StroboFlip Pros and Cons?

Chris Bauer · Post by **Chris Bauer** » 14 Dec 2016 8:05 am

I've been interested in getting a StroboFlip because my impression is that it's easier to program them with offsets than on the Turbo Tuners (Which I now use and love other than the offsets.)

I notice, though, that an awful lot of them seem to come up for sale and that has me wondering if there's something about them that's leaving folks either dissatisfied or wanting to upgrade in some way.

Thoughts on both the StroboFlip's pros and cons?

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 14 Dec 2016 8:19 am

If used inline, they are hit or miss re: signal degradation. I've seen many accounts of problems, many accounts of no problems and personally, I sometimes had problems, sometimes did not. If run outside of the signal chain, this is not relevant.
I found that the readout is wonderfully, intuitively easier to to tune to, seeing the interference patterns graphically with the rotary goings on. But they can be distracting to a fault, when you can see every bit of overtone flutter as the signal decays....I wasn't sure I was doing myself any favors seeing this stuff.
I sold mine because I was happy enough to use a $20 Korg so the sale money was good.

That being said, I am thinking of picking one up again.

Alternate answer: well maybe.

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 14 Dec 2016 8:38 am

I'm a fanboy and use 2 of the default steel sweeteners.

I do turn it off after tuning. As Jon mentioned, get it out of the signal path when playing an all will be well.

FWIW..You may be seeing more "Flips" for sale as players jump to the newer "StroboPlus".

I'll be using my Flip until it implodes.

h

Dick Sexton · Post by **Dick Sexton** » 14 Dec 2016 12:18 pm

I'm a fan and it is all I use. Easy to program, but it was not until I wrote my own procedures. I bought one of the Strobo-Plus, but went back to the Flip... Just me, and old dog tricks, I guess.

I use the Beamer VP tuner out and never leave the tuner in the chain. Works for me. I do know that others like the Plus better, but I like and prefer the clam shell design.

Eric Philippsen · Post by **Eric Philippsen** » 15 Dec 2016 12:32 pm

I think they're great been using one for, I dunno, 15 years or whatever and just bought another. Got tired of retrieving it out of my gigging pal-seat when I practiced at home.

Like a previous poster's experience, I had problems sometimes with it being inline. Sometimes I didn't. Go figure. No biggie. I just keep it out all the time and just hook it up when I want. It's so easy to use.

I use the C6th preset for the back neck. For the front I set my E's with the Peterson and then tune everything else with harmonics or by ear.

Roy McKinney · Post by **Roy McKinney** » 15 Dec 2016 1:46 pm

I put a 10K ohm resistor in series with the 2nd output jack. Leave the tuner plugged in but turn it off when I am not using it.

Chris Bauer · Post by **Chris Bauer** » 15 Dec 2016 3:01 pm

Thanks, all!

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 18 Dec 2016 3:04 pm

The Stroboplus HD is an updated version and has better features, is more compact and you charge it like a cellphone - no need to swap batteries. The HD is also cheaper !!!

Ken Pippus · Post by **Ken Pippus** » 18 Dec 2016 3:38 pm

Everything Paddy said is true. But the new leg bracket sucks. And costs more.

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 19 Dec 2016 7:18 pm

Strobo Stomp here for about 10 years, 0 complaints. They have (or had, anyway) wonderful customer service. I remember about 6 years ago I was having issues with the display dimming. The gal who did most of their customer service got back to me, had me snip a diode off the circuit board, been great ever since. I use both E9 and C6 sweetened. Strictly a PSG tuner for me as I use the Snark for guitar and fiddle.

Eric Philippsen · Post by **Eric Philippsen** » 20 Dec 2016 6:51 am

I have to also mention that Peterson has the BEST customer service I have ever experienced in my many decades on this planet. I broke the screen on one of their small guitar headstock tuners that I use for 6-string. Sent it in and received a personal phone call from them to discuss my use of their many tuners and it's service. They repaired it for free.

Find that kind of service anywhere else.

