The Steel Guitar Forum

David Doggett wrote: If I had a Peterson, I would tune carefully by ear, and enter my own presets. I would not blindly use any factory presets.

I agree. For the newbies, it's a good idea to learn how to tune by ear using a tuning fork. Then, with a stroboflip, you can measure the tuning and enter it in as a preset for YOUR guitar. Most tuners do not allow you to measure.

Every guitar is different, and the programmed tunings in the Petersen Stroboflip are just an "average", to get you in the ball park if you are in a hurry, at least for me. I enter my guitar's personal settings into the stroboflip and it's wonderful for noisey situations, like at a gig, where you will have a difficult time tuning by ear. I also like the stroboflip in the shop doing setup work. But you would really do yourself a favor to learn how to tune by ear, using a tuning fork as a starting spot.

I used a Korg CA-30(?) for years. the little hand held jobber like in Richard's picture above.

Couldn't keep it "in line" but that was seldom an issue. I'd tune at the beginning of a set and adjust if necessary. I still use it for laps and dobro.

I tune "straight up" hence I don't need a needle display for offsets.

a couple of years ago On my Zum I installed a Sabine "Stealth" ST12E, a discontinued line; it's a small LED display connected by a ribbon cable to a chromatic tuner circuit card which mounts internally, typically under the pickguard of a Tele or the like- (mine is velcro'd to my changer support bracket) the display is right beside the back end of my pickup and is hard wired at the jack so I can tune with the Volume pedal off.

I found a couple on eBay
I put 'em on my Thinline Tele, and my StageOne too.
I haven't found a suitable mounting spot on my ZB

I really like 'em.
Too bad they don't make 'em any more.

Although a Peterson strobe with custom presets is the ultimate convenience for tuning quickly without listening, there is much to be said for getting some experience with a chromatic needle tuner. It allows you to see things like:
* How much cabinet drop you have on various strings with various pedals and levers
* The effects of hysteresis
* Checking for inaccurate returns
* Where your comfort zone is with tempered 3rds, 6ths, etc.
* How close the slack and ratio of your tuning keys lets you get to your target
* The difference between tuning open at the nut with no bar pressure and tuning with the bar up the neck
* The accuracy of your tuning by ear (how close you come to the target)
* The precision of your tuning by ear (how close your repeated attempts are to each other)
* How temperature (even your hands on the strings) affects tuning

If nothing else, experimenting with some of this stuff shows you how much slop there is in all this, and how tolerant and inconsistent our ears are. You will quickly come to realize how silly it is to be too preoccupied with differences less than a few cents or a Hz or so, much less the decimal places one sees in some charts and in the meter manufacturers' hype. You'll gain some familiarity thinking and conversing about both Hz and cents differences. And you will relax a little about the whole subject and develop a tuning routine that is convenient, and that fits your instrument and your ears.

I used a TU-12 for years, still have it, also have a CA-30. But I really like the Korg LCA-120, mainly because the screen lights up so brightly, very easy to see in dim light. I made a mounting bracket that attaches to a leg of the guitar, and keep it plugged into the 3rd jack of the volume pedal. I don't have presets, just read the lcd meter, and set it the way I want it.

David Doggett wrote:Although a Peterson strobe with custom presets is the ultimate convenience for tuning quickly without listening, there is much to be said for getting some experience with a chromatic needle tuner. It allows you to see things like:
* How much cabinet drop you have on various strings with various pedals and levers
* The effects of hysteresis
* Checking for inaccurate returns
* Where your comfort zone is with tempered 3rds, 6ths, etc.
* How close the slack and ratio of your tuning keys lets you get to your target
* The difference between tuning open at the nut with no bar pressure and tuning with the bar up the neck
* The accuracy of your tuning by ear (how close you come to the target)
* The precision of your tuning by ear (how close your repeated attempts are to each other)
* How temperature (even your hands on the strings) affects tuning

David, Everything you mention here can be had with a stroboflip, that is, if it's important to know.

Peterson Stroborack

i must agree w: the old school
they who were around before all the gizmos were
tuning the roots & fifths to pitch & then using harmonics is the way the go
when your at home or in calm surroundings
otherwise on the bandstand, the Petersons & such,do come in mighty handy

Had this since the 70s. It will probably outlast me.

Korg CA-40 works well for me. I keep it inline at all times and right on the top of my S10.

I think a frequent gigging musician would need something better lit than this model.

James M., do Peterson tuners give a readout in cents or Hz, or do you just see the wheels spin differently when you are not right on target?

Hey Dave, it reads out in cents or hertz, your choice. It also measures differences in cents or hertz. It will show hertz in 0.5 hertz, from 390hertz to 490 hertz.
It also shows cents, from -50 cents to +50 cents in 0.1 cent increments.

Here's a ton of info on what the Stroboflip can or can't do. Enjoy!!

http://petersontuners.com/truthclick

How temperature (even your hands on the strings) affects tuning

Uhhh - so how does the Peterson adapt to or read temperature?

