I got to thinking about all of the choke designs floating around and I have not seen this one done yet.
This will only work on acoustic (metal) converted cymbals.
I'm using the cymbal body itself as one half of my choke switch.
I get both choke and edge sounds from this one switch.
I took an old $20 crash cymbal I had laying around and cut a strip about 10" long (tin snips worked perfect).

Sand or file the cut edges smooth and cut a small tab into the center of the back edge. Clean the tab and solder a wire to the tab, you will need a small torch for this. If you cant solder then you can also use a crimp-on spade connector, just cut your tab to the right size so your connector will slide on. Make sure to heatshrink the connection.


Test fit the strip to your cymbal that you are converting or have already converted. If you already have your cymbal dampened it's important to make sure that all of the glue and dampening material be removed from the area that your strip will mount to or this will not work.

Clean the underside of your strip and attach double sidded tape to the back and side edges only, I'm using 3M VHB for this. Tape should be at least 1/16th" thick.

Remove the tape backing and stick the strip to the edge of your cymbal. Make sure once the strip is stuck down that you have about the thickness of a penny gap between your AtoE cymbal and your cut cymbal strip. I use a small screwdriver to adjust by holding down the back edged of your strip and bending the strip at the outer edge until I have the spacing I want.
Wiring is basic. Run the wire from your switch into your project box and solder it to the ring tab on your jack. Next take a small piece of wire and solder that to the sleeve tab, secure the other end of the wire to one of the bolts holding on your jack box, I soldered mine but you can also use a crimp on ring terminal.I used yellow wire in the picture to make it easier to see for this post.

Finished product!!!

I have tested this on my td3 and it works perfect, light squeeze and the sound chokes, a stiff hit to the edged and you get the edge sound.
This will only work on acoustic (metal) converted cymbals.
I'm using the cymbal body itself as one half of my choke switch.
I get both choke and edge sounds from this one switch.
I took an old $20 crash cymbal I had laying around and cut a strip about 10" long (tin snips worked perfect).

Sand or file the cut edges smooth and cut a small tab into the center of the back edge. Clean the tab and solder a wire to the tab, you will need a small torch for this. If you cant solder then you can also use a crimp-on spade connector, just cut your tab to the right size so your connector will slide on. Make sure to heatshrink the connection.


Test fit the strip to your cymbal that you are converting or have already converted. If you already have your cymbal dampened it's important to make sure that all of the glue and dampening material be removed from the area that your strip will mount to or this will not work.

Clean the underside of your strip and attach double sidded tape to the back and side edges only, I'm using 3M VHB for this. Tape should be at least 1/16th" thick.

Remove the tape backing and stick the strip to the edge of your cymbal. Make sure once the strip is stuck down that you have about the thickness of a penny gap between your AtoE cymbal and your cut cymbal strip. I use a small screwdriver to adjust by holding down the back edged of your strip and bending the strip at the outer edge until I have the spacing I want.
Wiring is basic. Run the wire from your switch into your project box and solder it to the ring tab on your jack. Next take a small piece of wire and solder that to the sleeve tab, secure the other end of the wire to one of the bolts holding on your jack box, I soldered mine but you can also use a crimp on ring terminal.I used yellow wire in the picture to make it easier to see for this post.

Finished product!!!

I have tested this on my td3 and it works perfect, light squeeze and the sound chokes, a stiff hit to the edged and you get the edge sound.
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