How much does your hi hat stand affect your playing?

Thecowslayer

Senior Member
Hi everyone,
I have a question. I've never been very good at controlling the opening and closing of my hi hat, I thought that it was due to technique, but I recently went to a music store and played on one of their drum kits, and I found that my hi hat control improved durastically. I'm trying to figure out if this is because of my hi hat stand, or the way I have it set up. Has anyone else had this problem?
 
Certainly, a good hi-hat stand is a plus. John Bonham figured it out. Though he played Ludwig drums, his hi-hat stand was a Rogers.​
And, as you just discovered, there are "better" stands out there. That said, you don't have to throw down $200+ for the latest, most expensive, trendy unit. Just try a few out (new and used), and then pick something you like.​
I have 3 stands. My "traditional" stand, a Yamaha three legger, similar to what Steve Gadd used. Probably an 80's something model. Hey, Steve seemed to make it work for him. Cost me just over $100, used. My second stand, a Tama no-legger. Again, an 80's vintage model. It was free. And it totally outclassed the Gibraltar leg-less stand I had, before it. My "most modern" hi-hat, a Yamaha remote stand. And I've never felt a remote hat feel as good as the new Yamaha. I've played a lot of remote stands, and the Yamaha is the first one I ever pulled out the wallet for. Money well spent.​
 
...I thought that it was due to technique, but I recently went to a music store and played on one of their drum kits, and I found that my hi hat control improved durastically....

Yes, different hi-hat stands can feel very different indeed, it's like bass drum pedals, same principle of action, but a different sensation when you play them, some are more adjustable than others too, slightly different mechanism on some stand too, like the "lever glide" from Tama designed to have greater spring tension and still keeping a very smooth action of the pedal. So it's worth trying some different makes and models. :)

However, when you tried the Hi-hat stand in the music shop, it could simply be a matter of settings, how much the hi-hat was open, how the tilter was adjusted, the footboard angle, the spring tension, how tight or loose were the top cymbal set up in the clutch assembly, and last but not least, what model of hi-hat (cymbals) they had on display, different cymbals will produce a different feel, like the "sound edge" from Paiste, which feature ondulations on the bottom cymbal to let the air escape quicker. :)

Try to experiment different settings with your own hi-hat stand, it could be just what's needed. :)
 
Thanks for the replies everyone, I've got two stands, they're both pacific,'and one has two legs while the other has three. As far as I can tell, all I can adjust is how much the hi hat is tilted towards the top on both of them, and I think I can adjust the spring tension on the other.
 
High Hat stands can definitely make a difference. I use this Yamaha 740A.... $90 new. I don't have a single complaint. One thing I can't stand is heavy hardware and stands. This one is awesome.
 

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I've got an Iron Cobra stand that I snagged off ebay for $125 bucks. I absolutely love it. It's wildly better than the Tama Stagemaster it replaced. And the hi hat cymbals sound better. More sizzle to them.

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As far as I can tell, the stand in using right now is the pacific hh820. Thanks to everyone who has posted what they use, I might try selling this one on Craigslist and getting a new stand.
 
yeah, i am an open-handed player who keeps the hats at the 10 o'clock location of the snare head. they're set low and close to the snare (the most comfortable place for me) which is why i use a pdp dual leg stand, even though i use a single pedal. i have more positioning leeway and its just nice to have less clutter from tripods and more space for my size 12's-lol… i don't like the stand's pull rod to be too long; the ride's 7 o'clock edge would get struck/pushed upward and screech from the metal on metal contact…ughhh. i don't like a hi hat stand's pedal to feel too "soggy" or too "scratchy". and i HATE it when the clutch has a gap, causing it to knock the top cymbal's bell when operated. l like it to have some give, to be smooth and quick. i do a lot of stewart copeland rip-offs. the stand's inter workings have to be responsive (or be adjusted to do so) to enable all the nuances you can get from one amount of pressure on the pedal to the next.
 
I want the HH close - but I don't want the pedal all up on my shin.

This is why I use the Gibraltar Ultra Adjustable.

The HH cymbals don't need to be vertically perfectly centered over the riser tube.

I love this HH so much. I've used straight stands, and they make me nuts.

I'll never use another HH stand.


-Ken


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I want the HH close - but I don't want the pedal all up on my shin.

This is why I use the Gibraltar Ultra Adjustable.

The HH cymbals don't need to be vertically perfectly centered over the riser tube.

I love this HH so much. I've used straight stands, and they make me nuts.

I'll never use another HH stand.


-Ken


Easter-Kit-1.jpg


Easter-Kit-3.jpg

How much do those hihat stands go for out of curiosity?
 
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