DW DWSM380 Two-Piece Hi-Hat Clutch
The SM380 is a hi-hat clutch split in two. The lower part stays on the cymbal for good; the upper part releases on its own, without removing felts and washers every time you tear down. The time saved adds up in minutes, every night.
What sets it apart
- Two-piece clutch, with one part staying on the cymbal
- Upper part releases without removing felts or washers
- No small parts to put back in the dark at setup
- Top cymbal packed away with its mounting already set
- Chrome finish
Packing up, the moment small parts go missing
An ordinary clutch comes apart in several pieces: nut, felts, washers, sleeve. Each one gets set down somewhere, and every night one of them falls into a case, rolls under a drum or stays on stage. The next day, something is missing and the top cymbal no longer sits the way it should.
Splitting the clutch in two removes the cause. The top cymbal is packed with its lower part already mounted, felts included: nothing comes off, so nothing gets lost.
What it changes at setup the next night
Setting up again means engaging the upper part onto the lower part. The felt tension was never undone: the pressure on the cymbal stays the one you chose, and the closed hi-hat sound does not change from one night to the next.
It is a detail only people who set up and tear down often will notice. For them, it is also the hardest setting to reproduce by ear in a noisy room.
Specifications
| Design | Clutch split into two parts |
|---|---|
| Lower part | Stays mounted on the top cymbal |
| Teardown | Releases the upper part without removing felts or washers |
| Finish | Chrome |
What it is for
- Daily setup and teardown on tour
- Drummers who carry their cymbals in a soft bag
- Shared rehearsal spaces where the gear is packed away every night
- Studios where the hi-hat moves from room to room
- Replacing a clutch whose felts have gone missing
Compare with other manufacturers
Quick-release clutches from other manufacturers:
| Manufacturer | Comparable part | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Tama | Quick-release clutch | Released by a lever rather than by splitting in two |
| Pearl | Eliminator hi-hat clutch | Conventional design with a nut and separate felts |
| Yamaha | HS hi-hat stand clutch | Thumbscrew tightening, parts to remove at teardown |
| Gibraltar | Universal hi-hat clutches | General-purpose range, without the split design |
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to remove the felts when I tear down?
- No, that is the whole point: the lower part stays on the cymbal with its felts and washers, and only the upper part comes off.
- Will it fit any hi-hat stand?
- It replaces the clutch on a hi-hat stand. Check the diameter of your stand's pull rod if the stand is from another brand.
- Does it keep my tension setting?
- Yes. Since the felt tension is never undone, the pressure on the cymbal stays the way you set it.
- Does it change the sound?
- Not directly. What it preserves is consistency: identical tension from one night to the next gives an identical closed hi-hat.
Avis clients
Do you lose a hi-hat felt every season?
Aucun avis pour le moment. Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience après votre achat.