Hi all, I've been buying some vintage orphan cymbals here and there trying to make Hi Hats from all kinds of different cymbals. I prefer the sound of light cymbals, but I like the "chick" sound you get from a heavy bottom, but what I've learned on my Hi-Hat mix and match adventures is that it can be a challenge to find the right weight ratio between top and bottom Hi Hats. It all started when I found an oddball sized, no name cymbal that was somewhere between 14 and 15 inches. (probably some sort of UFiP) The cymbal was so paper thin that all you had to do was look at it and it made a sound. It really wanted to be a crash cymbal and it probably was a crash cymbal, but as I like light hi hats I decided I was going to find a bottom Hi Hat to pair this cymbal with. I eventually found another cymbal that was more or less the exact same oddball sized diameter. It was another no name cymbal, but this one looked similar to the early K Zildjian & CIE Constantinople cymbals. It was old and extremely heavy. I paired these two cymbals together with the heavier one as the bottom Hat and I was disappointed. The extremely light cymbal sounds great as a crash, but as a Hi Hat it was too weak when played closed and sounded too out off control when played open. Any other suggestions for a Top Hi Hat that would work with a 14+1/2" Extremely Heavy Bottom? And Any suggestion for Bottom Hi Hat for a 475 gram Extremely Light 14+1/2 Hi Hat Top? Or should I just call that a crash cymbal?

I'm having the same problem with a 12" Hi Hat pairing with XE Ajaha paper thin over 100 year old sewer cap cymbal. I just can't seem to find the right weight ratios between top and bottom or is it that I am trying to make Hi Hats using Crashes and Splashes? When does a Hi Hat Top become a crash anyway? Is there a difference?

Any advice welcome.