Hi-Hats

I have a fondness for darker-sounding cymbals, and the models from Zildjian’s K Custom line are among my favorites. I have owned and played various models from this series, and these are some of the most ear-pleasing cymbals I’ve ever heard. It’s also amazing that they are beautifully handcrafted and aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. I have a pair 14” K Custom Dark Hats, which I own and have been playing for over a decade already. I’ve read somewhere that this is said to be the dark version of Zildjian’s classic bestselling A New Beat Hats. And I definitely agree with this. The K Custom Dark Hats has that versatile, full-bodied tone similar to the New Beats, but with a darker voice quality that blends in with the music instead of cutting through. I’ve played in an R&B / hip-hop band for almost a decade, and I’ve done several pop, rock, and jazz sessions. I’m also currently in a progressive rock band. With the different styles I play, the K Custom Dark Hats can easily fit in. Its dark chick sound is perfect for groove-oriented styles like R&B and hip-hop. Its barking, half-open sound can complement pop and rock styles. And of course, these hats are a natural fit in jazz-oriented styles. I've tried and played similar dark models from different brands, and for me the K Custom Dark Hats is one of the most versatile hats that I’ve ever played. And they sound very good in the studio too, as I’ve proven in a number of R&B, pop and rock recording sessions. I like how its dark sound doesn’t overpower the music. Like I said, I like how the sound blends in instead of cutting through, which is my personal preference. So if you want some extra cut and power in your hats, I suggest that you get the New Beats or any other similar-sounding model. Playing it with the hi-hat pedal, I also suggest that you put some angle to the bottom cymbal in order to achieve a more solid chick sound. Just like most K and K Custom Zildjians, my K Custom Dark Hats are also aging gracefully like fine wine. With the logo of my top hat cymbal fading in time, the sound tends to smoothen as it gets older. I also appreciate how durable it is, considering how the medium-thin-weight top and the medium-weight bottom cymbals are holding up. With proper care and playing, these hats can last for a lifetime. I highly recommend the K Custom Dark Hats to drummers who prefer a dark, solid, versatile hi-hat sound that blends in with the music. It’s a beautiful-looking and even more beautiful-sounding pair of hats. The K Custom Dark Hats may not be affordable, but these high-end hats are worth the investment.

The Zildjian ZBT 14" Hi-Hats are intermediate level cymbals, really only for use within the context of a full drum set. I haven't done any recording with these hi hats but have played a kit that has them a number of times at a friends who has a kit with mostly Zildjian ZBT cymbals on it. I'm primarily not a drummer so I don't own any drums or cymbals myself, but as an engineer I've recorded a ton of different drum sets and cymbals and have a pretty good idea about what sounds good and what doesn't. While not ideal for any situation, the Zildjian ZBT 14" Hi-Hats will do the job just fine for playing shows, practicing, and even recording if you don't have anything else to work with. Don't get me wrong, they definitely don't sound bad but when compared to other hi hats, these pale in comparison. They are pretty heavy as far as hi hats go and in my opinion are definitely best suited for rock music and in situations where the hats are going to be open a lot. Perhaps I'm just a stickler when it comes to cymbals to record with as these will be suitable for most drummers who aren't professional or semi-professional. The price is definitely nice with the Zildjian ZBT 14" Hi-Hats as it's about the least you can spend without getting something close to unusable. Zildjian has a great reputation for making cymbals of all shapes and sizes and in all price ranges, which is really a nice thing. Of course professionals will know that these aren't adequate for everyday use, but those who are just upgrading their beginner kit or are putting together a beginner's kit themselves, they'll be just fine. Check em out if you're looking for some hi hats that won't break the bank and don't sound bad...

These Bosphorus Master Series Hi hats are a good example of the Bosphorus quality. I first found these because they reminded me of the Istanbul Sultan hats I owned. They looked similar, and seemed to have similar production processes. Not surprisingly, I was thrilled when I heard them for the first time, as the produce a very unique sound that is difficult to find. More than anything else, their warmth struck me. Many old or high end cymbals are dark and cool, but these are dark and warm. It really adds a lot of thickness to the tone and provides full character and richness. The chick is punchy and powerful and the splashes are responsive. When riding with the shoulder of the sticks, it creates a good smoky and chunky sound. I have only played the 14" models, but I imagine the bigger versions are even fatter sounding with a stronger chick. I don't think I like these as much as the Istanbul hats I have because they don't sound as old. Also, the bell sound better in the Istanbul top than it does in this Bosphorus model. However, this may be due to personal bias, as I never owned these hi hats personally. There were really no drawbacks that I could see, and these are pretty versatile. They may lack a certain bright and shimmering quality good for harder rock, but in jazz, funk, fusion, and many other styles these fit in just fine. These really are great cymbals, and I am surprised that I don't see more of them around. I used to play the Stanton Moore Signature line after we had a promotion at the store I used to work at. I was impressed, but I like these hats a lot better. I would suggest these to anyone looking or a great cymbal with a lot of warmth and character.

