Largely comprised of live performers and engineers, the staff at Sweetwater are nothing short of tone obsessed. That's one of the reasons we've had such a great relationship with Sabian cymbals. Their wide range of tone and impressive consistency have long established them among the gold standards for both live playing and studio work. Mic them up, record them, or simply rock out, and we're sure you'll love the sound of Sabian cymbals.
The sought-after tone and heroic durability of Sabian cymbals are a direct result of the company's continuous tradition of superior craftsmanship and technology. When Robert Zildjian broke from the Zildjian company in 1981, he brought with him hundreds of years of cymbal-making knowledge. Sabian has continued to build on this foundation, combining classical hammered forging and modern machining to produce exceptional quality and consistency in every cymbal they produce.
There are over a dozen major steps involved in the making of a single Sabian cast cymbal, from the original ingot casting and rolling to the forging, lathing, and final touches. Every step of the way, highly trained experts manage the work, ensuring a standard of quality that's second to none. What's more, before any new cymbal gets the official Sabian stamp, it must go through two rounds of rigorous testing — one before and another after the aging process. That's a ton of work Sabian puts into each cymbal, especially when you consider that they produce thousands of cymbals every day!
But that's just part of what Sweetwater appreciates about them. As a LEED Platinum Certified company, Sweetwater prides itself on being green, and we always appreciate being able to share that value with manufacturers whose products we carry. Sabian has committed themselves to protecting the forests surrounding New Brunswick and the St. John River in eastern Canada. They also recycle virtually every scrap of bronze they trim or scrap, including fully formed cymbals that don't make the cut.
Sabian cymbals span a wide gamut of styles and budgets. Handcrafted Artisan models and ultra-dynamic cast cymbals, such as the HH line, grace the drum kits played by many of the world's top drummers, while super-affordable options such as the B8X and SR2 series provide new drummers with a major step up from the cymbals included in all-in-one drum kits. Whether you're stepping up to your first set of serious cymbals or stepping up from stock hardware, Sweetwater is happy to recommend Sabian.
