Arts >> Music >> Live Music

How to Bend a Hi-Hat Pull Rod Back in Place

A hi-hat is an important part of a drum set, providing the familiar muffled crash heard in many music genres, including jazz, R and B, rock and reggae. The hi-hat consists of two cymbals mounted on a metal stand with an upper and lower pull rod running from the cymbals to a floor pedal. When the pedal is pushed, it opens the hi-hat, and when it it released, the hi-hat closes, pulling the cymbals together. Sometimes the upper pull rod in the center of the hi-hat bends, causing a squeak when you push the pedal.

Instructions

    • 1

      Twist the wing nut on the top of the hi-hat counterclockwise and remove it.

    • 2

      Remove both cymbals, including all hardware and felt bumpers, from the hi-hat. Put them on a table or on the floor in the order you remove them for easy reassembly.

    • 3

      Remove the upper pull rod, the rod the cymbals were mounted on, by turning it counterclockwise until it is free of the threads at the base and pulling it upwards.

    • 4

      Find the bent area in the pull rod and point the bend toward the floor. Put your hands on either side of the bend and your thumbs below the bend and pull down to try to straighten the bend. If this doesn't work, try putting the bend in the pull rod against a counter or table and push against it to bend the rod back into alignment.

    • 5

      When the pull rod is straightened as much as possible, reinstall it into the hi-hat by turning the threaded end clockwise into the bottom pull rod. Reinstall the cymbals, felt pads and hardware.

Live Music

Related Categories