I've been tempted to buy a Turbo Tuner; the Petersons look cool but $200+ bucks for a tuner is a hard pull nowadays, especially when my old TU12, Intellitouch an Intelli IMT (the little clip-on) don't seem to get me into any trouble.

If I got a Peterson it would be for guitar setups - I just can't see the need on stage, unless EVERYONE is using one - otherwise you'll be the only one using "corrected" tuning, and will sound out-of tune (don't laugh - I've watched it happen to strobe users who dial-in "sweetened" tunings).

Regardless - If I wanted the doodads it looks like the Turbo Tuner is far more reasonable, so I may yet get one for "tuneup" work.

Hey Jim, which model Petersen did you say cost over $200? You might look at some of their cheaper models, like the strobostomp or the stroboflip. A flip can be had around $160 now. By the way, what did you say the Turbo Tuner cost? I didn't quite hear you.

Jim Sliff wrote:

How temperature (even your hands on the strings) affects tuning

Uhhh - so how does the Peterson adapt to or read temperature?


If I got a Peterson it would be for guitar setups - I just can't see the need on stage, unless EVERYONE is using one - otherwise you'll be the only one using "corrected" tuning, and will sound out-of tune (don't laugh - I've watched it happen to strobe users who dial-in "sweetened" tunings).

The Petersen reads temperature like the Turbo Tuner does, only better.

Out of tune with the band? You gotta be kidding! I've yet to find myself out of tune with a band because I tune with a strobe tuner. I might get off with my intonation, but no tuner will fix that!!

I use a Peterson strobe tuner for my GFI steel and it's great.

Brett

I have used a TU-12 for years. One thing that should be mentioned for any newbies would be the importance of tuning (the E9 neck) with AB pedals down. Since I started doing this about five or six years ago, my intonation has improved immensely. If you don't take cabinet drop into consideration when tuning, things are going to sound a bit out.

I get the e's from the tuner, and tune the rest by ear, flattening the 3rds ever so much. I heard recently that Paul tunes by ear, and that was all I needed to know. Learning to tune your instrument by ear is essential for training the ear for anyone getting started on any instrument. I have played with some artists who couldn't get a guitar in tune without a TU-2 if their lives depended on it. Was not cool to see them struggling with tuning onstage when the TU-2 died.

Your mileage may vary, keep on pickin'!

Gerald

We all have our own ideas as to what works the best . I have had different tuners . I have a expensive tuner in my rack but never use it . I like the TU-12 better than anything i have ever used . But be advised they don't tune the steel right by using just one std. tuning . Some will say straight up 440 some will say tune some flat and on and on . By the way this subject will never end !
Here us what i do ,i get my ''E's'' where they are right ( to me ) then tune the rest by ear . Then i make a chart and where ever the needle is is where i tune my guitar ( by the tuner ) . I write this down and use it for a reference . Be advised that all steel guitars will not be the same with the same tuner . After you use your tuner ,strum the majors and see if they sound sweet ,if not touch them up until they do . As i said we all have our way of tuning so go ahead and turn the keys .

I use the Korg AW1 these days for a reference then tune by ear. Little, lite and doesn't need to be plugged in. It is hard to see in the dark though.

Strobo Stomp has True Bypass. Keeps me consistantly in tune. Really like it.

Gary Preston wrote:
Here us what i do ,i get my ''E's'' where they are right ( to me ) then tune the rest by ear . Then i make a chart and where ever the needle is is where i tune my guitar ( by the tuner ) . I write this down and use it for a reference . Be advised that all steel guitars will not be the same with the same tuner . After you use your tuner ,strum the majors and see if they sound sweet ,if not touch them up until they do . As i said we all have our way of tuning so go ahead and turn the keys .

That's what I do with the Strobo Flip, except instead of having to write it all down (and lose the paper) I enter it all into the tuner as my own personal preset. Voilla!! When I have the Stroboflip, I don't care if the band is noisey at tune up time, I don't care if it's dark. I can quick check my tuning in the middle of a song and be back in time for my ride. I also have it set up now as a true bypass(thanx to Sue at Petersen) Works for me--best money I ever spent for a tuner.

It amazes me. We can drop $5000 on guitars and amplifiers and effects without batting an eye, but yet there are some who refuse to pay a little more for a quality tuner. It's chump change boys, considering the initial investment!

Korg is the tuner that is accurate to 0.5hz. You can't tune a circle of fifths without it. Boss only reads to 2hz. BIG difference.

Allen Kentfield wrote:Korg is the tuner that is accurate to 0.5hz. You can't tune a circle of fifths without it. Boss only reads to 2hz. BIG difference.

And the Stroboflip reads to 1/2 hertz.

But a Korg CA-30 can be had for $20-$30. And from what I've seen of Petersons, Korg is simpler to use. Of course you've got to know what you're doing.

Wow! Pedal steel is deep. We can't even tune without getting high tech and complicated.

I still use the KORG DT-1, the one that's made to look like a cassette tape (cause nobody steals cassette tapes nowadays ).