I'm looking for THIN Hi-Hats. I've been tracking at Sunset Sound and this kit that I've been using has Super Zyn hats that are really really thin but also very dark and they take a good beating with ease. I really want to find some hats like this! Any ideas?!
Best,
marsh
Check Ebay. Maybe some older UFIP hats, Zanchi, or other Italian made hihats?
You might find a set of Zyns on there as well. Super thin would lower the pitch, plus the older are usually less bowed, resulting in a darker sound. The hammering affects it as well. If they are bendable thin, they are probably in the 600 to 700 gram range.
Is this the kind of sound you are looking for?
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ndtNXTfso0[/ame]
The older cast Italian cymbals as as jeff_r0x intimates are where you need to go. Super Zyns are super hard to find, regular Zyn or Zyn 2star are generally too bright and airy----its the white brass they are made from. Occasionally a Zyn will be darker but that quality is usually accompanied by malleability and most of those are bent and dinged. Premier appears over the years to have encountered a number of different alloys in the sheet material they were made from, whether by design or accident.
Other options Ajaha, any cymbal marked made in Italy with a little circular stamp, Ufips, Zanchi , Zanki, Revere( Zanchi), Procussion( made in Italy), CB700( made in Italy), Vibra( Zanchi), Tosco, Ajax( some----like Zyn), K. Zildjian( ha ha),Zilco( Canadian ones), K.Zildjian( Canada) some A. Zildjian. You also might look for some more obscure hand hammered modern Turkish brands. They are often of this calibre and not terribly expensive. Generally, the cymbals from Paiste or Meinl aren't going to get you what you want, although you might get lucky with Stanoples or Stambuls.
Thanks Calfskin.
Also be aware of the size of the mounting hole with these older ones. They will require a clutch (and even bottom mount) that can handle the smaller hole. I've known guys who have successfully redrilled the hole to mount on modern 8mm stands, but I would be a but sketchy trying to redrill something as thin as what you are looking for.
Good suggestions so far. I'd also go and check out the hats which
hazelshould.com
has on offer. He usually has a few pairs of older A Zildjian hats which are light top and light bottom. The sound files he has may help you narrow down your search.
Thanks Calfskin.Also be aware of the size of the mounting hole with these older ones. They will require a clutch (and even bottom mount) that can handle the smaller hole. I've known guys who have successfully redrilled the hole to mount on modern 8mm stands, but I would be a but sketchy trying to redrill something as thin as what you are looking for.
There are Morse tapered reamers . I ended up with a stack of them about 40 years ago, in a bunch of tools that came from a machine shop. They come in various sizes. The idea is, you get one with a tip diameter smaller than the hole and a maximum diameter the size of the hole you want to produce. Usually there are 5 straight or very slightly twisted sharpened edges along the entire length. They do a nice job of enlarging a small hole. They come in a great many other types but the type I have used for this application is only a Morse tapered reamer, with a maximum diameter of 1/2". They can be used in a wrench, or a large diestock but the square shank gives way to a round shaft , so they will work in a drill or drill press with a 1/2" chuck.
Color me cynical, but I wouldn't hesitate to enlarge a hole in a million dollar cymbal, if it was super thin brass. As far as metals go, it doesn't get much easier than to drill holes in brass IMO.
A guy could even put a handle on a rat-tail file, jam it in there, put pressure downward with one hand and spin the file with the other, to remove material from the cymbal.......assuming we are talking about removing like 1 mm of material, along the entire ID. (6mm to 8mm??)
If it was that thin, a deburring tool may work too, just run it square with the inside edge of the hole......
About a year ago, I bought two 13" Italian Vibra/Zanchi cymbals on eBay - one for $25 and one for $40. They didn't match exactly in size, and had the small holes. I sent them to Heather Stine, who matched their diameters and enlarged the holes for a very reasonable price. Now they are a seriously sweet set of thin hi hats that I use all the time - I often choose them over my beloved 14" old Ks. Total price less than $125. Heather even darked the edge she cut so it wouldn't look cut.
Unfortunately, we haven't heard back from the OP at all. Hopefully Marsh has the settings to get notifications and is getting all of this good info.
