Jazz hi hats? What are you playing currently?

[hsosdrum]

The 15" hats that I've heard speak with a deeper voice than just about any 14s. And loud is completely up to the player. I'm planning a trip to Pro Drum Shop tomorrow, so I'll report back if I buy anything!

hsosdrum reporting back as promised after visiting Pro Drum Shop on 2/19:

I did indeed buy a pair of 15" hi-hats, just not the ones I had expected to. After auditioning 15" Keropes (too heavy for my taste) and 15" K Light Hats I was set to buy the K Lights when Stan (the MAN) suggested I try a pair of 15" K Sweet Hats. I had listened to K Sweets online and didn't care for them as much as the K Lights, but Stan had a set of 14" K Sweets set up on the sales floor and they sounded great! I mounted the 15" K Sweets on a stand and bingo — there was the sound I was looking for: deep and throaty, a good chick sound and a great bark, and with more control than the K Lights (which sounded just a bit wilder to my ear).

I also got an 18" A Medium-Thin crash (which replaces an early-'90s vintage 18" A M/T crash that has much too much "clang" in its attack), an Ahead bag for my Dyna-Sonic (the snare rail causes it to rock around in the SKB hardshell case I originally bought for my Black Beauty), a bunch of VF 5As and a pair of VF T3 mallets. Stan gave me a fair value for my never-to-be-used-again 22" A Avedis Dark ride, '90s-vintage 21" A Sweet Ride, early-2000s 19" A Custom crash and the aforementioned 18" A M/T crash in trade. The difference was covered by my tax refund.

After setting up and playing the new crash and new hats on my kit, I can report that they all sound wonderful, especially through my recording system. The crash blends perfectly with the existing 15", 16", 17" and 18" crashes I currently have up on the kit, and the hats are deep and complex. My only concern is that when I ride on my 22" K Con Bounce I can overpower the hi-hat's 'chick' sound if I get carried away, but I'll work that out. I also have to increase the spring tension on my DW 5000 stand — the 15" top must be quite a bit heavier than my 14" NB top, which weighs 928g (I haven't weighed any of the new cymbals yet).

Another GREAT day at Pro Drum Shop, and a big "thank you" to Stan and Jerry!

 

[hardbat]

Trading off between a variety:
- 14" old K new stamps
- 13" old K old stamps
- 13" old K Const. stamps
- 13" old Zanchi Vibras
- 13" Canadian K
- 12" Stanople Uzuiriopes

I'm not going to keep all of them. But I haven't decided which ones I want to keep yet, and which ones I want to sell. I used the 12" pair on my last trio recordings.

 

[Biggsenator]

The 15" hats that I've heard speak with a deeper voice than just about any 14s. And loud is completely up to the player. I'm planning a trip to Pro Drum Shop tomorrow, so I'll report back if I buy anything!

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[Markkuliini]

Brother, if we were in the same country I would be breaking into your house! Those are A-MAZ-ING!

I have to say I agree, those doin vs fantastic.
But Lasse lives only about 500 miles from here. Maybe easier to break in to his house, so you can select from a bigger selection.

 

[pwc1141]

Bosphorus Master series (semi lathed) 14" have been the only ones on my set for some years. Still love them.

 

[Seb77]

The 15" hats that I've heard speak with a deeper voice than just about any 14s.

With hats the sound is not only about the cymbals but also about the space in between, which creates resonance. Bigger cymbals-->more space-->lower resonance.

 

[jptrickster]

I always dig on the 50's AZ or Istanbul K 14 thins around 7-750 grams for lighter acoustic stuff. It was really only these back in the day. Still relevant.

 

[multijd]

The reason I ask is that 15" hats just seem, dark or not, too heavy and loud for jazz. But maybe I'm wrong. Let me know how that works out.

I have a mismatched pair of 15’s that are lovely: A light K and light A. They make an outstanding pair and are not heavy at all!! Maybe modern pairs of 15” are heavier but vintage 15” can be super light and splashy just lower pitched and darker.

 

[hsosdrum]

My only concern is that when I ride on my 22" K Con Bounce I can overpower the [new 15" K Sweet] hi-hat's 'chick' sound if I get carried away, but I'll work that out.

