The Roland TD-1 / TD-1K is a great entry level electric drum kit which is compact and works really well however, after time, the hi-hat pedal can become unresponsive causing your hi-hat to be permanently open. In this blog we share how to fix a Roland TD-1 / TD-1K Hi-Hat Pedal.
Prefer to see this visually? Check out our video.
Looking for the right parts? We have links at the end of this post!
Check Your Cables!
Before we talk about ordering spare parts check your drum cables for damage. You should check the cable going from your hi-hat pedal to the module isn’t damaged and that none of the pins on the drum module or connector are damaged. If they are this could be the cause. Unfortunately, the TD-1/TD-1K kick drum pedal doesn’t work with the hi-hat cable so you can’t test it that way!
If your cables are all good then there’s two things it could be but you need to start by taking apart the pedal…
Taking Apart the Roland TD-1 Hi-Hat Pedal
The Hi-hat pedal has a bolt at the lowest end (where your heel sits). This can be undone by gripping one side with some pliers and using either an allen/hex key on the other side or another pair of grips.
Once undone, remove the nut and washer and pull the bolt out the other side. You can now lift the pedal metal and rotate it to the side so you can access the insides (the metal is still attached by a spring which is why we recommend just twisting it round).
The Pedal Rubber
At the top of the pedal is a rubber foot held in by a screw. Undoing this screw will let you remove the rubber foot. These get stiff over time and using a Stanley knife to cut some small slots across the centre of this (5 or 6) will help loosen it but don’t cut them too deep. You can also buy replacement pedal rubbers online (links at the end).
If loosing or replacing this rubber doesn’t fix your hi-hat pedal you may need to replace the sheet sensor.
Replacing a Sheet Sensor
There are lots of different sheet sensors out there so you’ll want to use our links at the end to get the right one!
The sheet sensor (pictured above) is stuck under the rubber and connects to the jack input. To remove it first remove the cable from the jack input, this can be done by gently pulling it.
You’ll then need to remove the rest of the sheet sensor. As this is stuck with 3M adhesive you’ll need a pair or grips and will need to pull it quite hard. Make sure you’ve ordered a spare before doing this as you’ll probably damage the old part when removing it.
At this stage, you might want to remove the jack input by undoing the nut on the outside. You don’t have to but it’s easier to fit a new sheet sensor if you do!
To fit the new sheet sensor simply stick it down where the old one used to be then put the cable back into the jack connector. This should push in up to the black line on the ribbon. Be careful not to damage the ribbon!
Put it all back together!
Finally, put your pedal back together, tighten everything, plug it in and your hi-hat should now be working!
Finding the Correct Parts
We hope this blog has been helpful. New sheet sensors and pedal rubbers for Roland TD-1 / TD-1K electronic drum kits are widely available but you’ll want to find the right part. Here are links to the correct parts from eBay and Amazon. Amazon is typically quicker but more expensive. Our spares from eBay came from China and arrived to the UK in 10 days.
Roland TD-1 / TD-1K Hi Hat Pedal Replacement Rubber on Ebay
Roland TD-1 / TD-1K Hi Hat Pedal Replacement Sheet Sensor on Ebay
Roland TD-1 / TD-1K Hi Hat Pedal Replacement Sheet Sensor and Rubber (pack) on Ebay
Roland TD-1 / TD-1K Hi Hat Pedal Replacement Sheet Sensor and Rubber (pack) on Amazon
