Yamaha PCY135 13" 3-Zone "choke-able" Electronic Cymbal Pad

I had one of these as a hi-hat for over 6 years and only now is showing up signs of tearing down.It is built surprisingly well, considering how badly I abuse them. Sure, it is a bit pricey, but it is built to last for a good while.I've had other less expensive triggers (by Pintech) that won't last for more than 3 to 6 months. So, I guess you get what you pay for.

Having purchased a Yamaha DTX-500 drum rig, I wanted the chokable cymbals I had heard about. (Well, one would do for starters.) When I found this little beauty, I got even more than that. The three response zones are highly effective, and with some kits, you get a bizarre mix of sounds that don't even show up with the regular cymbal. The choke feature works really well (YAY, now I can play "Eye of the Tiger" -- I mean, should I ever wish to). A caveat: the cymbal support that comes with the DTX-500 setup does not work with this cymbal, so you'll need to shop around to find one. (I think it's the D-159, maybe something like that -- don't quote me.) I had to take a Dremel to my cymbal support to get it to fit, and it wasn't pretty, so look for that support.

I have 4 of these. 2 crashes a ride and I use one as a hi hat with the Yamaha HH 65 hi hat pedal and the DTX502 module.I was using a PCY100 that came with the set as a hi hat. So I figured why not a PCY135 as a more realistic 13" hi hat? Its the same type of 3 zone as the PCY100. It works great. Much better than the funky pcy100 and a lot cheaper than the expensive RHH135 hi hat. I just tightened the cymbal down a bit more so it feels firmer like a hi hat would. With the PCY135 I get nice response, nice open, half and closed hi hat etc.. I recommend this as a nice less expensive alternative to the RHH135.FYI- I bought this used from Amazon Warehouse and it is literally like new for $75. So keep an eye out for used ones from Amazon warehouse and it could save you alot of $.

Very durable. I have 5 of those and I’ll get one more. Live the sound and the quick sound return.

Unfortunately I had ordered the wrong cymbal! I wanted the Yamaha HiHat, so I had to return the product. But after the inspection of it, the quality looked like my other cymbals, so I am sure it would've worked great!

Does not work with my Alesis set.I was really looking for the bell top sound to add to my kit. Still has a descent sound and a great feel and is somewhat “choke able” but don’t really see the value in that for a ride

The 3 zone trigger For Yamaha functions great. I’m using it with the DTX 501 processor. I have used it for shows and no problems. Works as billed.

There were several reasons that made me decide picking up a Yamaha PCY cymbal pad would be a good choice. First, the 3 zones give my drum module a huge boost in versatility, which opens up a world of creative choices. Next, I don't have to worry about breaking my real cymbals anymore. Should the pad stop working and need repair or replacement, a new one is still cheaper than most good, new cymbals, and of course the pad can sound like any cymbal out there (or the sound of anything that is programmed to each zone). Its ability to be choked like a real cymbal was the deal-sealer for me.Why then, did I take off a star? One minor complaint and one not-so minor: first, the bell zone (or 'cup' as the manual refers to it) has a ridiculously small trigger area. The bell itself isn't abnormally small, but the zone seems to be about 1 inch wide or so. As you'd expect, this makes playing the bell a challenge, and forget about accenting on the bell during a fast passage or fill. The other complaint, more minor, is that the manual doesn't make it abundantly clear that you MUST plug the right angle jack of the included cable (the other end is a straight jack) into the bottom of the pad, or the pad will act like a single zone no matter where you hit it, or how you program the zones. After I figured this out, I was happy to find that not only would it accept different sounds programmed to each zone, but it also allowed the outer edge to be choked. Choking a real crash is a bit easier than on the pad, but it's not too difficult. It takes some getting used to, though.Given those fairly minor exceptions, the PCY is well made, high quality and seems durable. The feel of the pad won't replace what a real cymbal feels like under a stick, but it's more than adequate for my needs, and fairly detailed in response to dynamic playing. The stick whacking on the pad is a bit loud, but if your setup is well-amplified it shouldn't be noticeable. I would NOT however, take it to a low volume acoustic gig.I can easily see myself dropping the cash for the 15" version in the future, hoping the trigger area of the bell is larger.If it helps anyone wondering if these will work with their setup, I'm using the PCY135 with a Yamaha DTX Multi-12. I believe the PCY series is compatible with all DTX modules, although I don't know if all DTX modules are capable of 3 zone operation.One tip: I found that the pad doesn't trigger as well if the metal rod that goes through the hole in the pad isn't in place, keeping it from turning.