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

> Paiste is a Swiss cymbal maker whose RUDE and 2002 series were built specifically for the volume and abuse of loud rock and metal playing, rather than adapted from a jazz or orchestral line. RUDE in particular is marketed around an intentionally raw, unlathed or partially-lathed finish that trades refinement for maximum cut and durability under hard, sustained hitting.

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## Company Background

- **Founded:** 1901, St. Petersburg, Russia; relocated to Switzerland in the 1930s-40s (current HQ in Nottwil)
- **Parent/Ownership:** Independent, family-owned (Paiste family)

## Notable Series for Metal Drummers

- **RUDE:** A raw-finish, extra-heavy series designed for explosive volume and durability — a long-running staple among thrash, death, and groove metal drummers on this roster.
- **2002:** Paiste's original high-volume rock/metal alloy line (predating RUDE), still widely used for crashes, rides, and chinas that need to cut through distortion.
- **Signature:** A more refined, versatile professional line that still covers heavy, powerful options (e.g. Signature Heavy/Dry Heavy) used by some metal drummers who want more tonal range than RUDE/2002 offer.

## Confirmed Metal Drummers (11)

| Drummer | Band | Cymbal Setup |
|---------|------|--------------|
| [Bill Ward](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/bill-ward) | Black Sabbath | Paiste 2002 & Giant Beat Series (15" Giant Beat Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" 2002 Crashes, 24" 2002 Ride, 18" 2002 China) |
| [Daniel Erlandsson](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/daniel-erlandsson) | Arch Enemy | Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" RUDE Crashes, 22" RUDE Power Ride) |
| [Daray](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/daray) | Dimmu Borgir / Vader | Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" RUDE Crashes, 22" RUDE Power Ride) |
| [Dave Lombardo](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/dave-lombardo) | Slayer | Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (15" Sound Edge Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Crashes, 22" Reign Power Ride, 18" China) |
| [Eloy Casagrande](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/eloy-casagrande) | Slipknot | Paiste (15" Masters Dark Hi-Hats, 20" Masters Dark Ride, 20" & 20" 602 Crashes, 10" Rude Splash, 20" Masters Dark Crash, 20" 2002 Heavy Ride, 20" 2002 Novo China, 10" 2002 Mega Bell, Symphonic Gong) |
| [Hellhammer](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/hellhammer) | Mayhem | Paiste (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" RUDE Crashes, 20" RUDE Ride, 18" RUDE China) |
| [Igor Cavalera](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/igor-cavalera) | Sepultura / Cavalera Conspiracy / Soulwax | Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" RUDE Crashes, 22" RUDE Power Ride, 18" 2002 China) |
| [Inferno](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/inferno) | Behemoth | Paiste RUDE Series (14" Hi-Hats, 14" Blast China, 18" & 19" Crashes, 24" Mega Power Ride, 18" China) |
| [Joey Jordison](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/joey-jordison) | Slipknot | Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (14" Wild Hi-Hats, 16", 17", 18", 19" Power Crashes, 20" & 22" Wild Chinas, 22" Power Ride) |
| [Nicko McBrain](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/nicko-mcbrain) | Iron Maiden | Paiste 2002 & Signature Series (14" Sound Edge Hi-Hats, 16" & 18" Power Crashes, 22" Power Ride, 20" China) |
| [Scott Travis](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/scott-travis) | Judas Priest | Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" RUDE Crashes, 22" RUDE Power Ride, 18" RUDE China) |

These 11 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: [Paiste — Company History](https://www.paiste.com/pages/history).

## FAQ

**Q: What cymbals does Paiste make for metal drummers?**
A: Paiste is a Swiss cymbal maker whose RUDE and 2002 series were built specifically for the volume and abuse of loud rock and metal playing, rather than adapted from a jazz or orchestral line. RUDE in particular is marketed around an intentionally raw, unlathed or partially-lathed finish that trades refinement for maximum cut and durability under hard, sustained hitting.

**Q: Which metal drummers play Paiste cymbals?**
A: On our verified roster: Bill Ward, Daniel Erlandsson, Daray, Dave Lombardo, Eloy Casagrande, Hellhammer, Igor Cavalera, Inferno, Joey Jordison, Nicko McBrain, Scott Travis. See the table above for each drummer's exact setup.

**Q: What are Paiste's most metal-relevant cymbal series?**
A: RUDE, 2002, Signature. Full descriptions are in the Notable Series section above.

## Other Cymbal Brands We Cover

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

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

## More Resources

- [Live page](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/brands/paiste)
- [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)*