Zildjian S Thin 18" Crash Cymbal

• Very quick, sensitive response
• Bright, full, shimmering crash
• Sustain rated 6, longer than the 16"
• Thin weight

On the Sound Lab, the 18" rates 7 for brightness, 3 for dryness, 6 for definition and 6 for sustain. It keeps the brightness of the 16" but gains a point of sustain: the crash stretches out, and the shimmer follows the end of the phrase instead of stopping short.

A thin 18" combines two qualities often set against each other: the size of a main crash and the response of a light cymbal. It wakes up without hard hitting, which makes it at home in rooms where volume has to stay moderate.

• Main crash for a drummer with a light touch
• Praise music and pop at moderate volume
• Rehearsals in small rooms

These thin 18" crashes from other makers also bank on flexibility:

Thin or medium-thin crash?

In 18", the S Thin rates 6 for definition and 6 for sustain; the S Medium Thin, 8 and 7. The thin one responds more easily to light strokes; the medium-thin carries further.

How do you select cymbals?

Zildjian offers an introductory video, "Zildjian Cymbals 101", on cymbal types and their roles, along with a tool to search by sound. The starting point: knowing whether you play mostly soft or mostly loud.

S Thin Crash in 16" or 18"?

According to Zildjian, the larger cymbal is louder, lower and longer. The 18" sustains one point more (6 against 5); the 16" is slightly more defined (7 against 6).