Paiste pst 8 Cymbals
| AUGUST 2012 WWW.RHYTHMMAGAZINE.CO.UK
120
GEAR REVIEW
P
ST8 is a new intermediate range
of Paiste cymbals that slots in
between the company’s existing
budget PST5 and mid-range Alpha
series. Featuring splashes, crashes, chinas,
hi-hats and rides, PST8s contain a fair few
attributes from higher-spec Paiste ranges.
Build
Chief amongst these is the CuSn8 bronze that
the cymbals are made from. CuSn8 is Paiste’s
own blend of B8 and is also known as 2002
bronze after the legendary Paiste range that
it was formulated for. Unlike ‘proper’ 2002s,
PST8 cymbals are punched from rolled
sheets of the bronze (as opposed to being
individually cast) but the alloy used is
identical. While a good deal of the formative
work is automated, the fi nal round of
hammering is done by hand and each cymbal
bears a healthy complexion of large hammer
dimples. Paiste claims that the lathing is also
completely hand-worked; true to Swiss
precision the resulting fi ne grooves are
metronomically regular with few, if any,
deviations from the centre hole to the edge.
For the time being, PST8s are only available
in Paiste’s unique Refl ector fi nish. First
developed in the 1980s and now found on
Signature models, there is more to it than
simply buffi ng the cymbals to a shine. In fact
it’s a treatment – again applied by hand – that
coats the cymbals permanently.
Most of the diameters of cymbal are
available in two weights – Medium and Rock.
As well as being heavier, the Rock models
also have larger bells, a slightly fl atter profi le
and have been on the end of a few more
hammer blows. As with all Paiste cymbals,
the PST8s are immaculately presented and
under stage lights they light up like a set of
stand-mounted mirrors.
Hands On
Kicking things off is a pair of 10" splashes in
Thin (the only Thin in the entire series) and
Rock variants. Both splashes open quickly
with a fl ash of energy. After the initial attack
has fallen away, a lower overtone rings on in
both models – discernible in isolation but less
so mid-song. The Rock-weight splash has an
FROM £56.95 There’s nothing
cheap about Paiste’s PST8 cymbals –
other than the price, that is…
PAISTE PST8
CYMBALS
WORDS: ADAM JONES
Also try…
1
SABIAN B8 PRO
We say: “Their brilliant
fi nish and intensive
hammering certainly
makes them look like
‘proper’ cymbals.”
2
MEINL MB8
We say:
“Contemporary-
sounding cymbals
that sit happily within
touching distance of
Meinl’s pro range.”
altogether longer decay
on account of its
thickness. From the
splashes it’s a short
hop in diameter to
a pair of 16"
Medium and
Rock crashes.
Both models
open with a
clean, silky blast
of B8 that slides
across the mix.
The Medium is
fractionally deeper in
tone while the Rock is
sparklingly bright and carries
further. Next up is a single 17" Rock crash
followed by Rock and Medium 18" crashes.
With each increase in crash diameter the
characteristic smoothness that typifi es Paiste
cymbals becomes more apparent. The 18"
Medium is particularly rounded and musical,
while the 17" and 18" Rock crashes offer more
bite with their pronounced high frequencies.
Three pairs of 14" hi-hats are available –
Medium, Rock and Sound Edge. Warmest of
the trio are the Mediums, which give an
excellent balance of note and assertiveness.
While sharing some tonal similarities to the
Medium pair, the Sound Edge hats are both
crisper and pack more in the way of
mid-range muscle, making for a powerful but
controllable set of hats. With the rock hats the
pitch is higher and the
note more focused still,
giving them the strongest
projection of the three.
Ride cymbals come in
20" (Medium & Rock) and
22" (Rock only) sizes. The
20" Medium gives a bright
stick sound that generates a
sympathetic accompaniment
of wash. Moving onto the bell
brings a full and pleasantly dry(ish)
response. In comparison the heavier
20" Rock has a toppier, more lively feel;
the stick sound is glassy and the bell more
metallic, while the wash fi zzes away below.
Taking these qualities to steroid-boosted levels
RHY205.gear_paiste.indd 120 6/13/12 4:28 PM