Back to navigation


Timeless Cymbal Sound for a New Generation of Drummers





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





Big and bold with a musical tone, the Paiste Formula 602 series revolutionized the sound of cymbals when they were introduced to the world over 70 years ago. Made from a bell bronze alloy, Paiste Formula 602 cymbals have an extended dynamic range with a full and pleasing tone at any volume and enough power to climb above the loudest guitar and bass amps. This 15" Heavy Hi-Hat top perfectly represents the Formula 602 sound ? detailed and crisp at lower volumes, and brash, bright, and powerful, when laid into. Drummers at Sweetwater agree, onstage and in the studio, Paiste Formula 602 Hi-hats have a timeless sound that can’t be beaten.





Related Videos: 15 inch Formula 602 Heavy Hi-hat Top Cymbal


A Revolutionary Formula





In the late 1950s, popular music entered the era of electronic amplification. Electric guitars, basses, keyboards, and public address systems started chewing up a significant share of the available sonic real estate, and, for perhaps the first time, began to challenge the drum kit's dominance as the loudest piece of an ensemble. Somewhat serendipitously, Paiste was chasing a generations-old desire to incorporate bell bronze into their cymbals, leading them to collaborate with a Swiss foundry and produce a new bell bronze alloy ? Formula 602. Entering the market in 1959, Formula 602 cymbals were the perfect complement to electrified music, powerful, projective, yet possessing a pure and controlled musical tone. As electrified music hit the mainstream, with Rockabilly, Rock ‘n’ Roll, and electric Blues and Jazz overtaking the airwaves, Paiste Formula 602 cymbals became the preferred choice for contemporary drummers of the time. Now, recognizing that more and more modern drummers are looking to the past for inspiration, Paiste has relaunched their Formula 602 line, adding heavier-weight versions of classic models as well as additional sizes to suit a wider range of playing situations, ushering in a timeless sound to a new generation of drummers.





Paiste 15" Formula 602 Heavy Hi-hat Top Cymbal Features:


Paiste Formula 602 Series 15" Heavy Hi-Hat Top


Classic, bell bronze alloy formulation


Celebrated and timeless cymbal sound


Extended dynamic range; detailed and crisp at low volumes, brash and bright at high volumes


Excels across numerous genres, including rock ‘n’ roll, blues, jazz, and vintage-inspired indie