Help me pick a Tama hi-hat stand

Reggae_Mangle

Silver Member
Hello,
I'm evaluating a few hi-hat stands for my kit. It'll be exclusively for use at home, so tour-grade equipment is not necessary. That said, I'd like something that doesn't fall apart or damage any other equipment due to poor fabrication. I narrowed down on Tama, since they seem to make quality hardware and the price points seemed more reasonable than Pearl or Mapex out here. Short-listed the following models:
1) Tama Swingstar DX HH25W
2) Tama Stagemaster HH35W
3) Tama Road Pro HH75W

The Road Pro seem to be the most reliable of the lot, but they're also more expensive. I thought the 35W seems to be a good reliable beginner/lower end intermediate stand, while the DX seemed like a significant update of a lower end stand.

Any drawbacks going with the Swingstar DX? It's double braced and looks to be of sturdy construction. The only reason I'd opt for this over the Stagemaster is the price, I could really afford to save the $$$ and I read somewhere on here that splurging (if you can call it that) on a high end stand before you know how to use one effectively is pointless.

Or should I ignore everything below Road Pro level from Tama? As mentioned, I'm not going to be touring with it and money is of "Mission Critical" status these days. If I'm looking at that price level, would Pearl's H-1000 or H-900 stands be superior?

- Reggae Mangle
 
I have both the Stagemaster and the Roadpro and they're both great. The Roadpro is obviously more stable, but if I had to do a gig with the Stagemaster, I could. But if you're only going to buy one to use forever, get the RoadPro. I think I only paid $95 for mine, and its great. The Stagemasters run about $79-89, so you're not that far away from the RoadPro, money-wise. Get the bigger one ;)
 
I would go with the Stagemaster. Peace and goodwill.
 
Budget first then features............

Sound advice, GRUNTERSDAD. But you know the age-old dilemma: to mortgage or not mortgage the house for gear :D

Thanks, Bo_Eder, that's a good endorsement and comparison. And thanks, Drumolator, the odds are adding up for the Stagemaster.

I have this mental image of the hi-hat at the local jampad. Yes, that hi-hat, the one of your nightmares. I don't want it to come home after me.

- Reggae Mangle
 
If you can play them both, you should. I know that's the mantra for just about everything drum related, especially drums and cymbals. The hi-hat stand is the only stand that gets played so it deserves the extra scrutiny. It's a huge issue to me if a hi-hat stand feels crappy, either too stiff, uncomfortable footboard angle, or whatever, and having no adjustments. I also get that you need to set and stick to a budget ... but don't skimp on anything with a pedal if you can avoid it. If the RoadPro is only 25 bucks more and feels better to play on, then that's money well spent.
 
I don't understand you on this one. There are no extra features when comparing the RoadPro to the Stagemaster. One just appears to be on steroids and is much more solid.
Looks to me like the RoadPro has a tension adjustment on it and the Stagemaster doesn't. If the Stagemaster feels good where it is, then great, go for that one, because once the RoadPro is set, it'll probably never get adjusted again anyway.
 
Looks to me like the RoadPro has a tension adjustment on it and the Stagemaster doesn't. If the Stagemaster feels good where it is, then great, go for that one, because once the RoadPro is set, it'll probably never get adjusted again anyway.

Duh! That's right. I forgot all about that. I've never adjusted mine. I've been playing it that way right out of the box! Sorry about that. For that matter, I probably did that because the Stagemaster didn't have any adjustments, so I just tend to use stuff as is. My playing could've been so much better had I known ;)
 
In the end, it wasn't a Tama or a Pearl or a DW.

Meet Filbert. The first hi-hat I ever owned.

7i2.jpg


Under $40. No frills whatsoever. Can't even swivel the pedal. I'm having so much fun!

- Reggae Mangle
 
Next upgrade, lads! Thanks! Filbert is a POS, but I can see it serving me well for a year at least :)
 
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