kick_the_reverb
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 1337
Escondido, CA
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 08:37 AM
Hi all,
For a long time I've been making do with a hand-held tuner, but since it's a cheap plastic thingy, I don't want to leave it connected in my signal chain, and laying on the floor, where my clumsy feet would smash it. I always see people using the Boss pedal tuner, but everytime I check to see its price, it's always $100. Not what I would like to spend on a tuner. I see that Fender has some cheap pedal tuners, but the description doesn't say Chromatic, which is what I'm looking for. I'm also concerned about accuracy, and the ability to leave it connected in the signal chain without degarding the tone too much...any suggestions? Based on experience, of course.
It's ridiculous, but this lack of "on-demand-tuning" has driven me to decreased use of the vibrato bar....the horror!
Thanks,
Ran
— The Scimitars
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pipeline
Joined: Apr 21, 2006
Posts: 33
Highland Park,Illinois
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 08:50 AM
I use the Korg DT-10. Sells for less then a hondo. Good size for pedal board and is built very well. Tunes as dead on as anything else I've used or can afford. Hope this helps!
Pipeline
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 10:22 AM
Ran, I have one of the older Fender tuner pedals, and I love it.
What do you mean by chromatic?
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kick_the_reverb
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 1337
Escondido, CA
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 10:30 AM
Thanks for the replies so far...
Brian - Chromatic means that it will recognize all the notes, as opposed to some tuners that only display the notes of a standard tuned guitar.
Ran
— The Scimitars
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 10:53 AM
Gotcha. The Fender pedal tuner is chromatic by that definition.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 12:33 PM
I wouldn't feel that safe gigging with the fender. I keep my effects(Boss tuner) behind me and I have stapped on it several times.
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 12:40 PM
Why do you say that? Mine is pretty sturdy.
Here is their new model
Mine is an older version. It just has LEDs for all the chromatic notes, mine does not have the central note display.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 01:09 PM
Just doesn't seem as well built as the Boss. I think there is possibility for gigging damage. I'll stand and jump around on the boss. I wouldn't do that to the Fender.
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 01:23 PM
Yeah, there is a lot of plastic on mine, whereas the Boss is probably all metal. Still you would have to do something pretty drastic to damage it.
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WR
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 3832
netherlands
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 01:23 PM
I use(d) a simple homebuilt ab box (25 bucks or so in materials) to hook up any tuner I want - which is the cheapest one that doesn't break when you spit on it. I used to have a pedal tuner long time ago but I gave it away to a friend since I didn't use it anymore. a simple ab box is way cheaper and it's true bypass, unlike al the pedal tuners. the one I had sucked tone like crazy.
but as it is, i don't use this one either. with every tuner I ever tried (from 25 to 150 bucks), the tuning was always still a bit off after tuning ... that's just the way it is, the thing is, laws of nature played a friggin trick on us by saying octave up is double frequency .... but just not quite... the peterson strobe tuner (sp?) seems to be the hype, but it's to expensive.
anyway, I found that once the guitar is reasonably in tune (pre-gig) tuning by ear is WAY WAY WAY faster than the machine - let alone the fact that after using the machine you still need to finetune. so I just carry my cheap ass tuner, tune it up at soundcheck and pregig, and thats it. I might fine tune again inbetween songs, takes less than 5 secs, it's the high e and g only that ned adjustment. and I figure if I really need to tune the whole guitar again (with the machine) the 5 seconds extra it takes to unplug and replug the guitar isn't the real problem.
but that's just my opinion. admittedly, I have been looking at that Fender thing in the store - but to be honest, I just thought it was too ugly. sorry to those who own one... 
WR
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dp
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3546
mojave desert, california
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Posted on Apr 27 2006 01:39 PM
now we are getting into the territory of "temper"...
which is the relationship between the mathematical distance between notes and their apparent sound relationship...
http://www.precisionstrobe.com/apps/pianotemp/temper.html
not exactly a guitar tuning topic, but definately realated to the whole relative tuning vs. digital tuning debate...
and then there's always the Buzz Feiten tuning system...my guitar tech dude thinks Buzz Feiten is like the Holy Grail of tempering schemes:
http://www.buzzfeiten.com/
-dp
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Anonymous
Joined: Nov 10, 2000
Posts: -180
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Posted on Apr 28 2006 10:47 PM
the Fender one is truly the way to go on a buget. MF has it for $50 bucks with free shipping. It is well built and accurate, I can't even think of a reason to get another brand, unless you are looking for a rack unit.
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holikujak
Joined: Apr 03, 2006
Posts: 107
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Posted on Apr 28 2006 11:56 PM
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MPoppitt
Joined: Apr 23, 2006
Posts: 133
Austin TEXAS!
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Posted on Apr 29 2006 05:23 AM
Sabine and Rocktron both make tuners too.
— 
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drumuitar
Joined: Feb 28, 2006
Posts: 813
Boise, ID
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Posted on Apr 29 2006 02:08 PM
I have a Fender PT-10 (?), which looks just like the PT-100, without the note letter being displayed. They're built like a tank and as cheap or cheaper than a lot of the little plastic tuners.
— Shawn Martin
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kick_the_reverb
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 1337
Escondido, CA
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Posted on May 04 2006 09:17 AM
Ok, so on Tuesday I went to Wal-Mart, sorry, Guitar Center, and got the PT-100. $53 out the door. Coming out of the car at home I managed to gracefuly drop it on the asphalt, and it survived. So far so good.
Last night I tried it before rehearsal. It definitely works. It also definitely degardes the tone. I went back and forth and noticed that the guitar sounded less splashy, less bright, more muddy, and a little "constricted" (loss of sustain). I suspect the Boss would have been the same, though.
I need to dig out the old a/b switch (I have a couple and I don't like them so much one is an old DOD, one Nobles, and one big ass 2 loop switcher that my friend built me).
Dang it, I wanted to keep my set up compact and easy to set-up and tear down.  I think I'll go and see if I can find some quality patch cables for all those hook ups.
I still don't regret getting it because if I just did the a/b switch thing to my hand-held tuner, that would still have left the chance for me (Mr. oaf-like co-ordination) to stomp on it and smash it. This thing would probably survive many gigs, and the extra $50 I saved could go towards something else (at least in theory). I don't see my self paying $100 for a Boss pedal, and I don't think anyone should...they aren't made of gold.
Thanks for the advice guys,
Ran
— The Scimitars
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on May 04 2006 02:03 PM
I notice no tone degradation or change with my Boss tuner.
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kick_the_reverb
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 1337
Escondido, CA
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Posted on May 04 2006 02:21 PM
Hmm...I notice degradation with my two boss pedals - overdrive and eq, so I don't know if the Boss tuner is different, or maybe just our ears. Everybody hears different things I guess.
Ran
— The Scimitars
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on May 04 2006 03:05 PM
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butchdelux
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 250
Port Fierce, Florida
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Posted on May 04 2006 03:13 PM
JakeDobner
I notice no tone degradation or change with my Boss tuner.
I have a Boss pedal tuner also, I haven't noticed any degredation, soundwise, either.
— The Disasternauts
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