Best Crash-Ride Cymbals of 2026
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Crash-Ride cymbals are a versatile addition to any drum kit, providing both bright, explosive crash sounds and a defined ride sound in one compact package. These cymbals are perfect for drummers who want to maximise their kit's potential without taking up too much space. They are available in a range of sizes and weights to suit different playing styles and genres, and are made from high-quality materials to ensure durability and longevity. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, Crash-Ride cymbals are a great investment for any drummer looking to expand their sound.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
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Top 6 Crash-Ride Cymbals
Meinl HCS 18 Inch Crash-Ride Cymbal
The Meinl HCS Crash-Ride is the ideal choice for beginner and student drummers. It offers a unique blend of crash and ride capabilities, allowing you to achieve a clean ping sound or crash effects with ease. Made from a durable brass alloy, it withstands the impact of drumsticks while maintaining its tone. Additionally, this cymbal is manufactured in Germany using green energy, ensuring an environmentally friendly production process. With a full range of sounds available, you can explore various musical styles effortlessly.
Zildjian A Zildjian Series 20 Inch Crash Ride Cymbal
The Zildjian A Crash Ride offers a classic 20-inch design that combines excellent ride definition with light crash capabilities. This means you can enjoy a versatile cymbal that responds well in various musical settings. Its traditional finish not only adds to its aesthetic appeal but also contributes to its rich sound quality. With an 80/20 copper tin ratio, this cymbal delivers long sustain and a loud, bright sound, enhancing your overall performance experience.
Zildjian K Series 20 Inch Crash Ride Cymbal
The Zildjian K Crash Ride is designed to offer excellent ride definition alongside dry crash qualities. This means you can enjoy a clear sound while maintaining a rich and resonant crash effect. With its great loud volume, you can be assured that your performance will be heard, making it perfect for both practice and live situations. The cymbal features a dark to mid sound with a low pitch, which enhances the overall tonal character of your music. Its medium thin weight allows for easy playability, ensuring you can express your creativity effortlessly.
ULUOBO 18 Inch Crash-Ride Cymbal for Beginners
The ULUOBO Crash-Ride Cymbal is an excellent choice for beginners and students. Its durable stainless steel alloy construction ensures that you can practice confidently without worrying about breaking the cymbal. The thickened material adds to its durability, making it a reliable component of your drum set. Additionally, this cymbal is designed specifically for new players, providing an affordable solution for outfitting lesson sets in classrooms. With its unique features, it’s definitely worth trying out as you develop your drumming skills.
Vaguelly 16 Inch Brass Crash Cymbal for Beginners
The Vaguelly Crash Cymbal offers a fast and bright response, making it ideal for producing clear, lively sounds when you play. Crafted from sturdy brass, this cymbal is built to last, giving you a durable percussion instrument that can handle regular practice. It is easy to play, so you can quickly learn and enjoy drumming without frustration. Specifically designed for beginners and students, the Vaguelly Crash Cymbal helps you develop your skills with a reliable and user-friendly instrument.
Alomejor 8 Inch Brass Jazz Drum Cymbal
The Alomejor Brass Jazz Cymbal is designed for a wide audience, including professional musicians, students, and amateurs, making it a versatile choice for various skill levels. Made from high-quality brass, it ensures durability and resistance to rust, so you can enjoy long-lasting use. The cymbal produces a clear, crisp, and lively sound, helping you deliver a strong performance with confidence. Its fine workmanship means every detail is carefully crafted, giving it a classic and attractive appearance that you'll be proud to play.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you crash a ride cymbal?
Any ride cymbal can be crashed, and depending upon the cymbal and your tastes, you might like the sound of the crash. However, as a rule ride cymbals are bigger than crash cymbals, so crashing them will be “heavy” rather than “light.” A lighter weight ride cymbal though will often crash quite nicely.
2. Are crash ride cymbals good?
The ZBT crash ride cymbal is a perfect example of high-end cymbals. It delivers the best sounds representing both crashes and rides cymbals. ZBT is the largest Zildjian family, and this 20-inch piece is perfect for any drum kit setup. Its bright sound, with a long sustain, is all you need to stand out.
3. Are crash and ride cymbals the same?
Ride cymbals tend to be larger, and are used to keep the beat or to play a specific rhythmic pattern. They usually give off short, sharp sounds. A crash cymbal, on the other hand, is used mainly as an accent, producing a loud “crash” or a sustained swelling to add dynamics and expression to your song.
4. How does a crash ride cymbal work?
You ride the cymbal by playing it with the tip of your stick. To crash it you strike the bow (curved part between the bell and the edge) of the cymbal with both the tip AND the thick shaft part of the stick. You do not usually hit the edge of the cymbal with the shaft of the stick as you would with a "crash" cymbal.
During our crash-ride cymbal research, we found 70 crash-ride cymbal products and shortlisted 6 quality products. We collected and analyzed 2,613 customer reviews through our big data system to write the crash-ride cymbals list. We found that most customers choose crash-ride cymbals with an average price of £20.00.
The crash-ride cymbals are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of crash-ride cymbals, including Meinl Percussion, Zildjian, ULUOBO, Vaguelly, Alomejor.
Hayden was born in Liverpool, and he never left his hometown until university. In his freshman year at the University of Manchester, Hayden was the group leader of a popular music group. Hayden is responsible for the popularity of his music, and this is because of his natural ability to play with keys and strings. He graduated with BFA in 2016 and returned in 2018 as a lecturing staff in the School of Music.