Zildjian A custom Mastersound hi-hats/ K custom Hybrid hi-hats??

[Febin Mathew]

Has anyone tried/played using different combination of hi hats either from the Z or K family line?
I wanted to know your opinion on using a Zildjian A custom series/mastersound series hi hat top with the Zildjian K custom hybrid bottom.

I've heard that Zildjian A custom series Mastersound Top and the Zildjian A custom series Top hi hats are the same? Is it so?

I'm confused as to which one to go for, zildjian A custom mastersound hi hats or the zildjian K custom hybrid hi hats.
Could you help me out.

Also is the zildjian 14' k custom hybrid 1/4 and 14.25 the same?? Or is their a difference??

 

[C.M. Jones]

Mastersound tops are just like regular tops. They're simply labeled "Mastersound" to associate them with the bottom hats they accompany.

Mastersound bottoms will give you a prominent chick sound. Played partially open, they can also be more aggressive than regular hats. Your technique will largely determine the characteristics you evoke from them.

Theoretically, A Custom Mastersound hats should be somewhat brighter than K Custom Hybrid hats. Zildjian describes the K Custom Hybrid combo as conveying a fusion of brightness and darkness -- hence the term "hybrid." Personally, the hybrid concept doesn't do much for me. If I were choosing between the hats you're considering, I'd get the A Customs.

 

[Febin Mathew]

Mastersound tops are just like regular tops. They're simply labeled "Mastersound" to associate them with the bottom hats they accompany.

Mastersound bottoms will give you a prominent chick sound. Played partially open, they can also be more aggressive than regular hats. Your technique will largely determine the characteristics you evoke from them.

Theoretically, A Custom Mastersound hats should be somewhat brighter than the K Custom Hybrid hats. Zildjian describes the K Custom Hybrid combo as conveying a fusion of brightness and darkness -- hence the term "hybrid." Personally, the hybrid concept doesn't do much for me. If I were choosing between the hats you're considering, I'd get the A Customs.

Thank you for the reply.

Would it be a good idea, If I combine the two? Ie, A Custom hi hat top and the hybrid bottom?
Since I don't have those hi-hats with me, I really don't know how they would sound in person. But yes, I like to have a crisp clean "chick" sound which is bright, gives a great wash feel when played open, offers good stick definition and is versatile.

Would this combo be the same as K Custom hybrid? Since it offers a combination of both brightness and darkness ??

 

[pgm554]

A Custom's have less lathing that a regular A.
I'm not fond of the A Custom's as they sound a bit "off" to me.

 

[Febin Mathew]

A Custom's have less lathing that a regular A.
I'm not fond of the A Custom's as they sound a bit "off" to me.

Yes, A Customs are brilliant finish and they produce a crisp and clean chick sound as compared with the A's which is symmetrically hammered and lathed and offer a similar sound.
But I guess the A Custom series hi hats are much brighter.

 

[C.M. Jones]

Thank you for the reply.

Would it be a good idea, If I combine the two? Ie, A Custom hi hat top and the hybrid bottom?
Since I don't have those hi-hats with me, I really don't know how they would sound in person. But yes, I like to have a crisp clean "chick" sound which is bright, gives a great wash feel when played open, offers good stick definition and is versatile.

Would this combo be the same as K Custom hybrid? Since it offers a combination of both brightness and darkness ??

There are no regulations in place for combining top and bottom hats. Whether or not it's a "good idea" is up to you. Experimentation is the only way to uncover the sound you're after, but if you don't have access to a drum shop that stocks a plethora of cymbals, it isn't possible to test drive hat combos in person. You'll have to inform yourself to the best of your ability and base your purchase upon an educated guess.

If an accentuated chick sound and solid stick definition are your objectives, A Custom Mastersounds should get you there. Don't rule out regular A Mastersounds either. They're New Beats with a crimped bottom. Regular As are very versatile cymbals. There's almost no setting in which they'd be inappropriate.

 

[Febin Mathew]

There are no regulations in place for combining top and bottom hats. Whether or not it's a "good idea" is up to you. Experimentation is the only way to uncover the sound you're after, but if you don't have access to a drum shop that stocks a plethora of cymbals, it isn't possible to test drive hat combos in person. You'll have to inform yourself to the best of your ability and base your purchase upon an educated guess.

If an accentuated chick sound and solid stick definition are your objectives, A Custom Mastersounds should get you there. Don't rule out regular A Mastersounds either. They're New Beats with a crimped bottom. Regular As are very versatile cymbals. There's almost no setting in which they'd be inappropriate.

Thank You !!!
Will check those out as well.

 

[alparrott]

Has anyone tried/played using different combination of hi hats either from the Z or K family line?
I wanted to know your opinion on using a Zildjian A custom series/mastersound series hi hat top with the Zildjian K custom hybrid bottom.

I've heard that Zildjian A custom series Mastersound Top and the Zildjian A custom series Top hi hats are the same? Is it so?

I'm confused as to which one to go for, zildjian A custom mastersound hi hats or the zildjian K custom hybrid hi hats.
Could you help me out.

Also is the zildjian 14' k custom hybrid 1/4 and 14.25 the same?? Or is their a difference??

