# Meinl Cymbals: Metal-Relevant Series & Which Drummers Use Them

> Meinl is a German percussion and cymbal maker whose Byzance series — hand-hammered in Turkey using traditional B20 bronze — is a favorite among progressive, technical, and modern extreme metal drummers for its complex, darker overtones. Its dedicated Mb20 heavy-metal line and the more budget-tier Classics Custom Dark series extend that darker-toned identity across different price points.

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## Company Background

- **Founded:** 1951, Gutenstetten, Germany (Roland Meinl Musikinstrumente)
- **Parent/Ownership:** Independent, family-owned (Meinl family); also owns the Meinl Stick & Brush drumstick sub-brand

## Notable Series for Metal Drummers

- **Byzance (incl. Dark, Extra Dry, Traditional):** Hand-hammered B20 bronze, prized for complex, dark overtones — the most common Meinl series across the verified metal roster, especially for progressive and technical metal setups.
- **Mb20:** A line built specifically for heavy, high-volume metal playing, sitting alongside Byzance in some verified setups (e.g. paired hi-hats/crashes from one line with a ride from the other).
- **Classics Custom Dark:** A more affordable dark-toned line extending the Byzance-style tonal identity to a lower price point — not yet present in a verified roster setup, but a common recommendation for metal drummers on a budget.

## Confirmed Metal Drummers (8)

| Drummer | Band | Cymbal Setup |
|---------|------|--------------|
| [Chris Adler](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/chris-adler) | Lamb of God | Meinl Byzance Series (14" Dark Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Dark Crashes, 21" Transition Ride, 18" Extra Dry China) |
| [Chris Turner](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/chris-turner) | Oceans Ate Alaska | Meinl Byzance Series (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" Extra Dry Medium Crashes, 22" Dual Ride, 18" Extra Dry China) |
| [Derek Roddy](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/derek-roddy) | Hate Eternal / Nile | Meinl Byzance & Mb20 Series (14" Byzance Heavy Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Mb20 Heavy Crashes, 21" Mb20 Heavy Ride, 18" Byzance China) |
| [Hannes Grossmann](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/hannes-grossmann) | Obscura / ex-Necrophagist / Alkaloid | Meinl Byzance Series (14" Byzance Traditional Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Byzance Brilliant Crashes, 21" Byzance Traditional Ride) |
| [Martin Axenrot](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/martin-axenrot) | Opeth | Meinl Byzance Series (14" Traditional Medium Hi-Hats, 16" & 18" & 19" Crashes, 22" Traditional Ride, 18" China) |
| [Matt Garstka](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/matt-garstka) | Animals as Leaders | Meinl Byzance Series (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" Extra Dry Medium Crashes, 22" Dual Ride) |
| [Matt Greiner](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/matt-greiner) | August Burns Red | Meinl Byzance Series (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Dual Crashes, 21" Transition Ride, 18" Extra Dry China, 10" & 12" Splashes) |
| [Navene Koperweis](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/navene-koperweis) | Entheos / ex-Animals as Leaders | Meinl Byzance Series (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Extra Dry Medium Crashes, 21" Transition Ride, 18" Extra Dry China, 10" Splash) |

These 8 entries are pulled directly from MetalForge's verified cymbal setups database, parsed from each drummer's roster gear record — never guessed from a photo or a forum post.

Source: [Meinl Cymbals — Wiki (company background & Byzance manufacturing)](https://meinlcymbals.com/en/Wiki).

## FAQ

**Q: What cymbals does Meinl make for metal drummers?**
A: Meinl is a German percussion and cymbal maker whose Byzance series — hand-hammered in Turkey using traditional B20 bronze — is a favorite among progressive, technical, and modern extreme metal drummers for its complex, darker overtones. Its dedicated Mb20 heavy-metal line and the more budget-tier Classics Custom Dark series extend that darker-toned identity across different price points.

**Q: Which metal drummers play Meinl cymbals?**
A: On our verified roster: Chris Adler, Chris Turner, Derek Roddy, Hannes Grossmann, Martin Axenrot, Matt Garstka, Matt Greiner, Navene Koperweis. See the table above for each drummer's exact setup.

**Q: What are Meinl's most metal-relevant cymbal series?**
A: Byzance (incl. Dark, Extra Dry, Traditional), Mb20, Classics Custom Dark. Full descriptions are in the Notable Series section above.

## Other Cymbal Brands We Cover

MetalForge tracks 4 cymbal brands relevant to metal drummers. Besides Meinl, see:

- [Zildjian](https://metalforge.io/llms/cymbals/brands/zildjian.md)
- [Paiste](https://metalforge.io/llms/cymbals/brands/paiste.md)
- [Sabian](https://metalforge.io/llms/cymbals/brands/sabian.md)

## More Resources

- [Live page](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/brands/meinl)
- [All Cymbal Brands](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/brands)
- [Cymbals Guide](https://metalforge.io/llms/cymbals.md)
- [All LLM Resources](https://metalforge.io/llms/index.md)

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*Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*