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

> Zildjian is the oldest cymbal maker in the world and one of the oldest family-run businesses of any kind, with a proprietary cast-bronze alloy and manufacturing process it has never publicly disclosed. In metal specifically, its A Custom and K Custom lines are a default reference point — A Custom for a brighter, more cutting attack, K Custom for a darker, more complex one — with Z Custom sitting above both as the loudest, most aggressive option in the catalog.

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## Company Background

- **Founded:** 1623, Constantinople; US operations since 1929, Norwell, Massachusetts
- **Parent/Ownership:** The Avedis Zildjian Company also owns Vic Firth and Balter Mallets

## Notable Series for Metal Drummers

- **A Custom:** A bright, cutting, mid-to-high-pitched line built for fast articulation and projection through a dense mix — one of the most common single series across the verified metal roster.
- **Z Custom:** Zildjian's loudest, most powerful cast line, aimed at extreme-volume live and studio playing; frequently paired with A Custom for a darker, heavier china or ride.
- **K Custom (incl. K Custom Dark / Hybrid):** A darker, more complex-overtone alternative to A Custom, often chosen for crashes and rides where a drier, less cutting tone is wanted.

## Confirmed Metal Drummers (22)

| Drummer | Band | Cymbal Setup |
|---------|------|--------------|
| [Abe Cunningham](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/abe-cunningham) | Deftones | Zildjian K Custom & A Custom Series (14" K Custom Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" K Custom Crashes, 22" K Custom Ride, 19" A Custom China) |
| [Alex Bent](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/alex-bent) | ex-Trivium / Arkaik / Dragonlord | Zildjian (14" K Custom Hybrid Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Custom Hybrid Crashes, 21" K Custom Hybrid Ride, 18" A Custom China) |
| [Art Cruz](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/art-cruz) | Lamb of God | Zildjian (14" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 18" A Custom EFX, 18" A Custom Medium Crash, 19" A Custom Projection Crash, 20" A Custom Crash, 21" A Zildjian Mega Bell Ride, 19" A Ultra Hammered Chinas, 17" K China w/ EFX Holes, 9" FX Trash Splashes, FX Blast Bell) |
| [Ben Koller](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/ben-koller) | Converge / Mutoid Man / Killer Be Killed | Zildjian (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China) |
| [Dirk Verbeuren](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/dirk-verbeuren) | Megadeth | Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17", 18", 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Hybrid Ride, 18" K China) |
| [Frost](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/frost) | Satyricon / 1349 | Zildjian A Custom & K Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 16", 17", 18" A Custom Crashes, 22" K Custom Dark Ride, 18" K China) |
| [Gavin Harrison](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/gavin-harrison) | Porcupine Tree / King Crimson | Zildjian K Custom Special Dry Series (14" Hi-Hats, 16" & 18" Crashes, 21" Special Dry Ride, 18" Trash China) |
| [George Kollias](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/george-kollias) | Nile | Zildjian (14" K Mastersound Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" K Custom Dark Crashes, 21" A Custom Mega Bell Ride, 18" China) |
| [Jaska Raatikainen](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/jaska-raatikainen) | Children of Bodom | Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" A Custom Crashes, 20" K Custom Ride) |
| [Jason Bittner](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/jason-bittner) | Shadows Fall / Overkill / Category 7 | Zildjian K & A Custom Series (14" K Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China) |
| [Jay Weinberg](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/jay-weinberg) | Suicidal Tendencies | Zildjian (14" A New Beat Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 19" K China, 7" FX Break Bell) |
| [Jocke Wallgren](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/jocke-wallgren) | Amon Amarth | Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride) |
| [John Otto](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/john-otto) | Limp Bizkit | Zildjian (13" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 16" & 17" A Custom Projection Crashes, 20" A Custom EFX, 20" FX Oriental Crash of Doom) |
| [Jon Dette](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/jon-dette) | Slayer | Sabian AAX / Zildjian A Series (14" Hi-Hats, 16" & 18" Crash, 20" Ride, 18" China) |
| [Lars Ulrich](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/lars-ulrich) | Metallica | Zildjian A Custom Series (14" Dyno Beat Hi-Hats, 16", 17" & 18" Rock Crashes, 20" Z Custom China, 22" Ride) |
| [Mario Duplantier](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/mario-duplantier) | Gojira | Zildjian (14" K Sweet Hi-Hats, 14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 18" K Custom Hybrid Crash, 19" A Custom Crash, 20" K Sweet Crash, 21" Z Custom Mega Bell Ride, 18" & 20" Chinas) |
| [Martin Lopez](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/martin-lopez) | Soen / ex-Opeth | Zildjian K Dark Series (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 22" K Dark Light Ride, 18" K China) |
| [Mikkey Dee](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/mikkey-dee) | Scorpions / Motörhead | Zildjian A Custom & K Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 22" K Custom Ride, 20" Oriental China) |
| [Nick Menza](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/nick-menza) | Megadeth | Zildjian A Series (14" A Hi-Hats, 16" & 18" A Crash, 20" A Ride) |
| [Raymond Herrera](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/raymond-herrera) | Fear Factory / Arkaea / Brujeria | Zildjian A Custom & Z Custom Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" Z Custom Mega Bell Ride, 18" A Custom China) |
| [Sean Reinert](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/sean-reinert) | Death / Cynic | Zildjian A/K Series (14" A Quick Beat Hi-Hats, 16" & 18" A Crashes, 20" K Custom Dry Ride, 16" China, 10" A Splash) |
| [Travis Orbin](https://metalforge.io/cymbals/setups/travis-orbin) | Darkest Hour / ex-Periphery | Zildjian K Custom Series (14" K Custom Dark Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Custom Dark Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K Custom China) |

These 22 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: [Zildjian — Frequently Asked Questions (company history & alloy)](https://zildjian.com/pages/frequently-asked-questions).

## FAQ

**Q: What cymbals does Zildjian make for metal drummers?**
A: Zildjian is the oldest cymbal maker in the world and one of the oldest family-run businesses of any kind, with a proprietary cast-bronze alloy and manufacturing process it has never publicly disclosed. In metal specifically, its A Custom and K Custom lines are a default reference point — A Custom for a brighter, more cutting attack, K Custom for a darker, more complex one — with Z Custom sitting above both as the loudest, most aggressive option in the catalog.

**Q: Which metal drummers play Zildjian cymbals?**
A: On our verified roster: Abe Cunningham, Alex Bent, Art Cruz, Ben Koller, Dirk Verbeuren, Frost, Gavin Harrison, George Kollias, Jaska Raatikainen, Jason Bittner, Jay Weinberg, Jocke Wallgren, John Otto, Jon Dette, Lars Ulrich, Mario Duplantier, Martin Lopez, Mikkey Dee, Nick Menza, Raymond Herrera, Sean Reinert, Travis Orbin. See the table above for each drummer's exact setup.

**Q: What are Zildjian's most metal-relevant cymbal series?**
A: A Custom, Z Custom, K Custom (incl. K Custom Dark / Hybrid). Full descriptions are in the Notable Series section above.

## Other Cymbal Brands We Cover

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

- [Paiste](https://metalforge.io/llms/cymbals/brands/paiste.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/zildjian)
- [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)*