Top hat cracked - suggestions

[Solaris]

Hmm, another "broken cymbals" thread...

Anyway, I've recently discovered a small edge crack on my top New Beat hat. I dropped it last year packing up at practice and there was a minor ding on the edge. I guess I knew sooner or later this would happen, I had just hoped it wouldn't.

So, this leaves me with 2 options.
A) I can buy a totally new set of hats - I've been looking at the AAX Stage and X-Celerators to replace my New Beats for a while anyway

or

B) I can just replace the top hat. I've always fancied mixed hat pairings, and wouldn't mind seeing how a K top hat sounds over the New Beat Bottom. Of course, I could also just hunt around for another New Beat top as well.

I'd like to hear your opinions on what you would do, and also some other views on possible replacement hats. I play in an alternative rock band, so I'm going to need something with a defined chick, nice open wash and good volume. I'm in two minds about whether to go with a dark or bright sound. To give some context I have a HHX Dry Ride, an Evo crash, a Saturation crash and an AAX-Xplosion crash (on the way!).

Cheers.

[wy yung]

Originally Posted by Solaris

Hmm, another "broken cymbals" thread...

Anyway, I've recently discovered a small edge crack on my top New Beat hat. I dropped it last year packing up at practice and there was a minor ding on the edge. I guess I knew sooner or later this would happen, I had just hoped it wouldn't.

So, this leaves me with 2 options.
A) I can buy a totally new set of hats - I've been looking at the AAX Stage and X-Celerators to replace my New Beats for a while anyway

or

B) I can just replace the top hat. I've always fancied mixed hat pairings, and wouldn't mind seeing how a K top hat sounds over the New Beat Bottom. Of course, I could also just hunt around for another New Beat top as well.

I'd like to hear your opinions on what you would do, and also some other views on possible replacement hats. I play in an alternative rock band, so I'm going to need something with a defined chick, nice open wash and good volume. I'm in two minds about whether to go with a dark or bright sound. To give some context I have a HHX Dry Ride, an Evo crash, a Saturation crash and an AAX-Xplosion crash (on the way!).

Cheers.

13 or 14" we have a new beat top 13" for $111.00

[razorx]

If you don't like the sound of your new beats then get new hats.

[Nodiggie]

I would pick up those sweet sounding AAX Stages and look for a used replacement for your broken top down the road. That's what I'd do.

[buddhainthesky]

I'd invest in a new pair. You say you've been looking at the Stage and X-cel hats to replace your new beats anyway. Both good sounding cymbals and I think the x-cel hats would go well with the evo's and xplosion.

I like the sound of the HHX evo, stage or x-cel hats if you're considering alternatives or even some nice a-customs.

[drumr0]

If you really want to save money, just do what I did and flip them over. I have been playing a Paiste Signature Dark Bottom over a Paiste Signature Power top for over 10 years now and they still sound great!

[MikeM]

I broke my New Beat top too a couple of years ago and went on a quest to find something new. I tried:

AAX Xcelerators - too slow and hard to control and too sizzle-y
AA Reg Hats - easy to control but too quiet, esp w/ the pedal
AAX Stage Hats - also too slow, hard to control, and oddly, too quiet. also, the body/sizzle ratio was too far into the sizzle range for me. Had a friend with an older pair that I loved, though.
Zildjian Ks - nice and loud but too sloshy and hard to control. Maybe I would need some time to get used to how dark they are, or maybe dark is just not right for me.
Paiste 2002 SE - too quiet but fun to play - I was sure I'd break them
Paiste Dark Crisp - top was too thin and felt too delicate, so I replaced it with a Sig Med top and it was close to comfortable for me, but was still a skosh slower than I wanted.

These were just the ones that made it on to my kit. At the drum shop, I really liked the Zildjian Armands because they were so responsive, sounded great, and were just fun to play. They were very close and might have been a good choice.

So after all that, I'm back to New Beats! They just do it all and are pleasing to my ears. I realize that this stuff is highly subjective, and it's possible that my brain has become hard-wired to listen for that NB sound and playability after playing them for most of 30 years.

[Solaris]

Thanks for all your input guys. I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and get a new pair of hats. I'll have to check out some AAX Stages and X-Cellerators, my local store has bugger-all Sabian stock.

