Hi-Hat recommendations...

[Davenhurst]

I'm using a Zildjian A Custom BOTTOM on TOP of a Paiste something or other, and it's damn loud. The reason i'm doing it that way is that i cracked the Zildjian top. They were too loud in the first place anyway. I'm after quite a controlled, dry and a little bit sizzly sort of sound (no rivets, please), not too loud.

What can you recommend? What are K's like?

[tmix]

I love my hats.
They are the 13" custom A mastersound series. They are bright crisp and sizzly .
They are perfect for a broad catagory of styles like Jazz / Pop / Country etc.
The Zs are darker and have a little nasal sound to me.
I also have a cheap set of sabians I'll pull out for "really wanking" rock parts where you are thrashing away.


Tom

[mikeh]

I have a pair of 13" Dark K's (I play mostly heavy B-Bop with some jazz influenced pop (Zappa, Steely Dan, etc). These K's are the best sounding hat's I've ever owned (and I've owned a lot of cymbals). However, they are not overly loud and don't have the cut that I would think a rock & roll application requires.

I also use a 40 year old pair of 14" Zildjians - (basically the same as A's) which I tend to pull out if I'm doing a rock gig. They are louder than the K's but which 40 years of age they have a certain "subdued tone"

[Davenhurst]

Originally Posted by mikeh

I have a pair of 13" Dark K's (I play mostly heavy B-Bop with some jazz influenced pop (Zappa, Steely Dan, etc). These K's are the best sounding hat's I've ever owned (and I've owned a lot of cymbals). However, they are not overly loud and don't have the cut that I would think a rock & roll application requires.

I've recently been turned onto K's having used Sabians for a long time. I needed a new ride so tried a bunch out, nothing even came close to the sound and feel of the K. Maybe K hats then.

[MadAudio]

I really like my Sabian "El Sabor" hats.

[mikeh]

I own several Sabian Hand Hammered (HH) cymbals, which have some of the same "controlled warmth" the the K's have.

I like my HH cymbals alot, but I don't think I've ever heard a K that I didn't like (I worked in a drum shop for several years - and I heard and tried a lot of different cymbals).

[spariam]

I use Zildjian 14" A Mastersounds, but not for quieter gigs. For those I've used 13" K Darks.

[vangore]

how are the paiste rude hi-hats, no store near me stocks them so i cant try them myself.

[spariam]

Originally Posted by vangore

how are the paiste rude hi-hats, no store near me stocks them so i cant try them myself.

I haven't tried them myself, though I do have a 5 star drum shop near by. For what it's worth, you might check the musiciansfriend online audio samples...