Zildjian K Constantinople 22″ Review

Practical Buying Guide

Introduction:

With Zildjian being the best cymbal brand in the world, we’ve tried out and loved hundreds of their cymbals. 

One of the most popular ride cymbals from the brand is the Zildjian K Constantinople 22”. This is a high-end ride cymbal with plenty of good features. 

Here is our detailed review. We’ll explain all the features, how it sounds, and we’ll discuss which drummers would likely love it the most. 

Key Features: 

This ride cymbal has a diameter of 22”, which is just over 55cm. 

It’s made from B20 cast bronze, which is the highest-quality material that Zildjian uses for their cymbals. 

It has a medium weight with a low-pitched tone. 

Lastly, it has a relatively small bell size. 

Build Quality
98%
Performance
99%
Price to Value Ratio
94%
PROS: THINGS WE LIKED
  • Highly versatile, so it can be used for many musical styles
  • Very musically responsive
  • Epic bell sound
  • Feels higher-quality than most other cymbals
CONS: THINGS WE DIDN'T LIKE
  • Not as durable as many other stick bags available

FEATURED ON

Zildjian K Constantinople 22″ Review:

What To Expect from This Ride

 

Quality 

We loved the sound quality of this cymbal. It has such an epic low-pitched tone that rings out very musically when you strike it near the bottom. 

 

As you play up the bow, the sounds get a bit tighter, offering more articulation. The bell is the brightest and highest-pitched part of the ride to hit, but it still has a lower sound than most other bells. 

 

When you crash the cymbal, you get a very warm crashing sound that covers the kit with musical intensity. 

 

These cymbals are often weighted differently, so it’s normal for two K Constantinople 22” rides to sound slightly different from each other. 

 

You get the main fundamental sounds, but then you’ll get a few differences to make your personal ride sound unique. 

 

Construction

The cymbal is made with Zildjian’s B20 cast bronze alloy. As we said earlier, this is the highest-quality alloy that Zildjian uses, so you get the best construction quality. 

The cymbal has been hand-hammered to add more character and complexity to the sounds. 

It’s also been designed to have a medium weight. A 22” cymbal with a medium weight is still quite heavy, but it’s still very manageable to carry around. 

It also means you can hit it hard repeatedly without worrying too much about durability. We know drummers that have owned these rides for more than a decade without them breaking or cracking. 

Performance

We think this ride is incredibly versatile. It just works within so many different cymbal setups, as it always sounds musical and responsive. 

It works fantastically as a main ride or as a crash-ride, so you can strike the edge to get big crashing sounds when playing loud choruses. 

The bell also has enough cutting power to be heard clearly. 

Lastly, the stick definition you get is great. The stick strokes are so articulate when you play the bow that you can hear every small detail of whatever patterns you’re playing. 

Price Value Ratio

With this being one of Zildjian’s best cymbals, it’s also one of the most expensive. Ride cymbals are typically your priciest options, but this one is especially pricey. 

If you’re willing to pay for it, the performance and value you get from it is definitely worth the cost. 

We also think it’s worth saving up for this so that you can use it for years. After using it as a main ride for a while, you won’t regret paying the high price for it. 

FAQ:

Why are Zildjian Cymbals so Popular? 

Zildjian is one of the world’s oldest companies, and there are hundreds of years of experience behind every product released. 

The brand only makes high-quality cymbals, so drummers often look for Zildjian cymbals when they want something very good. 

What Musical Styles are Zildjian K Constantinople Cymbals Good For?

They’re good for every single musical style. They fit in very well within any setup. A lot of drummers use them for jazz, though, as the articulation and musicality you get make them work quite well in that setting. 

Zildjian K Constantinople 22″ Review
  • Build Quality
  • Performance
  • Price to Value
4.8

Conclusion

We highly recommend the Zildjian K Constantinople 22” ride. It’s such a good cymbal due to its musicality, playability, and excellent tonal definition. It works well for everything, so it’s a true working drummer’s ride cymbal. 

I’m crazy about drums, it’s been my passion since I was 12 years old. I played in numerous bands going through different styles like Rock, Progressive, Pop & Jazz-Rock. After being featured in major music publications (DrumeoGuitar GuitarAudioIssuesMusicThinkTank I started this website to share my knowledge and create a resource for drummers of all levels.

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