What genres is the Artisan Hat Top best suited for?

The Artisan Hat Top excels in jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and rock. Its dark, dry tone and articulate response make it less suitable for metal and hard rock applications where brighter, more cutting cymbals are typically preferred.

Is this cymbal sold as a pair?

Yes, the Artisan Hat Top is sold as part of a matched hi-hat pair that includes both the top and bottom cymbal.

What is the stick feel and responsiveness like?

The Artisan Hat Top features a soft stick feel with excellent pedal response that works dynamically across all playing volumes, from quiet jazz contexts to more aggressive rock and hip-hop playing.

What is the construction material and finish?

The cymbal is made from B20 bronze with high-density hand hammering on both surfaces and a classic satin finish with shallow lathing, which contributes to its dark tonal profile and complex harmonic content.

What skill level is required to play this cymbal?

The Artisan Hat Top is designed for intermediate, advanced, and professional drummers who can fully exploit its nuance, control, and dynamic responsiveness.

Do I pay sales tax on this order?

We collect sales tax only on orders shipped to California. Orders shipped to any other US state are charged $0 sales tax at checkout when you buy direct from our website. On this item that is roughly $32 less out the door than the same listed price at a national retailer or on a marketplace. Marketplaces such as eBay, Reverb and Amazon collect sales tax in nearly every state as marketplace facilitators no matter who the seller is, so the same item at the same price costs less bought direct. Free US shipping and 30-day returns are included. Some states ask buyers to self-report use tax on out-of-state purchases.

SABIAN 14" Artisan Hat Top

The SABIAN 14" Artisan Hat Top delivers a soft, responsive stick feel paired with exceptional pedal control—a hallmark of SABIAN's premium cymbal engineering. This medium-weight top cymbal produces a deeply dark and complex tone that cuts through without harshness, making it equally effective in tight jazz contexts or cutting-edge hip-hop productions. Built as part of a matched hi-hat pair, the Artisan top responds dynamically at all playing dynamics, translating nuanced performance control directly into your recordings.

Construction & Sonic Character

High-density hand hammering on both sides of the cymbal creates the dense, complex tonal character that defines the Artisan series. The classic satin finish with shallow lathing contributes to the dark sonic profile while the medium-weight construction (1005g top) ensures crisp articulation without brittleness, allowing for precise stick definition across all touch dynamics. In the mix, this cymbal sits naturally without requiring aggressive EQ intervention—the tonal foundation is engineered in.

Studio Versatility & Tracking Performance

These cymbals are engineered to deliver a dry, dark tone with musical complexity—far from one-dimensional. The soft stick feel combined with excellent pedal response makes the Artisan top equally capable in jazz, rock, R&B, and hip-hop tracking sessions, where control at low volumes and articulate definition matter as much as cutting power when layering drums into a dense production. The dark character sits beautifully in high-octane mixes without fighting for frequency space.

Key Features

14" diameter — standard hi-hat size
Medium weight top cymbal — 1005g
B20 bronze construction — SABIAN's professional-grade alloy
Classic satin finish with shallow lathing
High-density hand hammering on both surfaces
Dry, dark tone with complex harmonic content
Soft stick feel for articulate definition
Excellent pedal response across all dynamics
Designed for rock, jazz, R&B, and hip-hop applications
Sold as part of a matched hi-hat pair (top and bottom)
Protected by SABIAN Two-Year Warranty

The Artisan Hat Top represents the pinnacle of SABIAN cymbal manufacturing, delivering the dark, complex voice and dynamic responsiveness essential for tracking and mixing professional-level drum sounds in the studio.

Condition	New
Cymbal Size	14"
Cymbal Type	Hi-Hats
Country of Manufacture	Canada