I've been on a search for the perfect ride, and I think I found it. Problem is- I can't afford it, more on that later. Sabian's Paragon cymbals are made in Canada, just the man behind these cymbals; Neart Peart of Rush. But you don't even have to be a Rush fan to appreciate this line of cymbals.

First of all, I love the size of this cymbal. Its a beast; 22" in diameter and thick, its like 8 pounds so don't drop it on your foot. One you move up to a 22" ride its hard to go back to a 20". Its thickness means you get a really good 'ping' out of it that cuts through like no other ride cymbal I've ever heard.

It also has an incredible shimmery wash that is subtle but definitely there, and can be tapped into even more by how and where in the field you play the cymbal. There is a complexity in the overtones, very musical. I read somewhere that Sabian used a distinctly different lathing technique on the top than the bottom, that might be a contributor to the sweet and complex tones.

This cymbal might be a bit much for those who are used to mellow 20" rides. Its loud, its bright (though not harsh at all), its cutting, and it shimmers while giving excellent stick definition. It's kind of a cymbal that does everything you want without having to make any trade-offs, but be warned it is an overwhelming cymbal.

Now price; this is seriously one expensive cymbal. I haven't seen it under 350.00. Thats a lot of money, but frankly this cymbal does things that nothing in the Hand Hammered line up can do, and outperforms many of my beloved favorites from Paiste. I would like to see this cymbal go head to head with some of the K Kustom line from Zildjian but until then..... this cymbal is worth the money because it surpasses anything I've played to date. Now where's that credit card I have hidden from the wife....

I used this 20" Ping Ride from the A Custom line for a short while.
I'm not typically a fan of ping rides or dry rides since I've come to like (and expect) a good wash underneath the ever present "ping" of a ride cymbal. So I was pleasantly suprised with this cymbal. It is fairly "wet" for a ping ride, so you get a nice low to moderate "wash" or "shimmer" underneath the ping. I've compared this cymbal side-by-side with Zildjian's K Custom Ping Ride, and the K is markedly drier and has significantly less capability to produce a noticeable "wash" underneath the ping than the A Custom will produce when you induce it by playing harder and further out from the bell. In other words, the wash is there when you want it.

I had no problem getting excellent stick definition playing complicated patterns anywhere "in the field" of the cymbal while still getting a gentle wash and sustain underneath it, which pleases me and my playing style greatly.

My only dislike is the small size of the bell, although you can still get plenty of "ping" almost anywhere on the cymbal.

I think this cymbal is versatile enough for use in multiple styles. Its well suited for heavy rock music since it has a good density and its well-definied "ping" would do a good job of "cutting through". It could also be adequate for modern jazz or fusion style music since it has a fairly "wet" sound. I would also reccomend checking this cymbal out side-by-side with the 22" version to see if the larger, more expenzive one is better for you.

I've used this cymbal off and on for a while now. Everything from the K Custom series are well-made cymbals and sound wise are a cut above your average cymbal, but the K Custom Dry Ride stands out as a great choice (if it fits your prejudices in a ride cymbal). What I like most about it is its complexity, like a fine wine. This is probably the best dry ride I've ever played, because most dry rides are too dry and bland but not this one. This cymbal IS pretty dry, but it still has some "sizzle" too it, which give it a smoky sound and dark overtones. Its mellow but not wimpy, with a very defined "ping" and a subtle shimmer underneath it. Being a dry ride, of course, it has minimal sustain but riding it hard to try and build up some "wash" and "shimmer" underneath will leave you pleasantly suprised. Its all in how you play this cymbal.
I doubt that I would play this cymbal in a very agressive rock band, but I suppose you could if you wanted to. Being a dry ride and as dark as it is, I doubt I would use it in a jazz or fusion setting either. I think the perfect situation for using this cymbal would be a progressive rock band, or a more mellower rock band where you demand some complexity in the tone of your cymbals, and still want it to cut through.
Everything in the K Custom line is going to cost you some green, but if you are looking in this price range for cymbals then you must be discriminating enough to pay K Custom prices. I doubt you would be disapointed. I don't think Sabian or even my beloved Paiste makes a dry ride to compete with this one.

