Meinl Generation X Cymbals
A
n innovative project developed with
the assistance of Johnny Rabb,
Thomas Lang and Benny Greb,
Meinl’s Generation X range strays
way beyond the usual sonic boundaries. The
three new models on review have been
designed to emulate processed cymbal
sounds and white noise effects that can
usually only be created in a studio or with the
aid of a sampler. With the ‘breakdown’ section
now a staple ingredient of songs across the
mainstream, the Gen X’s value spreads far
beyond the dance and hip hop genres.
Build
Generation X cymbals are formed from one of
two alloys: standard B8 bronze and FX9 – a
tinless blend of copper, zinc and manganese
with a dash of aluminium. FX9 is not used in
any of Meinl’s other cymbal ranges, and is
more commonly found in the internal
components of computers. All Generation X
cymbals are pressed from sheets of either B8
or FX9 and then machine hammered. The
shapes of the cymbals vary from the
conventional to the radical, with many details
added to alter sound and response. We got to
grips with a pair of Benny Greb-inspired
12"/14" Trash Hats, three Jingle Filter chinas
DECEMBER 2007 RHYTHM 101
EXCLUSIVE
(10"/12"/14") and two sets of Electro Stacks
(8"/10" and 10"/12").
At 12", the top cymbal of the Trash Hats is
two inches narrower in diameter than that
below, and has three airholes. The 14" bottom
cymbal is china-shaped and sports a crinkled
Soundwave edge. Due to the fl ange of the
china, the two cymbals can be coupled in the
usual manner on a hi-hat (or X-hat) stand, or
the 14" bottom cymbal can be fl ipped and the
pair can be stacked on a cymbal stand.
Jingle Filter chinas are essentially mini-
chinas with three pairs of jingles attached.
Each cymbal is also perforated with holes that
range from 5mm (10" model) to 7mm (12" and
14" models).
Electro Stacks consist of two cymbals that
differ in diameter by two inches, with the top
cymbal being the smaller. They are stacked on
top of each other, and the top cymbal is
shaped like a china with an upturned, crinkled
edge. The bottom cymbal possesses a normal
bell but from there outwards curves upwards
rather than downwards, so that its edge is
almost as high as the bell of the top cymbal.
Hands On
Closed tightly, the Trash Hats give a sharp, dry
sound. Relaxed, their response is much
thicker, with a metallic edge still present. The
effect is much like a distorted snare sound,
though they could also be used for keeping
time. Each Jingle Filter china opens with a
sizzle of the jingles while the cymbal rings on
below. The sustain is quite surprising, with all
three Jingle Filter chinas sounding a bit like a
set of dirty chime bars. In comparison, the two
Electro Stacks are ruthlessly abrupt. Neither of
the cymbals in each pair is tuned cleanly, and
together they produce a hard, fi zzing sound
with a rapid decay. The smaller pair cough like
a turbo-charged splash, while the bigger two
throw out shards of pure attack.
Verdict
Expanding your sonic palette can only be a
good thing, and Meinl’s Generation X cymbals
enable this to be achieved quite frugally. They
can be used to reproduce studio-like sounds in
a live setting or they can simply add some
seriously leftfi eld sounds and textures to your
kit, offering far more in the way of control and
options than if you made do with stacking old,
broken cymbals together. As with all effects
and accent accessories, for maximum impact
use sparingly.
Rating ✪✪✪✪✪
MEINL GENERATION X CYMBALS
From £61 Meinl has set out to prove that you can obtain cutting edge electronica
sounds from acoustic instruments. Now Adam Jones challenges them to bring the noise
PRICES
Trash Hats £169
Jingle Filter chinas £61-
£92
Electro Stacks £115-
£129
CAST OR
PRESSED
Pressed
ALLOY
B8 and FX9
FINISH
Buffed
HAND OR
MACHINE
HAMMERED
Machine
COUNTRY OF
MANUFACTURE
Germany
DIAMETERS
8"-18"
CONTACT
Active Music
Distribution
7 Goose Green Trading
Estate
47 East Dulwich Road
London SE22 9BN
Telephone
0208 693 5678
Website
www.meinl.com
THE ELECTRO STACKS
produce an abrupt, fi zzing
sound with rapid decay
THE FX9 ALLOY
used for some of the Gen X cymbals is more commonly
found in the internal components of computers
ESSENTIAL SPEC
RHY145.gear_meinl 101 31/10/07 18:47:07