When looking to buy your first drum kit or replace one you already have consider this: If your purchase involves cymbals, get good (read more expensive) ones, if they sound best to your ears. While you can do a lot to change the way a drum sounds (head selection, tuning, muffling, etc.) you can do very little to change a cymbal’s sound in a positive way. Sure, you could put tape on them or something but that would probably just make you like the cymbal less.
Choose cymbals that sound good to you. If you like the way an inexpensive cymbal sounds and can afford it, get it. If you like the sound of an expensive cymbal but can’t afford it right now, save up your money or better yet, put it in layaway. Putting it in layaway assures that you will get the exact cymbal you fell in love with. This is important because cast cymbals can and do vary to a great degree. Two cast cymbals of the same brand, line, and size may not sound at all alike (I’ll elaborate in a later article). Many people find this surprising but it’s quite true.
In short, budget for cymbals you like. You’ll be much happier with your sound in the long run. Hope you’ve found this helpful. Stop by the store sometime and we’ll talk about it. -John