best hi-hat/bass pedal combo

fmass92

Senior Member
as of right now i have a sound percussion bass pedal and a cheap pearl hi-hat stand. they're both manageable, but i was thinking of upgrading in the summer once i can start working again. i'd like to keep the two as the same model/company so they have a similar feel, so what do you guys recommend?

i'd like to get a single bass pedal, so a 2/3 leg hi-hat stand doesn't matter, but are 2 legs really as stable compared to 3? also, money isn't an issue.

thanks for any suggestions
 
Well, logistically 3 legs are more stable than 2.....seemingly, however I can personally attest to the incredible stability of some 2-legged hi-hat stands. I have owned a few pairs of 3-legged stands, and since switching to double pedals a few years ago, I have owned strictly 2-legged stands like the Yamaha HS1000, which I recently sold to get their new top-of-the-line model (HS1200D), and I also own a Tama Iron Cobra Lever Drive. In all honesty, the 2-legged stands feel just as sturdy and stable as the 3-legged ones.

If money isn't an issue, then get something that's good quality made by a relaible manufacturer. I would also recommend getting 2-legged instead of 3 because the sturdiness isn't an issue with the better models, and it gives you the flexibility to not have to change hi-hat stands later if you switch to double pedals.

Off the top of my head, Yamaha, Tama, Pearl and DW make good quality, sturdy stuff that I'm sure you would love, especially if you get their higher-end products (Yamaha 1200, Tama Iron Cobra, Pearl Eliminator, DW 5000/8000/9000). Those are kinda the big four that you can't go wrong with, but there are others like Axis worth checking out too (great BD pedals, never tried their hi-hat stands).

Good luck,

Mike
 
what do you think of the hs1200?

It's great! Super sturdy, very adjustable, smooth action, silent mechanisms.....basically, anything you could want in a hi-hat stand.

Here's a mini-review:
Comparing my new HS1200D to the HS1000 I sold, there were a few things I noticed. From a set-up standpoint, the 1200 has a greater range of how far you can slide the legs down the main shaft. Once the feet reach the ground, you can still push the legs down more which results in the stand angling towards you the further you go. I was easily able to find a happy balance where I could angle it just enough to give me the stability I wanted (that little bit of an angle prevents the stand from wobbling back when playing foot strokes) without having to rotate the legs from their factory positions, but not so much that I even notice an angle from my playing position on the throne (seems flat). The HS1000 had a smaller range because of the location of the tension adjustment piece on the main shaft. Once the feet reached the ground, the legs would only slide down a hair more making the stand more upright. At that position the stand got a bit wobbly when playing frequent strokes with my feet and I had to rotate the legs so that one of them was sort of behind the main shaft in line with the pedal. This isn't a big deal or anything and it solved the wobbling perfectly, but it's nice to have the legs back and to the side (factory position) on the 1200 to make a symmetrical triangular base with the base of the footboard. Again, I stress that this isn't a big deal at all because there is a reason why both models (and other brands high-end models) come with rotating legs (I.E. stability, set-up flexibility to accommodate the legs of other stands in the vicinity), but thought it was worth mentioning.

The feet of both models have retractable spikes, but the spikes on the 1200 can be activated by pushing a locking button, where as the spikes on the 1000 need a drum key. Again, not a huge deal but obviously pushing a button is easier and faster that using a drum key. The 1200 also has a two-sided washer for the bottom hat's cymbal seat (rubber and felt) which gives you the choice of what you prefer. The 1000 came with a stationary rubber washer only. I prefer felt as it's softer on the cymbal, but because it's two-sided, it's also flat meaning the bottom cymbal moves when playing the hats with sticks, even when they're closed (rounded bell on a flat surface). The 1000's rubber washer was concaved to fit the bell into it better so the hats didn't flop around when being played, which I prefer. I know a lot of drummers don't mind their hats being loose and sloshy, but I prefer mine tight and stable with minimal movement. Yamaha should have just made 2 separate washers, one felt and one rubber, but both concaved instead of one flat two-sided washer. I don't really see that being a cost issue for them, plus, players who like their hats sloshy can still easily attain that by having their top hat cymbal loose on the clutch.

The 1200 also comes with two tension rods of different lengths. A shorter one designed for open-handed set-ups and a longer one for traditional cross-handed set-ups, or if you like your hi-hats set higher. I really applaud Yamaha for this because even factoring out the whole "different lengths to accommodate different set-ups" thing, just having a spare tension rod is great since it's one of the more "fragile" pieces of hardware having a greater likelihood of somehow getting bent eventually....and once a tension rod gets a bend in it, you'll never get it back straight. I don't think the HS1000 offered two tension rods, but I got mine used so I don't know if a longer one came with it or not. I use the shorter rod even though I play cross-handed because it allows my stand to go safely underneath the outer edge of one of my crash cymbals without having to worry about the cymbal hitting the top of the stand when I crash it and possibly causing damage. It's out of the way, yet the hats are still set high enough that playing cross-handed is comfortable. I'm 6'2" and the heights of my drums and cymbals are set accordingly, so I really don't understand how high some people like to set their hi-hats, but obviously some players must or manufacturers wouldn't make rods to accommodate them. Even using the shorter rod I still have about 2 inches from the top of the clutch to the top of the tension rod and I'm still able to play cross-handed easily.

Obviously the look of the footboard is different too and I prefer the look of the new one. This isn't really important to me as I like the look of both footboards just fine, and quality and functionality are much more important to me (something both models have in abundance), but thought I'd mention it if it's important to you.

Those are pretty much all the main points. The 1200 is great and has a few improvments over the 1000, but you really can't go wrong either way and the overall difference isn't that much. If you can save some real money getting a 1000 (either new-old stock, or used but in good condition) then go for it. If not, spend the little bit extra and get the 1200. BTW, The HS1100 is also from the previous generation and was basically the 1000 but with extra stabilization bars between the two legs - an AWESOME stand!

There are 3 different models of the HS1200:
The regular HS1200 is Yamaha's top-of-the-line 3-legged stand;
The HS1200D is the 2-legged with direct-pull drive;
The HS1200T is the 2-legged with toggle-link drive.

The T, or toggle-link, is described as having a lighter pedal feel at the top of the stroke and it gradually feels stronger as it goes through to the bottom of the stroke. Obviously there's a difference in the mechanism between the D and T models but the price difference is basically nothing (the T is 5-10 bucks more expensive than the D). As I was debating between the two, I decided that I'd rather have an even-feeling stroke since I was used to it, and the D was also the direct replacement of my HS1000 ("if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality). The toggle mechanism of the T seemed kinda "gadgety" to me. Since the D has a simpler mechanism I also figured it would be more solid and less prone to having issues down the road. I'm fully confident though that the T is just as solid and will last just as long because Yamaha's hardware is that good, but I still went with the D.



Hope you found this useful!

- Mike
 
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