Expensive tuners?

Re: Expensive tuners?

I use the same little Korg one that Markk just posted. It's pretty decent, though I've nothing to compare it to, really. I've been using it since I started playing.

I really need to get a board mounted one soon, though. Other priorities just keep getting in the way. Also, I can't decide between a Pitchblack and a one of the Boss ones... :banghead:

I used to have a Boss TU-2, and now I have a PitchBlack. In terms of accuracy, features, visibility, and durability, they work about the same. I really like how they can be used to power other pedals.
 
Re: Expensive tuners?

I learned to tune by ear occasionally using a piano when things got too far out. In one of my first (blues) bands we used to tune to the singer's harp. I don't have perfect pitch but I can conjure up an A by thinking of the intro to Pretty Vacant by the Sex Pistols. I remember reading a guy criticising the Microcube saying the tuner only produced A - how, he asked, was he supposed to tune the rest of the strings ?

I do use a little Korg tuner at gigs because it's usually too noisy to concentrate but it's only a reference point. The rest you have to do by ear because, as we all know, there's no such thing as a perfectly tuned guitar.
 
Re: Expensive tuners?

I use a Matrix 3000(no longer made). A Boss TU2 & a Boss TU3. I have these on 3 different boards that I use with different amps. For the most part playing with a band is about playing in tune, not intonation. Intonation should have been done before you hit the stage, so I don't need anything really fancy just something that will keep the guitar in tune. For setups & repair work I use a Boss TU12. I have had that TU12 for easily 20 years and it has never failed me in any way. Today the TU12(or whatever they have replace it with) sells for about $85.00 so I don't think that is too pricey. The TU2 & 3 run about $100.00 but well worth it. The difference between them is the TU3 has a brighter led to make it easier to see for outside gigs.
 
Re: Expensive tuners?

For some reason this one seems to have the best tuning results of anything I've ever used (and I've had several over the years). Absolutely no idea why...

STX1100.jpg
 
Re: Expensive tuners?

When i first started playing guitar my teacher would have me do it by tuning fork at lessons. When i stopped taking lessons from that teacher I went the music store they sold me a pitch pipe. Which i didnt like as much so wound up buying a tuning fork.

It wasnt until some time later when my guitar starting going whacky on intonation (and i drove myself nuts adjusting a floyd then comparing the open pitch to the 12th fret then rinse and repeat until correct) that I even considered an electronic tuner.

Now I have an ancient Korg chromatic tuner that I bought in 1995 or I use the guitar toolkit app on my phone.

I know some people swear by the expensive peterson tuners and such but to my ears im dead in tune so im not sure how you can improve upon it.
 
Re: Expensive tuners?

What kinds of mods did you have to do to it? I'm thinking of getting one.

Just run far away.

I had to de-solder a capacitor to fix a washed out display and the tuner isn't true bypass (as they have it advertised), so you have to de-solder those components as well so that it doesn't change the tone of your signal.

The truth is that it's not hard to do and I'll be happy to discuss more detail on it, but the thing that irritates me to no end is having to take a soldering gun to a $180 tuner to make it work the way Peterson advertises it to be. That's unacceptable and after the shoddy quality control between the Strobostomp 1 I had and the ****ty jacks they used on the initial run of the Strobostomp 2 (which I have of course), I'm done with the company. The jacks were so bad on the initial run that the slightest movement would make the display cut in and out because the connection wasn't good. I modded mine by moving them to the sides of the pedal instead of on top. They're resting on their previous reputation while rushing products with some pretty substantial flaws.

You can get any number of tuners these days with true bypass and reliable operation without getting hosed by Peterson. Back in the day, Korg and Peterson were the only serious choices, but these days there are an endless number of decent tuners out there, many of which have been listed in this thread.

This is why I tell people who want a serious strobe tuner to just get a Sonic Research one and be done with it. It's less expensive, tracks better and works right out of the box as advertised with no mods. Just check out the Youtube videos comparing the 2, the Sonic Research tracks notes faster and isn't as jittery.

If I didn't already kill the resale value on my Peterson, I'd have sold it and bought the Sonic Research. Caveat emptor.
 
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Re: Expensive tuners?

I've got the SR Turbo Tuner. It's very accurate. However, I've got two small beefs with it: it's accurate to the point that it kinda makes it inefficient to tune up after a song or two. Sure, I could just tune so that the strobe is just slowly moving, but you know, when I'm tuning, I want the strobe to stand still! :D

Secondly, due to harmonics, the Turbo Tuner is most happy with the neck pickup and the treble rolled off. In a stage situation, that's also a bit cumbersome.

It's a great tuner, and I can't see myself parting with it (for intonation purposes at least). However, I might just go for a cheaper and less accurate tuner for stage purposes..
 
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