HELP! How to lower hi-hat stand?
- Thread starter 805Drummer
- Start date
805Drummer
Gold Member
I have to get this one fixed. I don't have the money or need for a new hi-hat stand.
Do you buy DW stuff for your 5 year old son?
BattleArmor
Silver Member
To the OP.
How short are you?
I ask this, because I consider myself short [ 5' 5" ] and I have never had a problem with hi hat stands.
Anyway, I guess your only option is to cut it.
Hope it works out.
How short are you?
I ask this, because I consider myself short [ 5' 5" ] and I have never had a problem with hi hat stands.
Anyway, I guess your only option is to cut it.
Hope it works out.
805Drummer
Gold Member
Yeah, I dunno. I'm like 5' 2" or 5' 3" or something. I'' figure something out. Thanks for the help guys!
rmandelbaum
Platinum Member
it looks like you can get away with cutting it. See the threaded coupling I was talking about? My suggestion is to cut the minimum you need to.
You may decide to go higher at some point or even sell it.
Also if you have a tubing cutter it will be cleaner then a hack saw
You may decide to go higher at some point or even sell it.
Also if you have a tubing cutter it will be cleaner then a hack saw
KarlCrafton
Platinum Member
805---
I know you are holding the tube away from the base of the stand, but it looks like you could cut about 2-3" off the tube easily and it would go down farther.
I think the center tube is just too long, and it bottoms out where the legs of the stand attach (above the outer foot board stuff).
I would say put it next to the base, and measure & mark where you want it to sit.
Then give it another inch of clearance and cut the tube.
another way to measure where you want the height to be is to take a yard stick and put your hand where it's comfortable (sitting in playing position) and measure how high your stick is.
Then make your measurements from that.
It's probably only a couple inches lower.
A real good tool to have is a tube cutter.
They are pretty inexpensive, and you don't need a vice and a hacksaw--and it makes clean cuts with no mess.
A little cutting fluid makes it easier, and that stuff is real cheap too.
You can get both at a local hardware store.
Good luck.
Bran---
My son has hardware on his kit that I don't use anymore (like the 5000 hat stand and some older DW & Ludwig stands).
If I was buying him hardware, it would NOT be the expensive heavy duty DW stuff (!!), but I would get him gear that would last years.
He had some $29 GC stands when he first started, and the POS hat stand that came with the kit for a bit, but I put a good hat stand up for him.
You can't learn if your gear is working against you, and the other one just wouldn't go up and down, and the foot board got mangled because it was so cheap.
He stole my (then) favorite pedal for his kit when he was 2 1/2...my old faithful 5000 strap drive......mostly because it has the red plate, but it's a light feel and he works it real well, so I let him use it.
Besides, YOU try and get a piece of gear away from a little kid that they really want--and then live with them haha!
I got the Pearl Eliminator and I like it better, so it worked out...but one day, I'll get it back!!
I know you are holding the tube away from the base of the stand, but it looks like you could cut about 2-3" off the tube easily and it would go down farther.
I think the center tube is just too long, and it bottoms out where the legs of the stand attach (above the outer foot board stuff).
I would say put it next to the base, and measure & mark where you want it to sit.
Then give it another inch of clearance and cut the tube.
another way to measure where you want the height to be is to take a yard stick and put your hand where it's comfortable (sitting in playing position) and measure how high your stick is.
Then make your measurements from that.
It's probably only a couple inches lower.
A real good tool to have is a tube cutter.
They are pretty inexpensive, and you don't need a vice and a hacksaw--and it makes clean cuts with no mess.
A little cutting fluid makes it easier, and that stuff is real cheap too.
You can get both at a local hardware store.
Good luck.
Bran---
My son has hardware on his kit that I don't use anymore (like the 5000 hat stand and some older DW & Ludwig stands).
If I was buying him hardware, it would NOT be the expensive heavy duty DW stuff (!!), but I would get him gear that would last years.
He had some $29 GC stands when he first started, and the POS hat stand that came with the kit for a bit, but I put a good hat stand up for him.
