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Topic: What brand and or model tuner do you use? |
Chuck Hall
From:
Warner Robins, Ga, USA
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Posted 12 Apr 2009 4:34 pm |
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Dave and all
Figured out one better.
Set the calibrate button for the Hz I want and tune dead up to the center.....
Chuck  |
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Guido Hausmann
From:
Gütersloh, NRW Germany
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Posted 23 Sep 2009 1:34 pm
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| James Morehead wrote: |
| David Doggett wrote: |
| If I had a Peterson, I would tune carefully by ear, and enter my own presets. I would not blindly use any factory presets. |
I agree. For the newbies, it's a good idea to learn how to tune by ear using a tuning fork. Then, with a stroboflip, you can measure the tuning and enter it in as a preset for YOUR guitar. Most tuners do not allow you to measure.
Every guitar is different, and the programmed tunings in the Petersen Stroboflip are just an "average", to get you in the ball park if you are in a hurry, at least for me. I enter my guitar's personal settings into the stroboflip and it's wonderful for noisey situations, like at a gig, where you will have a difficult time tuning by ear. I also like the stroboflip in the shop doing setup work. But you would really do yourself a favor to learn how to tune by ear, using a tuning fork as a starting spot. |
james, as i am a newbie - how do i find out what tuning is the best for my guitar??
i use the rob haines tempered tuning from his dvd.
on band practise i tune by ear.
_________________
Sho~Bud Pro II, Sho~Bud LDG, Fender '79 Vibrosonic 1x15 JBL, Fender '72 Bandmaster Reverb + Custom 2x12 Vintage Alnico Cab, Fender 75 1x15", Randall Steel Man 500, Peavey Session 500, Goodrich L120, Sho~Bud Pedal
www.facebook.com/guido.luckylola
Last edited by Guido Hausmann on 24 Sep 2009 2:41 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jeremy Threlfall
From:
now in Western Australia
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Posted 23 Sep 2009 5:11 pm
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| TU-2 |
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Stan Schober
From:
Cahokia, Illinois, USA
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Posted 23 Sep 2009 5:36 pm
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| Lyon by Washburn LSMT-30 metronome /tuner |
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Nick Reed
From:
Russellville, KY USA
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Posted 23 Sep 2009 9:30 pm
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| Boss TU-12H |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 24 Sep 2009 4:01 am
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| Guido Hausmann wrote: |
| - how do i find out what tuning is the best for my guitar?? |
For a regular E9 PSG; check if you can "tune out the beats" for all pedal/lever combinations by ear. That'll bring you a long way towards recognizing and learning how to tune against any instabilities - body-drop etc. - your steel may have.
This chart over Just Intonation on E9 PSG is a useful "norm".
Along the lines of this thread; I have an old 'Matrix SR-5000 Chromatic Tuner' that I must have bought back in the 1980s. It still works OK for quick-checks in noisy environments, and I check up on it now and then, but I don't really use it for tuning.
A tuning fork in "A" gives me the hint I need for tuning by ear, and when playing with others I prefer to let them give me a run of chords, and check my tuning up the neck to hear if my PSG is "close enough for comfort" - that is; "dead on".
If the others are set to play "out of tune with my tuning fork" for whatever reason, I simply play "off frets" so I stay in tune with them - which is all that matters really. Rarely ever bother to re-tune my PSG for such "off-tune" playing, since that means I'll have to fine-tune not only my open tuning but also most of my pedals/levers, and then tune back afterwards. Rarely ever worth the hassle, IMO. |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 24 Sep 2009 6:50 am
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it's important to know just how much cabinet drop your steel has in order to tune it accordingly
tuning charts are helpfull but not specific to all models
check this thread out before you get too wound up on the tuning issue :
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=164485 |
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Paul E. Brennan
From:
Dublin, Ireland
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Posted 24 Sep 2009 12:49 pm
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I tune my 4th string E to 440 with A and B pedals down using an old TU-12. This brings the E up to about 441 when the pedals are released. The rest I tune by ear depending on who/what is in the band/session.
It's really pretty academic compared to how badly you can be out of tune with sloppy bar placement. Learning to tune by ear is all part of learning to play. You need good ears to play this instrument well. You've got to work them the same as you work your hands.
