Hi-Hats

  • Thread starter Thread starter ez_willis
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ez_willis

ez_willis

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I noticed that MF and the others sell hi-hat tops and bottoms seperately. Why do they do that? Is it to replace a cracked one, or is it common to use different makes/models for effect?

And could someone recommend a step or two up from 14" zbt's.

And what benefit could I expect by going with a 13" or a 15" set?

Rock drums, home recording only.
 
i know a lot of drummers like to mix and match tops and bottoms. my hi hats are mixed also, with a Zildjian A Mastersound top, and A Custom Mastersound bottom and i like it, nice and dry without being overly bright.

i love the sound of the Zildjian A Quick Beat hi-hats, good for rock. real quick "chick" that never hurts your ears, and a nice shimmery half-open sound. they record very well too. check em out.

going 13 or 15 really just depends on if you like the sound of that particular hat in that size. for me, i think 14 is just perfect. 13's have always sounded odd to me. it's almost like theyre too small and dont give the sound enough room to fully develop. can't really describe it.

anyway give a listen to the Quick Beats is what i say. the Mastersounds are cool too, but loud.
 
i just noticed that the sound clip on MF for the Quick Beats absolutely sucks. sounds like they recorded it in someone's bathroom or something.

here's a short clip of my cousin's hats that i recorded a long long time ago, it might give you a little bit better idea of how they sound:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=659053&songID=4962419

i tried to upload a higher bitrate but it seems like LightningMP3 isn't working or something. so try and figger it out from the 128kbit MP3 on SoundClick.

of course this recording absolutely blows because it was my first attempt at using a firepod, screwing around with some new overheads, and recording in a completely untreated hard-floored room. but you get the picture, haha.
 
It is relatively common to mix/match tops and bottoms. I had the ZBTs and eventually decided that using the 16" ZBT crash as a bottom hat and an A Custom crash as the top sounded much better than the ZBT hats. However, I recently got some 13" K Custom Dark hats. The 13" are a different sound - very fast/responsive and crisp sounding.

If you can get to a local drum shop and hit a few, that would give you a better idea of the differences. Alternately, the sound samples on cymbal maker's web sites will give you some idea. Avedis Zildjian New Beats are generally a safe bet - probably the most recorded hats out there, and you can pick them up pretty cheap on e-bay.
 
zildjian do a set of cymbals (14s that I've seen) that have a flat bottom with 4 holes, are they the quick beats or quick sound (or something like it)

I've always found 15 hats to be a touch on the trashy side, hard to control if you like doing a lot of choppy open & close hihat work. At the moment I'm using a K top & a paiste 505 bottom. For live work I have a set of 13" A custom projection hats & they'd cut through stone

If I had cash I'd go for a set of paiste signature series hats IMHO some of the nicest cymbals I've ever played

I've never played sabians that I've liked but there a lot of sabians I havn't tried. Can't really go wrong with an A or a K
 
Two words: El Sabor.

Best hats I've ever owned. And yes, those were the ones I brought to JamFest 6.
 
slidey said:
who, what, where & how much
Click to expand...
Sabian. Top has a large bell, bottom is curved with no bell.

IIRC, about $250 (US) a pair.
 
MadAudio said:
Sabian. Top has a large bell, bottom is curved with no bell.

IIRC, about $250 a pair.
Click to expand...

ahhh see I was right about sabians huh. I've always had zildjians & the occasional other brand

I almost bought a HH 22 super bell ride for £280 but I really had to eat instead & get home from the city so................but yeah sabians......hated the china

what about Istanbul?? or are they geared more for jazzers
 
slidey said:
ahhh see I was right about sabians huh. I've always had zildjians & the occasional other brand

I almost bought a HH 22 super bell ride for £280 but I really had to eat instead & get home from the city so................but yeah sabians......hated the china

what about Istanbul?? or are they geared more for jazzers
Click to expand...
Most of my cymbals are Sabian, but I agree that their chinas are so-so. (I use an LP china which ROCKS!) Never tried the Istanbul so I couldn't tell you.

I've had several Zildjians and every one of them except my ride ended up cracked. My Z ride is thick and old (not even sure what model it is, got it second-hand). My Sabians have all endured much punishment and still sound great.
 
scrubs said:
It is relatively common to mix/match tops and bottoms. I had the ZBTs and eventually decided that using the 16" ZBT crash as a bottom hat and an A Custom crash as the top sounded much better than the ZBT hats. However, I recently got some 13" K Custom Dark hats. The 13" are a different sound - very fast/responsive and crisp sounding.

If you can get to a local drum shop and hit a few, that would give you a better idea of the differences. Alternately, the sound samples on cymbal maker's web sites will give you some idea. Avedis Zildjian New Beats are generally a safe bet - probably the most recorded hats out there, and you can pick them up pretty cheap on e-bay.
Click to expand...

Agreed here. Can't go wrong with New Beats.
 
slidey said:
zildjian do a set of cymbals (14s that I've seen) that have a flat bottom with 4 holes, are they the quick beats or quick sound (or something like it)
Click to expand...


those are the Quick Beats. i love em.
 
MadAudio said:
Most of my cymbals are Sabian, but I agree that their chinas are so-so. (I use an LP china which ROCKS!) Never tried the Istanbul so I couldn't tell you.

I've had several Zildjians and every one of them except my ride ended up cracked. My Z ride is thick and old (not even sure what model it is, got it second-hand). My Sabians have all endured much punishment and still sound great.
Click to expand...

CRACKED *note* remind me never to let Mads use my vintage zildjians should we ever meet up CRACKED!!!!!!!! :D :D :D
 
MadAudio said:
Do you want pics? I still have those abused cymbals! :D
Click to expand...

OOH Er this could be brutal

I lost a K dark 16" crash due to heavy handed punk fuck

I also hired a set of K's and there was a split 17" & the 2nd night there was a set of sabians with a split 19" & when he tried to put it on to me for damage I gave him such a hard time he only charged me for one hire

"do you check your hire cymbals regularly??"

"no" he replied

"gotcha" thought I
 
I just replaced my unspeakably bad yamaha hats (brass zildjian) with 14" Zildjian K Mastersounds. I just want to beat on those things all day, they are so good.
 
mandocaster said:
I just replaced my unspeakably bad yamaha hats (brass zildjian) with 14" Zildjian K Mastersounds. I just want to beat on those things all day, they are so good.
Click to expand...


the K Mastersounds are really nice. kinda pricey though. but ez_willis has money, or something like that.
 
Zbts? where do i start..(kidding)
i have the a customs and i think they are nice, but i feel that they are a little to jazzy for me (bright) when going with the a customs i think that the mastersounds have more of a deeper tick...I also like the new beats sound but they dont have the sustain that i sometimes want...I agree with a few of these posts and think that the A series and The A series mastersounds are good for pretty much any style of music out there
 
i've got 2 pairs of (mid-80s given the logos) 14in New Beats and they sound completely different from each other. both are pretty low in pitch, and they're LOUD. it's hard to keep them out of the other mics, etc,. even when barely touching them.

i want a set of 13in A Mastersounds (not the "custom" ones). they're what i'm looking for.

so if anyone wants to buy a set of newbeats, $150 will do it. just let me know. ;-)


cheers,
wade
 
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