The boring pedal tuner thread

hywelg

I used to use a TU-2 but found it far too inaccurate to be able to set the intonation correctly so got a Sonic Research ST200 about 4 years ago. Brilliant piece of kit. I also have a Polytune knocking about at home waiting for me to put a grab and go pedalboard together.

daveyh

Son's got the Snark pedal, very sci-fi looking, great big bright display and nicely accurate.

ICBM

hywelg;24628" said:

I used to use a TU-2 but found it far too inaccurate to be able to set the intonation correctly

I know this isn't quite what you meant, but that's something which always annoyed me - people saying the TU-2 is crap because it's not accurate enough to set intonation.

The TU-2 is a *stage* tuner! It's *purposely* less accurate in order to make it quicker and less fussy to use on stage. (OK, it's true that they've now improved the way they work so the TU-3 can be +/- 1 cent and still track quickly.)

I wouldn't use the TU-2 to set intonation any more than I would use my PA amp to record a vocal track. That's not what it's for.

For what it's worth I use a tuning fork and one string referencing another to set intonation.

dindude

daveyh said:

Son's got the Snark pedal, very sci-fi looking, great big bright display and nicely accurate.

Cool, good to know, thanks.

viz

I know you want a pedal, but have you thought of a rack unit such as the Korg DTR 2000, which is incredibly quick and incredibly easy to read.

jaygtr

i use a TU-2 as its quick and easy and you can run other pedals off it

Lew

@viz I haven't no. I'd rather a pedal as I don't fancy going the fridge route :-)

@Majorscale possibly, gonna research this GOGO tuner thing a bit first

@Bidley I only had one fret ya tubby bastard ;-p 

Lew

@Majorscale check your pm

HAL9000

I've got one of these... http://www.andertons.co.uk/tuners-amp-metronomes/pid11047/cid593/fender-pt100-pedal-tuner.asp?LGWCODE=11047;56375;2717&utm_source=googlebase&utm_term=0239994000&utm_medium=pricecomp&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=CMP53IDSqLkCFTPItAod434A3Q £42 and accurate to 1 cent. Had it at least 5 years with no issues, but some reviews would seem to indicate that they're not very robust. However, mine just gets thrown in and out of my bag'o'bits and generally abused and seems plenty tough enough.

hywelg

 

ICBM said:

hywelg;24628" said:

I used to use a TU-2 but found it far too inaccurate to be able to set the intonation correctly

I know this isn't quite what you meant, but that's something which always annoyed me - people saying the TU-2 is crap because it's not accurate enough to set intonation.

The TU-2 is a *stage* tuner! It's *purposely* less accurate in order to make it quicker and less fussy to use on stage. (OK, it's true that they've now improved the way they work so the TU-3 can be +/- 1 cent and still track quickly.)

I wouldn't use the TU-2 to set intonation any more than I would use my PA amp to record a vocal track. That's not what it's for.

For what it's worth I use a tuning fork and one string referencing another to set intonation.

OK. Splitting hairs. Accuracy and precision. The TU2  is a tuner that was not precise enough to use to do intonation. The ST200 is and its way more accurate as well, though as regards absolutes I'm not sure as I have no means to nor interest in checking its calibration. Its also a better tuner than a TU-2 for stage use.

ICBM

No, not splitting hairs. I agree that people complain that the TU-2 is not accurate enough since it's only +/- 3 cents, when what they really mean is that it isn't precise enough.

But when they say that it's no good compared to say a +/- 0.1 cent tuner because it's not 'accurate' (or precise), they're totally missing the point. It's meant as a stage tuner. You don't adjust intonation on stage, so the fact that it isn't precise enough to is irrelevant. It doesn't make it a bad tuner, it means you're expecting it to do something it was purposely designed not to do.

I haven't tried the ST200, so I don't doubt you that it's better - the TU-2 is quite an old design now. I still find it the easiest and most stable tuner to use on stage of any I've tried though.

Lew

Well, it looks like I use a turbotuner now. Thanks @Majorscale I actually had one years ago

Sporky

ICBM said:

I haven't tried the ST200, so I don't doubt you that it's better - the TU-2 is quite an old design now. I still find it the easiest and most stable tuner to use on stage of any I've tried though.

I went straight from a TU-12 to the ST-200 - it's far quicker to work with, and I think my guitars sound better after tuning with it - that accuracy thing does seem to make a difference. That said I've not used a TU-2.

ESBlonde

I have a Korg GA30 in the acoustic case. I also have a Korg DT4 for the electrics, never had a tuner pedal or felt the need. I downloaded Gstrings onto the phone too which is handy.

meltedbuzzbox

Bidley said:

Lew said:

Korg Pitchblack accurate to 1 cent. Looks like it could be broken by a midget in slippers. Derp Knightrider display £49.99

I've gigged a Pitchblack Poly regularly for about a year, and there's barely a scratch on it. It's survived being stomped on by a tubby bloke in boots, so it can probably withstand a midget in slippers.

I use a PitchBlack Poly too. Very happy with it, especially at £52. Seems sturdy enough

jmaster

I use a pitchblack, sounds terrible.

Fez

I use a pitchblack and it's fine

monquixote

Polytune. 

I like it though I don't actually use the polyphonic tuning mode. 

My Bass board has a DT-10 because it seems to tune a low B faster than anything else I've tried. 

http://www.dv247.com/assets/products/25214_l.jpg

jmaster

Fez said:

I use a pitchblack and it's fine

It was a bad joke. The pitch black is great, precise, small, easy to read and seems pretty indestructible to me

NervousJohn

I use a TU-3, and it's the only pedal I couldn't manage without. It tracks notes quickly and is much less jittery than the Korg hand held I used before. It's also buffered which I probably don't need but it's good to have. I use it to set my intonation, and it's close enough although I was going to spring for the polytune app as a check.

I looked at a Polytune when I was shopping around, but as I mainly play a 12 string I doubt the open strum thing would work. And with two strings per course tweaking on stage for that last fraction of a cent would risk my singer talking to the audience.