View source for Paiste

{{Short description|Percussion instruments manufacturer}}
{{other uses|Paste (disambiguation)}}
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{{more citations needed|date=March 2011}}
{{tone|date=December 2009}}
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{{Infobox company
| name             = Paiste AG
| logo             = Paiste Logo.svg
| logo_size        = 150 
| caption          = 
| type             = [[privately held company|Private]] ([[Aktiengesellschaft]]/AG)<ref>[https://shab.ch/#!/search/publications/detail/5fdc848f-f07a-4236-9b17-464e4528f4cf Entry at the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce, SOGC]</ref>
| genre            = 
| fate             = 
| predecessor      = 
| successor        = 
| foundation       = {{Start date and age|1906}} in [[Saint Petersburg]], [[Russian Empire]]
| defunct          = 
| location_city    = [[Nottwil]] ([[canton of Lucerne]])
| location_country = [[Switzerland]]
| location         = 
| locations        = 5
| area_served      = 
| key_people       = Erik Paiste, CEO and president of the [[supervisory board]]
| industry         = Musical instruments
| products         = [[Cymbal]]s, [[gong]]s, [[crotales]], [[Cowbell (instrument)|cowbell]]s
| services         = 
| revenue          = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income       = 
| aum              = 
| assets           = 
| equity           = 
| owner            = 
| num_employees    = 
| parent           = 
| divisions        = 
| subsid           = {{unbulleted list|
* [[Schacht-Audorf]] (German subsidiary)
* Paiste America (since 1981)
* Spain and Estonia (both 1995)
}}
| homepage         = {{url|https://www.paiste.com/|paiste.com}}
| footnotes        = 
}}
'''Paiste''' (English pronunciation: {{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|aɪ|s|t|i}} {{respell|PY|stee}}, {{IPA|et|ˈpɑiste}}) is a [[Switzerland|Swiss]] [[musical instrument]] manufacturing company. It is the world's third largest manufacturer of [[cymbal]]s, [[gong]]s, and metal [[percussion]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}} {{wikt-lang|et|paiste|Paiste}} is an [[Estonian language|Estonian]] and [[Finnish language|Finnish]] word that means "shine".{{cn|date=August 2023}}

Apart from cymbals and gongs, Paiste has also manufactured other percussion instruments, including [[crotal bell]]s, [[zill|finger cymbals]], and [[cowbell]]s, which were later discontinued.

== History ==
The first Paiste cymbals were produced in 1906 by [[Estonia]]n musician Toomas Paiste in his instrument repair shop in [[Saint Petersburg]], [[Russian Empire]]. Toomas had served in the [[Imperial Guard (Russia)|Russian Imperial Guard]] and retired in 1901 to open a music shop and publishing business.<ref name="hist">[https://web.archive.org/web/20231107175243/https://www.paiste.com/en/about/background/history History] on Paiste website, 07 Nov 2023</ref>

The cymbal-making aspect of the business expanded with the passing years, despite the disruption of several moves necessitated by war.<ref name="MakingCompany">{{cite book |last1=Ludwig |first1=William Frederick |title=The Making of a Drum Company: The Autobiography of William F. Ludwig II |year=2001 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=978-1-888408-05-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EGPe-1PnezAC&q=Paiste&pg=PA77 |language=en}}</ref> The company opened a factory in [[Tallinn]], Estonia, in 1917, where Toomas' son Michail M. Paiste decided to concentrate on cymbal production and export.<ref name="MakingCompany" /> In 1940, after the annexation of Estonia by the [[USSR]], the family and the cymbal-making operation moved to [[Poland]], where they continued under extremely difficult conditions, and in 1945 to [[Germany]].<ref name="MakingCompany" /> Finally, in 1957, a new headquarters and production facility was established in [[Switzerland]].<ref name="MakingCompany" /> The business was continued by Michail's sons, Robert and Toomas (born Kurt), with both the Swiss and German operations as the main manufacturing centres. Since 2003, the company has been headed by Toomas' son, Erik.<ref name=hist/>  Robert Paiste died in 2016, aged 84.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201108101904/http://www.paiste.com/robertpaiste/ "In Memory of Robert Paiste"] on Paiste website, retrieved 8 November 2020</ref>

