James Walker
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1062
Loc: Connecticut
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This isn't so much a review, as it is me just being charged up about a new piece of gear, and this seems to be the best part of the forum for it. 
I've been on a ride cymbal kick lately - specifically, pre-serial 602s (those produced before Paiste started stamping serial numbers, which I believe was in the early seventies). They're great cymbals, and don't seem to command quite the $$$ that 1970s and '80s 602s do.
I stumbled across a 22" PS602 in a local music store last summer, and that seemed to get the ball rolling. I'm now up to three, with the latest being this 24" baby I just picked up on eBay about a week ago:
Sound files:
by itself: http://www.malletjazz.com/cymbals/24_602_ride/24_602_01.mp3
on the kit: http://www.malletjazz.com/cymbals/24_602_ride/24_602_02.mp3
(For those of you who are interested in cymbal weights, the seller tells me this one weighs in at 3277g.)
This is the first 24" ride I've ever played, much less owned - but I'm hooked. My 22" 602 is currently lent out to a friend, so I haven't had the chance to a/b them yet, but this one is giving the 22" a run for the money as my favorite overall ride cymbal. I may try just a small bit of tape on the underside, just to dry out the wash a little bit, but I won't know if that's really necessary until I get it on a gig.
One other thing I've noticed - this cymbal really reflects any changes in sticks. By that, I mean that there are a wide variety of (quality) sounds available, if I use different sticks on the cymbal. Some cymbals don't seem to change that much in sound depending on stick choice, but this one does. (I'll see about posting some sound files of this phenomenon.) FWIW, these sound files were made using wood-tipped 7A sticks. Even with the wash that the cymbal offers you never lose the articulation of the stick sound.
The big thing that surprises me about this cymbal is how crashable it is - I never would've expected that, having never played a 24" ride before.
Recently, I saw someone selling a 26" (yes, t-w-e-n-t-y-s-i-x) inch PS 602 on eBay. Let's just say I'm intrigued.
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moderator, mallet forum
Edited by James Walker (Sun May 04 2008 04:40 PM)
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James Walker
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1062
Loc: Connecticut
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Just for fun, here's a sound file demonstrating the 22" and 20" 602s as well. First one heard is the 22, then the 20...then back to the 22, and finally ending with the 20.
http://www.malletjazz.com/cymbals/20_602_ride/602_20_with_22.mp3
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moderator, mallet forum
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awfulldrummer
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jun 26 2007
Posts: 467
Loc: manchester, nh, usa
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i have a 24" zildjian, i love it. but get tired of dragging it around!
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James Walker
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1062
Loc: Connecticut
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The bloom isn't off the rose yet for me, so I haven't yet tired of schlepping it - although I did have to buy a new cymbal bag.
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moderator, mallet forum
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awfulldrummer
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jun 26 2007
Posts: 467
Loc: manchester, nh, usa
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me too! i still love the sound of mine. mine crashes pretty well too. enjoy it.
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Flam Master Flash
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Nov 17 2005
Posts: 323
Loc: France
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That's quite a beauty that you found there, James. I scored a 24" Agop special edition ride off ebay awile back, and it has many of the same characteristics that you mentioned; Great stick articulation that can be completely different depending on the stick that you use. I don't know, a 26" doesn't look too BIG anymore, if you know what I mean.
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HIGH ON DRUMS
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James Walker
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1062
Loc: Connecticut
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Indeed. Before I played it, my prejudicial opinion was that this would probably be an effects cymbal of a sort - something suited only for certain situations. That hasn't been the case - I would not hesitate to use this as a primary - or only - ride on a kit.
Maybe 26" is the point at which rides reach critical mass - I remember the thread recently about that really large Agop for sale, and the fairly negative comments that were offered by those who had actually played 26s.
I haven't played a 26 yet, but as I mentioned earlier, I'm intrigued.
The other day, as I was playing this ride, I thought back to one of my old college professors - a drummer, who was head of the jazz department. Long story short, the school was to buy new drum set cymbals, and we had Steve Weiss Music send up three rides for us to audition - we'd keep the one we liked best, and send the other two back. A grad' student and I checked them out, and of the three, the best by a mile was a 22" K Zildjian (one of the early American-made Ks, this being back in the 1980s). We brought this ride to the head of the jazz dept., who had the final say in the selection process.
He wouldn't even LISTEN to it. "No, man - that's too big. Pick one of the other ones."
 
He'd probably have a heart attack if I were to see me show up to a gig with my new 24...especially if I had a 16" bass drum on the kit.
Edited by James Walker (Mon May 26 2008 11:00 AM)
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awfulldrummer
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jun 26 2007
Posts: 467
Loc: manchester, nh, usa
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every cymbal has it's own merrits! one 26" might sound great! while another 26" might be uncontrolable. i've tried out 18" rides that sounded dead to me while i hear recordings which sound great with them. and while others rave about them. "etc"...
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roger strange
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Dec 09 2003
Posts: 1049
Loc: Nova Scotia Canada
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I used to use one of those James. Back in the 60s. Actually that looks exactly like my old 24" 602 that was made in 1965. One of the signature sounds I got from that cymbal was fuelled by the fact that Terry Clarke used the same thing with the Kirkood maple stick. I started using a maple stick myself and got this really "chalky" sound out of mine as well. I found that maple sticks don't dig into cymbals they way hickory or oak do. Therefore the wash is a bit less. I have recently switched to Los Cabos sticks made up here in Canada and they use superb hickory and the most magic sound maple sticks I have heard and felt for yers. So...agian I have that less wash stick in my hand when I need it with my current Paiste line-up.
Aah well, those days are gone and the 602 set I had, left my side through a back door in a Jazz club in Toronto between the last two sets at about 3:30 AM one saturday night/morning. Story of my life.
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James Walker
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1062
Loc: Connecticut
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The 24 on the right, the 22 on the left, my 14" New Beat hats, and all I need now is a nice 20-22" pang or swish on the far right side...
...and I'll have a perfect setup for all those bop gigs I'm NOT getting called to play. 
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moderator, mallet forum
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