Meinl 12” China Cymbal – HCS Traditional Finish Brass for Drum Set, Made In Germany, 2-YEAR WARRANTY (HCS12CH)

This is my first Meinl Cymbal and I have to say: I'm sold. I decided to start with an HCS to add to my practice kit and after hearing the sound I get, I'm definitely starting to cycle out my current lineup in favor of some more Meinl in both practice and show kits. The sound is good for the price. You'll get a decent trashy sound out of it, but the projection lacks that of what you'd get out of a high end series of cymbals. I couldn't find any hammering or press defects and after hammering on it for a couple of hours last night, it looked no worse for the wear. I'm definitely impressed.Pros: Obviously the price. Higher end lines can cost a few hundred dollars. If you need a cymbal to practice with and aren't concern with projection, this is your guy.Cons: You're not getting much volume out of this. So if you're planning on using this as a show piece, you'll need to mic your stuff. The sustain isn't great, but for what I play, the trashy feel is perfect.

Sounds good for additional cymbal

It’s a really good china cymbal for beginners but the sound it produces kinda reminds me of a crash. But it’s still amazing quality

i like ti: it’s so good, i want more metal to bamg. hit with stick go bmmm tahhh! make the luke bryan play in backpack. i hate. just kidding. he libral. i love libral. i play dleep token ins tim, so need gobsh bsh bah bah bah when i play like drummmmmmmm!!!

This is not a good cymbal at all. But here's why I still gave it 3 stars: It was there when I needed a second crash but couldn't afford one. If you buy the MEINL HCS 12" Trash Stack, you can replace the trash china on it with this cymbal and it will sound the exact same. The trash china sounds a lot better. This cymbal sounds awful, but there's so much you can do with it.

I received my Meinl HCS16CH 16" HCS Traditional China Cymbal yesterday and instantly fell in love with the sound. I had researched many different brands before deciding on this China Cymbal. One of the most important factors in my decision making, was the fact that they include "Videos" so you can "See" & "Hear" the Cymbals before you purchase them. I viewed the 12", 14" & 16" and decided to go with the 16" because I liked the way it sounded and the $PRICE$ was right. My choice was made easy "because" I was able to "Hear" the Cymbal prior to deciding which one to purchase. I do not know any other Cymbal Manufacturer that does that, at least not on Amazon. It's Ironic that a simple marketing ploy like adding videos helped me to Focus on and Purchase this Meinl Cymbal. I have become a Big Fan and will be expanding my set with Meinl Cymbals in the near and distant future. I have to give the folks at Meinl, "2 Thumbs Up!!!"

Great sound. I'm partial though, they're the only cymbals I buy. This is my first china cymbal and I really like the sound.

I cracked my 12" wuhan brand china cymbal recently so I needed a similar replacement. I like a smaller china, but still require that trashy PAH that you get out of a "traditional" china type cymbal. I have other Meinl brand cymbals that I like (some 14" hi-hats), so I thought I'd give this a shot. I knew from the moment I took it out that it was not going to be right. It does not have the usual look of a china type cymbal, and the flare is much less pronounced. I put it on a stand, gave it one whack with a stick concurrently with a bass drum thump, and was utterly disappointed. No "PAH", no crack, no sustain, just a wimpy lackluster ping like you threw a pie tin on your cymbal stand. Back in the bag, back to Amazon, and back to ordering another Wuhan 12" china cymbal. If you want my advice, and I think you do, avoid this junk from Meinl, and take a look at Wuhan, they are cheap but they still have the sound you're looking for from a china cymbal. Yes, mine cracked after about 2 years of use, and I'm not a real heavy hitter and don't use it that often. BUT - I'd rather spend 50 bucks every 2 years for a great sounding cymbal than pay 3 to 5 times as much for the "big name" brands that will still break. But Meinl should redesign this cymbal or stop calling it "china". Suitable only for rank beginners who just need a cheap metal plate to hit, or those who want to experiment with different sounds from cheap cymbals. If you want a good-sounding china type, avoid it.