Sabian Paragon 22-inch ride cymbal

General

Sabian was founded in 1981 by Robert Zildjian, after his older brother took over as head of the Zildjian company, and was named after his three children, Sally, Bill and Andy (SaBiAn). Since then, Sabian has become one of the world's leading cymbal brands and enjoys a great reputation as one of the 'big four' of cymbal manufacturing, along with Zildjian, Paiste and Meinl.

Sabian Paragon series

The Paragon series of cymbals was designed in collaboration with legendary drummer Neil Peart - best known for his work with the band Rush, and widely seen as one of the most influential drummers of the past few decades. The aim was to create a line of cymbals that had plenty of projection and high-end cut, with the responsiveness of thinner cymbals. The Paragons receive pinpoint lathing on the top to allow them to speak more quickly, deep grooves on the bottom to give them more high end and hammering on the bell to lower its pitch slightly. The result is a line of versatile and dynamic cymbals that Neil Peart was proud to put his stamp of approval on.

Sabian Paragon 22-inch ride cymbal

One of the first things you'll notice, is that, just as all other Paragon cymbals, this 22-inch Paragon ride has a striking look. This is partly thanks to the brass-coloured logos that blend in nicely with the colour of the cymbal itself, giving the Paragon line a classy look. This is an extra-heavy cymbal, weighing in at over 8 lbs. As such, it has a great deal of volume and focuses on definition and a cutting 'ping' while also providing a nice, bright tone. Its thick, hand-hammered bell will cut through any mix with ease. This heavy ride is not an easy cymbal to crash, but does produce plenty of tone thanks to its considerable weight, especially when you play it with some Peart-style gusto.