That's my advice. Actually it's Lloyd Green's advice. He told me so years ago. And so did Basil Henriques. And so did Tom Brumley. And Gerry Hogan. And Jeff Newman. And Paul Franklin.... I've never met Buddy but I'm sure he'd say the same thing. |
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Ronnie Boettcher
From:
Brunswick Ohio, USA
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Posted 28 Sep 2009 7:00 am
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I use a Korg CA-30. Inexpensive, and it does the job.
_________________
Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142 |
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Chuck Hall
From:
Warner Robins, Ga, USA
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Posted 29 Sep 2009 5:10 pm
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| Quote: |
| It's really pretty academic compared to how badly you can be out of tune with sloppy bar placement |
Or how capable you are at pulling one back into tune (or close) with the bar. Seems I have a ceiling fan blowing right down on me at all times. Reaps havoc with the strings.
_________________
Chuck
MCI D10 8/4 Nashville 400 and a Profex. |
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Chris Erbacher
From:
Sausalito, California, USA
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Posted 29 Sep 2009 9:01 pm
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| i'm using a clip on chromatic tuner now for everything because it is super easy to use...banjo, acoustic guitar, uke and steel, just clip it on and tune it up...works on vibration and is the best one i have used of these type of tuners...$30...brand is KORG model number is AW-2G... |
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Ulric Utsi-Åhlin
From:
Sweden
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Posted 29 Sep 2009 9:48 pm
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The electronic tuner is a great tool,and I´m just
another Peterson-owner,but the concept of it has been
allowed to take on a life all its own...let´s not
shun the fact...a simple tuning fork will get You
through the process,complete w/ Your personal
intonation secrets,all in one tempo...some people
don´t even need the tuning fork.McUtsi |
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Gene Jones
From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
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Posted 30 Sep 2009 8:54 am
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Jeff Newman once said that "all tuners lie".
I agree, because my experience with tuners is that they are great as a shortcut to get you in the ballpark, but, you must use your own inherant hearing abilities to "fine-tune".
OK, I'm ready for flames, I've heard all of the defense about the fallacy of depending upon your own hearing.....I've been there before!
_________________
"FROM THEN TIL' NOW" |
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Colin Mclean
From:
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
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Posted 2 Oct 2009 4:04 pm
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I use a Boss TU-2. I take it out of the sig chain once I'm done using it. I tuned my 6-string guitars for 18 years by ear and never had a problem but I had to buy a tuner when I started steel, just so I could spend more time playing the thing. It's hard enough when you can't remember what the strings are supposed to be tuned to, then throw in pedals and knee levers! 
Now I find that if I take the time to get every string, pedal and lever PERFECT according to the tuner, it works great. I even use it for regular guitar now, though for one of my acoustics I have to employ a special tuning system I figured out that the guitar seems to like best.
I've never understood the benefits of using your ears tuning steel. I'm not disputing it, I know a lot of steel players do it. It just seems like whatever tuning method you employ for cabinet drop or whatever, a tuner would be faster. All you're doing anyway is compensating (or compromising) certain notes so that the guitar will be more in tune during certain pedal/lever combos...but then subsequently less so in others, right? Not sure why you couldn't use a tuner for that anyway, it would be faster wouldn't it?
Plus if you have a model with bypass, you can do it silently. At gigs, after unpacking your steel you can tune silently off stage while the previous band plays their last song. Then you're ready to go! |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 2 Oct 2009 4:34 pm
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| Colin Mclean wrote: |
| I've never understood the benefits of using your ears tuning steel. I'm not disputing it, I know a lot of steel players do it. It just seems like whatever tuning method you employ for cabinet drop or whatever, a tuner would be faster. All you're doing anyway is compensating (or compromising) certain notes so that the guitar will be more in tune during certain pedal/lever combos...but then subsequently less so in others, right? Not sure why you couldn't use a tuner for that anyway, it would be faster wouldn't it? |
Don't know about that.
- With a tuner you have to check strings and pedal/lever combinations individually, and you can only reliably check open strings and harmonics - no bar. Takes time - you know better than me how much time it usually takes.
- By ear you can strike a few chords almost anywhere on the neck, push those pedals/levers, and immediately pick out what needs tuning. Such a tuning procedure doesn't take long for a trained "ear tuner" - I'd say less than a minute if pressed for time.
