Welcome prfoks

It isn't usually possible to get an exact production year for cymbals unless they have the year coded on them in the serial number. It also isn't always possible to tell the exact model when all traces of model ink have gone. But in this case I can point out a few things which narrow it down.

On current evidence serial numbers began in the second half of 1972, so that cymbal is older than mid 1972. The model is a Seven Sound Set #3 Bright Ride. Production on those probably started around 1964, so 1964 to mid 1972.

Here's why:

That cymbal has the fine tonal groove lathing (versus the coarse tonal groove lathing found on most 602s). The fine tonal groove lathing was used on Sound Edge hats and Flat Rides in the main 602 line. Fine tonal groove lathing was used on the Seven Sound Set series, and on the Joe Morello series.

The 17" diameter means that is a Joe Morello crash or a Seven Sound Set #3 Bright Ride.

The weight confirms it is a Bright Ride. They run from 1750g to 1930g. The Joe Morello crashes are more like 1300g. The hammering is also characteristic of Bright Ride hammering and distinct from the main line 602 rides and crashes. So it is a Bright Ride from what I can see.

There are also 17" Medium Ride models which run from 1500g to 1600g, but that model (along with other main line 602 models like Thin and Medium) are ruled out by the combination of lathing and weight. There are also Concert models and Marching models. The few examples I've got for those all have coarse tonal groove lathing and I haven't seen a 17".

I don't have a well established first year of production for the Seven Sound Set series. They are said to be 1969 on this site:

http://www.nf-drums.com/paiste_fanpage_paiste_timeline.htm

but I'm not sure why that site uses that year. Hugo Pinksterboer (The Cymbal Book, p158) gives 1964. They appear in the 1972 Ludwig Catalog. Since the demise of the Paiste Only Wiki some of the well established information has been lost. Some of the others involved in picking up the pieces might know of ads or other catalogs which help with first year of production for the Seven Sound Set series. I'd go with 1964 for now.

Wow, dude! You are insane! That's more information than I could have ever expected. Thanks for the detailed answer. Are you some sort of a walking drum library? :P

Adding on to Zenstat's post.

it looks from the Paiste materials I have from back then (and I have a lot) that the Seven Sound Set cymbals went on sale to the general public in 1968 possibly a little earlier.

Ludwig did not start carrying the Seven Sound Set until 1969 (same with Giants Beats). These cymbals first appear in the Ludwig Drummer Magazine (Fall 1968) as new products for 1969 before they appear in any Ludwig Catalog.

It looks like 1964 is when development of the SSS started as 1964 is when the 602 China was developed, so I think that's why the Cymbal Book gives that date as that date is used by Paiste on their corporate production timeline (which according to my research has some inaccuracies but holds up in most cases).

prfoks if you are in the USA and the cymbal has spent it's life in America than it most likely originally came through Ludwig, so I would date it between 1969 and first half of 1972.

If you are in Europe the same dates apply but there is also the possibility the cymbal is a little older as there is evidence of prototype SSS cymbals and SSS cymbals given to Paiste endorsers prior to the release to the public in ~1968.

Thanks for the additional info monkeyboy. I haven't forgotten this thread and have on my list to add an analysis of price and weight info for the 17" 602s which includes all the models (including Morello and SSS3 Bright Ride) plus the added context of pricing for 16" and 18" 602s (of different models) to give more context. Part of the reason for that is most odd diameters (for all brands and lines) have far fewer sales than even diameters so I'm trying to interpolate between 16" and 18" in this situation to help fill out the picture in this case.

The template for that analysis is going to be generic enough that it will do for an up to date analysis of all my Paiste data (with modern graphics -- I like informative graphics). But it is slow going.

One of the things I've been puzzled about with the SSS4 (flat ride) is whether or not they came out before the patent was submitted for the flat ride. Paiste Flat Ride: United States Patent 3,546,994 Filed Jan 22, 1969 and Issue Date: December 15, 1970. Usually an inventor would not put a new invention into production until the patent was officially filed. Otherwise they are "revealing their art" which can have impacts on their ability to patent the invention.

The early Flats have a patent pending stamp under the bell. I wonder if Paiste waited until they filed the application for the patent in USA to sell the Seven Sound Set through Ludwig and that's why Ludwig didn't get those cymbals until 1969 when it looks like they were out in Europe early.

But that might of been the case with all new Paistes, being available in Europe first, as we see that same year to year and half lag with the Giant Beats, too.