The Paiste family's first involvement with making cymbals began at the turn of the 20th century when Michail Toomas Paiste, an Estonian composer and musician, opened a music store in St Petersburg in 1901. This incorporated instrument manufacture and repair facilities, and ran for many years until the Russian revolution of 1917, when Michail returned to Estonia. Opening his business in Tallinn, he starts to manufacture cymbals for orchestral and marching band use, and when his son joins the family firm they start to develop cymbals more suited to drumkit players. By now they are working on turkish style cymbals as opposed to the chinese style ones they had made previously, and they also produced their first gongs. By the end of the 1930s these instruments are being exported to Europe and the USA. Just as business was beginning to build, the outset of world war II forced Michail to leave Estonia and head to Poland, where once again the business is re-established. It manages to survive the war years despite a shortage of raw materials.
At the end of the war, the Paiste family leave Poland and set up home in Northern Germany where the business is re-established for the thrid time. Business grows as the world returns to peacetime and the jazz music of America takes hold in the dance halls across the US and Europe, bringing a new demand for Paiste cymbals. Another manufacturing plant is set up in Switzerland and sons Robert and Toomas head the family firm. The Swiss factory in Nottwil becomes the centre for future Paiste business. By 2003, the company is headed by Toomas'son Erik.
Despite the initial difficulties of Paistes early years, the companies history is one of incredible innovation and foresight. Many of the cymbal models we play today were invented by Paiste.... they were the first cymbal company to designate and plan specific models in production (1930s), first company to produce more than one class of cymbal quality (1947), First to use B8 (8% Bronze) alloy for cymbal making, and they went on to invent the wavy "sound edge" hihat (1967), the first flat-ride (1968), and by the 1980s the first colour coated cymbals (colorsound series). The other big advancement in 1989 was the invention of their Signature Bronze Alloy, giving them a material with incredible sonic qualities.
Going back to the late 1950s, the company developed the Formula 602 series, made from B20 bronze, which became an instant hit with jazz drummers of the time, and the company began to experiment with B8 / CuSn8 bronze, constantly looking for new sounds. By the 1960s and the rise in popularity of amplifed rock music, loud, more cutting cymbals were being called for. Paiste used this new CuSn8 alloy to develop the "Giant Beat" series, characterized by their warm, brilliant sound and strength. Leading rock drummers of the time such as Keith Moon, John Bonham, Nick Mason and Carl Palmer quickly embraced these fantastic new cymbals. Paiste continued their research, looking at the current musical trends and the sounds and power required by drummers of that period, and by 1971 the legendary 2002 series were released, possibly the most famous cymbal line of all time. The 2002 series was used by top rock and pop drummers including John Bonham, Stewart Copeland, and Ian Paice (and indeed they are still the number one choice today for thousands of drummers such as Dave Lombardo, Charlie Benante and Tico Torres). Later that decade, due to the emergence of punk rock, Paiste also developed the RUDE series, unlathed cymbals designed for maximum volume.
At the end of the war, the Paiste family leave Poland and set up home in Northern Germany where the business is re-established for the thrid time. Business grows as the world returns to peacetime and the jazz music of America takes hold in the dance halls across the US and Europe, bringing a new demand for Paiste cymbals. Another manufacturing plant is set up in Switzerland and sons Robert and Toomas head the family firm. The Swiss factory in Nottwil becomes the centre for future Paiste business. By 2003, the company is headed by Toomas'son Erik.
Despite the initial difficulties of Paistes early years, the companies history is one of incredible innovation and foresight. Many of the cymbal models we play today were invented by Paiste.... they were the first cymbal company to designate and plan specific models in production (1930s), first company to produce more than one class of cymbal quality (1947), First to use B8 (8% Bronze) alloy for cymbal making, and they went on to invent the wavy "sound edge" hihat (1967), the first flat-ride (1968), and by the 1980s the first colour coated cymbals (colorsound series). The other big advancement in 1989 was the invention of their Signature Bronze Alloy, giving them a material with incredible sonic qualities.
Going back to the late 1950s, the company developed the Formula 602 series, made from B20 bronze, which became an instant hit with jazz drummers of the time, and the company began to experiment with B8 / CuSn8 bronze, constantly looking for new sounds. By the 1960s and the rise in popularity of amplifed rock music, loud, more cutting cymbals were being called for. Paiste used this new CuSn8 alloy to develop the "Giant Beat" series, characterized by their warm, brilliant sound and strength. Leading rock drummers of the time such as Keith Moon, John Bonham, Nick Mason and Carl Palmer quickly embraced these fantastic new cymbals. Paiste continued their research, looking at the current musical trends and the sounds and power required by drummers of that period, and by 1971 the legendary 2002 series were released, possibly the most famous cymbal line of all time. The 2002 series was used by top rock and pop drummers including John Bonham, Stewart Copeland, and Ian Paice (and indeed they are still the number one choice today for thousands of drummers such as Dave Lombardo, Charlie Benante and Tico Torres). Later that decade, due to the emergence of punk rock, Paiste also developed the RUDE series, unlathed cymbals designed for maximum volume.
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