Sabian HH Manhattan Ride 20"

As a jazz ride, the Sabian Hand Hammered Manhattan Jazz does its job.  I first encountered this fine cymbal while talking to the drummer for the Navy Jazz Band.  He couldn't say enough about the Manhattan Jazz line, so I was sure to try them out whenever I could.  The crashes are excellent, but the rides are the highlight.  I have only ever played the 20" myself and I was very impressed.  This cymbal has almost all the desirable characteristics of a great jazz ride. 

The stick definition is very woody and clear, producing a dull, dark ping.  Even when the cymbal is crashed, the individual stick strokes can be heard through the wash.  The stick rebounds very well and it is easy to play this cymbal musically.  Overall, the Manhattan Jazz Rides are dark and very dry.  The bell is very hard and produces warm sounds, which is a good compliment to the thin cymbal edges and interior.  The cymbal itself looks beautiful.  It appearance retains visibly the deep sound characteristics it produces audibly. 

This cymbal line can be compared to the Zildjian K Constantinople line.  Of course, at this high end level all cymbals are great.  I am a big fan of the Constantinoples as well, but I prefer this ride to any I have heard in modern Zildjian cymbals.  The Constantinoples may have some better crashes, but this is one of the best Jazz rides I have ever played.  The biggest downfall is that it is expensive.  It is a great cymbal for jazz, but lacks versatility.  For this reason, I would only suggest this cymbal to those who expect to play a lot of jazz and aren't afraid to throw down a heavy price.  All of its competitors are just as expensive, so it is difficult to hold this as a disadvantage.