Sabian HHX Xplosion Crash CymbalDark, Robust tones make the HHX plosion an obvious choice whenever a shimmering, musical crash is needed.
About SABIAN
Much more than a cymbal manufacturing company, SABIAN is a collection of dedicated and very talented individuals whose only focus is to create the finest cymbals and percussion instruments possible. Our ultimate goal is to help drummers and percussionists express themselves the way they want to be heard. How do we do it? By combining traditional values with modern vision and creative innovation to develop a full range of cymbals and sounds for players of all styles.
Rise and Shine
SABIAN was founded in late 1981, on the banks of the St. John River in the tiny village of Meductic, New Brunswick. Here in this quiet peaceful hamlet in eastern Canada, we produce instruments played by some of the world's most famous players:
Neil Peart, Jack DeJohnette, Mike Wengren, Steve Ferrone, Tyler Stewart, Carmine Appice, Chad Smith, John Blackwell, Rod Morgenstein, Rocky Gray, Phil Collins Vinnie Paul, Will Calhoun, Billy Cobham, Bernard Purdie, Evelyn Glennie, Zoro, and Dave Weckl.
Playing the very same instruments as the garage band down the street, these artists have come to rely on the quality, durability and sound selection available within our various series. Drummers aren't the only ones choosing SABIAN. Percussionists in many major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Montreal Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra, as well as major marching bands around the world, are also playing SABIAN.
What is it about a SABIAN cymbal?
When leading artisans from the ancient city of Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) moved to the New World, they came to SABIAN, bringing their ancient skills with them. Today SABIAN is the only major company producing cymbals hand hammered in the ancient Turkish style. But we don't stop there. At SABIAN, we take special care to ensure every cymbal in our seven different series and collection of Signature models is skillfully crafted to meet superior standards.
We craft our cymbals from the purest, most durable bronze alloys. They are available in a wide range of models and sounds that speak to tradition and innovation, with a variety of series and models for every style of music.
Cymbal Maker Profile
James 'Nort' Hargrove
Vice-President of Manufacturing.
"Making a cymbal is an art, not just a process." Nort
Nort Hargrove is a name synonymous with cymbal making. Since entering the craft in 1971 (he's been with SABIAN from its outset, in 1981), Nort has been involved in every aspect of the art: from sourcing raw copper and tin to making the bronze, hammering, lathing, buffing and selecting cymbals.
More than just making cymbals, Nort has propelled this ancient art on a route of innovation that has opened up a whole new world of cymbals and sounds.
"Music is constantly changing," he says. "But at SABIAN, we're always listening. Such innovations as AAX 'Auto-Focus Response', PRO Sonix® 'Extended Bandwidth Response', El Sabor for Latin players, V-FX for techno, and the 'Tone Projection' of our new HHX series happened because we listen to the music and we hear what the players have to say." This philosophy is what drives the innovative SABIAN spirit.
Originally a drummer, Nort switched to guitar so his own personal bias wouldn't overly influence the cymbals he was selecting for other players. He knew from the outset that SABIAN had a mission to make better cymbals. "It was that simple," he says. "Drummers and percussionists deserve better cymbals to help communicate their music and self expression." Today, Jack DeJohnette, David Garibaldi, Chester Thompson, Mike Portnoy, and other great drummers call Nort when they need a sound. And when it comes to giving them what they want, Nort gets much inspiration while enjoying his favorite pastime of fly-fishing-another reason why we're glad to be situated in the serene setting of rural Canada.
Nort's quick to acknowledge that, in meeting the demands of drummers and percussionists the world over, quite often the past plays a key part of the future. "The past is rich with secrets that were missed the first time around. Our Hand Hammered series highlights traditional skills of our artisans. The fact that SABIAN is the only major cymbal company capable of making traditional hand hammered cymbals in pure B20 bronze is proof of our dedication to the traditional side of the art. Our latest series, HHX, combines traditional Hand Hammered tone with modern projection. That's a great example of how the past influences the future."
The Sound Heard 'Round the World
The first cymbals bearing the ringed SABIAN logo (denoting tonal grooves of a cymbal) emerged from our vaults in early 1982, when that initial pouring of hot, molten bronze was cooled, rolled and hammered out. And thanks to the support of drummers and percussionists around the world, SABIAN continues to make history as the fastest growing cymbal company. You can find SABIAN cymbals in approximately 120 countries!
Our artisans will continue to help more and more musicians express themselves wherever they may be: in the streets, the pubs, the concert halls, the parks—in the towns, villages, countryside, and big cities, listen, and you'll hear the unmistakable, and unparalleled sound of SABIAN.
Where We Are
Being situated by the quiet banks of the beautiful St. John River enables us to focus solely on our commitment to crafting the world's best for you. We are located in the tiny village of Meductic.