101 | 101 Brass| 200 | 201 Bronze| 302 | 400 | 402 | 404 | 502 | 505 | Formula 602 | 802 | 1000 | 2000 | 2002 | 3000 | Alpha | Brass Tones | ColorSound 5 | Dark Energy| Dimensions | Dixie | Giant Beat | Innovations | Ludwig | Ludwig Standard | Noise Works| PST 3| PST 5| RUDE | Sound Creation | Sound Creation New Dimension | Signature | Sound Formula | Stambul | Stambul '65 | Stanople | Standard | Super | Traditional
Released:1950s
Discontinued: 1960s
Description: Earliest Paiste series I have come across
Material: NS12?
Hammering: ?
Lathing: ?
Released:1956
Discontinued: 1978?
Description: Entry level cymbals
Material: NS12?
Hammering: ?
Lathing: ?
Released:1956
Discontinued: 1978?
Description: Paiste's intermediate level cymbals of the 50s/60s
Material: NS12
Hammering: ?
Lathing: ?
Later blue ink logo
Stamped logo
Released: 1959
Discontinued: 1987
Description: Cool, clean, controlled, elegant, lots of models, sizes from 8" to 26".
Remarks: Sub-series Joe Morello Set (1966?, 17" Crash, 18" Crash/Ride, 20" Ride, 14" Hi-Hats), Seven Sound Set (1964, most of them prototypes for later regular 602 members, 8" Bell, 11" Splash, 17" Bright Ride, 18" China, 18" Flat Ride, 20" Deep Ride, and others, 1964), original patented Flat Ride and Sound Edge Hi-Hat in 1967). Label color changed from black to blue in 197?.
Material: B20
Hammering: Light, regular, density increases towards center, model dependent
Lathing: Medium deep, medium dense, rather regular
Released: early 1960s?
Discontinued: ?
Description:
Material: NS12?
Hammering: Similar to 602
Lathing: Similar to 602?
Released: early 1960s?
Discontinued: ?
Description: Looks to me like a simplified OEM version or precursor of the 602. A OEM line similar or identical to Ludwig/Ludwig Standard
Material: B20
Hammering: Similar to 602
Lathing: Similar to 602?
Released: early 1960s?
Discontinued: ?
Description: Identical with or at least similar to the the Super line.
Material: B20
Hammering: Similar to 602
Lathing: Similar to 602?
Released: early 1960s?
Discontinued: ?
Description: OEM version of the Standard line and distributed by U.S. drum manufacturer Ludwig with their kits.
Material: NS12?
Hammering: Similar to 602
Lathing: Similar to 602?
Released:1965
Discontinued: around 1970
Description: 1965 Re-issue of the Stambul series in B8. Later to be followed by the 505 series. Apparently some surplus '65 cymbals were just relabeled as 505, with a Stambul stamp still present. Intermediate.
Material: B8
Hammering: ?
Lathing: ??
Released:1967
Discontinued: 1971?
Reissued: 2005
Description: Paiste's first professional B8 series and fruit of research on B8 as a cymbal material started in 1963. Forerunner of the 2002 series. Seemed to appear right on time with the advent of more and more electrified pop music. The Giant Beat cymbals set themselves aside from the many other Paiste B8 cymbal lines in being less bright and more refined. Only 18, 20, and 24" general type models plus 14 and 15" hi-hats were produced. These like the Standard series were depicted in a Ludwig cataloque of that time. One of its most prominent users was John Bonham (of Led Zeppelin fame) who also endorsed the 2002 series. The Giant Beat line was resurrected in 2005 due to popular demand coming with the revival of classic rock music.
Material: B8
Hammering: ?
Lathing: Very fine
Released:1971
Discontinued:
Description: Paiste's most successful line ever. Warm, bright, powerful with plenty of volume and cut. Heavier models recommended for rock/metal players. Label color changed from black to red in 1984.
Variants: In 1987 also Reflector (brilliant) cymbals were listed.
Material: B8
Hammering: Medium, regular, dense, density increases towards center, model dependent. Models appearing after the discontinuation of 3000 seem to have inherited some of that hammering style (bigger peen, less regular).
Lathing: Medium dense, shallow, not as regular as 602
Released: 1978
Discontinued: 1987
Description: Entry-level. Included Sound Edge hi-hats and also 22" models.
Material: B8
Hammering: ?
Lathing: ?
