Collection: Cymbals
Cymbals
Find the Perfect Drum Cymbals at Chicago Music Exchange: Types, Sizes, Materials & Brands
Cymbals might all be round, shiny, and loud, but the right one can make or break your sound. At Chicago Music Exchange, we stock cymbals for every drummer — new and used, beginner cymbal packs to professional hand-hammered rides. You’ll find big-name favorites like Zildjian, Sabian, Paiste, and Meinl, plus boutique gems from Istanbul, Bosphorus, and UFIP. Whether you’re searching for “cymbals for sale near me,” building your first cymbal set, or upgrading to pro-level models for touring and recording, CME makes sure you’ve got plenty to choose from.
Cymbal Types & Why You Use Them
Drummers build their kits around these essential cymbal types:
- Hi-Hats (13″–15″): The backbone of the groove. Common searches include “best hi-hats for jazz,” “rock hi-hats,” and “cheap hi-hats for beginners.”
- Crash Cymbals (16″–18″): Explosive accents for rock, pop, and beyond. Look for terms like “thin crash,” “fast crash,” or “18 crash cymbal for sale.”
- Ride Cymbals (20″–24″): The heart of timekeeping. Searchers often look for “best ride cymbal for rock,” “dry ride cymbal,” or “jazz ride cymbal 22.”
- Splash Cymbals (6″–12″): Quick bursts of color. Popular queries include “splash cymbal effect” or “cheap splash cymbals.”
- China / FX / Trash Cymbals (10″–20″): Aggressive, cutting tones for metal, punk, and fusion. Searches include “china cymbal for metal” or “FX cymbal pack.”
Some drummers also shop practice cymbals or low-volume cymbals (Zildjian L80, Sabian Quiet Tone, Meinl HCS), which are highly popular for home use and electronic setups.
Size, Material & Craft: What Shapes Your Cymbal’s Voice
Choosing the right cymbal comes down to size, material, thickness, and finish:
- Size: Bigger cymbals (20″–24″) = more volume and sustain. Smaller cymbals = quicker response, shorter decay.
- Thickness & Weight: Thin crashes are responsive and airy; heavy crashes project with volume but sustain longer.
- Alloys: B20 bronze = professional, complex tones; B8 and brass = brighter, budget-friendly options for students and entry-level sets.
- Hand vs Machine Hammering: Hand-hammered cymbals (Istanbul, Bosphorus) bring unique character; machine-hammered cymbals (Paiste, Meinl Classics) provide consistency.
- Finish & Lathing: Brilliant vs natural, lathed vs unlathed, raw bells vs polished domes — all impact brightness, projection, and stick definition.
Top Cymbal Brands & What They’re Known For
- Zildjian: A, A Custom, K, K Custom — iconic crash and ride sounds for rock, jazz, and pop.
- Sabian: AA, HHX, Artisan, XSR — modern designs, darker tones, and versatile packs.
- Paiste: 2002, Signature, RUDE — bright, cutting tones perfect for live rock and pop.
- Meinl: Byzance, Classics, Pure Alloy — from dry jazz rides to loud metal crashes.
- Boutique Makers: Istanbul Agop, Bosphorus, UFIP — hand-crafted detail, unique tonal voices.
Many drummers start with cymbal packs (Zildjian S Series, Meinl HCS, Sabian XSR), which balance quality and value. For students, “beginner cymbal sets” are often the best first step.
Used Cymbals & Vintage Finds
Hunting for used cymbals usually means you’re after a deal or chasing something rare. At CME, our used cymbal selection often includes vintage lines, discontinued series, or signature models. Every used cymbal we list is inspected for condition and sound before it hits our shelves.
Why Drummers Choose Certain Cymbals: Matching Your Sound
Different styles demand different cymbal qualities:
- Rock & Metal: Loud crashes (18–20″), heavy rides, aggressive FX. Searches: “loud crash cymbal,” “china cymbal metal.”
- Jazz & Blues: Thin, dark cymbals with lower volume and more nuance. Searches: “jazz ride cymbal,” “dry crash cymbal.”
