A China That Actually Has Something to Say
Most china cymbals live in one lane: loud, aggressive, and all-in on the trash. The Meinl Byzance Extra Dry China has a different agenda. It's still got that unmistakable flip-up-bell attack, but the character underneath is darker, more complex, and — frankly — more interesting than your average china. Whether you're cutting through a dense mix or adding a gritty accent to a quieter passage, this cymbal earns its spot on the stand.
The secret is in the surface. Meinl left this one raw — no lathing, no buffing — just big, deliberate hammer marks across a natural, untreated finish. That unlathed face is what gives the Extra Dry series its signature tone: extremely dry, immediate, and low in sustained wash. You hit it, it speaks, and it gets out of the way.
If you've ever felt like most chinas were too one-dimensional or too aggressive for anything outside of metal, this 18" is worth a close listen. It's built for drummers who want a china that can do more than just scream.
B20 Bronze, Raw and Ready
Meinl cast this cymbal from B20 bronze — their Byzance-series alloy — and hammered it entirely by hand in Turkey. That combination of premium material and hands-on craftsmanship means each individual cymbal comes out with its own subtle variations in tone and character. No two are exactly alike, which is part of what makes the Byzance line special.
The raw, unlathed surface works directly with the B20 alloy to push the sound toward the dark, low end of the frequency spectrum. Guitar Center notes that the Extra Dry's big hammer marks and untreated finish enable "an extremely dark sound with a short sustain," with dominant low frequencies and an esoteric, earthy character. If you're used to lathed chinas, this one will feel like a different instrument entirely.
Medium-Thin Weight, Maximum Attack
The B18EDCH is built at a medium-thin weight — not paper-thin, but light enough to respond fast and decay quickly. Sweetwater describes the sound profile as "an explosive burst of white noise followed by a medium-lived decay, undergirded by a dark, gong-like symphonic bloom." That middle layer — the bloom — is what sets this apart from the quick-and-gone chinas you might be used to.
Partial lathing on specific areas of the bell and bow shapes the attack and response without sacrificing the dryness of the overall voice. You get the explosive initial crack a china is known for, but the sustain tightens up quickly — making it easy to use as a fast accent without stepping on the rest of your playing.
Product Features:
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Size: 18 inches
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Series: Byzance Extra Dry
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Cymbal Type: China
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Weight: Medium-thin
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Material: B20 bronze alloy
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Surface: Raw, unlathed, hand-hammered — natural finish
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Construction: Completely hand-hammered in Turkey
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Sound Character: Dark, dirty, wide frequency spectrum with explosive attack and short decay
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SKU: B18EDCH
Brand: Meinl
Model: Byzance Extra Dry China Thin 18"
SKU: B18EDCH
Condition: New
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