Looking for a cymbal pack under $1000? This is where we hit several well-known professional lines of cymbals, and we get some great choices for sound. This is also in a range just below what most of those well-known lines go for, so there are some great deals to be had here on some very good cymbals. Things in this range will last you a long time and sound better on recordings and in your practice room than in the lower-priced categories.
Cymbal sets in the $750-$1000 in general have a lot more character than the budget cymbals in our lists for packs under $750 and under $500. If you can come up with just a little more scratch, we’d encourage you to check out our picks for the best cymbal sets under $1500, though.
Here they are, our choices for The Best Cymbal Sets Under $1000. Remember, everyone’s style and needs are different, so choose what’s right for you.
Zildjian A Sweet Ride Cymbal Pack
Zildjian’s classic A series with a Sweet Ride, which has its own cult following. The New Beat hi-hats and A Thin Crashes included in this set are absolute standards in drumming and are used widely. The Sweet Ride is as it sounds – sweet, medium-bright, and crashable with good stick definition. You could play any style with this set and add to it with all sorts of different sounds that will fit in just fine. Check out the demo here.
Our pick in this price range is the Zildjian A Sweet Ride Pack. A set of classic cymbals at a great price.
Meinl Cymbals Cymbal Variety Package
Similar to our favorite pick in the under $750 range, we’re including this expanded version in this round of picks. These are the cymbals Meinl called “Aggressive and loud, but with a dark and warm tone…Here, the cutting nature of Classics Custom is met with a shadowy and intense wash that envelops your playing with a complex, dark tone. ” Check out a demo video here. These things sound nice.
Dark in color and tone, these Custom Classics from Meinl sound terrific. We love that this pack includes so many cymbals and the ching ring too.
Sabian AAX Promotional Cymbal Set
One of Sabian’s most popular lines, the AAX. This cymbal set is a fantastic foundation to any kit for almost any style. Sabian says, “When you think AAX, think of cymbals you can play all day long on modern or mainstream music – with a range as wide as Bruno Mars to Meshuggah.” That’s quite the claim, but they really are pretty well-rounded cymbals. You can find lots of sounds within the AAX line. The AAX Promotional set consists of 14″ AAX Medium Hats, a 16″ AAX Thin Crash, a 21″ AAX Medium Ride, and a FREE 18″ AAX Thin Crash. You can see a demo of the AAX line here.
This is really a great foundational cymbal set for many styles of drumming. You can add it to it and mix as match as you like, but AAX are very good cymbals that will last you a long time.
Zildjian A Custom Gospel Pack
We love this cymbal pack. A crisp, clear, bright, and warm sound with those classic A Zildjian tones. As the company says, “The rhythmic tones and strong vocals of Gospel music need a bright, cutting sound that is both shimmering and able to be heard.” Well, we think they’ve achieved that here. Whether you play gospel or not, if that’s what you’re looking for in a set of cymbals, then take a good look at this pack, and check them out in the video here.
Whether you play gospel or any other style of music, if you want a very nice set of bright, cutting cymbals with a shimmery wash, you'll love this pack.
Meinl Cymbals Classics Custom Dual Expanded Cymbal Set
Meinl says these cymbals “combine darkness, power and warmth with flexibility and shimmer along with an easily controllable and adaptable volume. Classics Custom Dual cymbals feel at home accross many styles.” Not as dark as the previous Meinl pick in this list, but very similar in quality. They sound great and would create a nice foundation for any kit. Check out a demo here.
Coming in at quite a bit less than the other picks in this price range, the Meinl Classic Custom Dual set is very good at a great price.
Sabian Super Cymbal Set
While not quite as nice as the other sets on this list, these Sabian XSRs are solid intermediate cymbals, and you get hi-hats, three crashes, a ride, and a splash in this kit. That’s a lot of cymbal bang for your buck if quantity is important. You can hear the XSRs in this demo by Sabian.
Nice sounding cymbals not quite up to the level of the rest of this list, but solid. A nice set at this price if you want three crashes and a splash right off the bat.
We hope one of these picks for the best cymbal sets under $1000 becomes yours. If not, then check out our other cymbal pack reviews – there’s something for everyone in every price range.