- Folk & Country: Balanced, musical cymbals that blend with acoustic instruments.
Drummers also weigh mix control (wash vs stick definition), durability, and budget when choosing.
Choosing What’s Best For You: New vs Used, Beginner vs Pro
- New Cymbals: Consistency, warranty, fresh finish. Ideal for pros needing repeatable sound.
- Used Cymbals: Unique tonal character, vintage models, and better prices. Great for budget-conscious or collectors.
- Beginner Cymbal Packs: Affordable sets designed for students and home practice.
- Professional Cymbals: Premium alloys, hand-crafted, built for live and studio use.
Essential Cymbal Sizes
- Crash: 16″–18″ — “18 crash cymbal for sale,” “thin crash cymbal.”
- Ride: 20″–22″ — “best ride cymbal 22,” “dry ride cymbal jazz.”
- Hi-Hat: 13″–15″ — “14 hi-hats for rock,” “13 hi-hats jazz.”
- Splash: 8″–12″ — “splash cymbal effect,” “cheap splash cymbal.”
- China / FX: 10″–20″ — “china cymbal metal,” “FX cymbals set.”
Shop Cymbals at Chicago Music Exchange
Choosing cymbals is deeply personal — your crashes, rides, and hats shape your entire drum sound. Whether you’re buying a beginner cymbal pack, upgrading to professional studio cymbals, or hunting used cymbals for a vintage tone, CME has the selection to match your sound. Shop online or visit our Chicago drum showroom to compare cymbals side-by-side and find the voice that completes your kit.
Cymbal Sets
Looking for the right cymbal set? You could spend years piecing one together—endlessly comparing hi-hats, crashes, and rides, only to realize you still don’t have that perfect chick when the hats close or the right shimmer when the crash opens up the room. That’s why cymbal sets exist: to save you from the rabbit hole and give you a lineup of tones that actually sound like they belong together.
Whether you’re laying down pocket grooves, bashing through punk anthems, or finessing your way through jazz ballads, the right set feels like an extension of your voice. They’re balanced, they’re tuned to each other, and they make your kit sound like it’s supposed to—like one instrument, not a Frankenstein project.
Of course, you can still add on and mix things up later (we’re not here to crush your inner mad scientist). But if you want a solid foundation, a cymbal set gets you there faster—and yes, you’ll still get that sweet shimmer when you crash on two and four.
Cymbal Stands
Cymbal stands: the unsung heroes of every drum kit. Nobody talks about them until one betrays you mid-gig, wobbling like a baby giraffe right as you go for the big crash. The truth is, great cymbal stands don’t call attention to themselves—they just hold steady, night after night, letting your cymbals sing without complaint.
Straight stands, boom stands, hi-hat stands—they’re the backbone of your setup, literally. A flimsy stand can make even the most expensive cymbals feel like toys, while a solid one makes every strike feel grounded. Think of them like the stage crew: you may not notice them, but you absolutely notice when they’re not doing their job.
So whether you’re a studio perfectionist, a road warrior, or just tired of tightening wing nuts that never stay tight, investing in the right stands is non-negotiable. Because when you’re in the groove, the last thing you want is your ride cymbal slowly tilting away from you like it’s got other plans.
Cymbal Cases
Cymbal cases: not the flashiest piece of gear, but quite possibly the most important if you’d like your cymbals to survive life outside your practice room. Because here’s the thing—your ride may sound like golden perfection, but without protection it’s one dropped load-in away from being a very expensive frisbee.
A good cymbal case keeps your bronze babies safe from cracked edges, mystery scratches, and that one bass player who thinks “gear bag” means “any bag within reach.” Whether you go with a soft bag for quick carries or a hard case built like a tank, the goal is the same: your cymbals arrive in one piece, ready to shine instead of wince.
And honestly, there’s something satisfying about sliding your whole setup into one neat case—no rattling, no stacking cymbals like a sketchy game of Jenga. Just grab, go, and focus on the important part: making music. Because the only thing worse than a broken cymbal… is realizing it broke on the way to the gig.