DRUMANDSTAGE FORUM

Was this an over the top design that was just over thought and engineered, or was there an advantage to this over the standard clutches?

Personally, I think it was a 'just because we can' thing. The deliberately built that entire series way over the top and this IMHO was an example of something that while unique and groundbreaking, just didn't translate as practical for the working/gigging drummer.

I think it's a cool thing for a dedicated drum set that doesn't get moved. But, since the tightening loosening function goes as the same direction as the treading for the pull rod, I found myself turning the pull rod more often than loosening the clutch. So, if you wanted to tighten or loosen the top cymbal, or raise or lower it, that was pretty much impossible with one hand.

Out of luck got one with a Protec highhat stand that was not over-inflated because it had it. ( i dont think the seller knew what it was)

I never had the rod come loose when adjusting it and find it fine for one-handed use. (but i dont gig)

I currently use a Designer highhat stand as the swivel legs work better with my double pedal for set up, i have no problem with the designer clutch so I have not bothered to use the signature one on it

The only difference I have found is that I feel the signature clamps need to be tightened with less force to get to a point i fell they are not going to slip.
The one thing i dont like about both these Sonor clutches is that they are undersized in the centre and let the cymbal hit the threads , my top hat will get misaligned with the bottom hat. I really should sleeve it or something.

I have a 2nd generation 5000 hi hat stand for home and a 3000 and 70's Phonic for gigging. I like the Sonor rod and clutch design, but have a clear plastic sleeve on all of then to keep the top cymbal centered better. I've always thought the Signature clutch looked cool, but I've never had one. I agree with Jules that they were a bit overengineered and purposely different than other brands - typical of that era. As you guys know, Tommy Aldridge and Todd Suchermann used Sig hi hat stands and clutches long after they weren't playing Sonor.

I have a different take on this - any screw used to lock something in place, where as you tighten it, the screw binds against a surface, is an engineering bodge. Over time, the screw will chew into the surface and make it rough and uneven, more so on a round surface than a flat one, but it is an inevitability.

In practice, we don't see this too often, but you've all seen chewed up clamps and hi-hat rods somewhere right? Just because it works doesn't mean it's the correct solution.

The Sig clutch mechanism mimics some of the benefits of taper roller bearings, by far and away one of the best types of bearings for working smoothly under load. The fact you have two cylinders (which would be the roller bearing part) which clamp against flat surfaces (hex rod) and are tightened by forcing the bearings down a taper gives you both great security, firm fixing with comparatively little load, and it doesn't chew up your hi-hat rods. Yes, it's over-engineered, but it's probably the most 'correctly engineered' solution for the task at hand I've ever seen, and that was basically what all Signature Series stuff was trying to achieve.

I think the thing is fantastic and I'd love to see it used everywhere.

DaveInNZ wrote: Mon Feb 09, 2026 7:21 pm

I have a different take on this - any screw used to lock something in place, where as you tighten it, the screw binds against a surface, is an engineering bodge. Over time, the screw will chew into the surface and make it rough and uneven, more so on a round surface than a flat one, but it is an inevitability.

In practice, we don't see this too often, but you've all seen chewed up clamps and hi-hat rods somewhere right? Just because it works doesn't mean it's the correct solution.

The Sig clutch mechanism mimics some of the benefits of taper roller bearings, by far and away one of the best types of bearings for working smoothly under load. The fact you have two cylinders (which would be the roller bearing part) which clamp against flat surfaces (hex rod) and are tightened by forcing the bearings down a taper gives you both great security, firm fixing with comparatively little load, and it doesn't chew up your hi-hat rods. Yes, it's over-engineered, but it's probably the most 'correctly engineered' solution for the task at hand I've ever seen, and that was basically what all Signature Series stuff was trying to achieve.

I think the thing is fantastic and I'd love to see it used everywhere.

It's so true of so much that in the 70/80/90's Sonor worked hard to get rid of all the engineering bodges in the industry, and replaced them with some great solutions. But unfortunately, the market was too uneducated and cheap to make such designs sustainable and to stay as a prift making company they had to go bake to all the same old design bodge the public were used to.......