Advice on Hi Hat choice

[7earsDoFall]

hello!
I'm a young drummer and have very little knowledge cymbal knowledge since I haven't played a huge variety of cymbals in my life. So, I'm seeking advice from fellow drummers who have played quite a large variety of hi hats to help me.
Well, The hi hat is probably my favorite part of the drumset beside the snare drum so I'm looking for a list of hi hats that...
-> Is for all genre/many genres
-> has very crisp/clear stick definition
-> suitable for intensive stick patterns and crazy stickings that is done on the hat instead of the snare drum
-> has NO metal cupping sound when opened and closed
-> nice chick
-> nice open sound
-> sounds expensive & professional
-> preferably dry sound but fits well with rock/open hat grooves
-> preferably brighter sounding (but not over-bright)

I am looking at high ends/pro/semi-pro (or entry levels if it really is good) hats. I do have a budget (perhaps $600++) but still, I want to know about those which are even more expensive. I'm open to all brands. So far, I can only think of HHX evolution, even though I have not played on it before. It will be nice if you can leave a approx price of the hat & if there's any studio's set with those hats. Also, I would prefer that your opinion comes from your experience. Yes, it's all about personal preference but I would like to have a list to look at as I might be a little lost at this.

Thanks very much for your time

 

[mel80]

HHX Groove hats. Go check out how it sounds on Sabian's website.

 

[jukebox]

Sabian AA regulars, zildjian new beats, AAX stage. Your budget is actually pretty high, you could get pretty much any pair your wanted! You could wander into the HHX/K/K custom range.

 

[7earsDoFall]

mel80 : hmm, checked the sabian website, the sample didn't really appeal to me, but, I watched a Youtube video of someone using these hats, 13", and it really appealed to me. haha, wonder how accurate the sample can be.

judebox : I've played on a 13" AAX stage but I expected more from it. thanks for your suggestions!

hmm, anyone with huge experience with Paiste? seems like they have quite a lot of sound I'm looking for, but not the price xD

and erm, does using nylon stick tips, help to get clearer and precise stick definition?

 

[Composer of Requiems]

The nylon sound is quite different. To me it feels more ringy and washy with the nylon stick. I would rather use wood tips...

Also, I doubt there's studios around singapore with high-end hihats. Most studios I see just leave entry level for usage; not every drummer that comes in is going to appreciate them or take care of them and those who like good cymbals would bring their own, probably.

 

[jeepers]

Paiste: Signature Dark Crisp, 2002 (Heavy), Any Sound Creation hats you can get your hands on.
Turkish: Classic
Bosphorus: Versa
Agop: Vezir
Sabian: HHX (Evo, Groove, Legacy, Manhattan Jazz)
Zildjian: Avedis Sweet, K Custom Dark, K Zildjian.
Meinl: Byzance

The difference between Nylon and Wood tipped sticks vary. I'm using the Regal Tip 'E' series 7As Nylons now. Love 'em. The 'E', apparently, is supposed to be a good mix of wood and nylon. Check them out at Drums Resources. Great stuff.

 

[plainsman]

yeps, with that budget you can pretty much get any hi-end hihat of your choice, except the most expensive ones.

do make sure this new hihat fits well with the rest of your cymbals though (crashes, ride etc.)

you wouldn't want a hihat that sounds out of place.. maybe u'd like to share the rest of the cymbals in your kit (which i presume you're not intending to change out at this point in time)


cheers

 

[7earsDoFall]

Composer of Requiems: oh, that sucks. if I've the money next time, I should open a high end drum studio lol!

jeepers: hey, that's a great list for me to look at! don't mind me asking, are your paiste hats, that you're selling, somewhere along this?

plainsman: i've got only stock ride or crashes >.< and I intend to fit future hi end rides and crashes to my hi hat rather than fitting my hi hat to my crash and ride. I don't know if this is a smart move but, I prefer it this way. haha.

hmm, maybe I should not have described my desired high hat as dry, rather, I don't want a hi hat that is tight sounding (sounds something like hitting stock hats when closed). In other words, a "ci ci" sound rather than "tik tik", when hitting the bow

 

[plainsman]

cool ! maybe good to ask if some of softies have sound samples of their hats.

and to find music store that lets you try the hats to have a better judge of what you think you'd like best to get it for now.


the chick, open sound and metal cupping sound when open/closed you describe are also affected to a certain extent by the hi-hat stand and clutch, as well as their settings, so do be sure to check this out as well.

 

[jeepers]

7earsDoFall: Hi, the Paiste hats I'm selling are bright. I wouldn't call them versatile, they're perfect for rock and metal, but not for softer stuff IMHO. You could try 'em out if you wish.

The metal cupping sound also depends on your foot technique as well. Use heel-up.

I've been wanting to do soundclips of my cymbals but I don't have a decent recording device as yet. Been wanting to get a H2 for a while but I'm quite the procrastinator. Ha.

Anyhow, 7earsDoFall, if you want, feel free swing by my place (if it's not too far) to try out some hats I have.

1. 14" Paiste Sound Formula Sound Edge Reflector hats
2. 14" Zildjian K Light hats
3. 14" Paiste Sound Creation Dark Heavy hats
4. 15" Zildjian Avedis Sweet hats

 

[heavenbjorn]

Hey 7Years, perhaps ya can check out the paragon sabian 14" hats? haha... have been using them for quite some time and it sounded really awesome

 

[7earsDoFall]

jeepers: hmm, thanks for the offer but school's opening, may not have the time x_x haha.

heavenbjorn: hey, seems like I overlooked this pair of hats. It really sounds good from the sabian site recording!

 

[drumsolo86]

Zildjian K/Z gets a vote from me!

 

[heavenbjorn]

Haha... Ya should check out the recordings of the paragon hats in youtube... it sounds awesome... still ya should check out the sounds of other hi hats (if avail.) in youtube and see which ya prefer, ya will be surprised all the best

 

[drumsolo86]

Your description seems to have the K/Zs written over it. I'm just not sure about the part where you can play crazy hi-hat patterns but it definitely fits the description.

Only thing is that Yamaha dun bring in them often. But you may get lucky in the new year!

 

[7earsDoFall]

zildjians has never impressed me after I was opened to liking other brands such as Paiste and Sabian. but now that you mentioned it, why not? my dream hat would possibly from here! haha, was looking at 13" K and 14" light. as well as the K customs hybrid and high definition, on the website. what do you think? all somewhere $600 I hope? I don't frequent yamaha often though =\ just wondering, do they allow to test hats, which I want, on stand? which outlet has a higher possibility of having stock and for me to test the K hats?

 

[drumsolo86]

K Lights are very different than the regular Ks or the K/Zs. They have problem to cut through heavier music as some of my friends have commented. It has a nice, sloshy open sound.

 

[Schtauffen]

zildjians has never impressed me after I was opened to liking other brands such as Paiste and Sabian. but now that you mentioned it, why not? my dream hat would possibly from here! haha, was looking at 13" K and 14" light. as well as the K customs hybrid and high definition, on the website. what do you think? all somewhere $600 I hope? I don't frequent yamaha often though =\ just wondering, do they allow to test hats, which I want, on stand? which outlet has a higher possibility of having stock and for me to test the K hats?

I'm sure plaza sing should allow, But I think they only let you test whats on display (which I last saw they had one, but I think it isn't the K)

Tampines don't display cymbals out, so yea.