Stop the hi-hat from spinning on a Roland TD1-K(V)

Last year, I decided to put some money towards upgrading to a Roland TD1-KV electric drumset, the entry model to their “VDrum” line. I had outgrown my old Simmons SD Xpress II kit  (a Black Friday deal from a few years ago) and was excited to get something closer to “real” drums without the volume of an acoustic kit. I was also dealing with a cracked hi-hat on the old, discontinued kit, so I figured it was time.

The drums are fantastic, but after a few sessions, one thing kept bugging me: the hi-hat — a Roland CY-5 cymbal — kept spinning as I played. Nearly half the cymbal is covered in a rubberized pad, which helps mute the sound, provides a better response, and protects the plastic underneath. When I have to adjust the cymbal half-way through a song, that doesn’t make for the best playing experience.

The stock hi-hat topper, which could move freely.

I tried tightening the nut above the cymbal as tight as it would go, but no matter how tight it was on the hi-hat cymbal could still easily spin around. This wasn’t a problem on the crash or ride cymbals (also CY-5s) though, as the stands for those cymbals had a different shape, which contoured to the “V” shaped underside of the cymbals. However, the topper on the hi-hat stand had a small, plastic topper, which was able to spin freely on the stand.

After re-reading the setup instructions and searching online, I couldn’t find a simple fix; what was I doing wrong that nobody else seemed to be asking about? It didn’t help that Roland VDrums have a long and storied history, with dozens upon dozens of models and components. What fixes a spinning hi-hat for a higher-end kit may be completely inapplicable to my compact, TD1-KV model.

Eventually, I discovered the CYM-10 parts kit, which includes a metal topper with a set screw and is compatible with all CY-series cymbals. This part — found in a $15 kit — is enough to keep the hi-hat from spinning around, and installation only takes a minute.

The hi-hat stand with the topper from the CYM-10 kit.

With the new topper in place, my hi-hat no longer spins and I’m able to focus on my terrible, terrible drumming.