I played the cymbal in the store a bit and it didn't blow me away.
When I strike the edge with my hand, it's a gorgeous warm, full sound, really a nice, mellow crash. I tried it with a few different sticks & rods, though, and I didn't care for the sound nearly as much.
The unlathed part is just not dry enough to get an authentic ride sound, I think. The bell is less distinct than I imagined it would be, too.
Not a piece of junk though - I still might buy it just to experiment for a while. If anyone else is more interested than I am, here's the link. It's a Music-Go-Round special...
http://www.musicgoround.com/gear/invent ... ?id=438056
Now, I know that cymbal exists in 16" and 18" versions. I'd be willing to bet the 18" is better than this one. Hmm...
Has anyone tried the 18" Zildj. Azuka timbale cymbal? That's another multipurpose cymbal I'd like to check out for this application.