Zildjian K Constantinople Hi Bell Dry Light Ride 22"

The Zildjian K Constantinople High Bell Dry Light Ride is a bit of a mouthful.  It is also one of the best vintage sounding jazz cymbals available.  This model was based off the older K cymbals which has much higher bells than most K Constantinoples.  After a lot of experimentation, Zildjian was able to produce a fantastic result.  I have only played a few of the original older K's, and this sounds about as good as any of them.  Sure, they had a great historical tradition and unparalleled craftsmanship back in the day, but with cymbals like this floating around I can't complain about the current state of affairs.

The ride's name says a lot.  It is very dry, and is most effective in a jazz context.  The ping is clear and the volume is sufficient, but it may be overpowered in contexts of louder music.  It is a decent bit brighter than some other K's, but still has plenty of dark overtones.  A wide range of sounds can be produced with different strokes, especially from the bell.  The bell (no surprise) is in fact larger and more dynamic than in many other jazz cymbals.

I have only ever played these in music stores and heard them once live during a drum clinic.  I love it as a vintage sounding jazz cymbal, but the reason I could never own one is because of the extremely high price.  Even when used, it is out of my price range.  If you are looking for a cymbal that is a good jazz ride in general, this may not be the best as there are other great cymbals for much cheaper prices.  However, this is about as good as jazz rides get, so if a vintage sound is what you desire than this is an excellent choice.  This would receive perfect marks if it weren't a bit too expensive.