Hi-hat bottom warped?!

iCe

Gold Member
Hi everyone,

Earlier i posted about that my bottom hi-hat wasn't horizontal on the stand anymore. I was convinced that the felt on the stand was in need of replacement, so yesterday i replaced everything.
At first it looked ok, but during playing i noticed that the bottom was tilted again in certain parts. Then the idea (and shock) hit me that it might be warped. Took it off, but it on a nearby table and could see that it was warped. Took it home, tried it on another surface and yup... it's warped. The top cymbal is fine though and still perfectly flat.

To quote a lyric from the Dire Straits song 'On Every Street'; i don't know how it happened. I take care of my cymbals, keep them in the bag, haven't cracked a cymbal in ages, it's not technique, didn't drop it, didn't stand on it etc.
So I'm really baffled on how this could happen... the cymbal is almost 10 years old now, but i have a hard time believing that a thick bottom cymbal can't take the same amount of 'beating' the top has endured.

It's a Zildjian 14" A New Beat btw.

How can i fix this? Suggestions? Tips?
Can i send it to Zildjian to repair it or should i find someone who can hammer it flat again?

Btw; the gap in the pics look larger than they really are. It's a few milimeters (almost a ballpoint pen's tip).
Pics are from both sides, so it almost look likes 2 sides are off.
 

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Wow! I’ve never seen that before...when did you first notice? :unsure: Could someone have dropped it or knocked it over unbeknownst to you?:oops:
 
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Wow! I’ve never seen that before...when did you first notice? :unsure: Could someone have dropped it or knocked it over unbeknownst to you?:oops:

A few weeks back, but i thought it was the felt that was worn out or maybe the rod was bent. Never imagined it could be one of the cymbals.
I keep my kit with al the hardware in the practice space (all it bags or cases) and take the cymbals home, so nothing happened there. At home i have the stored away in my cymbal bag and if my wife did anything she would have mentioned it haha.
 
It looks to me like the bell is not shaped correctly. The very first pic its slanted towards the left.

Regardless of how or why its crooked, if it sounds good I would leave it alone.
 
That's really bizarre. I've never seen anything like that, and I've never seen anything like that happen over time. I suppose if it still sounds good and the cymbals still come together while playing I wouldn't worry about it. But bottom hi hat cymbals are easy enough find used that a replacement could be cheaply acquired.
 
That's really bizarre. I've never seen anything like that, and I've never seen anything like that happen over time. I suppose if it still sounds good and the cymbals still come together while playing I wouldn't worry about it. But bottom hi hat cymbals are easy enough find used that a replacement could be cheaply acquired.

They do come together, but the bottom is now always angled (like when you use the angle 'knob' on the stand). Sound wise no problems, but it's annoying to control the sound half open or open since the 2 cymbals always touch (i don't like them being too far apart). And because the bottom cymbal is tilted it's sometimes hard to get a good foot sound too.

Might check for a used bottom cymbal or maybe take this opportunity to finally get a 15" hi-hat...

It looks to me like the bell is not shaped correctly. The very first pic its slanted towards the left.

Regardless of how or why its crooked, if it sounds good I would leave it alone.

Did check the bell just now, but i think it's the lighting on the pics.

I would bet it was always exactly that way, and you just never noticed til now.

I'm really picky about the bottom cymbal being completely flat and would have noticed it when i got it almost 10 years ago.
 
I have decided that i will retire my 14" New Beats. The more i think about it; it started to annoy me more and more the last weeks that it effects the playability.
Playing it half open will result in the bottom cymbal still touching the top cymbal, which is really annoying. I really need to spread them further apart, but that means it's unplayable that way too since the cymbals won't fully connect.

Somewhat sad that it's just a month away that i would be using it for 10 years and that i need to retire it. Have good and nostalgic memories with these hats, so i don't want to further 'damage' them. Maybe give them a final spin next friday and then it's that...

Already decided i'm getting 15" K Light Hats as a replacement :D
 
That post was a rollercoaster, @iCe. The first two grafs? So sad! But then that button...

bf8.jpg
 
Already decided i'm getting 15" K Light Hats as a replacement :D
This is a time for celebration rather than mourning. I predict you'll be delighted by your transition to 15" hats. I got a pair of 15" A Avedis hats in December and am enamored of their warmth and wash. The 15" K Lights you've settled on are very nice too. You might reach the conclusion that departing from 14"s is the best hi-hat decision you've ever made.
 
I agree with others that it's probably always been warped. Assuming you like how it sounds, nothing needs to be done. And actually, the warp might help with making sure you don't get that vacuum effect while playing. After all, there is reason there is a tilt adjustment on almost every hi hat stand ever made.
 
I agree with others that it's probably always been warped. Assuming you like how it sounds, nothing needs to be done. And actually, the warp might help with making sure you don't get that vacuum effect while playing. After all, there is reason there is a tilt adjustment on almost every hi hat stand ever made.

I just drill holes in my bottom hats but yes, there is that tilter feature as well haha
 
I just drill holes in my bottom hats but yes, there is that tilter feature as well haha
The tilt feature ensures I don't have to mess with a perfectly good cymbal by drilling holes in it.
 
Can you orient it so that the low side is toward the tilter screw and then tilt it back toward your preference, or is it too warped, or does it want to spin back around? I have NO idea if a bottom hat typically spins while playing.
I've never seen hi hats do this. Sucks to have to say goodbye to an old friend.

I did try that, but sadly it makes it worse. The bottom cymbal can rotate freely, so there is always a side that touched the top cymbal :(
 
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