Paiste Cymbals

Paiste has been making cymbals since 1906, from Estonia via Poland to its long-time home in Switzerland, and no company is more responsible for the sound of classic rock. The 2002 series — born from the Giant Beats John Bonham played — is still the reference for bright, glassy, cutting cymbals, while the Rude line gave punk and metal its trashy aggression and the Signature series brought Paiste's alloys to the studio set.

Paiste is also the world's great gong maker, which is why Danny Carey's rig carries their symphonic gongs, and why players from Stewart Copeland to Vinnie Colaiuta have kept the logo on stage for five decades. Below you'll find our Paiste coverage plus every Paiste cymbal and gong documented in the Rig Vault — and exactly who plays each one.