WASHINGTON: When Zildjian released its original K Custom Special Dry range back in 2003, despite some success with the Special Dry ride in particular, the unique style didn’t seem to catch on in a big way with drummers. In more recent years, however, Meinl has had considerable success with the popularity of its Byzance Extra Dry series, with drummers including Benny Greb and Anika Nilles leading the movement. Now, using the slogan ‘Dry Done Right’, Zildjian has revealed its newly remastered and expanded Special Dry range under the K Custom umbrella. The Special Dry range is made up of a total of 17 models, which can be broken down into 13″, 14″ and 15″ hi-hats (with bottom and top cymbals also available individually), 16″, 18″, 19″, 20″ and 22″ crashes, 17″, 18″, 19″ and 21″ Trash crashes, 21″ and 23″ rides, a 10″ splash and a 14″ FX hi-hat top. We have been provided with a modest assortment of cymbals from that monster collection for the purposes of this review, including the 13” and 14″ hi-hats, along with the 14″ FX hi-hat top, 17″ Trash crash, 18″ crash, 18″ Trash china and the 21″ ride. Each cymbal is cast from Zildjian’s secret 80/20 bronze alloy, hand-hammered and then treated to a unique lathing process. The top surface of each cymbal is left with a natural ‘baked on’ finish except for small, rustic lathing lines spaced less than a centimetre apart, which run from the edge to just short of the bell.
These slightly wavy lines not only assist the tonal characteristics of the cymbals but also lend them a certain quirky visual charm. Some appear so filthy that they even have a green tinge to them in places. Due to this unique finish, no two cymbals will be quite the same; some are very dark in appearance while others appear slightly lighter. Unlike the ride, crash and hi-hats, the Trash crash, Trash china and FX hi-hat top each feature several circular cut-outs across the bow, designed to sharpen the attack and dry out the sound even further. The Trash crash uses a mixture of large and small holes running parallel to each other from bell to edge; arranged in sets of three, four or five. The Trash china uses the same configuration, which leaves both cymbals with almost as much air as actual metal. Noticeably more so, in fact, than Zildjian’s similar A Custom or K EFX cymbals. Interestingly, the Trash china is Zildjian’s first Chinese-style cymbal with holes in it.