== Innovations ==
Paiste has developed several innovations to cymbal design and manufacture. Among these are:
[[File:Paiste cymbal.jpg|thumb|180px|A Paiste Alpha China [[cymbal]]]]
[[File:Paiste 3000 Power Ride.jpg|thumb|Discontinued 1989 Paiste 3000 22" Power Ride]]
*The [[flat ride cymbal|Flat Ride]]: A [[ride cymbal]] without a cup or bell. Originally designated as Space Sound in the Formula 602 line. Designed with [[Joe Morello]]. Introduced in the 1960s.
*The [[splash cymbal]]: Widely used for [[Jazz|jazz music]] in the 1920s and 30s, the traditional splash cymbal was not seen for many years in mainstream music until [[The Police]]’s drummer [[Stewart Copeland]] brought it back to prominence in the early 80s. Thanks to a toy cymbal he found in a trip in [[Asia]] and which he brought to Paiste, heavier splash cymbals, more suited for harder styles of drumming, were soon available and started being heavily commercialized. Then alongside [[Manu Katché]] spread the use of this type of cymbal.
*The Sound Edge Hi-Hat: Introduced in 1967. To prevent airlock, the bottom cymbal of the [[hi-hat]] pair has ripples along the edge. Also applied to [[hand cymbal]] sets.
*The use of B8 bronze as a [[cymbal alloys|cymbal alloy]]: Referred to by Paiste as "CuSn8" alloy or "2002 bronze". First introduced with the Stambul 65 series in 1965. Gained general acceptance with the Giant Beat and the 2002 series. Paiste was for a time the only major cymbal company to use the B8 alloy for its high-end lines, although [[Meinl Percussion|Meinl]] has recently{{when|date=July 2011}} introduced a line of high-end cast B8 bronze cymbals as well. [[Zildjian]] and [[Sabian Cymbals|Sabian]] use this alloy primarily for entry-level lines, choosing instead to use bell bronze for high-end products.
* 'Flat' bells:  With the introduction of the Sound Creation Short Crash in late 1977, Paiste was the first to make use of a flattened bell design. Used today with the Crystal Hi-Hats and Crashes of the Signature series.
*Unlathed cymbals: Introduced in 1980 as the RUDE series. Made from the B8 alloy, unlathed cymbals were marketed towards louder music styles as [[Punk rock|punk]] and [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]].
*[[Inverted bell]] on China cymbal: Introduced in 1983 as the 2002 NOVO china type. Makes it easier to play ride and crash on a [[China cymbal]].
*Coloured cymbals:  Introduced in 1984.
*Proprietary Signature Bronze: A patented [[cymbal alloy]] introduced in 1989, with the Signature line. According to the patent, this alloy consists of [[phosphor bronze]] with a 14.7% to 15.1% tin content by weight. It has been claimed by Paiste to be the first bronze alloy specifically developed for cymbals.
*Sonic Texture Formula: Introduced in 2001 with the Innovations series. A patented [[lathe|lathing]] technique to get a more complex sounding cymbal.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

Many of these innovations were used by other manufacturers when the applicable patents expired. For example, almost all the larger modern cymbal companies offer a flat ride cymbal and an alternative to the Sound Edge Hi-Hat.

==Notable artists==
{{div-col}}
*[[Bill Bruford]] of [[Yes (band)|Yes]]/[[King Crimson]]/[[Earthworks (band)|Earthworks]]
*[[Josh Freese]] of [[Nine Inch Nails]] 
*[[Josh Devine]] of [[One Direction]]
*[[Nicko McBrain]] of [[Iron Maiden]]
*[[John Bonham]] of [[Led Zeppelin]]
*[[Stewart Copeland]] of [[The Police]]
*[[Larry Mullen Jr.]] of [[U2]]
*[[Charlie Benante]] of [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]]
*[[Dave Lombardo]] of [[Testament (band)|Testament]]/[[Suicidal Tendencies]]/[[Slayer]]
* [[Phil Rudd]] of [[AC/DC]]
* [[Abe Laboriel Jr.]] of [[Paul McCartney]]
*[[Tommy Aldridge]] of [[Whitesnake]]
*[[Joey Jordison]] of [[Slipknot (band)|Slipknot]]
* [[Ian Paice]] of [[Deep Purple]]
*[[Paul Bostaph]] of [[Slayer]]
*[[Jack Lawless]] of [[Jonas Brothers]]/[[DNCE]]
*[[Tico Torres]] of [[Bon Jovi]]
*[[Mikkey Dee]] of [[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]]
*[[Danny Carey]] of [[Tool (band)|Tool]]
*[[Nick Mason]] of [[Pink Floyd]]
*[[Alex Van Halen]] of [[Van Halen]]
*[[Scott Travis]] of [[Judas Priest]]
*[[Chad Smith]] of [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]
*[[Frank Beard (musician)|Frank Beard]] of [[ZZ Top]]
*[[Simon Kirke]] of [[Bad Company]]
*[[Bruce Gary]] of [[The Knack]]
*[[Jeff Porcaro]] of [[Toto (band)|Toto]]
*[[Carl Palmer]] of [[Emerson, Lake and Palmer]]
*[[Matt Flynn (musician)|Matt Flynn]] of [[Maroon 5]]
*Daniel Wagner of [[Greta Van Fleet]]
*Thomas Götz of [[Beatsteaks]]
*[[Eloy Casagrande]] of [[Slipknot (band)|Slipknot]]
*[[John Dolmayan]] of [[System of a Down]]
*[[Zbigniew Robert Promiński|Inferno]] of [[Behemoth (band)|Behemoth]]
*[[Brad Wilk]] of [[Rage Against the Machine]]
*[[Pierre Favre (musician)|Pierre Favre]]
*Jake Cochran of [[Illiterate Light]]
*Gonzo Sandoval of [[Armored Saint]]
*Bobby Chouinard of [[Billy Squier]]
*Scott Rockenfield of [[Queensryche]]
*Aquiles Priester of Hangar
{{div-col-end}}

== Patents ==
*{{US patent|4809581}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060629215652/http://drum-world.com/Cymbals_manufacturer_Paiste_5.html Paiste in the Drumming Database]

{{Percussion instruments brands}}
{{cymbals}}
[[Category:Cymbal manufacturing companies]]
[[Category:Percussion instrument manufacturing companies]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1945]]
[[Category:1945 establishments in Russia]]
[[Category:1945 establishments in the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Musical instrument manufacturing companies of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Companies based in the canton of Lucerne]]
[[Category:Estonian brands]]