Although the consensus these among most vintage cymbal buyers is that thinner is more desirable, I think that the thinness factor has become elevated to a degree of importance that it does not deserve. In fact some of the cymbals that are on the thinnest end of the spectrum are just too thin for their own good. There is a limit to how thin one can practically make a cymbal before its tonality ultimately begins to suffer. I think that the reason why many vintage cymbal aficionados are so interested in the weight and why they consider thinner to always be better is that they're looking for a cymbal that has give to it as opposed to rigidity, and as a result has a great feel and is easier to play on thanks to the stick give back that cymbals with these characteristics afford.

However the weight is no where near as important in cymbals with these qualities, but hammering style, and bow shape, and weight distribution, will determine much more reliably determine these factors that just the weight alone. In fact weight has very little importance here. For example I have a 20" new stamp K. that weighs 1830 grams and is just as stiff as a table top. It sounds great but there's no give back and no shimmer. It crashes great. Most thinner cymbals do, but even some paper-thins (machine hammered) can be just as stiff. On the other hand I have a 20" trans stamp that weighs 2100 grams, and this one shimmers, has stick give back, has a flexible constitution, and crashes nicely.

It took me a lot of time to come around to the realization that weight isn't everything because I used to in with the "thinner is better" crowd. That changed when I came across several cymbals that led to my change of thinking. In short the question should not be: "how thin is it", but: "how good does it sound". And that factor does not correlate with how thin the cymbal is by any means.

Yeah, I hear you. Im not thinking I have a record cymbal, if there is such a thing. My guess is it would be around 5 and a half 6 lbs. I like it so much, and it plays so easy that i was wondering if I got something lighter if it would be that much better. Maybe not. Still I will post the weight, and Im curious to know some of the lighter cymbals people have and what they think of them.

Keithfox, sounds like a nice one!

Anything below 3000g for a 24" is pretty thin. 2800 grams is very, very thin. I have one now that's 2619 grams, and it's ridiculous. Thankfully it's made in such a way that it can still be used as a ride cymbal, but as Drumaholic is saying, thinner is definitely not always better. Some of the real thin ones only really function as a huge crash.

The thinnest 24" I've ever had was a 24" Hollow Block at 2495 grams! It was a beautiful cymbal, though not something that would really work in a high volume situation. Gorgeous tone though.

-Bill

Somebody on this site had a 22" block letter large stamp that weighed a little over 1900 grams.

And I've got a 20" trans stamp that weighs only 1437 grams.

With all else being equal, Bow shape, hammering and weight distribution, Thinner Is Better...

I saw that one you have up Bill, that thing sounds real nice. Thats what got me thinking about this. I suppose there would come a point where to thin is just to thin. If there are 2 cymbals, same size, up for sale I'd always take the lighter of the 2 personally.

I would agree with both of you and would probably do the same unless I could hear both first and make my judgment based solely which one sounded best. But I understand that we don't always have that luxury.

Which cymbal was it that you are referring to? Because that can't be the same one that I used as my example. The 1437 gram paper-thin hasn't been presented here or anywhere else as of yet.

There is also the general assumption that the metal alloy stays pretty consistent over time , for any given maker. Legends ,such as the Zildjian secret formula being handed down to the heir and such , support this belief. With some makers , there is lots of empirical evidence that the metal formula evolves over time as well as the way of working with the metal, so the sound is a factor of weight + alloy + shape + workmanship. Cymbals can be too light. In my personal group of hand hammered 20" rides, the weight range is under 1700gm. to almost 3000 gm. My personal favourite in this group is a cymbal weighing just over 2100gm.

Alloy composition is a formula: B-20. Zildjian's trade secret is a method, not a formula.