I receive my Saluda cymbals this week.The set is a complete replacement of all of my current cymbals: three crashes, a ride, two spashes, two sets of hihats and a China. They’re everything I expected. I’ve been a solid A-Zildjian player for 20 years (with the exception of a Paiste ride) and Saludas definitely rank up there with the best.

Don’t get me wrong. Saludas sound particular, and they probably will sound different from what players used to. This goes for all cymbal manufacturers, though, even among cymbal types like A Zildjians versus Zs, etc. What’s cool about Saludas is that they are custom made to the buyer’s specifications. If you want a Saluda to sound like an A Zildjian, Saluda will work with you over the phone, in person or by email to try to achieve a particular sound you are looking for. I’m not sure of the logic of trying to match Saludas to other cymbal brands, because I was hoping for something different and unique. And I got it. 

The crashes (the Mist X series) have a brilliant finish and a brilliant sounding sustain. The Mist-X ride, with a raw bell, also sustains nicely and projects a nice pingsound when struck. The bell sound is every bit as good as my trusty Z ride, but not as loud as my old Paiste. (See the pic. from Saluda’s Web site. This may even be my ride.). The ride’s sustain is more prominent than I’m used to, but is musical and not at all distracting. For variety’s sake, I’d like to check out another Saluda ride in the future.

Saluda’s Earthworks series are amazing to view. I know nothing of the manufacturing process, but it looks like they’ve been dripped with some chemical to reveal stunning metallic, rust patterns (see the picture). A work of art is created in this series. I almost want to buy one just to have it framed and put in my living room. The Earthworks China I received is a beauty, and has a great trashy sound with a good sustain. I also ordered a set of Earthworks hihats (14-inch) which, though heavier than my Mist X hats, have a slightly lighter chick sound, but can be opened up nicely for rock or lighter applications. A set of 13″ hats is in my future for sure.

To round out my selection is a pair of Ion splashes, unfinished and raw-looking accent cymbals. Saluda describes the Ion series like this: “Ions are dark, full toned, semi-trashy (more gritty sounding), mostly thin models and a little dry. These tend to have a vintage type sound.” For splashes, this aesthetic works well. I’m curious how this translates to Ion rides and crashes, but the splashes–which to me are inherently subjective-sounding cymbals, regardless of brand or type–satisfy their role nicely. Again, I would like to try another series’ splashes for comparison.

What Saluda ultimately offers is a fantastic deal. These are high quality, pro-level cymbals at an amazing price. Simply visit Saluda’s retail site and check out the price list for each of their cymbal lines. An A-Zildjian 18-inch crash is $194.99 new from Guitar Center. Saluda’s Mist-X 18-inch crash is $114.99. I actually think they should be charging more for their cymbals, but that’s just me.

An added bonus: The personal touch by Saluda makes the buying experience that much better. Owner Jamie will work with you on whatever sound you want. Each cymbal is hand-crafted, and the amount of experimenting going on at Saluda is also a plus. They are constantly putting up prototypes on Ebay so you can see what may be coming up in the future for new cymbal types.

At the end of the day, with Saluda, you simply cannot get the same level of quality and service from the other big cymbal manufacturers.