This was the first set of hi hats I ever bought, and I still occaisionally gig with them today. The 505's are a really interesting line because people often mistake them for the 2002's. The 505's are considered lower quality, but have an extremely similar alloy and lathing make up. 505's are often really old, cus there are a lot of used models for sale at killer prices. I really liked these hi hats when I played them and they felt really great. The chick is punchy and the stick definition is really chunky. When opened, the wash is powerful and raw, but not too crazy. The only gripe I have with the sound is that the splashes don't sound very good. There is a lot of unnecessary ringing and it is difficult to get the splashes even. This is surprising considering the cymbal's other attributes. They are very versatile in a rock or funk context due to the powerful sounds and a middle ground of brigh/dark tones. It is trashy enough to groove out and really fool around with but clean enough to get in the pocket and chill. They don't look too spectacular because they are dark and uniform. Unless you are using paiste 505's or 2002's, these might clash with the overall look of the drum set. Of course, cymbals should be purchased on sound not sight. They are very versatile, and in many years of treating these badly and kicking em around from gig to gig they never sound or look and worse. These are probably the most durable cymbals I have. Like I said earlier, they are usually very reasonable priced for what you get. Whether for a veteran looking for a gigging pair of hats to beat up or a beginner looking to upgrade their stock cymbals, the Paiste 505's are a good all around choice.

I am a huge advocate of the HHX line, and one of my favorite examples of why this line kills are the Groove Hats. Funk and groovy rock/jazz are my favorite styles to play, and that is what these cymbals are marketed for. They certainly deliver on all accounts, and are just amazing cymbals. Everyone always reminisces about the old zildjians and classic hand hammered techniques etc., but to me these exhibit the pinnacle of fine cymbal production. I picked up a pair used for a deal, and every drummer who has ever played on them admits how great they are. These are dark, but also have bright overtones. They are smooth and responsive, with possibly the best funky chick I have ever heard. When riding with a pumping shoulder of the stick they are crunchy as anything, with a great dry wash sound when opened. They feel so fat that all you want to do is make the other musicians cut out and give you a nice syncopated 8 bar break. Just the sound of these alone is enough to encourage a non-funk player to play like Clyde Stubblefield. The cymbal bell is also an option because of its applicability. There are also coated forms of this cymbal, which I like a bit less but are a bit louder, brighter and possibly more versatile in louder harder types of music. Both are great, just personal preference. The only drawback is that these may be a little bit less vaeratile than other cymbals, such as the HHX stage hats, which are also unbelievable. That being said, nothing beats the HHX Groove hats on their home court, when playing funky jazzy stuff. These cymbals aren't cheap by any means, but I also suggest you at least try them at any cost. As good as cymbals can get.

I have been using the A Custom Mastersound hihats for about 2 months, and these hats are phenomenal. They look amazing and sound great. I have been looking through all the manufacturers and all the different kinds of cymbals to get the perfect hihats, and these were the best sounding hats I have played on. I have played on the K Custom Sessions, A Series Mastersound, New Beats, Sabian AA Rock Hats, and the Paiste Signature series hats, and these hihats blew them all away. The only hats that I am curious to try are the 14” K Custom Dark Hats, but these hats are my babies and I will never get rid of them. The 15” model gives a deeper, louder bang than its 14” brethren. The closed tone is also louder and crisper than with the other master sounds. These hats, when open, give an extremely melodic wash and a bright attack, yet when closed, they give of a loud, distinct chick. The open and closing of the hats gives of a loud swaying sound, good for added background. The open and closing patterns are tight and responsive, as all hihats need to be, with a crisp, bright attack to excel any beat forward. These hats have an amazingly quick response with the rippled edge on the bottom silencing them quickly without that suction noise. These hats are great for anyone, in any music genre. I would suggest the 15” version for anyone who needs or wants more volume and a deeper tone. I did my research and found that these were the best for me, and I was correct. These hats are definitely worth the large price tag attached, as they are a priceless piece of equipment. If I had the option, I would definitely do it all again.

I recently acquired those hats because they were gifted to me with a whole lot of drum stuff (including a 1964 Ludwig drum kit). I was sceptical at first since I thought writing rock on a cymbal was like writing gaming on a hard drive but I was pleasantly surprised when I found out they don't sound like trash. Those are not the best hats I have ever used but I definitely wouldn't complain if they were my only choice. I cannot say much about value for money since I don't know how much they cost. Ps. Why are people calling this a "Charley" and why is Charleston even used to describe hi hats in the 21st century?

