MEINL Byzance Benny Greb Sand Ride 20 in.

I always had a huge crush on Benny Greb. The guy just octopuses the drums and I'll never be him, but it was always his SOUND that blew me away. I've been playing this (20" sand ride) thing for 6 years now. It's really kinda amazing. I first played it on a tour with a mostly indie indie band and it was terrific especially when listening back to some of the recordings. Just slotted in so seamlessly with the band. I'm now playing it in a cover band and it's such an excellent go to cymbal for the louder crashes, or as a quieter delicate stick moment. In a small room I throw a moongel on it to dampen it so it doesn't get away on me, but it still has a great tone. Otherwise you can seriously open up this thing as a versatile crash/ride when needed. Try hammering it with some mallets and watch your bandmates glaze over in its wash. Great piece of metal.

Love the dark and dry tones that come from this ride, especially for it being a 20". Also use it as a crash and it's killer. Only con is that it took about a month to receive.

The cymbal was for my son, he plays in a jazz band at school. He absolutely loves it. Sounds fantastic. Would definitely recommend.

There's nothing I hate more than a review that starts with, "I've had this cymbal for 15 seconds and I can already tell you it's the best thing I've ever played in my entire life". I have owned and used this cymbal for well into two years and it really is a remarkable cymbal. Good stick definition, real nice wash, and a solid crash. The versatility of this cymbal is really what sold it for me, though. I don't necessarily "believe" in 5 stars because nothing is truly perfect, but it's pretty close to flawless for what I look into a ride cymbal. I no longer find myself haphazardly changing cymbals anymore which is a plus. One feature I'm not incredibly enthusiastic about is the bell. I use the bell of my ride(s) for fills, grooves, and anything in between and this bell can make incorporating every aspect of my kit difficult. It sounds pretty nice, very warm sound, but you really have to lay into it to get a nice projection - I'm talking give it a nice whack with the shaft of your stick (I actually have been just flipping my stick and hitting it with the butt of the stick which works well). Bottom line, it's a great cymbal that can keep up with you on anything from hard rock to smooth jazz. It also looks very nice (excellent craftsmanship) and as Benny Greb said, "looks better with age". I would absolutely recommend this cymbal to anyone who loves a good ride.

There's nothing I hate more than a review that starts with, ""I've had this cymbal for 15 seconds and I can already tell you it's the best thing I've ever played in my entire life"". I have owned and used this cymbal for well into two years and it really is a remarkable cymbal. Good stick definition, real nice wash, and a solid crash. The versatility of this cymbal is really what sold it for me, though. I don't necessarily ""believe"" in 5 stars because nothing is truly perfect, but it's pretty close to flawless for what I look into a ride cymbal. I no longer find myself haphazardly changing cymbals anymore which is a plus. One feature I'm not incredibly enthusiastic about is the bell. I use the bell of my ride(s) for fills, grooves, and anything in between and this bell can make incorporating every aspect of my kit difficult. It sounds pretty nice, very warm sound, but you really have to lay into it to get a nice projection - I'm talking give it a nice whack with the shaft of your stick (I actually have been just flipping my stick and hitting it with the butt of the stick which works well). Bottom line, it's a great cymbal that can keep up with you on anything from hard rock to smooth jazz. It also looks very nice (excellent craftsmanship) and as Benny Greb said, ""looks better with age"". I would absolutely recommend this cymbal to anyone who loves a good ride.

It is amazing all the things this cymbal can do. It has a huge dynamic range as a ride, with plenty of wash when you want it, bright and clean when you don't. But also a gorgeous crash with a surprisingly quick decay. The bell is loaded with character. This cymbal will add a lot of tonal depth to my sound; I feel like I could spend many practice sessions just learning what it's capable of. I did a lot of research before upgrading my straight ride cymbal to this modern, more versatile breed, and definitely made the right choice.