You can't learn if your gear is working against you, and the other one just wouldn't go up and down, and the foot board got mangled because it was so cheap.
He stole my (then) favorite pedal for his kit when he was 2 1/2...my old faithful 5000 strap drive......mostly because it has the red plate, but it's a light feel and he works it real well, so I let him use it.
Besides, YOU try and get a piece of gear away from a little kid that they really want--and then live with them haha!
I got the Pearl Eliminator and I like it better, so it worked out...but one day, I'll get it back!!
oops
Silver Member
Funny story: The footplate on your stand is identical to the one on mine (Ludwig Accent Custom) which also happens to be to tall for me.
I've dealt with it over the last 2 years (debated cutting it) and I'm alright with it now, but I tend to sit a bit higher.
If you cut it, make sure it's parallel with the bottom edge, if you cut it a little bit crooked it might mean that the hats don't ever sit completely flat.
I've dealt with it over the last 2 years (debated cutting it) and I'm alright with it now, but I tend to sit a bit higher.
If you cut it, make sure it's parallel with the bottom edge, if you cut it a little bit crooked it might mean that the hats don't ever sit completely flat.
805Drummer
Gold Member
Actually, I'm not gonna cut it, I've decided. I raised all my drums a bit, then I raised my throne so everything is proportionate. When I get a new drum set in a couple months (yes, a new drum set), I'll have a new hi-hat stand.
My experience in attempting to modify HiHat stands to enable a lower cymbal playing level.
Background
It appears that the current design of HiHat stands overlooks the fact that not only juveniles, but adults too have a variety of reasons for wanting lower minimum set up heights. Would it be too much to ask that stands be designed to accommodate this without prejudicing those who may need perform standing, standing observably being the exception rather than the rule.
Excluding the much older plain flat footed HiHat stands, in my experience the only Hi Hat stand that I have found that can be set to the minimum height that I need, around 57.5 centimetres, (approx. 22.6”), from floor to the top of the actuating rod encompassing lower tube, is an old Pearl stand on which I cannot find a model number. It has an effective footplate spring tension adjuster, but lacks the capability of rotating the pedal relative to the stand feet. It was not necessary to replace the existing cymbal carrier tube, but I shortened the screw in top half of the cymbal actuating rod for reasons explained below.
My need for a lower than normal current model HiHat stand arises from the fact that for me the playing height for my 2 BD and planned 2 HiHat setup depends on the seating height that gives me the best BD foot pedal height for playing my 2 lightly sprung Ludwig Speed King Pedals. Having established the seating height, the snare drum height is set and then the high hats when closed around level with the snare drum so as to permit stick crossing at the same level. The cymbal lifting rods that usually protrude uselessly and inconveniently far above the tops of the cymbals, are shortened to about 6 centimetres, (approx 2.35”), above the top cymbal to keep them from obstructing stick movement between HiHats, drums and other cymbals, opportunities that are unfettered if the drummer does not cross arms when playing HiHats and backbeats etc. on the snare.
Attempting a height lowering modification of current model HiHats.
Having worked out what I thought needed to be done I bought a Ludwig L316HH and a Yamaha HS-740A HiHat stand. That is, until doing a final check of measurements I realised that as mentioned above, the limiting factor is not overcome by shortening cymbal carrier tube if the floor height to top of the lower cymbal actuating rod and cymbal carrier tube containing tube is too long, typically 65.0 or 70.0 centiimetres.
