On drums...

Zildjian 14" A. Armand Hi Hats are my favorites.

Well, I've tested the 14" K Constantinople hats yesterday...

I must say they're very good for jazz/swing, but for latin stuff - they just don't have what it takes... At least to my ear...

The 14" K I have now have more body and a very controlled sound.
The Constantinople hihats have a more mellow and washy tone - they're all over the place when You start playing...

Having them compared to the 12", 16" and 18" K Custom - the 14" K I have now definitely sound better...

I just need that "crystal note" in a hihat, that's in the K Custom series.
If You play a K and a K Custom side by side, You'll see there's a recognizable color tone in the K Custom series.
That's what I'm after...


But, it seems it would be a long wait... I don't mind though...

_________________
Goki - short from Goran

Let the good drums roll!!!

I love hats, especially 13".
Would really like to try a set of the 13" KC Darks, or at least the top hat to mix with my plethora of 13s.

Are you comfortable mixing in Paiste? The 13" Dark Crisps are really, really nice. Generally more silvery than Zildjians, but not quite as aggressive as my 13" K/Zs.
My set of DCs look pretty funny, the top hat is really worn and slightly keyholed, the bottom looks virtually new. Because of that, I have been touring my 13" New Beats since they never got fully broken in since getting my DCs 9 years ago and I want to kind of prolong their life. Otherwise, I will need a new DC top in a couple years.

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Chris

Goki did you ever try K/z's? You can pick them up for a song these days and they might be what you are after.

No Tim - I cannot find them "in these parts"...

I've tested a regular 13" K today... Great sound, cuts like a Japanese knife...
I've done the whole rehearsal with it, the 16" K Custom Dark Crash and the 18" Flat K Custom Ride... They sound better than the Constantinople, BUT still no chemistry between the three...


The search continues I guess...

_________________
Goki - short from Goran

Let the good drums roll!!!

I'll start looking when I get back, hopefully what I find wont be cracked like those hoops

Tim and Brian - the hoops were just a twist of faith... And still - the bottom hoop perform excellent, so apart from the visual dis-balance EVERYTHING else is phenomenal!!!
I thank You both once again for going that extra mile just to help me out...

Now, Ive tested 2 other hihats today and one 3 days ago...

First - I've managed to find a 14" K/Z here A German guy who was going back home decided to sell his drum kit w cymbals. ALL Paiste except the 14" K/Z hihat.
They wouldn't sell the hihat separately, but I've tried it for a minute (the sellers back here are so anal about testing drum gear, it makes me sick). It's bright and full sounding, but I had no chance of checking it with the K Custom cymbals I have...

Today I've tested 2 hihats - a pro-drummer has them and gave them to me for the day (he was the one selling the 13" K hihat for 150euro - a bargain that I passed on to a friend of mine). Luckly BOTH tests were done on my S Classix, with MY Cymbals.

Results:
1) Avedis 13" Quick beat hihats - interesting concept, but sooo out of my idea for a sound...
2) 14" K Mastersound hihat - the CLOSEST to what I imagine a hihat with the K Customs should sound like!!! Great projection, a different base (fundamental) note than the regular K I have. No wonder, since the top hihat is very similar to a K Custom (same lathing, different hammering pattern). Only one thing was not to my liking. Used for lighter tunes, they performed poorly. You can't bring the dynamics down like You can with the regular K (I think it's the bottom hihat) - and I need all the dynamics I can get, since I'm using an 18" K Custom Flat Top Ride...

So, at the moment it looks like the 14" K Mastersound is closest to the "final solution"... I think I may be able to even get the Avedis hihats for like 50euro (they're old), but the problem is the top cymbal cracked and was cut (3-4mm)

I hope luck smiles at me and I'll test a 13" K Custom Dark hats. On the Zildjian webpage, they sound (to me) better than the K Mastersound...
So far, all impossible combinations turned out in my favor, although we DON'T have a Zildjian dealer back here...


The search continues...

_________________
Goki - short from Goran

Let the good drums roll!!!