I worked it out. As it turns out, at first the cymbals weren't coming together properly, so the 'chick' sounded a bit mushy. After fiddling a bit with the felts on my hi-hat clutch and the seating of the bottom cymbal on the stand I got everything squared away and now those 15" K Sweets sound SA-WEEEEET indeed! The 'chick' has more than enough cut, and they have the perfect amount of slosh for loose riding and all-out rock'n'roll bashing! Being Ks they have more personality and make their presence known within my overall sound by their unique sonic voice rather than by their volume. I really like these things! (P.S. They weighed-in at 1074g/1633g — that's one heavy bottom!)

 

[RogersCat007]

Hey all!

Wondering what everyone's preferences are for hats, specifically for playing in the jazz idiom. I'm playing on some 60's A's currently, but thinking about grabbing another pair. Perhaps some 14" Paiste Masters Dark hats, or 14" K Cons. What does everyone else play? 14 vs 15? Etc, etc...

 

[RogersCat007]

Hey all!

Wondering what everyone's preferences are for hats, specifically for playing in the jazz idiom. I'm playing on some 60's A's currently, but thinking about grabbing another pair. Perhaps some 14" Paiste Masters Dark hats, or 14" K Cons. What does everyone else play? 14 vs 15? Etc, etc...

I use 14 inch Zilco's, 14 inch Zildjian K's, Sabian pre AA 14's, 13 inch Trans Stamp Zildjian A's 40's, they are all light to paper thin weights

 

[RogersCat007]

I use 14 inch Zilco's, 14 inch Zildjian K's, Sabian pre AA 14's, 13 inch Trans Stamp Zildjian A's 40's, they are all light to paper thin weights

 

[Kevinpursuit]

Still using 30+ year 14” Sabian flat hats, works for all kinds of music. Flat med heavy bottom with three good size holes drilled midway, regular medium on top makes. The holes make them fast for the foot with a nice chick, sounds great open, light, or closed.

14" Sabian AA Flat Hi Hats HiHats Cymbals | Sydneyland Studios | Reverb

14" Sabian AA Flat Hats with the old school semi-brilliant finish. The ink is faded a bit and they may have been cleaned. They also have patina and discoloration and stickmarks and probably some scratches.. oh, and some tape residue. There's no cracks. The center holes have mild wear. Nicking on ...

reverb.com

 

[sternerp]

14" K Custom Dark (mid-2000's) are my main set
12" Zildjian (late '40's to early '50's) these are fun to use in my swing combo

 

[TroyB]

I use. 14" K
I use. 14" HH
I use . 13 " AAX

 

[David M Scott]

Hey all!

Wondering what everyone's preferences are for hats, specifically for playing in the jazz idiom. I'm playing on some 60's A's currently, but thinking about grabbing another pair. Perhaps some 14" Paiste Masters Dark hats, or 14" K Cons. What does everyone else play? 14 vs 15? Etc, etc...

Awhile back I decided I liked a brighter lighter sound than the 3 sets I had around. I had purchased a Sabian 14in B8X crash as it was bright and had some sizzle. So I purchased a second and now use them, selling the others off. Interesting to note that one is in the key of B the other D when struck. I haven't weighed them but guessing there is a variance. Rotating them around for Blues and Jazz seems to give a different effect or maybe I just think it does. I'm happy

 

[Sprice]

I think I found my forever hats last year: A set of hollow logo 14" new beats that have never been cleaned or polished as far as I can tell. 990 over 1390. If there were a massive surge in my drum budget I'd be interested in checking out some others from this thread, but for now they do everything for me.

 

[Jazzhead]

I don’t have a set of “Jazz” hihats but I am using a set of 14” K custom dark hats and they work perfectly for Jazz music.

 

[Gunnellett]

S

I don’t have a set of “Jazz” hihats but I am using a set of 14” K custom dark hats and they work perfectly for Jazz music.

Sounds like they are jazz hats then!

 

[Seb77]

I think I found my forever hats last year: A set of hollow logo 14" new beats that have never been cleaned or polished as far as I can tell. 990 over 1390. If there were a massive surge in my drum budget I'd be interested in checking out some others from this thread, but for now they do everything for me.

These can work fine. I have a pair like that, extra-heavy bottom, but they "mate" well and aren't that loud. Dynamic maybe. I do use lighter hats for most things at the moment but would have no problem using the NBs for jazz, too.
Peter Erskine might change his top cymbals, but his hats, from what I have seen, have remained NBs.