Know Your Metal
Cymbals have an interesting history that dates back more than 3000 years. And it all begins with a chunk of yellow metal. Cymbals are made from alloy -- a blend of two (or more) metals. The alloy we’re all familiar with is what is traditionally called bell bronze, but there are other alloys to consider. So here is a quick guide to cymbal raw materials.
Brass
Brass is an amalgam of copper and zinc (roughly a 65/45 mix). It's easily recognized by its distinctive yellow colour, pliability and rather neutral tone. Although brass cymbals are usually thrown in as freebies with beginner sets, they do have some uses.
B8
Often dismissed as a low-end metal, this blend of 92% copper and 8% tin is real bronze. The metal is somewhat easier and cheaper to make than bell bronze as it can be stamped from sheets of metal, but it's also the standard in a number of high-end cymbal lines. Easily identified by its coppery colour, the metal produces gobs of high end, which makes it ideal for rock. These cymbals are often bargain priced can be an excellent sound choice.
B20 (Bell Bronze)
This is the benchmark for professional cymbals. The tin content is upped to 20% (with perhaps some micro-ingredients thrown in) and the result is a yellowish-gold metal that yields lavish low end, bright highs, and anything in between. Always made from cast ingots, these are among the most complex, musical and prized cymbals ever produced.
B12, B15, B23, B25
Whatever the tin content, in the right hands all these bronze variants produce excellent cymbals. The general rule is: the more tin, the more low end whereas less tin will yield brighter tones.
Nickel silver
The odd man out here is a mix of copper, nickel and zinc (60:20:20). These rather rare cymbals can be identified by their blueish-olive colour. The tone is similar to B8, with a little more bottom end. They were a popular and less-expensive option in the past, and are rather uncommon these days.
Stainless Steel
Some artisan cymbalsmiths have been experimenting with this metal, creating interesting sonic products. Stainless steel can produce a quality cymbal with unique sound qualities and always with a bit of ‘trash’ although the metal cannot take the kind of abuse that bronze can.