used on the A Custom series.
Review: "Drummers playing in high-volume situations often have to make a choice in terms of cymbal sound. If they want a lot of projection and definition, they need to use heavier cymbals (such as Zildjian's Z series), but those cymbals tend to have a lack of overtones. Drummers who like a lot of overtones—particularly the"trashy" sound that is associated with Ks—have to accept the fact that those cymbals are not the best for cutting through loud volume levels.
But Zildjian has now come up with the K Custom series for people who need projection, but who also want a K type of sound. The cymbal is sort of a cross between a K and a Z. Physically, it looks a lot like a Z, in that it is a heavy cymbal that has been computer hammered, and that has a smooth bell and a Brilliant finish. But the hammer marks are not the geometric designs of the Z series; rather, they are smaller, more K-like hammer marks. The result is a cymbal that can be heard through a loud band, but that has a lot of the "trashy" characteristics of a K.
The 18" sounded the most like a K when I played it—a lot of overtones and spread. But when I asked a friend of mine to play it so that I could hear it from a distance, it didn't have quite as much body as I would have expected. It could also serve as a loud crash cymbal, but I preferred it as a ride.
Zildjian has definitely filled a gap with the K Custom cymbals, and they should prove popular with drummers who were raised on the jazz sound of Ks, but who are playing in loud situations that traditional Ks were never meant for. Reportedly, Dave Weckl gave Zildjian a lot of input on the design of these cymbals, and he tested the prototypes in the studio and with the Chick Corea Elektric Band. When musicians—rather than marketing departments—are involved with a new product, the results are usually worthwhile, as is the case here."
Review written by Rick Mattingly ("Product Close-Up - New Cymbals", Modern Drummer, June 1987, p. 107)
