Used Hi-Hats for Poor People

Mark7

Well-known member
Sub £50 if possible. Sub £100 if not

Looking for manufacturer/model recommendations here; not for something to buy right away.

Cheers :thumbs up:
 
I don't have the time or money to buy a bunch of hi hats just to find out whether they're any good or not. And it's not like I can go to a store and try different cymbals out to find out what they sound like.
 
Sabian B8's are sort of okay if you're not expecting too much. They don't compare favorably to any type of cast cymbals I've tried. "Tolerable" is subjective. B8's and similar offerings from other companies (that I haven't tried) like ZBT's or Meinl HCS are cheap stamped cymbals aimed at beginners on a budget. They work. They don't sound like New Beats or K's or AA's or XSR's.
 
I don't have the time or money to buy a bunch of hi hats just to find out whether they're any good or not. And it's not like I can go to a store and try different cymbals out to find out what they sound like.

Many apologies for trying to help with only price indicated.
You are obviously not a drummer or you'd know.
I hope you find what you're looking for.

Cheers,
 
Okay, so ZBTs are awful and B8s are tolerable. Beginners cymbals it seems, at least according to the general consensus so far, are meh. New Beats, Ks, AAs and XSRs appear to be the ones to look at. Are these mid range or premium hats though? Also... Who makes them?

I'm looking for a pair I can play along with my drum machine (I already have a hat stand). Because drum machine hats rarely sound good and they're a drag to program.
 
I don't have the time or money to buy a bunch of hi hats just to find out whether they're any good or not
Granted, but you're kind of in the same position however you look at it. Say 5 people recommend you hats and you end up taking a punt and you hate it ? Most instruments in music are something of a gamble aren't they ? Someone else's tastes aren't yours.
And it's not like I can go to a store and try different cymbals out to find out what they sound like
Is that because you're not near any drum shops ?
 
Mark7 said:
Okay, so ZBTs are awful and B8s are tolerable. Beginners cymbals it seems, at least according to the general consensus so far, are meh.

Sort of. You get what you pay for, to an extent. ZBT's or whatever might be preferable or even tolerable compared to the brass cymbals that came with the cheap drum kit that actually dent when you hit them.

B8 is the name of a product line from Sabian. It's also the name of the bronze alloy used to make the cymbals. B8 alloy is workable enough to be rolled into a sheet of plate, which can then be stamped into the shape of a cymbal like a hole punch or cookie cutter. It's an economical way to make cymbals to a price point. It's difficult to generalize, because there is another manufacturer that uses a very similar alloy and process to make more expensive cymbals that might be better regarded.

B20 bronze is a different alloy that can't be worked in the same way. It needs to be cast to shape and then hand lathed and hammered to finish the cymbal. There's more work involved, so these types are more expensive.


Mark7 said:
New Beats, Ks, AAs and XSRs appear to be the ones to look at. Are these mid range or premium hats though? Also... Who makes them?

I've never used New Beats, but this is a very old and specific product line from the Zildjian A range. They're sometimes regarded as the most recorded hihats through history. They're not cheap.

K's, AA's and XSR's are different product lines from Zildjian and Sabian. They are all cast cymbals, mid to premium range. The problem is that there are literally hundreds of choices. If you're looking at ride cymbals for example, one product line from one manufacturer might include the rock ride, the polka ride, the smooth ride, the rush hour ride and the bumpy ride. There are also different weights to consider - paper thin, medium heavy, etc...

There are 4 major cymbal makers - Meinl, Paiste, Sabian and Zildjian. They all make multiple products across multiple product lines. There are other choices as well that might be worth considering.

For hihat cymbals you can get ones that dent easily, ones that don't dent easily, loud hats that have a lot of projection on a big stage, dark and sizzly hats that don't project too much but might sound great in a recording studio, hats that have a cutting and distinctive "chick" sound, "sloshy" hats, all rounders...

Big music retailers usually have websites that list and describe all their products. There's also Google and Youtube for reviews and sound clips. You can research everything to help you make a good decision, but sometimes even trying something out in a store isn't the same as experience using the product in context. Having said that, if you do the research you'll be able to identify a good deal on the used market a bit better. A respected set of cast hats for around the same quid or less than what you'd pay for stamped cymbals might be a good deal if they're not cracked or keyholed. It might be hard to find a deal like that, but it does happen.

Without having a better idea of what sounds you're after, anything we can suggest at this point is a stab in the dark as to what you might like.
 
Okay, I want hats for recording only. No plans to use them live. And all rounders might be a better option for me.
 
Maybe not the most popular brand, given the current situation :p but Wuhan cymbals can be quite cheap. I also remember playing Paiste Alpha in school a long time ago and thought they were decent.
 
I don't have the time or money to buy a bunch of hi hats just to find out whether they're any good or not. And it's not like I can go to a store and try different cymbals out to find out what they sound like.

Why not? That is what the stores are for. Walk in. Try. Buy (or not).
 
Anyone got a pair of [URL="https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Free-P-P-A-Pair-of-13-Meinl-Roland-Hi-Hats-For-Drum-Kit/254690796127?

Check out this YouTube link which compares roughly 10 various hi-hat cymbals (including Meinl brands):
10 14" Hi Hats Compared - Which Are Best For You? - YouTube

The sound will still be objectionable to everyone differently but it may give you an idea of the tone you are looking for. Good luck!

10 14" Hi Hats Compared - Which Are Best For You? - YouTube
 
Hi Mark. You could look at Stagg cymbals. I have a really good pair of hats from them. The trouble is, they had three pairs in store (a good few years ago, this is). Two sounded horrible. The third was great. There's a lot of variation in cymbals from one to the next, so if you can plan a day trip to a large drum store and try stuff out, Covid permitting, that's your best bet. Or, if you're buying online, I'd go for a Zildjian or Sabian budget set. They'll be reasonable, I'm sure.
 
Zildian ZBT's are awful.

Yes. They are.

Definitely don't go with any brand's budget cymbal. They are all terrible IMO.

Another important thing is condition. If they have the slightest shred of a crack, send them back immediately. It will only grow.
 
One drummer's trash is another persons hi-hat. Avoid ZBT. But if you are broke odds are you will not get anything good. Go to a store and try out some used ones.
 
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