Pedal steel tuner

Steven Laam · Post by **Steven Laam** » 20 Jul 2013 9:51 am

Hello: I am a new steel player, and need to buy a tuner that's reasonable of course...I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions, or know of anyone selling them? I live in the Sacramento, CA. area..Thanks, Steve...

Bill Moore · Post by **Bill Moore** » 20 Jul 2013 10:05 am

You can use any chromatic tuner, the Korg tuner for about 20.00 works fine.
Go Here: http://www.jeffran.com/tuning.php to find the Jeff Newman tuning chart, it will work with the Korg. You can always get a more expensive tuner later.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 21 Jul 2013 7:46 am

Or if you have a smartphone, there are free tuners, or Cleartune for 3 bucks.

Ron Frederiksen · Post by **Ron Frederiksen** » 21 Jul 2013 8:14 am

If you want a really GOOD one. I have a Peterson flip top, and they are about as good as you can get and you can use it on your steel when your playing with the band.... $150.00 + 10.00 S&Ins. in the Co. US

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 21 Jul 2013 8:22 am

Steven Laam wrote:Hello: I am a new steel player, and need to buy a tuner that's reasonable of course...I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions, or know of anyone selling them? I live in the Sacramento, CA. area..Thanks, Steve...

I'd say a beginner who says he reads the menu right to left doesn't need a $150 tuner, a hundred dollar Izzy, an active volume pedal, a four figure amp.
S/he needs: a decent guitar, two cables, a volume pedal, a cheap amp, a cheap tuner and a teacher.

Howard Steinberg · Post by **Howard Steinberg** » 21 Jul 2013 2:56 pm

Agree with Lane. A Snark clip on tuner clipped to the rear apron of the guitar will get you in tune quickly. These tuners cost about $10.00 and are excellent. You will have plenty of time down the road to drive yourself nuts with tuning offsets. Keep the tuning short and simple and spend your time practicing. Best of luck to you.

Butch Mullen · Post by **Butch Mullen** » 21 Jul 2013 3:38 pm

I use the tuner on a Digitech RP 150. Anybody else use it? Butch 28681

Jack Stripling · Post by **Jack Stripling** » 2 Aug 2013 6:25 am

Im a beginner, and Im being taught NOT to used a tuner...

I belive the E's are 15c low, to get the "sweet" sound(they arent tuned to 440)...If I remember right, I dont have my notes with me...

I have had one lesson, so dont hold me to that exactly...

Bob Poole · Post by **Bob Poole** » 2 Aug 2013 11:20 am

Korg CA-40 Chromatic hasn't let me down yet...about $20.00.fits in my old cell phone holster so it's always close @ hand....sure there's no fancy leg mount clamps & nice lighting but it gets me where i'm tryin to go.

Jim Park · Post by **Jim Park** » 2 Aug 2013 11:41 am

Jack.........Go reread your notes........IF they say to tune the E's 15 cents low............find a new instructor.......but if you're not using a tuner how can you determine 15 cents low??? back to the tuner question, I have a Turbo Tuner and it works great however I saw Paul F using a IPhone to tune( don't know which app) at the Station Inn soooooo..I'm thinkin they must work ok, Ima try one

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 2 Aug 2013 11:54 pm

Jim Park wrote:......... however I saw Paul F using a IPhone to tune( don't know which app) at the Station Inn soooooo...

Jim, I didn't know that Paul F has to be in tune to sound good

Steve - I think any decent tuner will get you going -- there are lots of choices out there. The Strobo Flip is nice, but pricey. Clip ons are fine to get started. I play PSG, banjo, acoustic and electric guitar on gigs, and find that Snarks are cheap and work fine and you won't go crazy if it gets lost or stolen. I use a Strobo Flip for the PSG, although I feel that tuning has to sound right, whether 15 cents, 10 cents, or 1 dollar sharp or flat ... that's my 2 cents - you will find as many opinions on tuning as you will find players!

Jim Park · Post by **Jim Park** » 3 Aug 2013 7:26 am

I think you are right Carl!!!! he sounds good no matter how his guitar is tuned!! For a beginner having a guitar that isn't tuned right (doesn't sound good with other instruments) will impede progress and discourage a student.

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 3 Aug 2013 9:00 am

In my opinion, a little bar "rolling" is ok to hover around the correct pitch , but not a movement that makes the listener seasick or squirmy.

Brandon Ordoyne · Post by **Brandon Ordoyne** » 5 Aug 2013 8:54 am

I have been using a Korg Tuner with Metronome that cost me $25 new for 7 years.....works fine!

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 5 Aug 2013 3:35 pm

Get a Peterson Strobo HD ! end of search

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 5 Aug 2013 4:06 pm

Jim Park wrote:I think you are right Carl!!!! he sounds good no matter how his guitar is tuned!! For a beginner having a guitar that isn't tuned right (doesn't sound good with other instruments) will impede progress and discourage a student.

I (and I am sure Paul) would disagree.

Have you seen the Premier Guitar interview with Paul and Vince? Paul had a couple of changes out of tune (by his own admission) and they didn't sound real good. But once that was taken care of, he was back his his usual awesome self.

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 5 Aug 2013 5:08 pm

Richard - I was trying to be cute, but you caught me.

Hey - remember these? No batteries, no cents sharp, flat, etc., etc. Carried one in my Les Paul case in the 70's, along with a pint of Dewars the kb player and I smuggled into the dressing room of the club.

Gary Schlotterbeck · Post by **Gary Schlotterbeck** » 5 Aug 2013 6:42 pm

I agree with Lane; a simple Korg CA-1 Chromatic Tuner will do everything you need to do, even after you become an experienced player. The important thing is being in tune, and that little white Korg tuner does that as well if not better than the expensive stuff.

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 6 Aug 2013 4:07 am

There is an advantage to be able to tune silently.
Some people can tune strait up to a tuner and sound great but most prefer some offsets.
When you see Mr. Franklin tune like that... a very quick crank crank crank crank with out looking he is usually adjusting compensators for different purposes.

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 6 Aug 2013 4:58 am

Steven, if you have an Android type phone, look up Pitchlab...it has presets for Pedal Steel, both E9th and C6th and its FREE!!!...Lane, may be able to speak to this in comparison with the Cleartune, which I have not used, but the Pitchlab seems to be pretty good...It also has different formats one being Strobe...Good Luck, but I think I'd start here!!

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 6 Aug 2013 9:44 am

You don't need a programmable tuner for offsets. I can still remember most of the offsets of the chart Mike had me make for my Marlen. Not much harder to find -17 than 0.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Pedal steel tuner

Pedal steel tuner

Re: Pedal steel tuner

Tuner...

Tuner

Tuning

Re: Tuning

tuning

Re: tuning

I agree with Lane.