Zildjian 17 inch K Custom Special Dry Trash Crash Review

Ultimate Buying Guide

Introduction:

The K Custom Special Dry cymbals are a popular line from Zildjian. These earthy cymbals make great additions to drum sets used for jazz and contemporary settings. The Special Dry pack is particularly popular, giving you a full set of these beautiful cymbals.

However, there are many more cymbals in the line that don’t come in that pack. One of our favorites is the 17-inch K Custom Special Dry Trash Crash. This highly unique cymbal adds plenty of depth to your setup, and it’s something to consider buying if you want a new pie to experiment with.

In this review, we’re going to look through everything about it and help you decide if it’s something worth getting.

Key Features: 

This Special Dry cymbal is a trash crash, meaning it has several holes drilled around the surface to alter the tone it produces. Some of them are small, while others are a bit larger.

The cymbal is made from B20 cast bronze, which is what most of Zildjian’s high-end cymbals are made from. This tells you that it’s a professional cymbal, and it produces top-tier sounds.

It’s 17”, which is a unique size in the cymbal world.

Build Quality
98%
Performance
94%
Price to Value Ratio
92%
PROS: THINGS WE LIKED
  • Strong trashy tone
  • Blends in with the instrument mix
  • Looks amazing
  • Works well as part of a cymbal stack
CONS: THINGS WE DIDN'T LIKE
  • Moderately expensive Not every drummer loves trashy cymbal sounds

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Zildjian 17 inch K Custom Special Dry Trash Crash Review:

What To Expect from This Cymbal

 

Quality

Considering this crash is made from B20 cast bronze, its quality is very high. All K Custom cymbals have amazing quality, and they sound great as well.

The sound quality of the Special Dry Trash Crash is a very short and explosive tone. It has a trashy effect that makes the cymbal get out of the way incredibly quickly.

When you play it, you hear a sharp noise that doesn’t last very long. It’s perfect for accenting drum fills or grooves, which is why this cymbal works well as an effects cymbal.

Construction

The cymbal is quite thin, allowing you to bend it with your hands quite easily. Cymbals like this tend to be more responsive than thicker cymbals, which still stands true here.

Even though there are dozens of holes drilled around the cymbal, it’s very durable. If you play it with good technique, it will last you decades before it breaks.

The surface hasn’t been lathed, which is what gives it an earthy and dark appearance. Some drummers love that, while others prefer the more traditional looks.

Performance

The cymbal feels really fun to play. The sound it produces is quite unique compared to what you’d typically expect from a crash cymbal. So, it will inspire you to play some new ideas on the drums.

You could use it as a main crash if you wanted to, but its trashy tones make it work well as an alternative crash to hit when you don’t want the traditional sound.

Another fantastic use of this crash is to layer it with another 17-inch crash to use as hi-hats or a stack. You can get some cool sounds from doing that!

Price Value Ratio

The cymbal costs between $300 and $400, depending on where you buy it. That’s quite expensive for a 17-inch crash cymbal, but it’s from one of the top lines that Zildjian offers.

The value is well worth the money that you’ll pay for this cymbal. It sounds a lot better than any trash crashes that you may find that are more affordable, so it’s worth investing in. It will also last a really long time.

FAQ:

Are Zildjian K cymbals good?

Zildjian K cymbals are amazing. They’re one of the top lines that Zildjian sells. The other top-tier Zildjian lines are the K Custom, Kerope, A Custom, and A lines.

All the cymbals you get from these lines are professional cymbals that can be used in any setting. You’ll just need to get cymbals with tones that are appropriate for the style of music that you want to play.

What does the K mean in Zildjian cymbals?

The K stands for Kerope. Kerope Zildjian was one of the owners of the cymbal company in its early days. Many cymbal lines have been named after him, including the Zildjian K, Zildjian K Custom, and Kerope lines.

The original founder of the company was Avedis Zildjian, and cymbal lines have been named after him as well. These include the Zildjian A and Zildjian A Custom lines.

Why is Zildjian the best?

Zildjian is the longest-running cymbal company to exist. With so many years of experience, the company has perfected the art of cymbal making. They have amazing cymbals to choose from, and many drummers choose to play them.

One of the top reasons why Zildjian is so popular is that countless world-famous drummers wholeheartedly endorse their cymbals.

Things to Consider:

Zildjian 17inch K Custom Special Dry in the Studio

The Special Dry Trash Crash will work excellently in a studio. Since it blends into the mix, it’s easier to work with in a recording setting. It’s a valuable option to have in most styles of music, so it’s a versatile studio cymbal to use.

Zildjian 17inch K Custom Special Dry for a Live Gig

The cymbal works well as an auxiliary crash for live gigs as well. However, it may not have as much cutting power as some drummers may need. It’s better suited for jazz and contemporary styles, whereas a rock drummer will need a brighter cymbal with more explosive power.

Zildjian 17 inch K Custom Special Dry Trash Crash Review
  • Build Quality
  • Performance
  • Price to Value
4.5

Conclusion

The Zildjian K Custom 17-inch Special Dry Trash Crash is an amazing tool to add to your setup. It’s subtle, but it’s explosive enough to add plenty of character to your cymbal sound.

It’s versatile in its uses as well, working amazingly as part of a stack or being used as a top or bottom hi-hat.

We suggest you get this cymbal if you’re looking for something new and interesting to add you your drum kit.

Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London  has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.

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