Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitar Amps
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • "Worst rap album in history"
  • Superbooth 2025
  • Eilish vs Radiohead
  • 95k+ free music samples

Recommended reading

Zultan Z series update
Cymbals “A reasonably versatile set but these cymbals excel in a rock and metal context”: Zultan Z Series cymbals review
Alesis Strata Club
Drum Gear With the same mesh-head playability and powerful new Strata module as its bigger brothers, Alesis Strata Club brings a new compact form to its best-selling range
Drumcraft Bell Brass Snare
Snare Drums “An excellent entry point into the world of cast-shell drums, and a clear bargain”: DrumCraft Bell Brass Snare review
Jackson Pro Plus Pure Metal Series: the new limited range strips the Soloist, Rhoads and Kelly down with a single Fishman bridge humbucker, Floyd Rose and black finishes as standard
Guitars “This beast of a guitar is built for speed, equipped for domination”: Jackson refreshes three classics as stripped down single-pickup shred machines – meet the limited edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
Ernie Ball Music Man Steve Lukather L4 2025 collection
Guitars “Every time I put one of these guitars on it’s just a reminder of the relationship with my friends”: Ernie Ball Music Man shakes up Steve Lukather’s L4 signature series with new pickup options, finishes and a BFR HSS dream machine
Alesis Crimson III
Electronic Drums Alesis’ popular Crimson e-kit just got an upgrade with version III sporting new heads and a new BFD-powered drum brain
valley forge
Tech Max Richter takes the timpani to outer space with Valley Forge, a sci-fi-inspired virtual instrument developed in partnership with Song Athletics
  1. Drums
  2. Cymbals

NAMM 2015: Paiste unveils budget FX cymbal line and artist models

News
By Rhythm published 16 January 2015

Stewart Copeland and Dave Lombardo spearhead new metals

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

PSTX series

PSTX series

NAMM 2015: It's a bumper year for Paiste. Not only does it introduce an entirely new line of FX cymbals aimed at the budget conscious drummer, but there are also signature pies courtesy of long-term artists Dave Lombardo of Philm/Slayer and Stewart Copeland of The Police.

First up we introduce the PSTX line that takes in all manner of FX models designed to complement your crashes, rides and hats. The cymbals are manufactured from various metals ranging from 2002 bronze to brass and aluminium, meaning there's a cymbal for every budget and style.

Paiste says: “The core of the PSTX is made up of the Swiss models, cymbals that achieve a noisy, dirty, trashy sound quality by the use of specific layouts and varied sizes for the holes. Their silky surface distinguishes the cymbals visually. The aluminum Pure Bells stand out due to their distinct character and concept.

“The 14", 16" and 18" Swiss Thin crashes provide exotic, warm, deep crash sounds. They are immediately responsive and fade just as quickly. Drummers who look for more aggressiveness and volume will find the 18" Swiss Medium Crash a perfect choice.

“The 10" Swiss Splash produces very light, airy accents. The 14" Swiss Flanger Crash responds just as fast. Due to its low tension construction it features an explosive flanging and undulating sound that stands out uniquely. Both cymbals are well-suited for hand playing.

“It gets really exciting when you combine two PSTX cymbals from different alloys. The 10", 14" and 16" Swiss Hats are striking rhythm instruments with a dry, noisy sound that evokes the hi-hat sounds of analog drum machines. With the 14" Swiss Flanger Stack both cymbals are mounted with the bells facing up. Depending on how much the pair is tightened on the stand, the sustain changes from a hi-hat like dry to shattering crash effects.

“In the manufacture of the 9" and 10" Pure Bells Paiste uses aluminum for the first time. These bells distinguish themselves through their warm, calm and pure sound.”

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
10" 2002 Mega Bell

10" 2002 Mega Bell

Paiste's 2002 Series has been the favourite of rock drummers for years, and Paiste knows it as it continues to faithfully add to the roster. The newest addition is a 10” Mega Bell. The Bell is designed to add a piercing, heavy bell sound with buckets of sustain to help cut through noisy amps.

Paiste describes the sound character as “bright, yet warm. Played with the shoulder of the drumstick an extremely powerful, woody attack dominates, flowing into a strong, slightly glimmering tone that fades very slowly.”

The 2002 line is made by hand in Switzerland from the original CuSn8 bronze alloy.

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
Formula 602 Medium ride

Formula 602 Medium ride

Adding to another classic Paiste line is the new 22” Formula 602 Medium ride. Classed as an all-purpose ride, the existing 20” and 24” versions are used by Clinician Gergo Borlai and a certain Vinnie Colaiuta, so this offers fans of those sizes a great new option.

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
Dave Lombardo 22" Rude Power ride - The Reign

Dave Lombardo 22" Rude Power ride - The Reign

Paiste boats an impressive artists roster and in 2015 it's shouting it to the hilltops with a couple of hot new artist models. First up is a new ride designed in collaboration with Philm/ex-Slayer speed metal legend Dave Lombardo - the 22” Rude Power ride 'The Reign'.

