Paiste

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paiste is one of the world's largest manufacturers of cymbals. Paiste is an Estonian/Finnish word and it means "shine". The company's website indicates, "the correct pronunciation for 'Paiste' is 'Pie-stee'(actually in estonian and finnish it is pronounced pie-sté [e in step]. As Mario Calire of Ozomatli says, 'it rhymes with feisty'!"

1 History
2 Cymbal lines
- 2.1 Current series
- 2.2 Historic lines
3 History of Sound Creation line
4 Notable artists
5 External links

[edit] History

The first Paiste cymbals were produced in 1906 by Estonian musician Toomas Paiste in his instrument repair shop in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to customer orders. Toomas had served in the Czarist Guard, and retired in 1901 to open a music publishing business and music shop.

The cymbal making aspect of the business expanded with the passing years, despite the disruption of several moves necessitated by war, firstly to Tallinn in Estonia in 1917, where Toomas' son Michael Paiste decided to concentrate on cymbal production and export. In 1940 the family and the cymbal making operation moved to Poland, where they continued under extremely difficult conditions, and in 1945 to Germany, and then in 1957 a new headquarters and production facility was established in Switzerland. The business was continued by Michael's sons Robert and Toomas, with both the Swiss and German operations as the main manufacturing centres.

[edit] Cymbal lines

[edit] Current series

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Paiste makes a wide variety of cymbals in several alloys. These include:

101 - Sheet cymbals made with Paiste's Brass Alloy. Paiste's lowest end cymbal line. They are manufactured entirely by computer. Introduced in 2005

201 - Sheet cymbals made with a bronze alloy. Introductory level cymbals. They are manufactured entirely by computer. Introduced in 2005

PST 3 - Brass Alloy cymbals; beginner level. Introduced in 2005

PST 5 - Made with Paiste's famed 2002 Bronze Alloy (CuSn8); student/intermediate level cymbals. Introduced in 2005

Alpha - Made with Paiste's 2002 Bronze; semi-professional cymbals. Introduced in 1991 and redesigned in 2006.

Dimensions - This was considered a professional level cymbal which later merged in with the 2002 line. They were introduced in 1999 and are now discontinued.
Innovations - This is a professional level cymbal line made with the 2002 bronze. They are mechanically pre-shaped, hand hammered, and lathed. Introducted in 2001, this line is now discontinued.

2002 - This legendary cymbal line from Paiste gets its name from the 2002 Bronze alloy from which it is crafted. Hand made. Introduced in 1971. As of 2005, the 2002 line includes models from the defunct Dimensions series of cymbals. Widely regarded as the finest cymbals ever produced.

RUDE - Cymbals designed for loud and aggressive playing. They have no lathing and a raw finish. Crafted entirely by hand from 2002 Bronze. Introduced in 1980.

Giant Beat - Originally introduced in 1967, this series was reintroduced in 2005 as 18", 20", and 24" multi-purpose cymbals with 14" and 15" hi-hats. They share the same CuSn8 (B8) bronze as the 2002 series.

Traditionals - Cymbals designed with lower sound levels in mind, and with lightweight designs. They are crafted from Paiste proprietary "Signature" Bronze and are entirely hand made. Introduced in 1996.

Signature - Cymbals created with Paiste's Signature Bronze, featuring an array of different sounds and looks suitable for any playing style. Introduced in 1989.

New Signature - Dark Energy - Introduced in 2005, these cymbals combine the sounds of the Signature and Traditional Series, further expanding the sound spectrum and versatility of the Signature Bronze Alloy.

[edit] Historic lines

Classic Paiste lines include:

302, 402, 502, 802 popular budget level cymbals from the 1990s - early 2000s, in 1997 were enhanced sonically and received the plus-labeling and the addition of the 802. Discontinued in 2005 from the way of the new Paiste Sound Technology-, or PST-lines.
Giant Beat, originally introduced in 1967, the predecessor of the 2002 line and pioneering line of the CuSn8- or B8-alloy. Re-introduced in original form in 2005.
2002 series, the classic cymbal played by Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham (including the Sound Edge hihat, as pictured) and many others of his era. This series used many of the traditional techniques of cymbal production, but with a malleable bronze of 8% tin rather than the traditional 20% tin bell bronze, and is regarded by many as the first fully professional series made from this alloy. The B8-alloy is thus sometimes referred to as the "2002 bronze". The RUDE series were also integrated into the 2002 family from 1994 to 1999.
Formula 602 series, cast from B20 bronze, first released in 1957 and still regarded by many as the finest cymbals ever made by a major manufacturer. Many examples of the 20" medium ride still exist, at the other extreme the paper-thin crashes are rare and almost priceless, other models vary between these extremes. The Flat Ride was an innovation from the 602 series made by Paiste.
101 series, different from current 101, beginner level cymbals made of nickel silver, produced from 1974 to -79.
404 series, beginner level CuSn8-cymbals, produced from 1974 to 1985.
505 series, advanced student CuSn8-cymbals, produced from 1974 to 1985.
100 and 200 series, beginner level cymbals made of Paiste's Brass Alloy, produced from 1986 until the beginning of the 1990s.
400 series, advanced student cymbals made of CuSn8 bronze, produced from 1986 until the beginning of the 1990s. Was available with COLORSOUND finishes.
500 series, orchestral/marching cymbals made of CuSn8 bronze, produced from 1986 until the beginning of the 1990s. Was available with COLORSOUND finishes.
900 series, orchestral/marching cymbals made of CuSn8 bronze, produced from 1986 until the beginning of the 1990s. Was available with COLORSOUND finishes.
1000 series, semi-professional line made of CuSn8 bronze, produced from 1986 until the beginning of the 1990s. Was also available in RUDE finishes. Predecessor of the Paiste Alpha line.
2000 and 3000, professional series made of CuSn8 bronze, produced from 1986 until the beginning of the 1990s. Was available with COLORSOUND (2000) and RUDE (3000) finishes.
Sound Formula, one of the first series to use Paiste's patented Signature Alloy, which was at first known as Sound Alloy or Sound Formula. Eventually absorbed by the "Signature" line.
COLORSOUND 5 series, professional CuSn8-cymbals, produced from appox. 1983 to 1986. Five colors were offered for visual appeal. Note: The COLORSOUND 5 cymbals are different than 400,500,900,2000 and Visions cymbals even though they are colored, or have the COLORSOUND name attached.
VISIONS series, professional level; Both Signature Alloy and CuSn8 alloy cymbals, produced in the early mid 90s. Were treated with COLORSOUND process. Offered in Black only.
BRASSTONES, an entry level Paiste Brass alloy series introduced in the early 90s, discontinued in the mid-90s.
Stanople, a mid-line series introduced in the 1960s, discontinued in the 1970s.
Ludwig Standard, a mid-line series from the 1950s-70s produced for distribution by Ludwig Drums.
Stambul, their old top-of-the-line cymbals, produced from 1932 to 1965 from NS12 nickel-bronze and later made of CuSn8 bronze.
SOUND CREATION, top of the line professional bell bronze cymbals that were made alongside the 602 series starting in 1975 till the end of 80s.
Dixie, entry level NS12 cymbals made in the 60's

In addition, many early Paiste cymbals were rebranded by drum manufacturers with their own brand name, for example Vader, Vader Rainbow etc.

[edit] History of Sound Creation line

It started with the "Dark Ride" cymbal in the Formula 602 series in the early 70s. In 1975 Paiste introduced the Sound Creation as a cymbal line.

The first series in 1975 shows a small Paiste logo an inch away from the ride bells. HiHats were Dark HiHat and Dark Sound Edge HiHat, 10 types (rides etc) in total :

Short Crash (18")
Dark Crash (18", 20")
Dark Ride (18", 20", 22")
Bright Medium (18", 20")
Bright Ride (18", 20")
Mellow Ride (20")
Dark China (18", 20", 22")
Bell Ride (20", 22")
Dark HiHat (14")
Dark Sound Edge HiHat (14")

The 1979 series has the same small Paiste ink an inch away from bells. HiHat models were as in the 1975 series, with the 10 types in that series and 6 additional cymbals (5 rides and china) available with factory rivets.

In 1984, the line and models partially change. The top ink logo changes, and the following models were added :

Dark Flatride
Dark Medium Ride
Dark Medium HH
Dark Medium SE HH
Dark Heavy HH
Dark Heavy SE HH.

The Mellow Ride was discontinued. Also, 13" models were added to all HiHats, and the HiHats were changed to Medium and Heavy models, with the mediums lighter than the former regular models.)

The "New Dimension" were introduced in 1985, with different hammering patterns and lathing. Contrary to the old heavy and random hammering pattern in the Dark models, the hammering becomes more evenly spaced, except in the China, where the hammering turned very heavy and random, while in the former Dark China models the hammering was very light and regularly spread all over the cymbal.

The ND treatment was applied to these types : Dark Crash, Dark Ride, Dark Medium, Dark China, Short Crash, and Bell Ride.