Looking for new hats

Liaztraht

Silver Member
Sold of an old handgun (yay sellers market) and have $450 from it to finally buy some hats.

There is just one problem, the local store (guitar center) has diddly squat to hit.

I currently have a 90's pair of Zildjian A Mastersounds. They work, but I'm not thrilled with them as the closed sound is OK, the open sound is lacking, but the semi open has a decent sizzle and slosh. They are also clangy when open.

I'm digging through some YouTube videos for ideas, but would like some advice. I am looking for a pair that would blend nicely with my current set up.

Current cymbal set up is:
19" AAX Xplosion Fast Crash - lower pitched, medium-quick decay, bright attack and a darker tone underneath, easily opens up at low volume but can get loud for rock/metal.

20" AAX Aero Crash - decently lower pitch, bright and trashy, quick decay for its size, but on par with the 19", a bit more crash like at low levels, more china like at rock/metal levels.

21" AA Bash Ride brilliant finish - basically a crash ride version of the raw bell dry ride, brighter stick definition on the bow, a little darker on the bell, medium tone wise and controlled when crashed, decent balance of ping and wash, longer decay but blends with the 19 and 20.

Hats wise I'm looking at the 15-16" range, with a good closed tight stick sound that can cut in a rock application, with a slightly darker and lower pitched open sound. So far I am liking the newer 15" AAX medium and thin hats. Oddly enough, in the videos I've seen, the thins had a higher pitch.

I did like their older stage hats, but would like a lower pitch.

Any others I should look at? Anyone try the newer AAX hats?
I'm also open to suggestions that use crashes as hats.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Absolutely go the 15" mediums. Nice low pitch with a real fat chick sound
 
I really liked the Meinl and Istanbul Agop pairs. The 2 Sabian pairs were great as well, but not too different from eachother. The New Beats sound like a slightly better version of my Mastersounds.
 
Sold of an old handgun (yay sellers market) and have $450 from it to finally buy some hats.

There is just one problem, the local store (guitar center) has diddly squat to hit.

I currently have a 90's pair of Zildjian A Mastersounds. They work, but I'm not thrilled with them as the closed sound is OK, the open sound is lacking, but the semi open has a decent sizzle and slosh. They are also clangy when open.

I'm digging through some YouTube videos for ideas, but would like some advice. I am looking for a pair that would blend nicely with my current set up.

Current cymbal set up is:
19" AAX Xplosion Fast Crash - lower pitched, medium-quick decay, bright attack and a darker tone underneath, easily opens up at low volume but can get loud for rock/metal.

20" AAX Aero Crash - decently lower pitch, bright and trashy, quick decay for its size, but on par with the 19", a bit more crash like at low levels, more china like at rock/metal levels.

21" AA Bash Ride brilliant finish - basically a crash ride version of the raw bell dry ride, brighter stick definition on the bow, a little darker on the bell, medium tone wise and controlled when crashed, decent balance of ping and wash, longer decay but blends with the 19 and 20.

Hats wise I'm looking at the 15-16" range, with a good closed tight stick sound that can cut in a rock application, with a slightly darker and lower pitched open sound. So far I am liking the newer 15" AAX medium and thin hats. Oddly enough, in the videos I've seen, the thins had a higher pitch.

I did like their older stage hats, but would like a lower pitch.

Any others I should look at? Anyone try the newer AAX hats?
I'm also open to suggestions that use crashes as hats.

Thanks!



I would totally go with a set of 15" HHX groove hats or 15" artisan hats if you can afford. My favourite hats out there.
 
I would totally go with a set of 15" HHX groove hats or 15" artisan hats if you can afford. My favourite hats out there.
I could not stretch it. This was purely me selling something I didn't need for something I want, but didn't really need.

Ended up going with the 15" AAX Mediums in a brilliant finish. The pair I got is surprisingly dark for that line.
 
I could not stretch it. This was purely me selling something I didn't need for something I want, but didn't really need.

Ended up going with the 15" AAX Mediums in a brilliant finish. The pair I got is surprisingly dark for that line.
I have the 14’s in a brilliant finish myself actually lol
 
For me, Zildjian New Beats have always sounded like I believe hi-hats should sound. Versatile and solid.
 
I have the 14" New Beats and i think the 15" would suit my needs better, but... so 15 it is!
 
I like the Quick Beats, which are just New Beats with a holy bottom. :D
 
I have the New Beat 70's made in Canada in 14", they were always.... Well, normal, maybe too much normal/versatile? My former drummer like them but he was really bad to express himself why?? So, as I just play vaguely drums, I started to look for other style of Hihat and bought the Meinl Sand Hat Benny Grebb and really like them.... And found the click hats to be vey good for our Funk Band so they are on my X-Hat too... When I play them I hear the beginning of the song "Shaft" in my head....
I still have to find a good pair of Artisan Sabian, maybe in 15", I have no 15" hats.... But I fell that hats might be the most difficult thing to find that fits you in a drum set, it's like you could spend a life time trying to find your perfect pair, it seems to me to be way more difficult than to learn and train your ears to sort them out compared to cymbals.... Ok, maybe because you play 70% of your time on Hihat and that I don't play drums a lot so, the feeling of what it should be is a bit vague for me..
 
HHX Complex might float your boat.

Gorgeous sounding hats and entire range!
 
Back
Top