Customer Reviews

Gibraltar SC-DC Hi Hat Drop Clutch

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an ingenious clutch that engages when you step on your hi-hat pedal, but will drop to the closed position when you hit the lever on the top. This allows you to either ride closed hi-hats when using both bass pedals, yet return to normal hi-hat playing when the music calls for it.

Be aware that this clutch has only two positions - open and fully closed. However, there is a way to work around this if you like partially open hi-hats in the closed position for a sizzle sound. I did a work around by placing a spring on the hi-hat stem, with metal and felt washers on the top of the spring, which gives me that opening when I drop the cymbal to closed. There was a lot of trial and error finding the right spring because each cymbal pair has a different height when mated together, and I was looking for a tiny fraction of an inch opening. Too small or low a tension a spring and stickwork chokes the sound. Too large or stiff and you will not get the sound. However, this is all personal preference, and many drummers ride a fully closed hi-hat anyway, which makes this clutch perfect out of the box.

Regardless of your hi-hat style, if you are using a double bass, this is a "must have" accessory. Gibraltar's model is solid, heavy duty, and engages and disengages perfectly every time.

This works good and does exactly what it is suppose to do. Its essential for double bass drum technique. Minor complaints are that the latch does not engage fluidly and sometimes will turn making it hard to dissengage. These can easily be overcome however.

Those who say it cannot close totally, or you need to put a spring in between, or it needs to open a minimum of 1" did not totally get it.
The level of the top hat can be adjusted by putting the bolt on the correct height on the thread. This being said, works perfect.

This clutch was cheap and that was why I bought it. I don't know if a more expensive one would have been better because I haven't looked. I think the craftsmanship is a little sub par on this. It seems it has been casted from from some cheap metal but I think it will hold up for now. The part I did not like was the little retention hook that would hold up the top high hat. The hook would not engage reliably and from the looks of it is because the hook is not flat but irregular or lumpy looking. The spring is also a bit weak to make the hook engage. I took a metal file to it to reshape the part to make it flat/sharper and now it engages better. Took 5 minutes to do. Still not perfect but better than original.

Whoever created this was a genius. I got this for Christmas and it works pretty well. Theres a little trouble where it wont engage properly when you push the pedal down, and you have to almost drive your foot into the pedal, but you could just adjust the top part so its closer to the clutch, making it easier.
Once you had it perfectly placed, it's ready for some action.

Honestly it took a few adjustments to get it right, but now it works great.

The black handle is a quick release to be used with a drum stick while playing. After a few tries I got it a good angle so it can be hit while being played.
Height adjustment was also important. If the latch is to high, it will not grab the hi hat and bring it back up. Too low and it does not sound right.

This replaced horrible Pulse Hi Hat hardware that shook loose every few songs, so I am completely pleased with it.

definitely worth $13.00

good product great price works well so far bought 2 for the price of one of the others free ship one for the road one for pratice

Like any other Gibraltar hardware I've used, this is built like a tank and can stand the abuse it gets and still perform. It's a great addition to a set, especially if a double bass is being used. Easy to install and adjust. Set it and play, it's been problem-free.

I've been using a Gibraltar Drop Clutch for over 20 years now and it is a tried and true piece of hardware. Sure you can buy the DW or Yamaha models which do the same thing so you have the high end logo on your hi-hat stand, but this does the job fine.

Always a high quality product from Gibraltar.

The Gibraltar drop clutch works very well. I also have a Cannon brand clutch and the mechanism on the Gibrlatar brand grips the hi hat clutch with a much tighter tolerance (less slop when engaged) than the Cannon brand. The lever on this unit is also more ergonomically suited to my playing style compared to the other brand as well. I find it much easier to activate.