Detail 01
18 inch size
The common all-round China size. Enough body for a full stop hit, still fast enough for eighth-note riding.
Product detailSKU #1274115063855
MEINLByzance China Traditional Cymbal 18 in.
1/6
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
An 18-inch China from MEINL's Byzance line. For drummers who want a dark, trashy accent cymbal and are buying at the pro tier.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Accent and stop hits in rock, metal and fusion
- Drummers wanting a darker China than a bright modern one
- Adding a third crash voice that is clearly not a crash
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Anyone needing a ride or main crash — this is an accent voice
- Quiet jazz, church or restaurant gigs where a China overpowers
- First-cymbal buyers; a hi-hat, crash and ride come first
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
China profile
Upturned flange and flat bell give a short, trashy explosion with almost no sustain — a punctuation mark, not a wash.
Detail 03
Traditional finish
Lathed and polished surface. Generally warmer and more controlled than a raw or unlathed China.
Detail 04
Byzance series
MEINL's Turkish-made hand-crafted line, so tone varies slightly cymbal to cymbal. Two of the same model won't sound identical.
Detail 05
Mounted upside down
Chinas play bell-up. That changes stick angle and where the stand and felts have to sit.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01Cymbal only — no stand, sleeve, felts or bag included
- 02Needs a boom stand; a straight stand rarely gets the angle right
- 03Play the edge with the shoulder of the stick, not the tip
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Which way up does a China cymbal go?
Bell up, inverted from a normal cymbal. Angle it so the edge points down toward you and you strike the underside of the flange.
02Is 18 inches a good first China size?
Yes. It sits in the middle of the range — bigger than the fast 14 to 16 inch accents, smaller than the long-decay 20 inch and up.
03Can I ride on it?
You can for short trashy passages, but it has almost no stick definition. It works as texture, not as a time-keeping ride.
04Will it crack easily?
Chinas take edge hits by design, but the flange is the stress point. Use a loose wingnut, proper felts, and glancing strikes rather than direct edge chops.