IIRC the K Custom Hybrids are offered in slightly larger sizes than normal - 13.25" and 14.25". This is unique among hi-hats as far as I know. It also means that a 14" A Custom top will be smaller than the 14.25" bottom and larger than the 13.25" bottom. There have been name drummers in the past who used hi-hat cymbals of different sizes, but not many. I personally wouldn't.

I own a pair of A Custom Mastersounds, and what I like to do is use different top cymbals on top of the Mastersound bottom. Obviously I have the A Custom top, but I also have a couple of A Zildjian tops (actually a pair of 14" Z-MAC cymbals with slightly different weights) that give a slightly darker, trashier sound. For a *very* trashy sound, I have a cracked 14" Sabian AA extra-thin crash that I can throw on as a top cymbal. The Mastersound bottom cymbal helps to keep the cymbals from creating an air seal against each other and creating a sort of "whomp" sound.

 

[Febin Mathew]

IIRC the K Custom Hybrids are offered in slightly larger sizes than normal - 13.25" and 14.25". This is unique among hi-hats as far as I know. It also means that a 14" A Custom top will be smaller than the 14.25" bottom and larger than the 13.25" bottom. There have been name drummers in the past who used hi-hat cymbals of different sizes, but not many. I personally wouldn't.

I own a pair of A Custom Mastersounds, and what I like to do is use different top cymbals on top of the Mastersound bottom. Obviously I have the A Custom top, but I also have a couple of A Zildjian tops (actually a pair of 14" Z-MAC cymbals with slightly different weights) that give a slightly darker, trashier sound. For a *very* trashy sound, I have a cracked 14" Sabian AA extra-thin crash that I can throw on as a top cymbal. The Mastersound bottom cymbal helps to keep the cymbals from creating an air seal against each other and creating a sort of "whomp" sound.

That's awesome...
I personally love the A Custom hi hats (mastersound too) and the K custom hybrid hi hats... Since I couldn't afford both, and since I'm confused which one to go for. I thought of experimenting it by pairing hi hats of both series... From few drummers whom I've asked they've told me that it would sound great and loud, so should try that out and see.

If not the K custom hybrid hi hat(14.25"), would the A custom hi hat go well with the K custom hybrid 1/4" hi hat?
Is the 14.25" and 1/4" hi hat the same?? Or are they different??

 

[wraub]

I'm currently using the top from a set of Zildjian Quick Beat hats as the bottom cymbal, and a 60s A as the top. It was sold to me singly, as a bottom, but I like the combo as is, it works well.

I like experimenting with cymbals.

 

[Febin Mathew]

I'm currently using the top from a set of Zildjian Quick Beat hats as the bottom cymbal, and a 60s A as the top. It was sold to me singly, as a bottom, but I like the combo as is, it works well.

I like experimenting with cymbals.

That's great, even I'm planning to experiment the same with the A custom hi hat top with the k custom hybrid bottom (14.25" or 1/4").

 

[alparrott]

That's awesome...
I personally love the A Custom hi hats (mastersound too) and the K custom hybrid hi hats... Since I couldn't afford both, and since I'm confused which one to go for. I thought of experimenting it by pairing hi hats of both series... From few drummers whom I've asked they've told me that it would sound great and loud, so should try that out and see.

If not the K custom hybrid hi hat(14.25"), would the A custom hi hat go well with the K custom hybrid 1/4" hi hat?
Is the 14.25" and 1/4" hi hat the same?? Or are they different??

.25 and 1/4 are the same thing - a quarter of whatever it is you're measuring (in this case, an inch).

The 14.25" cymbal is a quarter-inch wider than the 14" cymbal. That means that if you pair the A Custom top with the K Custom Hybrid bottom, the bottom cymbal will stick out past the edge of the top cymbal a bit. Not as much as a 15" cymbal would... all around, it's going to be an eighth of an inch. If you can live with that, try it. And I'm the last person on earth to tell you to (1) not get many sets of hi-hats or (b) try you not to pair hi-hats. In fact, looking at the fact that there's only really 1/8" of overhang on the larger cymbal, and knowing that B20 cast cymbals have very slight variations in size because of they way they're made, the difference could be very slight indeed. So I retract my previous statement that I wouldn't do it... I probably would try it.

 

[Febin Mathew]

.25 and 1/4 are the same thing - a quarter of whatever it is you're measuring (in this case, an inch).

The 14.25" cymbal is a quarter-inch wider than the 14" cymbal. That means that if you pair the A Custom top with the K Custom Hybrid bottom, the bottom cymbal will stick out past the edge of the top cymbal a bit. Not as much as a 15" cymbal would... all around, it's going to be an eighth of an inch. If you can live with that, try it. And I'm the last person on earth to tell you to (1) not get many sets of hi-hats or (b) try you not to pair hi-hats. In fact, looking at the fact that there's only really 1/8" of overhang on the larger cymbal, and knowing that B20 cast cymbals have very slight variations in size because of they way they're made, the difference could be very slight indeed. So I retract my previous statement that I wouldn't do it... I probably would try it.

Thank you so much for helping me out brother.