From drumshed.com
"I thought it would be easier to start a new thread to expand on some thoughts that stem from the Paiste Sig thread...
Now my cymbal knowledge starts around the late 70's. I really don't know about any earlier, vintage stuff, so. Back then, there were really only 2 pro quality lines of cymbals...Zildjian & Paiste. Sabian didn't kick in til about '82 and Ufip's really weren't to be had here in the States. With Zildjian, you had to hit 10 A 18" Medium crashes to find one you liked. That was their selling point, the supposed uniqueness of their cymbals being all slightly (or not) different. Paiste, you tried a 2002 18" crash and then another and another and they would sound all basically the same. That was their selling point. This personally appealed to me more. The consistancy. I also preferred the sound. I knew nothing of the difference in alloys used back then. I just liked what I heard.
Now, I think the reason that most like or are "trained on" the B20 sound is most of us are accustomed to that sound through Zildjian and then later Sabian. Zildjian moved a lot of cymbals and there were a lot more of them in the States than Paiste's. Plus, Paiste was definitly going their own direction, which made sense. Why be like Z, your competition?
Now with B8, it is made & marketed by the Z & S companies as a "budget" line for good reason. They could easily make a pro level B8 cymbal & Zildjian just about did that in the 80's with the Amir line. If Z & S were to make a pro B8 line, it would take the significance away from their "superior" B20 lines & B20 being the significant alloy with B8 being less so. B8 "can" also be made more cheaply compared to B20. Also keep in mind they are in competition with Paiste. What does Paiste use...B8 (along with their propietary Sig alloy B15). Obviously, Paiste has proved that B8 can be used for pro level cymbals starting with the Giant Beats to the 2002's which a lot of people have referred to as "the" rock cymbal sound for their cut, clarity & brightness. So, B20 was "marketed" as the superior alloy compared to inferior B8 and other alloys.
Now, it was mentioned that Zildjian claims to have not changed their cymbal making process. In effect, they have changed. It also seems that a lot of their current cymbals (especially the A's, A Custom's & Z's) have gotten thicker. This has happened with the company going after the younger players into rock & punk. Just look at their marketing strategies. Z has also changed in that they are the mighty Zildjian and they are the top selling cymbal so why change? They are about moving more product & staying on top rather than expanding, improving their cymbal lines. At least, that's how I see it. Plus, they move a ton of the ZBT crap to the kids that want to be like Travis & Adrian. Sitting on their laurels perhaps?
Meanwhile, you have Paiste developing their own propietary alloy and expanding that into the wonderful Traditional & Dark energy lines. This company truely pushes the envelope more than the others I think. Sabian making great B20 cymbals that are what Zildjians wish they were along with excellent customer service and the Vault Tour. Then you have Ufip getting more market share with their unique rotocasting methods along with Meinl who is like Paiste with all these different lines with different sounds & alloys. Further, you have all the Turkish boutique companies (Agop, Bosphorus, etc.) that are just kicking ass with what could be seen as the same as the custom drum & snare market for cymbals. They are doing very innovative stuff with B20 with all the different hammering & lathing used. Zildjian better take a look over their shoulder! Me, I just don't care for anything they have to offer. I am so underwhelmed with their pies when I go into a shop & bang on some.
Then there is Sam Ass and the possibility of not carrying Paiste's anymore. You won't find a lot of Paiste's in GC either save for the occasional special deals. SA & GC are huge, publicly heald corporations that have to answer to shareholders. So, they are all about moving volume & making lots of money, which is why they sell a crapload of ZBT's and budget kits to the kids. "Hey, play brand x & be just like (insert high profile endorsee name)." It sure as hell ain't about quality or customer service for that matter. It's the equivalent to going to a grocery store full of instruments. If Paiste would do a serious push on ther Alpha's or even the PST5's they would put a serious hurt on the ZBT & Sabian B8 market as these sound a whole lot better for the price. Ok, I've babbled long enough!"
