When buying a cymbal set, you may be aware of different cymbal alloys used in cymbal making.

Each cymbal manufacturer will experiment with different formulas and methods for producing their cymbals, but there are several notable formulas of cymbal alloys which I will explain below.

B20 bronze cymbals dominate the premium cymbal market and are the professional’s choice. This is because adding more tin to a bronze alloy is known to darken the tone and lead to a sonically richer-sounding cymbal.

Brass cymbals are the cheapest available, and they are made of a lower-quality alloy of copper and zinc. These cymbals will have a very “muddy” sound with little projection or clarity.

Brass cymbals are made out of sheet metal that is stamped into shape and then lathed down to create the finished product. They are the most budget cymbals available and are designed only for complete beginners.

B8 Bronze cymbals are entry-level cymbals, and they are made of a higher-quality alloy of copper and tin with 92% copper and 8% tin.

B8 Bronze cymbals, like brass cymbals, are also stamped out of sheet metal, rather than cast forged like professional-level B20 bronze cymbals. This makes them more affordable and cheaper to manufacture.

The top cymbal brands offer lines of B8 bronze cymbals which tend to sound good for beginners and developing drummers. They are more musical than brass but are still less refined than premium cymbals.

Traditional manufacturing techniques have been combined with modern techniques to develop new affordable cymbal ranges made from B10 or B12 bronze.

10 or 12 years ago there was simply no good intermediate-level cymbal available. But with modern ranges like the Meinl Classics Custom Dark cymbal set and the Paiste PST7 cymbal set, there are now good options for drummers that demand quality on a budget.

B20 bronze is a formula of bronze that is comprised of 80% copper and 20% tin, with traces of silver. B20 bronze cymbals are forged from cast bronze, which is then hammered and lathed into shape by an experienced cymbal craftsman.

B20 bronze cymbals are widely regarded as the best-sounding cymbals available. They are an enormous step up from cheaper cymbal packs in terms of quality, tone, sound, projection, versatility, response, stick definition, and more.

Creating high quality cymbal packs from cast bronze is a time-intensive and expensive process, which is why B20 cymbals command a higher price point.

Some cymbal manufacturers are experimenting with B25 bronze cymbals – a formula of 75% copper and 25% tin for an even richer sound.

B25 bronze has a shimmery, bright, musical tone and a very long sustain which is due to the increased tin.

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