- "Sabian" redirects here. For the religion, see Sabians.
Sabian is a Canadian cymbal designer and manufacturer. It is one of the largest in the world, along with Zildjian, Paiste and Meinl.
History
The company was founded in 1980 in Meductic, New Brunswick, Canada by Robert Zildjian, son of Avedis Zildjian III, the head of the Avedis Zildjian Company. Family tradition had it that the head of the company would pass the company down to the oldest son. After Avedis Zildjian III died in 1979, Armand (who was President of Zildjian at the time) became Chairman of the Board. This eventually led to a family feud and a legal dispute between Robert and Armand that resulted in Robert leaving Zildjian to form the rival Sabian company. The companies continue to be rivals, and are both among the world's most popular cymbal brands.
The settlement gave Robert Zildjian the Canadian factory that at that time produced most notably the entire K. Zildjian line, all manufacturing in Turkey having ceased by this time. Robert agreed not to use the Zildjian name or to claim that his cymbals were the same. Some say that the most notable difference between Zildjian and Sabian cymbals is that Zildjian uses a softer, mellower sounding alloy while Sabian uses a more tin-based alloy. Others state that the cymbals of the two companies can be distinguished by sound somehow fairly easily, stating that Sabians are relatively thicker for their advertised weight, having longer sustain (with some exceptions) than their Zildjian counterparts, and Zildjian having a faster response (or attack) tending to be mellower in sound overall. All those opinions state that the differences depend on the individual cymbal models.[1][2]
Robert Zildjian formed the word "Sabian" from the two first letters of the names of his three children Sally, Billy and Andy, and initially released two lines of cymbals, HH and AA both of them of the traditional bell bronze alloy. Today, Sabian Cymbals' president is Andy Zildjian, the youngest in the family.
Sabian's Cymbals
The HH or "hand hammered" line cymbals are regarded essentially as re-branded K Zildjian cymbals.
The AA (Automated Anvil) line remain the first-ever machine-made bell-bronze cymbals. They introduced a subtly different brighter sound that appealed to many drummers, and also a level of consistency, which was, at that time, new in a line of bell-bronze cymbals.
Currently, Sabian has ten different series of cymbals (eleven including Solar, their least expensive line of brass cymbals). These ten series are broken down by category. [3]
Bronze Beginnings
Their B8 series and B8 Pro series are regarded as student-level or entry-level cymbals, made of B8 bronze alloy (92% copper, 8% tin).
Creative
The Vault series and the Neil Peart signature Paragon series of cymbals are regarded as unique and innovative professional-level cymbals. Further, the Signature cymbals (which are part of the Vault line) are models developed in assistance with Sabian-endorsed artists, the price and quality of which vary from cymbal to cymbal.
Vintage
Their HH series ("Vintage Dark") and AA series ("Vintage Bright") of cymbals are regarded as traditional sounding professional-level cymbals.
Modern
Their Xs20 series cymbals are regarded as intermediate-level cymbals with "modern value", as they are made of the standard professional-level B20 bronze alloy (80% copper, 20% tin, with traces of silver). Their latest series, APX, consists of cymbals which have "modern cut", having very high-pitched cutting sounds because of their B8 alloy. Their AAX series cymbals ("Modern Bright") are fashioned almost in the same sense as AA series. Where the sounds produced by AA cymbals vary with loudness, creating subtly different sounds at different volumes, the AAX series uses innovative technology to consistently produce the same sounds at all playing levels. The HHX series ("Modern Dark") incorporate the same technology with respect to HH.
Other
There are also signature cymbals within the other series which aren't part of the Vault series, such as the the HHX Evolution and Legacy series designed in conjunction with Dave Weckl, and the Groove cymbals designed in conjunction with Zoro. Several innovative products Sabian has released are products like the AA Rocktagon Crash, the Xplosion Crashes, the O-Zone Crashes, the X-Celerator Hi-Hats, and many others. Unlike Zildjian, Sabian also has "Sonically Matched" pre-pack cymbal sets for each series of cymbals, usually available in a Performance Set or an Effects Pack.
Notable Artists
- Neil Peart - Rush
- Dave Weckl - Solo artist
- Dom Famularo - Drum teacher, Solo artist
- Phil Collins - Genesis, Solo
- Chad Smith - Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Mike Portnoy - Dream Theater
- Carmine Appice - Vanilla Fudge, Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus, Solo
- Terry Bozzio - Frank Zappa, Missing Persons, Solo
- Billy Cobham - Solo artist
- Jimmy Cobb - John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Solo
- Al Foster - Miles Davis, solo
- Jack DeJohnette - Miles Davis
- Joe Morello - Dave Brubeck Quartet
- Bernard Purdie - Session musician
- Tony Royster Jr.- Solo artist
- Ed Shaughnessy - Recording artist
- Ed Thigpen - Recording artist
- Chester Thompson - Phil Collins-touring band, Genesis
- Bill Ward - Black Sabbath
References
- ^ http://www.sabian.com/EN/setupbuilder/
- ^ Zildjian.com - EN-US
- ^ SABIAN Cymbal Series
External links
