« Very Musical Cymbal »

The Zildjian A Custom Medium Ride is a fantastic cymbal for pop/rock music. It sounds great, looks amazing, and is built with top-quality craftsman shift. The sound is clear and bright. If you want a darker sound, the K series is the way to go. The A Custom Series is best if you want your cymbals to shine and crisp when they project. The overtones of this cymbal are very musical and resonate with a pleasing consonance. The bell is sharp but not overbearing or piercing. The main part of the ride is smooth and distinct (not too pingy, and not too dry). Even the edge of the cymbal sounds good for loud crashes. Not many cymbals have all three articulations (bell, mid, edge) that sound great. This cymbal is well balanced in that respect.
This cymbal is awesome for recording. It doesn't drown out a mix, but it does cut through very well. Depending on if you use drums stick with a wooden tip or with a plastic tip you can get very different sounds with this ride cymbal. If you use the plastic tip, there is a nice 'ping'. If you use the wooden tip, the subtle is not a sharp. This alone can make this cymbal very versatile ranging from a loud, bright sound to a more dull, dark sound.
For pop/rock music this cymbal is about as good as it gets. Obviously for jazz or heavy metal there are other cymbals that would be better suited for different styles of music. This cymbal is exactly the sound of 'radio' pop or even country drumming. The sustain does not 'wash' out the drum kit and does not build up to an excessive amount. The best part about this cymbal is that I think it sounds better now after years of playing than it did when I first bought it!