Your favorite US made K hats?

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Jazzhead

Jazzhead

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K hats sound good and record well. Each model has its own characteristic.
Recently I played a set of 14” K Sweet hats and it really lived up to its model name, nice smooth sweet sounding.

Which K Hats have you played and which one is your favorite? (Size/model)
 
I’m currently playing a 14” K Constantinople top cymbal over a K Light bottom and it sounds great. Full and responsive with a fantastic half-open sizzle. I also have an older set of K Custom Special Dry hats that also sounds great, but due to its drier nature its half-open sizzle isn’t as strong.
 
TK-421 said:
I’m currently playing a 14” K Constantinople top cymbal over a K Light bottom and it sounds great. Full and responsive with a fantastic half-open sizzle. I also have an older set of K Custom Special Dry hats that also sounds great, but due to its drier nature its half-open sizzle isn’t as strong.
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How did you end up with that combo?
You had both sets and experimented?
 
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Jazzhead said:
How did you end up with that combo?
You had both sets and experimented?
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I had the K Light set but they were a little too light for me. I was interested in getting a set of Constantinoples and went to my local Guitar Center to check some out. I found a top that I liked, but none of the bottoms felt right to me. Then I had the idea to bring in my K Light Bottom—and it was like a match made in heaven. And it saved me from having to buy two cymbals. Plus, I was able to sell the K Light Top on Reverb, so it all worked out. Now this pair is my favorite set of hats ever!
 
How modern are we talking? Current production or this century?

I have a set of 20 year old 14” K Custom Special Dry hats that are tremendous. The others I have liked are the 15” K Light hats and the Sweet hats.

I generally have preferred the circa 2018 Avedis series hats to most of the new K stuff.
 
TK-421 said:
I had the K Light set but they were a little too light for me. I was interested in getting a set of Constantinoples and went to my local Guitar Center to check some out. I found a top that I liked, but none of the bottoms felt right to me. Then I had the idea to bring in my K Light Bottom—and it was like a match made in heaven. And it saved me from having to buy two cymbals. Plus, I was able to sell the K Light Top on Reverb, so it all worked out. Now this pair is my favorite set of hats ever!
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That’s interesting, I have been to different GCs here in LA over the years and I have never come across a set of constantinople hats in their cymbal room, let alone trying different top and bottoms to match a pair haha also whatever they have on display is locked with a plastic price tag, so can’t be removed to be able to try with different hats.
Glad it worked out for you.
 
Level42 said:
How modern are we talking? Current production or this century?

I have a set of 20 year old 14” K Custom Special Dry hats that are tremendous. The others I have liked are the 15” K Light hats and the Sweet hats.

I generally have preferred the circa 2018 Avedis series hats to most of the new K stuff.
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I said modern so people don’t say Istanbul K hats. I really meant any K hats made in the US, so maybe EAK and on.
What size avedis? 15”? Those seem to have good ratings, aren’t they just a 70’s hollow logo copy?
 
Jazzhead said:
I said modern so people don’t say Istanbul K hats. I really meant any K hats made in the US, so maybe EAK and on.
What size avedis? 15”? Those seem to have good ratings, aren’t they just a 70’s hollow logo copy?
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Yeah, 15” Avedis. This vid is a pretty good representation:


They sound and feel very “played in”.
 
I tried out a pair of 14 fat hats the other day at a music store and really liked them. Nice and crispy. There’s a person in my area selling a bottom only 15 fat hat for real cheap and I kinda want it.
 
I have the 14” Armand hats and really love them but I am craving some nice K hats with a low pitch open sound and crispy stick sound.

I had K custom dark hats and sold them, they were nice but Armands were the winner.
 
The IAK era only had one model of hats, but the cymbals varied. Quite meaty mostly. I got a 13" brilliant finish pair with a very heavy bottom so it's a bit like a K/Z.

Try to find a 14" K Hybrid Limited Reversible. Both cymbals similar in weight but with a thicker, wavy edge on the bottom.
 
Level42 said:
Yeah, 15” Avedis. This vid is a pretty good representation:


They sound and feel very “played in”.
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My favorite hats are 15" A Avedis. (Technically not K's though.) They seem to do everything well! These are mine...

 
Rick said:
My favorite hats are 15" A Avedis. (Technically not K's though.) They seem to do everything well! These are mine...

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I wish I could get used to 15” hats, there are some good options out there like avedis and k lights but they look huge on my left side and I can’t get used to them after playing 14” hats for a long time, 14” seems to be the sweetest spot for me. I got a set of 70’s A Zildjians from a forum member some time ago and couldn’t warm up to them, eventually sold them.
 
My current favorite are 14” K custom top and older quick beat bottom or A custom bottom for a little more bite.

Others
15” K pre-serial IAK
14” IAKs I believe 98ish don’t recall sn
14” Late IAKs possibly 2000ish Mastersounds
 
Jazzhead said:
I wish I could get used to 15” hats, there are some good options out there like avedis and k lights but they look huge on my left side and I can’t get used to them after playing 14” hats for a long time, 14” seems to be the sweetest spot for me. I got a set of 70’s A Zildjians from a forum member some time ago and couldn’t warm up to them, eventually sold them.
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I played 14's (New Beats) for about 30 years. Then I got some 13" K Custom Dark hats and played those exclusively for about 6 or 7 years. I don't remember those taking much getting used to with the different size. Then I got the 15" A Avedis hats, and I also now have a pair of 15" K Sweet over A Avedis that I bought from a DFO'er (he had put those together... excellent hats but the A Avedis are still my #1). When I first started playing 15's, it did feel a little weird (mainly with my foot) but I got used to it very quickly, and now they just feel normal. Occasionally, I go to a local jazz jam and play somebody else's kit, which usually has 14's, and that doesn't bother me at all.
 
15" EAK's.
Not exactly common, unfortunately, but this pair absolutely blows me away.
Dark but crisp, and an incredible full-bodied tone when played open or foot-splashed.

Zildjian-EAK-15-H-Hats-topsides.jpg

Zildjian-EAK-15-H-Hats-bottomsides.jpg
 
In 2021 I retired my 37-year old 14" New Beat hats (gave them to my sister, who also plays drums) and replaced them with a pair of 15" K Sweet hats, which have a stronger musical personality. However, if K Fat Hats had been on the market at that time, I would have bought a pair of 15s rather than the K Sweets. (In fact, I still might do just that!)
 
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