You're of course right in that the former can be done silently, but if that's a problem a headphone set solves it for an "ear tuner". |
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Rick Winfield
From:
Pickin' beneath the Palmettos
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Posted 2 Oct 2009 5:24 pm Korg
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For the past 2 years, I've been using a KORG CA-30, and my ears. Paid about $20 for it, and it has variable hz, and an LCD "needle". Works great for me.
Now, if I could only make that tuning have "the sound", I'd be happy
rick |
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Colin Mclean
From:
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
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Posted 2 Oct 2009 10:52 pm
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| Georg Sørtun wrote: |
- With a tuner you have to check strings and pedal/lever combinations individually, and you can only reliably check open strings and harmonics - no bar. Takes time - you know better than me how much time it usually takes.
- By ear you can strike a few chords almost anywhere on the neck, push those pedals/levers, and immediately pick out what needs tuning. Such a tuning procedure doesn't take long for a trained "ear tuner" - I'd say less than a minute if pressed for time.
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OK that does make sense. I'm not ready to let go of my tuner yet though! Crazy, I was pretty proud of the fact that I never needed one before, now I'm scared to go without...I'll have to ween myself off it I guess... |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 3 Oct 2009 1:39 am
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Peterson Stroboflip. Great piece of gear. I use the Newman pedal presets on my non pedal console steels.
_________________
Bob |
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Johan Jansen
From:
Europe
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Posted 3 Oct 2009 8:12 am
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Guido,
use a tuning like the one you have, or the one from Jeff Newmann as a starting point.
Then tweek the tuning the next years to your ears.
Then find a way how they are to be recognised on any tuning device, brand is not important, as long as it is reliable. Then you can tune on a crowdy, noisy stage or in the studio. Don't get dependent on tools, but try to get that goal by your ears.
I know a lot of steelers with the most expensive gear that rely on tools and have big problems to play in tune. Instead of chasing numbers with two digits behind Hrz I advise them to train their ears and listen to their own recordings to learn from that. 
mfc.
Johan |
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Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
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Posted 7 Oct 2009 1:18 am Re: What brand and or model tuner do you use?
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Years ago I had one of those big Korg tuners that you had to turn the dial to the note. All I use now is a cheap "Tanglewood" tuner, cost me £20..that's about $36 ...get my E's and B's in and the rest use my ears. Works for me
Micky Byrne U.K. |
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Allan Kelly
From:
Watford, United Kingdom
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Posted 7 Oct 2009 4:32 am
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| Korg LCA120 - I particularly like the large backlit LCD screen as I use it on a pedal board. Allows one program of customised presets. |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 7 Oct 2009 5:07 am
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After decades of Boss Tu-12's and predecessors and Intellitouch-type units for stage, I finally broke down and bought a Peterson Stobostomp.
I'll never go back to "needle" or LED tuners again.
The virtual strobe is even better than my old (long gone) Conn strobe. The accuracy and sensitivity are uncanny - you barely pick a string and you get a solid reading. It's also VERY easy to read form odd angles, which is really helpful when I jump from steel to guitar.
But the best thing is the temperaments. Used to try to "fly by wire" and position the TU12's needle + or - a set amount of cents to use a temperament b0b and Doug Livingston helped me with , but with this it took 5 minutes to program the offsets....and the guitar "sweetened" tuning i already there.
Both make a huge difference in the sound. No clashing thirds or other problems - it just sounds "right"
I recommend SOME kind of strobe tuner to all guitar and/or steel players. They're easy to use AND make you sound better.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 11 Aug 2017 1:22 am
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It's been a while for this thread and new ideas have come about. Free apps for your Android like PANO TUNER is as accurate as a TU-2 and you don't need to connect anything. The microphone on your phone does the work. Easy to use.
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 11 Aug 2017 1:47 am
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I've been using a Boss TU-12 forever. I tend to be hard on gear. I've repaired the input jack connection twice and replaced the display once after dropping it.
I make a tuning chart in excel with my copedent including offsets and string guages, etc. I reduce it, print it, then tape it to the interior case wall that flips up.
The clamp-on inexpensive tunners are a good concept in that you can leave them attached to your steel for a quick tuning check between songs even. However, I find the ones I've tried lack resolution.
I'll probably try a strobed tuner next. |
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Wesley Medlen
From:
LaCygne,Ks
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Posted 11 Aug 2017 2:43 am
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TU12H
_________________
Justice S10 Jr, Gibson Electra 6string, Boss Katana 100, Steelers Choice ,Gretsch 6 string lap, Hilton VP |
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