The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a friend who is not on the Forum needs a tuner for his pedal steel. I'm recommending that he purchase one that is first, chromatic, and second, is digital. By digital I mean that is provides Hertz numbers instead of deviations of a needle from a "440" line on the VU meter.
All who have a recommendation are welcome to do mention it here on this post. If you would provide the brand, model and probable cost, that too would be appreciated. I will alert him to check in occasionally to see what information is provided. ...Tom

If your friend has a smartphone, a thirteen dollar adapter and the free app "G Strings" or "Pitch Lab" will do exactly what you want. I like the four dollar "ClearTune" but the two free ones are perfectly adequate.

I use a Boss TU-12 H (the white one.) I like it because of the LEDs that light up if a string is sharp or flat. It's easier for me to see than the strobe of a Peterson.

Mike, while I got nothing against those (and only went to phone tuners when my TU-12 went toes-up), it doesn't meet requirements

By digital I mean that is provides Hertz numbers instead of deviations of a needle from a "440" line on the VU meter.

BUT, having read that, I don't think that ANY tuner meets the criteria, if I read that bit right. The Cleartune DOES display Hertz, but ACTUAL Hertz of the note (so that a slightly sharpened E will read 331 or so, rather than 441, which is stupid, because 441 isn't an E, but a slightly sharped A). I don't know of any that show deviations that way, but Cleartune and Pitchlab both will show deviations IN CENTS in a digital readout, as well as displaying a virtual needle.
If digital readout in cents or display of actual frequency will meet requirements, I heartily endorse the Cleartune.

Just so that it's clear.

The free version of Pitch Lab only has standard guitar. If you want Pedal Steel you need to pay for the Instrument Tuning Pack which contains over 30 different tunings/instruments
Edit: This is the iPhone/iPad version of Pitch Lab!

An annoying thing is that the strings are in the "wrong" order. The lowest string is at the top of the display...


// Anders

If s/he has a PC, there's
http://www.aptuner.com/aptuner_index.html

Anders, maybe you need to get the update -- I have the free version of PitchLab on an Android, version 1.0.18, and there is now a pedal steel option.

Once you upgrade to the most recent version, just press your Menu button and there is an option on the menu labeled "Preset Instrument."

I agree that it's annoying that the strings are displayed upside down. However, I don't use that screen. If you swipe to the next screen, there is a nice needle tuner with a readout in Hz.

I wonder how customizable the pedal steel variants are.
I personally maintain that each individual guitar will work best with its own tunings (reflecting both individual cabinet drop AND the tastes of the owner. Both of which vary).
But I don't have a problem memorizing tuning charts, it's what I did in the early 80s, and can STILL remember the values that worked best for my Emmons. It's no trouble to tune those C#s to 17 cents flat.

THIS SEIKO TUNER
is an excellent choice. Cheap and it gives numerical read-out. Cents, not hertz, but otherwise it fits the bill.

Jon is correct as usual,The Seiko SAT 800 is a GREAT Tuner. It's only $20. Don't let the price fool you.

Lane: I'm glad that you brought up the point about individual guitars requiring their particular tuning. For those old enough to remember, Jeff Newman kept changing the tuning charts that he recommended to those who received his "Pedal Rod" Newsletter. After some concerns of mine regarding his constant chart changes I asked him if he was changing guitars. He confirmed that he had. I convinced him that every guitar had its own "tuning personality" and that a player should tune up his/her guitar by ear until they were satisfied that they had their best in-tune sound. Once done, a chart could then be made by letting the tuner tell you what readings it then provided.

Jeff later told me he had tried his "latest" chart settings on his other guitars. He said each chart was "close", but to sound in tune completely, a different chart was required for each guitar he owned.

I hope everyone will keep the suggestions coming. Perhaps out there somewhere is a tuner that provides legitimate Hertz numbers that are accurate for the pitch of all strings and their required deviations when getting all the pedal changes as close as possible to the "good" sound (a just tuning). I don't like tuners that direct the user to tune each string to an A-440 pitch (which is called "Concert A Pitch, but I've heard that Concert Pitch has been revised and isn't 440 any longer.) And, I hope someone speaks to this, since I may be wrong. ...Tom

http://www.turbo-tuner.com/

I have the ST122, which is the forerunner of the ST122a. Mine doesn't have any built-in steel presets like the new model does, but it's easy enough to make your own. Which one should probably do anyway since instruments differ.