But suppose that you have a HiHat stand that sets down to the critical height that you want and you decide to shorten the cymbal carrier tube. If you decide to retain the original and replace it with a piece of tube then it is necessary to ensure that the plastic cymbal mount on the original can be removed, if not then an original tube will need to be shortened. Choosing the metal of a replacement tube you may consider chrome plated steel, but as has been pointed out by others cutting a chrome plated tube needs a tube cutter to ensure a square cut and minimising chrome flaking. Alternatives include polished stainless steel, brass and copper and bright steel or mild steel though these latter two may rust, or high strength PVC piping. Brass and copper may need polishing from time to time as both corrode and especially if touching steel, potentially through electrolysis. As I found when sourcing polished 7/8” stainless steel tube for the HS-740A, replacement tubing needed to be exactly concentric as measured with a professional quality Vernier gauge. Typical of Yamaha’s renowned engineering standards their original tube was perfectly concentric and to specified size. The polished marine grade stainless steel tube railing that I bought was thin walled and measurably eccentric and could not be inserted into the mating lower tube. I would assume that this would be an issue for other good quality HiHat stands.
Need I say, there may be a ways to readily modify modern design HiHat stands to sit lower and achieve lower playing heights, and of which I am unaware.
I hope that this helps but don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Cheers
Quadridex
Background
It appears that the current design of HiHat stands overlooks the fact that not only juveniles, but adults too have a variety of reasons for wanting lower minimum set up heights. Would it be too much to ask that stands be designed to accommodate this without prejudicing those who may need perform standing, standing observably being the exception rather than the rule.
Excluding the much older plain flat footed HiHat stands, in my experience the only Hi Hat stand that I have found that can be set to the minimum height that I need, around 57.5 centimetres, (approx. 22.6”), from floor to the top of the actuating rod encompassing lower tube, is an old Pearl stand on which I cannot find a model number. It has an effective footplate spring tension adjuster, but lacks the capability of rotating the pedal relative to the stand feet. It was not necessary to replace the existing cymbal carrier tube, but I shortened the screw in top half of the cymbal actuating rod for reasons explained below.
My need for a lower than normal current model HiHat stand arises from the fact that for me the playing height for my 2 BD and planned 2 HiHat setup depends on the seating height that gives me the best BD foot pedal height for playing my 2 lightly sprung Ludwig Speed King Pedals. Having established the seating height, the snare drum height is set and then the high hats when closed around level with the snare drum so as to permit stick crossing at the same level. The cymbal lifting rods that usually protrude uselessly and inconveniently far above the tops of the cymbals, are shortened to about 6 centimetres, (approx 2.35”), above the top cymbal to keep them from obstructing stick movement between HiHats, drums and other cymbals, opportunities that are unfettered if the drummer does not cross arms when playing HiHats and backbeats etc. on the snare.
Attempting a height lowering modification of current model HiHats.
Having worked out what I thought needed to be done I bought a Ludwig L316HH and a Yamaha HS-740A HiHat stand. That is, until doing a final check of measurements I realised that as mentioned above, the limiting factor is not overcome by shortening cymbal carrier tube if the floor height to top of the lower cymbal actuating rod and cymbal carrier tube containing tube is too long, typically 65.0 or 70.0 centiimetres.
But suppose that you have a HiHat stand that sets down to the critical height that you want and you decide to shorten the cymbal carrier tube. If you decide to retain the original and replace it with a piece of tube then it is necessary to ensure that the plastic cymbal mount on the original can be removed, if not then an original tube will need to be shortened. Choosing the metal of a replacement tube you may consider chrome plated steel, but as has been pointed out by others cutting a chrome plated tube needs a tube cutter to ensure a square cut and minimising chrome flaking. Alternatives include polished stainless steel, brass and copper and bright steel or mild steel though these latter two may rust, or high strength PVC piping. Brass and copper may need polishing from time to time as both corrode and especially if touching steel, potentially through electrolysis. As I found when sourcing polished 7/8” stainless steel tube for the HS-740A, replacement tubing needed to be exactly concentric as measured with a professional quality Vernier gauge. Typical of Yamaha’s renowned engineering standards their original tube was perfectly concentric and to specified size. The polished marine grade stainless steel tube railing that I bought was thin walled and measurably eccentric and could not be inserted into the mating lower tube. I would assume that this would be an issue for other good quality HiHat stands.
Need I say, there may be a ways to readily modify modern design HiHat stands to sit lower and achieve lower playing heights, and of which I am unaware.
I hope that this helps but don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Cheers
Quadridex