Sabian Artisan Cymbals Hats and Crash

The marketing blurb tells me that this is a “collection” as opposed to a “series” with each cymbal having its own unique personality. This along with both our sample 14” hi-hats and 18” crash having their very own padded sleeve/case, gave me some idea of what I might expect and needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed. The hats have the most gorgeous pronounced and musical ‘click’ that I have ever encountered. The bottom cymbal is noticeably heavier and I loved the sensitivity of the top cymbal – and these hats spoke with total clarity when playing a swing rhythm with the hats half-closed. But perhaps their best attribute is that they are sensitive enough to respond at very low volumes, making them the ideal partner in any musical environment, be it big band, combo or concert orchestra. The crash was equally dynamic, responding superbly at medium to high volume levels, speaking quickly with shimmering dark, warm tones. This test left me feeling that I wish I owned a complete Artisan set-up. With limited numbers produced, you’ll need to get in early otherwise you might miss the boat. When these eventually come up for sale on the second hand market, you’ll need to re-mortgage your life to get hold of a set.

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