Michael Remming · Post by **Michael Remming** » 2 Jan 2017 3:16 pm

I have both the only con I can come up with on the strobo flip is that if you use a Hilton pedal it is possible to plug the Hilton power supply in and do some damage to the tuner. My mistake hopefully will never do that again, as I only use batteries in the strobo-flip now.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 2 Jan 2017 5:37 pm

There's one con to some people.
It doesn't display the deviation from standard, but must be programmed, leading many people to have no idea what standard they're tuning to.
The fact that the new ones can't be programmed autonomously can be a huge con for many in the smartphone contingent: many folks no longer HAVE a computer.
If someone were to give me one, I'd probably have to mail it to Peterson along with a letter detailing my offsets, but I'd still rather have the display telling me that the G# is 4 cents flat of ET, rather than have it telling me that 4 cents flat is in tune.

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 2 Jan 2017 8:21 pm

I have the Strobo Plus HD too. A great tuner indeed.
It is more accurate than the previous tuners, I used to use. When it reaches the proper pitch of the string, you are tuning, it locks in to it and gives you the proper pitch. I have the sweetened presets on mine also. It blows me away with all of the instruments you can tune using it. I was well worth the money. That I paid for it. I ALWAYS have in my gig bag.
Tommy Shown

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 3 Jan 2017 7:48 am

Eric Philippsen wrote:For the front I set my E's with the Peterson and then tune everything else with harmonics or by ear.

I do the same, except I use one of these:

It's cheaper and doesn't interfere with the signal path.

Lane Gray wrote:I'd still rather have the display telling me that the G# is 4 cents flat of ET, rather than have it telling me that 4 cents flat is in tune.

That's the other reason I haven't invested - but a Happy New Year to all those contented customers who aren't bothered by that!

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 3 Jan 2017 7:52 am

Ian Rae wrote:
Eric Philippsen wrote:For the front I set my E's with the Peterson and then tune everything else with harmonics or by ear.
I do the same, except I use one of these:

It's cheaper and doesn't interfere with the signal path.

Me too, but mine looks like this:

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 3 Jan 2017 8:08 am

They're kinda like Hewlett-Packard calculators: well-made, well-supported, but you have to like the basic approach.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 3 Jan 2017 9:50 am

Memo to self - learn how to post smaller pictures.

Learn something new every year

Kirk Eipper · Post by **Kirk Eipper** » 4 Jan 2017 3:14 pm

I currently have a sick strobo flip. second time It has to go to back for the display and the noise it makes through circuit. Other than than that I love the sweetener thing.

Jim Smerk · Post by **Jim Smerk** » 4 Jan 2017 6:45 pm

Eric Philippsen wrote:They repaired it for free.

Find that kind of service anywhere else.

I could tell stories about the most dogged brand on earth, Behringer, that gave me service like that on a few different occasions.......

Bruce Derr · Post by **Bruce Derr** » 5 Jan 2017 6:37 am

Lane Gray wrote:There's one con to some people.
It doesn't display the deviation from standard, but must be programmed, leading many people to have no idea what standard they're tuning to.
The fact that the new ones can't be programmed autonomously can be a huge con for many in the smartphone contingent: many folks no longer HAVE a computer.
If someone were to give me one, I'd probably have to mail it to Peterson along with a letter detailing my offsets, but I'd still rather have the display telling me that the G# is 4 cents flat of ET, rather than have it telling me that 4 cents flat is in tune.

I'm new to strobe tuners, having recently bought a Sonic Research ST-300. I could hook it up to a PC but I'm glad I don't need to. It allows programming the tempers using front panel controls. But I miss having a display of how far from ET I am, in meaningful units. The ST-300 is nice on gigs because it's fast and easy to see, but I always pack one of my trusty Seikos as well, and that's still what I always use at home. The Seiko tuners are the only ones I've seen that have a numeric cents display. They are getting harder to find; I don't know if they are still being made.

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StroboFlip Pros and Cons?

StroboFlip Pros and Cons?

Strobo Flip...