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Sabian Artisan Crash and Hi-Hat Cymbals:
Filling Out the High-End Vault Line
A couple of years ago, Sabian introduced a
new line of ride cymbals, the Vault
Artisan rides. I remember trying a
bunch of them out, fresh from
the “The Vault,” and liking
them so much I added a couple
to my A-list cymbal collection.
I definitely wasn’t
the only one to put these
cymbals into heavy
rotation. According to
Sabian, Artisan crashes
have been the singlemost
requested Sabian
model since the introduction
of the Artisan
ride. Sabian has fulfilled
those requests and filled
out the Artisan line of cymbals
with the introduction of
16- and 18-inch Artisan crashes,
as well as 13-, 14- and 15-inch
Artisan hi-hats.
16-inch
Vault
Artisan
Ride
The concept behind the Artisan line is a
blending of high-quality traditional cymbal
sounds with modern innovations and desires.
All of the Artisans are heavily hand hammered,
which gives the cymbals a rich complexity.
The cymbals are also dimpled with a
large peen hammer, which according to
Sabian adds to the tone and increases the
projection. The crashes are thin to extra thin,
while the hi-hats have medium tops and
heavy bottoms. The Artisan cymbals reflect
the highest-end craftsmanship and quality.
They have strong, full-bodied sounds and rich
tonal qualities with a darkness, which come
from the hammering.
When trying out the new Artisans, I took
them to the Merit School of Music, where I
have some talented young students, many of
whom play in various professional situations
in the Chicago area. All of the new Artisans
were an instant hit. The 13-inch hi-hats were
the most popular, with students using adjectives
like “bold, unique and crispy” to
describe their sound.
I found the cymbals to have a nice complex
character, similar to the Artisan rides.
All of the hi-hats had a nice sticking
feel, offering the ability to
dig, yet keep the pattern
moving and dancing. The
13- and 14-inch hi-hats
have a strong, pronounced
“chick,” with
the 15-inch chick
being more understated.
Several of my
students thought the
15-inch pair would
make good jazz hi-hats
because of this subtlety,
while the 13- and 14-
inch models would be
ideal for rock, fusion,
gospel, hip-hop, r&b, Latin
and more. The consensus was
that the cymbals are versatile.
The 16- and 18-inch Artisan crashes
make great complements to the Artisan
rides I’ve been playing on for a couple of
years. They have dramatic, warm and intricate
qualities. Due to their thinness, the crashes
have soft attacks, yet a full projection. When
using them as a crash/ride, one of my students
observed they had a “warm cushion.”
Due to their thinness, they have an expected
washy-ness when used this way. Overall, the
Artisan crashes, as well as the hi-hats, reflect
the highest end of the cymbal market today.
—Doug Brush
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Ordering info: sabian.com
Yamaha Black Phoenix Trombone: Eye Catcher
A black trombone is like the Spanish
Inquisition: Nobody expects it. So any
trombonist is bound to be intrigued
by the Yamaha Black
Phoenix as soon as
they open the case.
Something about
the smooth, uninterrupted
darkness
of its finish
says it’s a horn to
be reckoned with. Like
a black limousine, its finish exudes power
and class.
Along with Black Phoenix trumpet and saxophone
models, Yamaha introduced this
trombone, model YSL-697ZBP, to commemorate
the company’s 50th anniversary of manufacturing
instruments in the United States.
Only 50 have been made, available for a limited
time, and the black-lacquered bell is
graced with a golden custom engraving.
Looks are one
thing, but how does it feel
and play Picking it up for the
first time, I was struck by the
lightness of the whole horn, and
the slide in particular. The outer slide
is fit with close tolerances, making it airtight.
The specially designed inner slide
stockings offer perfect alignment, even in
the extended positions. The result is a
smooth, responsive slide.
Yamaha boasts that the trombone offers a
100 DOWNBEAT June 2009