Lombardo has always sworn by Paiste's Rude cymbals, which celebrate their 35th birthday this year, so it makes perfect sense to put his name to his own Rude cymbal. The Reign is based on the original cymbal which can be heard on Slayer's thrash metal classic album Reign In Blood.

This heavy ride features a cutting, metallic ping, clear in extreme volume situations and the large bell is full sounding and aggressive. The raw, unlathed look completes the cymbal nicely.

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
Stewart Copeland 12" Signature Combo Crisp hi-hat - The Rhythmatist

Stewart Copeland 12" Signature Combo Crisp hi-hat - The Rhythmatist

Countless drummers cite The Police legend Stewart Copeland as an influence, in no small part due to his unorthodox style and, particularly, the way he plays his cymbals. Jaws dropped when Paiste launched a Copeland Signature Blue Bell ride a few years back, and now fans can own hi-hats designed in conjunction with the drummer too.

Copeland teamed up with Paiste's Sound Development team to design a dynamic hi-hat small enough for fine articulation, yet crisp enough to cut through at all volume levels. The result is the 12" Signature Combo Crisp Hi-Hat 'The Rhythmatist'.

Paiste uses different alloys for the top and bottom cymbals. The CuSn20 Bronze top is responsible for warmth and fullness, while the Signature Bronze bottom provides brilliance and precision. Played closed the hi-hat produces a rather dry, crisp sound. The chick sound is full and razor-sharp. Thus the Compo Crisp Hi-Hat is well suited for drummers who want to emulate Stewart’s subtle, nuanced style, or as a powerful auxiliary hi-hat.

Couple these hats with the ride and Tama's signature Copeland snare and you'll be well on your way to sounding like the great man himself...

NAMM 2015 coverage in association with Andertons Music Co.

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
Rhythm
Read more
Zultan Z series update
“A reasonably versatile set but these cymbals excel in a rock and metal context”: Zultan Z Series cymbals review
Alesis Strata Club
With the same mesh-head playability and powerful new Strata module as its bigger brothers, Alesis Strata Club brings a new compact form to its best-selling range
Drumcraft Bell Brass Snare
“An excellent entry point into the world of cast-shell drums, and a clear bargain”: DrumCraft Bell Brass Snare review
Jackson Pro Plus Pure Metal Series: the new limited range strips the Soloist, Rhoads and Kelly down with a single Fishman bridge humbucker, Floyd Rose and black finishes as standard
“This beast of a guitar is built for speed, equipped for domination”: Jackson refreshes three classics as stripped down single-pickup shred machines – meet the limited edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
Ernie Ball Music Man Steve Lukather L4 2025 collection
“Every time I put one of these guitars on it’s just a reminder of the relationship with my friends”: Ernie Ball Music Man shakes up Steve Lukather’s L4 signature series with new pickup options, finishes and a BFR HSS dream machine
Alesis Crimson III
Alesis’ popular Crimson e-kit just got an upgrade with version III sporting new heads and a new BFD-powered drum brain
Latest in Cymbals
Zultan Z series update
“A reasonably versatile set but these cymbals excel in a rock and metal context”: Zultan Z Series cymbals review
Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater
"I love them, they just sing, they’re absolutely gorgeous:" Mike Portnoy just crashed Sabian’s party with seven sexy cymbals
Zultan Dune cymbals
"These are the antithesis of common-or-garden cymbals, but they deliver exactly what you’d hope, at a very affordable price point": Zultan Dune series cymbals review
EFnote Pro kit in our reviewers garage
"The full-size 20” cymbal actually flexes and shimmers when struck, which feels fantastic under-stick": EFnote Pro review
Zildjian Z
Is Zildjian about to reissue its Z Series? This not-so-covert teaser video certainly suggests so
Yamaha HHS9D hi-hat stand
NAMM 2024: "Imagine a hi-hat stand that not only meets your professional needs and expectations, but also provides you with a richer and crisper sound…" Yamaha unveils its flagship HHS9D Hi-hat stand
Latest in News
Misha Mansoor poses with his new Jackson Juggernaut in Red Crystal. On the right, his heavy relic shell pink Jackson offset
“It’s a really wild, weird tuning, and something that low would just not work if you didn’t have a 30-inch scale”: Periphery’s Misha Mansoor on how the Fender Bass VI inspired his Jackson baritone offset – and the “absurd” super-low tuning he uses on it
Jack Antonoff and Sabrina Carpenter
“You can hear how loose it is - you can hear how not gridded it is”: Producer Jack Antonoff on how he channelled the Beatles and Jeff Lynne for the drums and bass on Sabrina Carpenter’s Please Please Please
Shawn Levy, Julia Garner and Madonna
“I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist": Madonna has teamed up with Netflix and the producer/director Shawn Levy for a series based on her life
Gene Simmons
"I have a whole crowd in front of me, and all I want to do is hug him”: Someone just paid $12,495 to be Kiss icon Gene Simmons' roadie for a day
Thomann Shure Montreux 2025
Want a gig at the Montreux Jazz Festival? Thomann and Shure want to gift you your big break at the famous global gathering
Chad Smith
Chad Smith just destroyed the Wu-Tang Clan in his latest drum tuition video

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...