Tommy, since you have it, maybe you can answer it, but from the website, it looks like it displays deviation in cents, not the (impractical, if you ask me) desired deviation in "Hertz from A=440".
For instance, can it call a pedal steel C# "436" or "437"?
I think you only have two ways of tuning in that method:
Reading a needle scale, or;
Recalibrating your tuner every note.

If I understand correctly Lane, it will only display in cents as far as I am aware. But once you enter your entire temperament set and store it you are good to go.

Since there is no needle really the only way to temper tune is to input your offsets first.

I'm another turbo tuner guy. I don't use any presets though. I just grab a few open strings and tune them with the pedals down and do the rest by ear.

That would be my preference as well Bob. But several years ago I found myself working in a theater show where I had to be able to touch up my tuning silently. I hadn't relied on a tuner for the whole guitar for a long time. After years of ear tuning I was skeptical I could find anything I could trust but the Turbo proved to be quite accurate for me.

Once you try this tuner You'll agree, and the cost is minimal, Check it out , at the Dallas show or write for a information pamplet, from Peterson tuners .com, You won't go wrong.. Lee Johnson..

I forgot to put the name in the last post , sorry, Here it is Strobo-plus+HD, Sue Hasalam, will be at the show in Dallas,TX. in march the 13th-14th-15th this year, She has a Booth , ( Peterson Tuners ) She will treat you right . You won't be sorry,,, ,, Lee

I have tried many ways of tuning my Guitar and when I finally got smart I bought a Peterson HD tuner, it does the best tuning job of anything I have tried. Jeff Newman had a article on tuning, he said you guys that tune by ear are so used to playing out of tune you think the tuner is out of tune.

Tommy Detamore wrote:That would be my preference as well Bob. But several years ago I found myself working in a theater show where I had to be able to touch up my tuning silently. I hadn't relied on a tuner for the whole guitar for a long time. After years of ear tuning I was skeptical I could find anything I could trust but the Turbo proved to be quite accurate for me.

Tommy,
It may be time for me to put some effort into loading my tuning into the turbo tuner. The thing I like about the tuner is how fast and stable it is. I also like using the Cleartune app in my fancy phone. It doesn't work so well on stage though.

Tucker Jackson wrote:Anders, maybe you need to get the update -- I have the free version of PitchLab on an Android, version 1.0.18, and there is now a pedal steel option.

I have the IOS version (iPhone) so it seems like the Android is free with all the functionality, but not so for the IOS version.

I have edit my post.

Thanks for pointing out the difference!

Consider the Korg Witune.
It's a no cord tuner and furthermore the vibration pickup part can be separated from the display. The two communicate wirelessly so the display can be mounted in better view like on a music stand etc.
I don't have one but from the ads I've seen it appears the frequency is displayed but I can't say for sure if it's in absolute Hertz or weather it simply displays how far off from 440 the note is.
I'm in the market for one and was considering this one.
BTW Tom, your 60s catalog really got me lusting for a pedal steel. In fact an MSA was my first purchase.

Some steels won't work with a contact pickup. The only part of my Zum that will excite one is the pillow blocks.

If you're a cheapskate like me, then you may be interested in this free tuner app, Pitchlab. I use it on an Android phone, not sure if it's available on other platforms.

It has a bank of standard instruments including pedal steel.

You can set up custom temperaments & custom instruments, set the A4 tuning reference frequency and adjust other parameters such as sample rate and analysis rate.

I use a Carter U12 and have set up a custom temperament, which I have adjusted until it sounds sweet to me.

It has a number of front end displays which all work very well. It uses the phone mic to capture the sound.

Works for me



https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... c.pitchlab

Tried them all and the best IMO is the Peterson VH11 with Jean-Yves Lozach method. Larry