[Sean Francis]

Chinas are really interesting cymbals. I have a Zildjian 16" Oriental China Trash that I love! It's super punchy, but it has some other cool attributes though too.

This past summer, I picked up a 22" Swish Knocker fro Zildjian too. I saw Peter Erskine playing on one and I was pretty much sold when I saw it in Jimmy Chamberlin's kit. Originally, I intended it to replace my 16" china, with a bigger and dirtier sound due to the rivets. However, I now find myself using them both in my set up. The Swish Knocker didn't quite have the sound I expected it to have, but I still love it! The sounds are very different between Swish's and Chinas. They're both very useful sounds to have in your arsenal though!

I would say, based on this experience, that it's a good idea to go to some drum shops and shop around for a china cymbal. Don't put too much weight into those online samples that you can get on the sabian or zildjian websites; no two cymbals are the same, so this isn't really a reliable way to choose your cymbals. There are all sorts of qualities to consider when you purchase a China: do you want long sounds or short sounds? Bright or dark? Dry? Wet? Your ears are going to be the best judge.