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a good tuner

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 Ande
(@ande)
Prominent Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 652
 

I also have a Korg CA-30. Never had a problem.

Ande


   
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(@rustedstrings)
Active Member
Joined: 13 years ago
Posts: 15
 

I use a Korg AW-2 which clips to the headstock, which I think is about as accurate as you'd need. It's definitely very convenient and versatile because it can be used via the mic or piezo sensor.

However, my biggest problem with tuning just about any guitar is that you can tune all the open strings "perfectly" according to the tuner, but then when you fret notes/chords, some notes beat against each other. Maybe the tuner is not as accurate as I think?

Even as you're going up the strings with the tuner, low E to A, to D, etc...you can usually hear that it's not really spot on for a fourth interval even though the tuner says it is.

So I've learned to tune to the tuner, then "cheat" the strings sharp or flat to each other by ear so they sound ok together. Usually using the 5th fret, sometimes the 7th fret octave and also just checking to hear if the intervals of the open strings sound right. Never making them quite perfect with each other, but moreso just better as a group. But its a little time consuming and kind of annoying that you have to do that after using an electronic tuner.

Supposedly the new Peterson Stroboclip tuner has a setting that provides equal temperament (or whatever its called) tuning...which if I understand it correctly, is what I'm trying to do by ear to fine tune what the Korg leaves you with.

Anyone use one? Does it do a good job of evening out the tuning?

I know it's only $70, but if it's not going to be any different than the Korg, it's $70 I can keep in my wallet.


   
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 cnev
(@cnev)
Famed Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4459
 

Rusted something doesn't make sense. There is another thread on a Buzz Freiten equal temperment tuning but that requires modifications to the guitar in order to get that tuning.

Without doing that how is a Strobe tuner going to get you there?

Just curious I may just be ignorant.

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!


   
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(@trguitar)
Famed Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 3709
 

I'm far from an expert on this ...... matter of fact as stated in another thread I don't even care, :lol: but here is how I understand it. The way a guitar is designed,if you tune it to pitch on the open strings, the fretted strings will not be right on the pitch they are supposed to be. Some people (a friend of mine used to do this) tune their guitar less than perfect open so the fretted notes will be more in tune. It is a compromise to make play on the upper middle frets more in tune. The Buzz Feiten system uses a compensated nut to achieve this so it's less of a compromise and more in tune at both positions. Like I said, I don't really know alot about it as it doesn't interest me but this is how i understand it.

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(@apache)
Reputable Member
Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 301
 

I've just got a Snark - it seems very good, quite responsive, and will deal with alternative tunings.


   
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(@imalone)
Reputable Member
Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 267
 

Isn't this also possibly an issue with the intonation? It's not possible to have all strings perfectly intonated, but it shouldn't be very far out and should be right at the 12th fret. And fretting with any pressure will pull the string sharp. Of course Rusted could just have very good pitch sensitivity, I suppose the strobe tuner might let you decide exactly how 'off' your open strings are in your preferred setup and go straight there rather than tuning chords by ear.


   
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(@greybeard)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

The other thing about the Buzz Feiten system is that it requires a tuner that intonates the guitar differently to standard (and is specific to the BFS). It's a combination of the modified nut and intonation that gives it its compensation.

So, not all tuners are suited to a guitar with BFS.

I have a Korg CA-30 and a Korg DT-7 (for BFS) plus AP guitar tuner on my PC and one in my Pandora.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
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(@moonrider)
Noble Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1305
 

This sounds like a poorly cut nut, that leaves the strings too high on the first couple of frets or the intonation is off. Tune to the tuner, and while leaving the tuner on, fret and pick a note on the first fret to see if it's sharp. If the nut's too high, it will be sharp, and gradually move back in tune as you move towards the 12th fret.

Also, make sure your intonation is correct by tuning to the tuner, and while leaving the tuner on, play the notes at the 12th fret if they're NOT in tune, your intonations off and needs to be adjusted.

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(@rustedstrings)
Active Member
Joined: 13 years ago
Posts: 15
 

Even though I'm not the OP, I just wanted to update since I last bumped this.

I ended up getting the peterson strobo-flip and comparing it to my Korg for a few days before giving my Korg away to someone that needed a tuner.

Not downing the Korg, it's a good tuner. BUT....

The peterson is definitely more accurate than any other clip on tuner I've used. Now I can get my guitar into an acceptable and even very pleasing tune much faster now. The "sweetened" tunings make a guitar much more balanced.

There were days when I seriously couldn't play because I just couldn't get a guitar in tune with itself well enough to bear listening to it...drives me crazy. Now I clip on the peterson strobe and tune up using the sweetened setting and as long as I take my time and really work to get all the strings to stop the dial from spinning just after the sharp attack, the guitar sounds great.

Head to head, the Korg shows the string in perfect tune while the peterson is still showing flat or sharp. Obviously you can never get a vibrating string to be dead on with no fluctuation in pitch, so the dial will never stop moving completely, but it does "hover" and float back and forth slowly showing that you are in tune.

The korg is probably easier to read for most people, but it doesn't take long to get used to the spinning dial of the peterson and it's actually much easier to read and tune to once you do adjust. Construction is a little more solid and the clip is a little better but still worries me that it may be a bit flimsy for $70. Don't like the adjustments of the "head" as much as the Korg either, but I will take the accuracy and sweetened tuning of the peterson every day of the week. No way I can live without a tuner this accurate anymore.

Other tuners left me unhappy and always having to adjust the guitar by ear after "tuning"...and it was just too time consuming to really get a guitar IN tune.... the peterson takes away the guess work and lets me tune up and play.


   
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(@kayo1111)
New Member
Joined: 13 years ago
Posts: 4
 

I always have had korg tuners. i found them to be most reliable tuners, good quality fair price kind of deal.
Main fell few times on the floor and it's still working. Amazing Gadget!


   
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(@saintvitus)
Active Member
Joined: 13 years ago
Posts: 5
 

I have a standard Korg chromatic tuner, which is OK when I'm at my lessons. When I'm at home, I plug into my Macbook and use Garageband, not only as a tuner, but as a practice amp. The tuner works very well, and will tune from any note fingered.


   
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