Nd advice on buying a Sabian Crash

The Minifig Drummer

The Minifig Drummer

Member
Is $170 too much for a 19" Sabian AA Rock crash?

Currently I only have 1 (decent) 16" generic crash & are looking for a 2nd to upgrade my kit

There's also a 17" Sabian Vault Crash for for $5 more
 
if it's 'like new' and not easily found
Is it new or pre owned
19" is a nice size
19" old Avedis 50 years old seasoned are about that price used

17" is a totally )-/+ cymbal shorter, sustain, less chance of riding, just 'less of it' should be much less +/-
19" is versatile; you may get away as an alternate second ride cymbal too
 
I did a quick search for used "19" Sabian AA Rock crash". I found several in the $150 range. So ..... if the $170 cymbal your talking about is in a shop, I'd say that's a fair price, since anything you find online is gonna probably have + shipping to it.
 
I think any dollar amount is too much if you don't really know what you want. A 19" Rock Crash and a 17" Vault Crash are very different cymbals.

Speaking strictly in dollars to inches, I think $170 is good for the Rock Crash, and a little overpriced for the Vault Crash.

I'd figure out what kind of cymbal you really want first, and then start looking and comparing prices.
 
When new, Vault cymbals seem(ed) to be much more expensive than AAs, on average. Who knows how each holds up on the used market. So, those prices seem okay. Not great, but okay.

As for the two cymbals - as others have said, they are *very* different beasts. AAs tend to be heavy, anyway, and that Rock crash is one of the heavier models. I wouldn't expect it to open quickly, but it might make a good all-purpose cymbal/ crash-ride. (The only cymbals I ever returned were a set of AA Rock crashes, 16 and 18". Sounded okay in the store, but on the kit I found I had to BASH them to move from a gongy sound to a real crash sound. Not what I wanted, so back they went.)

The 17" Vault is probably the one my ear would like better, but it will be a one trick pony.
 
Winston_Wolf said:
I think any dollar amount is too much if you don't really know what you want. A 19" Rock Crash and a 17" Vault Crash are very different cymbals.

Speaking strictly in dollars to inches, I think $170 is good for the Rock Crash, and a little overpriced for the Vault Crash.

I'd figure out what kind of cymbal you really want first, and then start looking and comparing
Stroman said:
Versatile? Maybe in one way. You won't have to smash it to open it up. But as a size, I find 19 more versatile. The 17, to me, is just a smallish crash, and that's it.

It's a shame the 19 isn't the Vault model. THAT would be the winner here.
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Seeing at what everyone's saying I guess I'll keep on looking for other crashes for sale. Thank you for your advice & opinions. Btw it's used & on Ebay
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Me personally? Medium thin is about as heavy as I'll go. I have a couple medium thin crashes already (with an eye out for one or two more) but while they're fantastic sounding cymbals, there are those times where I think they're just a little too much for the way I play/sound I want. Thins can sometimes be a little too thin (Sabian's weights are a little all over the place in my experience) but mediums are already heading to dinner plate territory to me, let alone their rock weight crashes.
 
I love my Vault crashes! I have 11 of them, 15-21", and they sound like you'd want a classic, 'normal' crash to sound. I normally don't recommend buying a cymbal without hearing it first (ideally in person) but you can't go wrong with the Vault series.

They're kinda med, maybe a little thin, so you can't bash them too hard for too long. But I've had mine for 10-15 years with no problems, and I'm not a light player.
 
The Minifig Drummer said:
Hey what are you're guys' thoughts on a Sabian 17" AAX Stage Crash for $135
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I'm seeing those for $109 & $119, so the same applies. if the cymbal your talking about is in a shop (or local) at least, I'd say that's a fair price, since anything you find online is gonna probably have + shipping to it.
 
Are you listening to any sound samples or are you just looking at prices?

When it comes to price, look for other cymbals that are the same or similar and see what they're selling for, or even better search for completed listings to see what things are actually selling for. The used cymbal market, especially on eBay, is all over the place price-wise. You might luck into a great deal with one listing one week, and the next week find nothing but abused junk for almost retail price.

I'll reiterate that it's super important to figure what you want sound-wise first, and then go looking on eBay/wherever to find one.

Right now I'd be mostly looking at demo videos first, or at the very least look at demos immediately after finding something on eBay.
 
Sometimes you have to search. Make some wrong turns then step into something liked. It's a discovery one can't go in knowing every fact (which is why asking for assist in the first place
 
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Are you able to try them both? If you did would you have an opinion?

On paper one might seem better than the other but you might hear them both and decide on a clear winner.

I have a 17” vault crash that I got with a kit recently, it’s pretty ok, also have a 16” aa xplosion crash which I think is just a bit too small but in a bigger size it would be good. They are both good. And 17” is a good size in my humble opinion.

If you want specifically Sabian I think just about the best thing they do is the Dave Weckl HHX evolutions, see what you can get an 18” for. My other favorites are zildjian A customs, I pick up used ones whenever I see them going for a good price, they are very common which generally lowers the price.
 
The Minifig Drummer said:
Is $170 too much for a 19" Sabian AA Rock crash?

Currently I only have 1 (decent) 16" generic crash & are looking for a 2nd to upgrade my kit
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The 19 might give you a better spread in pitch from the 16". But yea, try both in person if you can.

Prices seem good to me, compared to what I paid for my Bosphorus cymbals.
 
When buying a Sabian crash, it’s important to consider the sound you’re looking for, as different models cater to various playing styles. For those in Northern Ireland, who may have been affected by GamStop restrictions, it’s worth exploring alternative online platforms to purchase musical instruments. If you're looking for a wider selection, you can look at here for online stores not affected by GamStop: https://uk.notgamstop.com/northern-ireland-sites-not-on-gamstop/, giving you more flexibility in your purchases. This might offer more flexibility in your buying process.
 
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