Released: 1978
Discontinued: 1987
Description: Intermediate level. Bright, loud, focused. Similar to 2002, but less sustain and complexity.
Material: B8
Hammering: Medium, regular, density increases towards center
Lathing: Shallow, sparse
Released: 1979
Discontinued: 1987
Description: Extreme sounds. Based on the 602 line but employing new profiles and hammering techniques resulting in sounds that did not really fit in there. Like the 602 Seven Sound Set, more a collection of single unique sounds rather than a series. Some types developed in collaboration with Jack De Johnette.
Material: B20
Hammering: Highly model dependent. Very fine, regular, to heavy, irregular. Dark models: Heavy. Very dense around cup, sparse at bow.
Lathing: Very regular, fine, and dense
Released: 1980
Discontinued:
Description: Paiste's first series of fully unlathed cymbals. Powerful dry, raw metallic sound, featuring a 'heavy mid-range frequency mix'. Very loud! (Designed to be mean, not nice. ) Geared towards punk and metal players but dry ride qualities embraced by some jazz people, too. Later merged into the 2002 series and renamed '2002 RUDE', still later reinstated as RUDE Classic series of its own. Rude variants appeared also in the 1000 and 3000 series.
Material: B8
Hammering: hand-hammered, not very deep, regular, dense near cup, sparse near edge
Lathing: None
Released: 1984
Discontinued: 1986?
Description: These cymbals are color-coated. To compensate for the muffling color pigment the underlying cymbal was designed to be brighter than other Paiste B8 cymbals. They were available in red, black, green and blue. Herwig Mitteregger of Spliff took ColorSounds half black and half white on their 'Schwarz Weiß' album tour.
Material: B8
Hammering: ?
Lathing: ?
Released:1984?
Discontinued: 1987?
Description: Continued enhancement of the Sound Creation types with more and lighter types of existing sounds. New models included Dark Flat Ride and Dark Medium Rides and Hi-Hats.
Material: B20
Hammering: like Sound Creation
Lathing: like Sound Creation
Released: ?
Discontinued: ?
Description: Little sustain, almost no tone. Only one general model and one hi-hat. The cheapest cymbal series Paiste ever made. Recommended for full-playback TV appearances ;-)
Material: MS63?
Hammering: none?
Lathing: cosmetic
Released:1987
Discontinued: 1987
Description: Little sustain and tone. Beginner's. Still a typical Paiste sound.
Material: MS63
Hammering: ?
Lathing: Machine, regular, broad, shallow, not very dense.
Released:
Discontinued:
Description: Medium pitch. Bright, soft with little sustain and body, though crashes might record well. A 302 16" crash, compared to a corresponding 200, has less weight, lower pitch, larger bell, brilliant finish. Due to brilliant finish, bit more focused, sweeter sound than comparable 200 series. 302 features larger bells than previous Paiste brass cymbal lines.
Material: MS63
Hammering: Machine, more or less cosmetic (nice pattern of differently sized hammer marks)
Lathing: Machine, very regular, broad, shallow, not very dense. Mostly cosmetic, I think. Brilliant finish (like 402 and 502 series)
Released: 1987
Discontinued:
Description: Meant to be one step beyond 200 series but still entry-level.
Variants: ColorSound in black and red.
Material: B8
Hammering: Similar to 200 and 1000 series
Lathing: ??
Second issue
Released:
Discontinued:
Description: Entry-level. Very bright, very focused sound. Astonishing cut, good projection
Material: NS12
Hammering: like 302
Lathing: like 302
Second issue
Released:
Discontinued:
Description: Entry-level. More body and power than 302/402. Cheapest B8 series from Paiste.
Material: B8
Hammering: like 302
Lathing: like 302
Released:
Discontinued:
Description: Entry-level. Bright, some power, Decidedly more complex than 502. Paiste's top-entry-level line, higher price and more models than other entry-level lines.
Material: B8
Hammering: ?
Lathing: ??
Released:1987
Discontinued:
Description: Budget variant of 2002. Top series of the three entry level series 200/400/1000. RUDEs are better than their price tag suggests.
Variants: Unlathed as 1000 RUDE. See RUDE.
Material: B8
Hammering: ?
Lathing: RUDE: None
Released:1987, Sound Reflections 1989
Discontinued:
Description: Hi-gloss Reflections less powerful but brighter and more refined than most (Paiste) B8 cymbals. Generally on a higher level than 505 or Alpha. This series included also a ColorSound variant available in turqoise, red(?) and black (thanks for pointing me to this!)