I owned my 2002 22" ride for a few years before sadly parting with it. I had it paired with an 18" crash from the 2002 series, and they were a match made in heaven, though I wished I could have had a 20" crash to fill it out. Paiste makes awesome cymbals, and they really shine when you get up into bigger sizes like 18"-20" crashes and 22" rides.
Some things I liked about my 22" ride were:
1) The 2002's durable finish. Fingerprint, smudges, hand oils.... never hurt the finish on this cymbal even when I was constantly setting up and breaking down without wiping the cymbals down. I can't say the same thing for the finish on a Sabian AAX crash I owned previously, which actually hurt the sound in time for that cymbal.
2) The fullness of sound- it is a thick ride, and you can get a great ping from it but theres always a moderate wash underneath the ping depending on your technique. I played further out on the edge and got a lot of volume from the wash (for a "large" sound) while still having articulation of the stick on metal cutting through the band. It was a perfect balance.
3) You can actually crash this cymbal! Even as thick as it is, with proper technique you can ride it like a crash and get a beautiful LOUD wash. I employed this alot for the indie rock band I played in.
4) Its durability. I played this cymbal heavily for a few years, never had a dent, ding, scratch, or crack. Even when playing on the edge a lot, it stood up to it. Paiste makes quality cymbals.

Things I don't like:
1) It is heavy. Not a huge deal, but due to its 22" diameter and thickness you have to be careful when putting it away. If you dropped it it would break a toe for sure.

2) The bell is a little harsh, or hard to find the sweet spot since its a bit small. If you are one of those ride-the-bell-of-the-cymbal on the chorus of the song kinda guys you might feel disapointed. I'm more of a play-it-in-the-fied kind of guy who likes moderate wash underneath a subtle ping. So it didn't bother me.

If I had to buy all new cymbals over again, I would definitely look at the 2002 line, and consider the Signature series if my $$ allowed it since I'm not playing as heavy of music as I was then. The 2002's were great for my band but were a bit much when I filled in for a church band once. The 2002's cut through and are LOUD, even though retain more sensitivity and musicality than something like the RUDE series which are aptly named.

This is a truly amazing cymbal. I've been playing this cymbal for about 4 years now and absolutely love it. This cymbal has a low and dark cushion while maintaining a bright and defined stick attack- not only perfect or ideal, but quintessential for small group jazz ensemble playing. This is a very 'ringy' cymbal and can be very hard to play, but when played effectively gives the aura of the great jazz drummers of an era gone by- mine sounds remarkably similar to the ride cymbal Tony Williams used on the 60's Miles Davis Quintet recordings (Miles Smiles, Sorcerer, etc.).

One of my favorite aspects of this cymbal is that it is unlike most any other ride cymbal I have ever played in that it is very thin (unlike say a K or A Zildjian). This gives it the ability to really be played into and gives it a very warm supportive cushion of sound.

Because of this cymbals propensity to 'wash out' and it is a very difficult cymbal to control- but in the hands of a true jazz musician it has an authentic sound few can match. One can actually play different levels of the cymbals cushion simultaneously- giving the illusion that you are playing more than one instrument.

I would in no way recommend this cymbal for rock, but could see it fitting nicely in some R&B settings.

When struck with the shank of the stick this cymbal gives a very different characteristic than when struck with the bead of the stick. Likewise since the cymbal is hand hammered there are many inconsistencies that lend to slightly different sounds in different places on the cymbal that one can exploit in many different musical situations.

The bell on this cymbal is not as clear as on most ride cymbals I was used to, but gives a smoky and more focused version of the fundamental sound of the cymbal.

These cymbals are expensive, but there is no substituting that classic jazz sound. This cymbal is a much better match (in my opinion) to that sound than even the new Zildjian K Constantinoples.