Adjusting a hi-hat - when do I need to change the felt?

[Blue Strat]

Newbie question here:

 

When do I need to change the felt on my cymbals, and how do I adjust my hi-hat so that the top cymbal sits flat against the bottom cymbal?

[AlanThomas]

Hmmm... An interesting question really. I've had the same hi-hat cybals and stand for about 15 years or so and have never replaced the felt.

 

The felt does compress somewhat but seems to get to a certain point of "maximum compression" and stay there. Then I just adjust how tightly the clutch holds the top cymbal. I like it pretty tight to maybe having a compressed felt doesn't bother me...

 

As far as how the top & bottom fit together, there should be a small adjustment screw on the bottom of the platform that the bottom cymbal sits that allows you to set the angle that the bottom cymbal sits at.

 

Personally, I like just the smallest amount of angle for the bottom cymbal. It's a matter of taste though so check your stand for that small screw.

[Blue Strat]

The bottom screw is adjusted all the way out, for no tilt on the bottom cymbal. The top cymbal has a tube with a T shaped thumb screw. The tube is threaded, and has two screw on collars with flanges and one knurled collar. What do I put the top cymbal between?

 

Right now I've got the cymbal between the two flanged collars. The knurled collar is at the bottom of the threaded tube.

 

Hope this makes sense. My hi-hat stand is a Pearl, I'm not sure if it's any different from any other hi-hat stand.

 

Thanks,

[bassdrummer]

Hi bluestrat,

 

Good questions!

 

Here's what I would do:

 

You want to have a felt making contact with the top cymbal on both sides of it. That way there's no metal to cymbal contact. It's like a double cheeseburger. The flanged nuts are like the buns. The felts are like the meat patties. The top hihat cymbal is like the cheese between the meat patties. So this is the order of what goes where on the T shaped threaded screw, from "top to bottom" :

 

1. Flanged nut

2. Small felt

3. Top hihat cymbal

4. Small felt

5. Flanged nut

6. Knurled nut (to lock everything in place -- this is what always comes loose on cheaper hi hat clutches!)

 

The whole mechanism I just described is called the hihat clutch. It's easy to upgrade since most hihat cymbals have a standard hole size. Higher end clutches have a small drumkey-operated screw that actually goes through the bottom knurled nut to secure it in place against the threaded post. There's nothing worse than your hihat clutch coming loose in the middle of the song and suddenly you can't operate your hihat with your foot because it's just sitting there sloshing around and your foot's pumping up and down to no avail.

 

Then of course you have your bottom hihat cymbal on the large felt, which sits on a flat metal plate, which is what the small screw underneath pushes against for tilt. You need to have that small screw in there to give just a little bit of tilt so that air can escape from between the cymbals when you play them with your foot -- unless you have "vented" cymbals like Sabian's Fast Hats which have air vent holes drilled in the bottoom cymbal, or Paiste Soundedge or Zildjian Mastersound hi hats which both have "rippled edges" to let the air escape.

 

You can get more life out of your felt by rotating it around or flipping it over so it doesn't just get worn down in one area. But usually a felt should last for months or years. They are really cheap, but important. Most people buy them because they're missing, not because they're worn out.

 

Bring your questions to bassdrummer!

Not that I'll be able to answer them, but it's fun to try. . . . .

[Jazzman]

I'm sure a lot of folks know about this already but for those who don't.

 

The clutch assembly that you purchase at a drum shop is used to keep the tension off of the springs inside the Hi-Hat when you are not using it. No use having the cymbal load on the springs.....keeps the life and action of the hi-hat.

 

Here is how the clutch works. Once you assemble the top hat cymbal within the clutch assembly, all you need to do is set the height on the hat center rod. When you are done playing, you just hit the clutch assembly lever and the clutch opens up and the top cymbal falls to the bottom one. Both cymbals are now together. The mounted clutch stays in the original set position with it's own wing set screw. When you start to play, press down on the hat pedel and the clutch engages the upper cymbal once more for an operating hi-hat.

 

I would just change the felts if there is too much of a depression between the cymbal and the washer. It starts to bottom out when warn down. Also make sure that the felts extend out beyond the washer. Dont forget about the plastic sleeve that goes on the cymbal with the washer. This isolates the cymbal from the metal stem of the stand.

 

I also turn or rotate the cymbals every so often so that the hole in the cymbal has equal wear all around. I hate seeing a cymbal with an oval hole in it. That is because the cymbal's weight tends to position the cymbal at the same place all of the time if the cymbal is not weight balanced.

 

Well just a couple of thoughts.

 

Jazzman

[ECBRules]

Jazzman, I disagree. The dropoff clutch was developed so the drummer could get closed hihat sounds during double bass drum execution.

 

I also feel there is no need to have both cymbals level with each other. If you want them straight looking, tighten up the top hat assembly, the bottom adjustment screw changes the tilt, which in turns makes the hi-hats louder or quieter when played open.

 

The hi hat also had earned the nickname "the sock" because older jazz cats used to throw a sock between the cymbals to quiet them down.

 

The cymbals should be set about 3/4" apart, so when applying left foot technique, an audible chic is heard when you close them. You can't get this momentum with having the cymbals close together.

 

A drummer like Lars Ulrich usually had his cymbals closer together, but if you analyze his playing there is really no left foot technique, and he used double bass a lot in the earlier albums.

 

Later,

Keny

[Jazzman]

Kenny......yep your right forgot about that my friend....but I don't have a double bass drum pedel set-up so my foot is always on the hat when playing. It is just a habit for me to drop the cymbal down when not used. I feel it saves on the spring, if you have some heavy cymbals on it. I guess use my idea as "Just a thought".

 

Peace.......

 

Jazzman

[techristian]

When do I need to change the felt on my cymbals, and how do I adjust my hi-hat so that the top cymbal sits flat against the bottom cymbal?

 

I have never needed to change a felt and I have played for over 30 years. However I have lost a few.

 

The top cymbal should NEVER sit FLAT on the bottom cymbal. If they fit like that, you will create an air pocket and vacuum which will CHOKE THE SOUND when you open and close the hyhat. I usually set mine so that there is about 1/8" to 1/4" of OFFSET.

 

Dan

http://musicinit.com

 

Dan