I would look for a good used pair of K Zildjians. They should come in under your budget, and will be a versatile set of hats that will last.
I would look for a good used pair of K Zildjians. They should come in under your budget, and will be a versatile set of hats that will last.
Unfortunately most new pro level hats I've seen in the UK are £300 even from online discount stores (B20 Zildjian and Sabian)_.
£250 should be plenty to buy used pro level hats.Depending on what you want - pro level hats like Sabian A/AA and Zildjian A series tend to sell for around £100 if they are in good condition but cosmetically scruffy, a bit more (£125 - 150) if they are VG with strong logos. Things like Zildjian A Customs, Sabian AAX tend to be a little more expensive from £125 to £200 depending on condition. Sabian HH/HHX - a little pricier but you should be able to find a good set for £175 - £250. The Zildjian K series seem to command the highest prices used but if they are what you want you should have no problem finding a good set for your budget.
£250 should buy you a good used set of hats in the UK from pretty much any mainstream manufacturer. Zildjian Ks will take a little longer to find if that is what you want - but they come up frequently on eBay etc. Having £250 to spend on hats isn't a bad position to be in - the waiting game can be frustrating though.
I use Zildjian Mastersound Hi Hats...I think you can get them new for around $300. Used, $200? I love 'em
I use, have been for 40 year Zildjian A's New Beats. They are very versatile for any genre of music. They sell for about 350 new in Canada. So I figure for 100-150 USD you should be able to find a good used set.
What sort of music are you wanting to play?
If you are wanting to go new, I suggest looking into Dream and Kasza if they are available because if you can pick them by hand, they can sound just as good as any of the Zildjian or Sabian options, especially if you are playing lighter to medium volumes. I have not tried their louder series (Kasza R series, Dream Energy) but if you are playing rock or metal those might work if you can test them.
If not I would go used. Zildjian New Beats sound good and are easy to find cheap. Zildjian A Customs are brighter, Zildjian K's darker. You should be able to get any of these used for under your limit and they are all general hats.
Dream, Kasza and Wuhan aren't available in the UK- ony Sabian XS20 and the Stagg B20 ranges.
I have a couple of sets of Stagg hi hats - 14" DH Fat Hats and a pair of 13" classics. Although I like mine I would be hesitant to recommend them as they definitely aren't as good as pro cymbals. A very good set can be fairly close, but definitely not as good - and they can vary considerably in sound. I'm happy with mine (compared to similarly priced B8 cymbals) but the quality control isn't up to par - they have casting marks and pits from new and have a poor reputation for being fragile.
If they original poster wants new maybe Sabian XS20 hats are worth trying.
Really? I had figured at least Dream would be available in the UK. I have also heard mixed reviews of Stagg, have never played one but generally people are not as favorable towards them compared to Dream and Kasza, which seem to be the best overall as far as Chinese-made cymbals go. My Kasza hats were bought new and are just as well-made as any of the top brands, so I would avoid Stagg if upgrading.
Are Sabian SR2's ever available over there? Again they'd need to be hand picked but those are also a huge money saver if you can get the right ones.
Unfortunately Dream, Kasza and Wuhan aren't available in the UK - I think it may be due to our market being much smaller than the UK. The only thing I've seen from these manufacturers is the occasional Wuhan china on eBay - but these have been used items that the sellers imported from the US.
If you were to consider upgrading your Kasza hats - Stagg would be a sideways step rather than an upgrade. Stagg claim they have tightened up their quality control recently but almost all of my Stagg cymbals have small pits and gouges including the newer 'improved' models (which have smaller logos) - their quality control is still patchy in this respect and they are nowhere near the 'big 3' cymbal manufacturers in this respect.
I believe Sabian SR2 are available here - must admit I forgot about that range
Get some Paiste Alphas & you'll still have £100 left over for beer.
Mapex Armory - Photon Blue
Mapex VXB kit - Transparent Black
Mapex & Pearl snares
Paiste Alpha & RUDE cymbals
Remo & Vater
I don't think I'd ever replace the Kasza hats unless they somehow broke. I have mostly Meinl Byzance cymbals, having replaced a lot of my mixed collection, but these Kasza hi-hats are staying right where they are. They remind me very much of some of the warmer-sounding Zildjian K's or Sabian HH/HHX cymbals, nothing like any of the Stagg cymbals I have heard online before. Apart from the traditional china cymbals each company has their own lines and sound, so Dream, Kasza, Stagg, Wuhan cymbals all sound different from each other even if many may be made in the same factory.
But anyway, if SR2 is available locally then that may be a great option if purchasing new. It's essential to hear them first as they can come from any top Sabian series (AA, AAX, Paragon, HH, HHX, Vault). The XS hats aren't bad either although at least here the SR2's are a little cheaper, not sure about in the UK.
FibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibes FibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibes FibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibes FibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibes FibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibes FibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibes FibesFibesFibesFibesFibesFibes
Bookmarks