[mikec]

I just replaced my 2002 SE hats.... with a pair of 2002 14' RUDES. I must say the RUDES are nice.... a lot darker than the 2002 SE but hopefully they are more durable.

[MrPowerRide]

Originally Posted by mikec

I just replaced my 2002 SE hats.... with a pair of 2002 14' RUDES. I must say the RUDES are nice.... a lot darker than the 2002 SE but hopefully they are more durable.

hihats should be durable no matter what. technic is everything and i have played drums for over 28 years and never have broken a hihat top, even when i tighten the top hat down completely with the clutch. so i dont know if it was an error in manufacturing or what.

[bonzolead]

Originally Posted by MrPowerRide

hihats should be durable no matter what. technic is everything and i have played drums for over 28 years and never have broken a hihat top, even when i tighten the top hat down completely with the clutch. so i dont know if it was an error in manufacturing or what.

Sometimes S--- happens LOL same thing happen too me after I had a set for 24 yrs.

I like OLD new-beats and was lucky enough to find a used set the reason being a new top hi-hat was more then a used set.

Good luck,
Bonzolead

[MikeM]

Originally Posted by MrPowerRide

hihats should be durable no matter what. technic is everything and i have played drums for over 28 years and never have broken a hihat top, even when i tighten the top hat down completely with the clutch. so i dont know if it was an error in manufacturing or what.

I'm not sure that it's reasonable to expect any cymbal to work in any situation and still remain durable. I've broken two hi hit tops in the 30 years I've been at it, but then again, I like cymbals on the thinner side and I like to hit pretty hard most of the time (with butt-ends). It happens.

[ccutler69]

if its a small crack you could just drill it out.

It will probably sound nearly the same, and in my experience better, crispier...

[Solaris]

Originally Posted by ccutler69

if its a small crack you could just drill it out.

It will probably sound nearly the same, and in my experience better, crispier...

Well, another two smaller cracks have developed alongside the main crack, most likely due to the uneven dispearsal of energy in the cymbal. But you are quite right, I think it's actually improved the sound of the cymbal at least in the short term. They are much more crisp, and sound especially better played half open. I'm sure in another month or so they will become unplayable, but until then I'm still really digging them.

[Dedworx]

Originally Posted by Solaris

Hmm, another "broken cymbals" thread...

Anyway, I've recently discovered a small edge crack on my top New Beat hat. I dropped it last year packing up at practice and there was a minor ding on the edge. I guess I knew sooner or later this would happen, I had just hoped it wouldn't.

So, this leaves me with 2 options.
A) I can buy a totally new set of hats - I've been looking at the AAX Stage and X-Celerators to replace my New Beats for a while anyway

or

B) I can just replace the top hat. I've always fancied mixed hat pairings, and wouldn't mind seeing how a K top hat sounds over the New Beat Bottom. Of course, I could also just hunt around for another New Beat top as well.

I'd like to hear your opinions on what you would do, and also some other views on possible replacement hats. I play in an alternative rock band, so I'm going to need something with a defined chick, nice open wash and good volume. I'm in two minds about whether to go with a dark or bright sound. To give some context I have a HHX Dry Ride, an Evo crash, a Saturation crash and an AAX-Xplosion crash (on the way!).

Cheers.

getting new hats sounds like a good idea. new beats are great all purpose hats and as far as i know aax stage are sabians "new beats".
chad smith from the chili peppers uses AAX excel hats and they sound great across their range of styles.
you may find a single hi hat top, possibly ebay?im not sure if shops are keen on selling you half, though they might be.
if you really like the new beat sound, then i would suggest just getting some new, new beats.
if you're looking at hearing some darker hats, the HHX stage hats i've heard sound nice.

you might want to still try all the hats in the store when you go, you could end up surprising yourself and hear something you really love you may not have thought about checking out.- its happened to me several times.

good luck, buying new cymbals is fun.

[Pollyanna]

I had the top cymbal of a pair of Paiste Sound Edge hats crack near the bell after a drunk fell over my kit at a party. I swapped them around, they still sounded great and lasted another 10 years or so until I sold the kit.