Material: B8
Hammering: Fine, dense, regular, shallow
Lathing: Sound Reflections: Very dense and regular, shallow. Gloss applied through special lathing (how?). Normal: ?
Released:1987, Reflector 1989
Discontinued:
Description: Planned as replacement for the 2002, but apparently not accepted as such by the customers. Broader, less centered sound, a little heavier and more dynamic than 2002. Lots of models including a 22" RUDE Power Ride.
Variants: Also unlathed as 3000 RUDE (see RUDE), brilliant as Reflector.
Material: B8
Hammering: ?
Lathing: RUDE: None
Released: 1992
Discontinued:
Description: Entry-level. Replacement for the 200 series. Little sustain, but more power and body than 200/302.
Material: MS63
Hammering: Machine, medium, regular
Lathing: Machine, regular, medium deep and dense
Released: 1992
Discontinued:
Description: Bright, powerful, centered. Quite a few models. Intermediate level, positioned as 'basic professional' by Paiste. Sound better in their upper volume register.
Material: B8
Hammering: Medium, not very dense, regular, model dependent?
Lathing: Medium, irregular
Later SF logo, Sound Formula Professional Standard
Released:1990, Sound Reflections 1992
Discontinued:
Description: Refined and versatile. Many different sounds. Bright cut, but controlled. Good for recording. Priced below Signature but rivaling in sound quality. Intended as replacement for the succesful 2000 series.
Variants: Sound Reflections (brilliant)
Material: PSA
Hammering: Double, fine and relatively dense, sparse and more heavy with bigger peen, highly model dependent.
Lathing: Irregular, shallow
Released: 1989
Discontinued:
Description: 'Best of Paiste' series. Lots of models covering (almost) any style. Some extreme sounds. Sizes ranging from 6 to 22".
Material: PSA
Hammering: Highly model dependent, everything from sparse and light to extra heavy and irregular (Dry Dark Ride).
Lathing: Highly model dependent. Irregular, shallow to none (Dry Dark Ride)
Traditionals have model/size description ink-stamped under the bell
Released:
Discontinued:
Description: Unlike all other Paiste. Dark and smoky, their most complex sound. Less cut and volume than most other (Paiste) series, but full of moody, controllable tone. Aimed at those 'old K' buyers, but still Paiste. In a blindfold test I was sure to recognize a Medium Light Ride in a group of four 20" cymbals, the others being three Zildjians, a K Pre-Aged Dry Light Ride, a K Custom Dark Ride and a Constantinople Light Ride -- and failed! (I'm still confident to make it if I can play the cymbals rather than having them played to me.)
Material: PSA
Hammering: Deep, very irregular, depth varies. Cups also hammered
Lathing: Very irregular and shallow. Bottom of bow not fully lathed. Bottom cymbal of hi-hat unlathed.
Cups are sparsely lathed
Undersides are sparsely lathed. Note irregular shape of lathe band resulting from lathing after deep hammering
Released:
Discontinued:
Description: Color-coated like ColorSound 5, but available only in black. Developed in corporation with Terry Bozzio. Never got my hands on one...
Material: PSA and B8
Hammering: Light, regular and dense, varies with models
Lathing: ?
Released: 1999
Discontinued:
Description: Paiste's 1999 variation of the B8 theme with unprecedented variety in sound colors. Less focused and broader sound spectrum than any other Paiste B8 series before. Different types of hammering for Power models. Includes the sandblasted 20" Dry Ride, obviously as a response to Zildjian's K Custom Dry Ride and similar cymbals.
Generally, Dimensions represent the application of the processes/techniques acquired in the development of the Paiste Line Signature and Traditional series to the '2002 bronze'.
Material: B8
Hammering: Most models dense and light, Power models more heavy and sparse with shining marks.
Lathing: ?
Released: 2001
Discontinued:
Description: Apparently Paiste's attempt to recreate the Dimensions' concept on a less expensive level with manual craftsmanship partly replaced by automated tools. Still professional cymbals with sounds traditionally not associated with B8 bronze. As with Dimensions, generally darker and more complex than previous Paiste B8 cymbals. As of late summer 2001, only basic models and sizes available.
Material: B8
Hammering: Somewhat irregular hand hammering.
Lathing: Somewhat irregular, very 'manual'. New jagged lathing style creates highly reflective, easily remembered unique look.