I purchased these hihats back in 2008. I picked up the 14" K Hi-hat pair and immediately fell in love with them. Their sound is perfect for so many different styles of music from pop/rock to blues/jazz to funk or anything. What I like about them is that the decay is smooth and not over-powering. Some other hi-hat cymbals can 'wash' or sustain for too long and muddy up a tight drum performance. These cymbals are clear. They sound dark and crisp, but not dull. They are a little bit pricey compared to other zildjian cymbals, but I have never regretted the purchase. The Zildjian A and A Custom hi-hats are much brighter than the K series. I use A Custom crash cymbals, but found that having the K hi-hats contrasts the sound of the A Custom crashes in order to hear a clear distinction between the different cymbal types. I have seen many people use a K series top to the hi-hat and a Z series bottom hi-hat. Initially when I was looking at cymbals I thought I was going to pair the K/Z cymbals in this manner. However, I found that this combination was suitable for 'rock' styles of music, but was too harsh for anything else. Therefore, I decided to get both the top and bottom in the K series. I was really glad that I did this because they sound amazing for all styles of music. I have used these cymbals for recording and also for live performance. They are great in both situations. They sound very detailed on a recording. The all important "chick" sound cuts through a mix. The closed sound of the hi-hats is tight and focused, while the open or semi-open sound has a musical ring. These cymbals are high quality and can with-stand years of playing. In fact, I think they sound better now after years of sessions and gigs than they did when I purchased them. The most important thing is to take good care of them, and they will return the favor to you.

I wanted to get a new pair of hi hats and wanted to get rid of my zbts. A friend had a new beat hi hats and i thought Wow i need to go out and get me some new hats. So i went out to my local DRUM SHOP and started trying out hi hats. I tried almost everything they had from z customs to k customs. The two hats left z customs 13" and a customs 14" The a customs had much more response and alot clear. the z customs were also very nice but a customs seemed to have just a little more sound projection so i went with the a customs. I think i paid around 210 for the hi hats. Not a cheap pair of hats but if u want AWsome sound defiantly check out a customs. Everything. They sound good closed and open. All around GREAT hi hats. nothing I love them all the way around. I had my a customs for about a year now and they are holding up. No cracks dings or any flaws. I am a hard player and have cracked alot of cymbals, but the a customs are holding up and still look like the day I got them. Zildjian is the way to go by far. Bottom line These cymbals are the best hi hats I have ever heard. If u want nice funky, jazz, cleaness but hard and loundness when you open them up these are the hats u want. I play ALOT of different music and I love them. Even played in a metal band and they still had enough projection to over come all the music, and including my z custom crashes. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I recieved these hats as a gift. I used them to replace my Planet Z's. They were $130 at MusiciansFriend.com. These hats are very sensitive. I like to play them real sloshy-Great sound! They are very crisp, and have a full "chick" sound. They are hammered around the edges. This makes them have this great tone. Nothing really. I guess they're sort of airy, but that is probably just my weak hi-hat clutch. Very solid-Typical Zildjian. Durable, great sounding, and cheap. Great intermediate hats. I would recommend these to anyone. Check out the rest of the ZXT line. Thanks for checking out my review. I hope it was helpful. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Got from some Welsh drum shop (Drum World UK) from a steal at just £170 (RRP £370). Needed new hats as the free brass ones which came with my CB kit were crapulent. Ooh baby! You've never heard such a sizzle when open (apart from on the records) and they are crisp as a packet of Walkers when closed! Beautiful bronze hand made cymbals, maybe the best out there... (except for Istanbuls, but they ain't cheap!) You WILL need a good hi hat stand - these hats are HEAVY!! The stand I got with my kit could barely lift these cymbals, but I solved that problem with a heavy duty Pearl H-800 stand. Never seen better. You can bash them with a sledge hamer and they won't dent or crack. Superb finish, satisfyingly weighty, so precise! Buy them - they're better than yours!!! Hehe, just kidding. They are beauties though. If you need some good sounding crisp hi hats that work for jazz, rock, heavy metal, orchestral and blues(and maybe even good ol' punk), then get these. I think they are worth the RRP (which is quite a lot) but if you see them for less than £250, get a pair! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I needed another set of hats to play on my double bass kit so I chose to buy the Zildjians. l Iiked the price and Zildjians great reputation a quality cymbal makers. I puchased them at musiciansfriend.com for 89.00 The only thing I liked was the finish. They are very handsome cymbals, but this was decieving... I initially played a pair of 14" Sabian B8s. They were cheaper than Zildjian and sounded great. The zildians were flimsy and soft. They weren't as crisp as the Sabians. Within the first 1/2 hour of playing the ZBTs I noticed small dents on the edges of the top hi hat that my stick was hitting. This was unacceptable. Soft, unusually bendable. Great looking finish. A horrible cymbal - bottom line--. Don't buy this. If you need a cheap pair of hats fo with the Sabian B8s. They are cheaper and will last an eternity longer than the ZBTs. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com