Reviews
"As the name might suggest, the Raw Bell Dry ride is lathed all except for the bell which is left with its original dark, baked finish. This not only provides a striking aesthetic but also gives the bell sound a dark, earthy quality." - Tom Bradley
"Playing the four Raw BellI Dry rides side by side, I could really appreciate the subtle distinctions of each, which were mostly found in their pitch and their bells. The HH and HHX models had lower fundamental pitches than the AA or AAX model. I found the HH to be the most versatile, which explains why it has been so popular among drum-ners of many types. Each of Sabian's Raw Bell Dry rides served its intended purpose well. Don't expect them to open up and scream, but do expect them to project
your bow and bell sticking patterns to the last seat in the house, with a slightly different color from each series." - Ben Meyer
"The 21" Raw Bell Dry ride has an articulate stick tone as well as a loud and clear bell sound. The sustain is controlled and clean. Crashes are a bit gongy, but you can still get this cymbal to open up a bit for louder applications by striking the edge with the shoulder of the stick. I'd pull up this ride if I needed to cut through dense mixes or high stage volumes." - Michael Dawson
"It is called a "dry" ride, but actually it's on the borderline of what I would consider dry. It has more wash and overtones than most other dry rides. The attack is extremely crisp and clean, with plenty of high frequencies and a nice "ping" followed by a relatively quick decay, but still maintaining enough sustain without sounding too dry. The bell has a very unique sound. It's pitched lower than most other bells on 21" rides, has a very loud attack, and a smooth transition between the bell and the bow, both sonically and physically." - A. Hubert
"Strike it and it produces clear and tight stick articulation, which can really be heard over the top of a low, cool, "vintage" sounding wash. A shoulder strike across the bow produces a beautiful accent, which I find an awesome way to add character to any groove. The unlathed bell is strong and clear, making bell accents sound just the way they should." - GroundZero
"You can get so many sounds out of this cymbal depending upon where you hit it; for instances, on the bow, it can either have a dry, clean, and high "click" or it can have a warm, dark, wash with not so much stick definition near the edge of the bow. The bell is great. If you hit the bell with the tip of a stick, it cuts through any tone, but it's not over-powering; if you, however, start banging on the bell with either the neck or the shaft, then you have one nasty bell that no one can ignore. Because of all the different tones, you can use this for any style - well, maybe not metal." - Versatile Drumboy
"This is everything you ever wanted in an all-around ride cymbal--cut, ping, a perfect wash that gets out of the way, consistency and smooth decay. It has it all. It is the perfect compliment to a really dry jazz cymbal. And that bell--it could find a home at Notre Dame Cathedral. Play the cymbal heavy, you get everything you need. Play it light-it sounds like Tinker Bell dancing." - James A. Harrelson
"As the name suggests, it's a thick, heavy cymbal with a somewhat larger unlathed bell. This was probably my favorite at first. The stick definition is bright and huge with a nice character and a dry tapering off. Over the course of playing
the cymbals in context (almost entirely acoustic settings), it was a bit overwhelming, but for the person who is looking for a cymbal to cut through a louder or amplified environment, this would be the one." - Matt Kern
