Getting a nice splash from the hats

[bfulton]

I get a kick out of playing brushes, sometimes accompanying an acoustic piano -- I'm looking for a great set of hats for the soft splash...
I have a top hat that'll work perfectly -- it's a 12 Zildjian, light at 434 grams. A jazz drummer in Nashville told me his excellent sound is from using really light hats - so light you can flex them. But I've only found the top so far.
Any advice for a good bottom for this? The 12 is kind of limiting... Wait for vintage, check out splashes, use ... ?

[LuvmyLeedy]

i suggest another 12 of 450-500g underneath yours. brand not so important. you want it to be just a little stiffer than your top but not too much or you won't get that sweet soft splash. i have a pair of light old ufip 12's that weigh very close to the same, and they do that thing perfectly. they're around 450g.

[Gigs]

Thin hats will do the trick.

I have a pair of very thin 14's for sale with a soundfile where you can hear the splash.

http://www.processdox.com/cymbalholics/cymbals.html

Cheers,

Gigs

[bfulton]

So, out of curiosity, how much does the average spalsh cymbal weigh?? There's a bunch of those available, modestly priced...

[Gigs]

So, out of curiosity, how much does the average spalsh cymbal weigh?? There's a bunch of those available, modestly priced...

Splash cymbals, like other cymbals, vary in weight. Here are some I have:

Zanchi F & F 12" 476g
Zanchi F & F 12" 448g
Zanchi F & F 8.5" 246g

Bellotti 12" 664g

Old A Zildjian 10" 484g
Old A Zildjian 10" 408g

I also have some other Italian 10" and 12" cymbals which are so heavy I don't consider them splashes, They have a more bell-like tone, but are not true bells, merely small, heavy cymbals.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Gigs

[Jaye]

Zanchi F & F 12" 476g
Zanchi F & F 12" 448g
Zanchi F & F 8.5" 246g

Bellotti 12" 664g



drooooooooooool...

Oh yeah, an old Zanchi Vibra will do the trick...also, an Italian Pasha. These were my last 2 'hat acquisitions prior to the...Rainbow....and I am having just a blast with these Italian 'hats. Nice and splashy, jazzy, washy-sloshy....their sound wreak of smoky Jazz club....If you can score a pair of Vibras or a pair of Pashas, go for it...they go cheap, usually....also, either one would team up quite nicely with an old A if you spy a single....

Thing to remember, you don't want the bottom to be too heavy...Marc says up to 500, yeah that's about right...maybe up to 550 is OK, anything more, and the bottom won't be making much of a contribution to the pair.

Gigs...a light Belotti...wow..where did you find that one ? That is the first time I have ever heard of a light Bellotti....

[LuvmyLeedy]

yeah, drool is right! i don't know what it is about little splash cymbals, but the italians do 'em the best.

the same ufip hihats i mentioned earlier are also the sweetest, most musical 12" splashes i have come across, especially the slightly heavier bottom one (about 470g).

{note to self - take batch of smaller cymbals to post office for more accurate weights.}

btw george, i have been enjoying the 12 K in my setup lately. it's got enough cut for my louder gigs.

[Gigs]

Jaye,

I actually have 3 Bellotti's, all acquired together at a "junk" store in San Francisco for a modest price. 2 of them are quite heavy and are the ones I referred to as being almost like thin bells as opposed to being true splash cymbals. The 3rd one, the light one, is a mystery to me. I've not seen another like it, of course, I haven't seen too many Bellotti's of ANY description, but there you have it. Maybe I'll take some pics of it.

As to the subject of hats, I have a wonderful pair of 15" Zanchi Vibras, thin as can be...I'll weigh them and make some pics of those as well.

Cheers,

Gigs

[Jaye]

Marc...glad to hear you were able to utilize it...it's a cool little splash; you are right, a good one for a louder volume situation.

Gigs, nice score....these B's are still such a mystery, yours is only about the 5th or 6th I have ever heard of...yours, mine, coyote's, and then I have seen a couple of heavies on eFlay...that's about it....

oops, not to digress from the post...bf...you probably have figured by now you have a pretty decent range of options to try......also, generally I feel splashes should stay thin/light...400-600g for a 12", something like that....I have a pair of 11" 40's Avedis which each weigh 280g...hehehe...those are cool....

I like the attack to have tons of bite, then get out of the way fast; lotsa "kshhhhh", not lotsa tone and ring....otherwise they become what Hazelshould aptly refers to as "clangers".

The only medium or heavier splashes I have liked the sound of are some Istanbuls ...Pashas and Trads, if I recall....not many other makers can pull of a good medium-weight splash...