Best Tuners?

Nate Hofer · From: Overland Park, Kansas

What do we like today for tuners? I'm in the market and there's several great and affordable options. And even clip-ons which I'm wary of (saw the other post.)

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I use a free phone app to tune my E to 330Hz and do the rest by ear. That may not be the answer you're looking for. If you want every note on the instrument to be visible on a display, then you'll want something programmable. Not sure clip-ons are much use for steel.
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Nate Hofer · From: Overland Park, Kansas

I used to do that but leaning toward the new Peterson Strobo Stomp. I used to use one but it gave up the ghost and the new stuff just looks way better and more affordable.

Just curious to hear what you all use.

Steve Sycamore · From: Sweden

If you are looking for the no compromise "best" which can be used for tuning any Western instrument, including any type of piano this is the one.

https://www.petersontuners.com/products/autoStrobe490st/

P.S. I was figuring on freelancing as a piano tuner since there never seems to be enough around and the pay is very good. But the first piano I attempted to tune had some bad tuning pegs making it impossible to tune it properly. It sounded better but not nearly what I wanted. That left a bad taste in my mouth for that type of work.

J Fletcher · From: London,Ont,Canada

I still use a Boss TU 12H , and lately just a Snark clip on tuner , but I am not as fussy as a lot of other steelers.
Thought maybe you had fallen off the edge of the world Nate .
Jerry

Steven Paris · From: Los Angeles

"I use a free phone app to tune my E to 330Hz and do the rest by ear."

I guess that's your 2 cents worth!
(2Â¢=diff between A=440 and E=330)
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Bill Ferguson · From: Milton, FL USA

If you are on a budget, the standard for many years was the Korg DT-1. Very small and very accurate.
You just have to learn the offsets, of which Jeff Newman did a chart.

I have a couple for sale on the forum right now, cheap if you are interested.
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AUTHORIZED George L's, Goodrich, Telonics and Peavey Dealer: I have 2 steels and several amps. My current rig of choice is 1993 Emmons LeGrande w/ 108 pups (Jack Strayhorn built for me), Goodrich OMNI Volume Pedal, George L's cables, Goodrich Baby Bloomer and Peavey Nashville 112. Can't get much sweeter.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I like the Boss TU-12 tuners also (not sure what the most current model is). I like the real needle method (not simulated needle).
I am not a fan of the spinning Strobe type for some reason.
I use Snarks for other instruments (Dobro/Banjo/Guitar) but not for Pedal Steel.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

You'd have to go a long ways to beat the Peterson StroboPlus HD. Very Happy

Erv

Bill Ferguson · From: Milton, FL USA

I agree with Erv, unless you are on a tight budget
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AUTHORIZED George L's, Goodrich, Telonics and Peavey Dealer: I have 2 steels and several amps. My current rig of choice is 1993 Emmons LeGrande w/ 108 pups (Jack Strayhorn built for me), Goodrich OMNI Volume Pedal, George L's cables, Goodrich Baby Bloomer and Peavey Nashville 112. Can't get much sweeter.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Anything by Peterson, including the phone app, is pretty hard to beat for excellence and accuracy !
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Morton Kellas · From: Chazy, NY, USA 1

Will the StroboStomp HD tune the E9th 4th string usually pedal 3 E-F# which is a different offset than the open F# and also the 6th string G# to F# split to a G note which is not the same offset as the 1st and 7th string F#-G if you have that change. I easily programed those changes into my VS II because they have a P1 and a P2 setting you can use to store those changes while in the edit mode without connecting to a computer. The StroboStomp HD looks good if it has that capability or some other way to tune the 6th string G# to F# split.

Asa Brosius · Posted 18 Jun 2021 6:12 pm

If you'll ever be tuning on a stage, get something visible and silent-tuner out options on VP's are also handy. If you're into custom tunings, the new Peterson pedal is great with a big display- if you don't need it that big, I'd recommend the small sonic research turbo-tuner pedal- doesn't have the Peterson presets, but those are based on the quirks of someone else's guitar anyway. Both read extremely quick and accurate.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

John McClung · From: Olympia WA, USA

John Norris · From: Peterson Strobe Tuners, Illinois, USA

Morton Kellas · From: Chazy, NY, USA 1

It would be nice if Peterson would have the standard offsets programmed in the tuner already so the end user wouldn't have to. Peterson should include them as these changes have been standard on the pedal steel for several years, so why are they omitted? Peterson makes a great product, I have 4 of their tuners, but for some of us ( like me), it can be challenging.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Butch Pytko · From: Orlando, Florida, USA

John, I'm wondering when you are in PETERSON CONNECT, and creating a CUSTOM PRESET--and wanting to create different F# values--do you assign some sort of code to identify each different F# value? For example, I'd think an easy one would be, say--P3 or PC--standing for pedal 3, the E to F#?--and so on. Creating your own code, so YOU would know which is which?

I've never been on PETERSON CONNECT to make a CUSTOM PRESET, but I'm going to get a new tuner soon, so I need to know. Thanks.

John Norris · From: Peterson Strobe Tuners, Illinois, USA

John Norris · From: Peterson Strobe Tuners, Illinois, USA

John Sluszny · From: Brussels, Belgium

With Jeff Newman's E9 sweetener do you tune A & B pedals both engaged or pedal A first and then pedal B ? Same question with B & C. Same question with F lever (with or without pedal A engaged ?) Thanks.

Helmut Gragger · From: Austria

May I throw in my years of experience.

The usual ancient Korg needle tuners were phased out right from the start.

I wrote a user review for a Sabine AX-800 Tuner (credit card size) in the nineties, when I was staff writer for SGWR&E and they deemed this worth to send me one for free.

It had a pseudo-strobe display, meaning a linear array of LEDs that would blink slower the closer you were to pitch. This was a huge improvement. I never checked however how they compete with todayÂ´s strobe tuners.

Edit: I now did. It has 1.0 cent accurracy, which is at least by a factor of 10 worse than current strobe tuners.

I had several instances of Digitech multi-FX devices that have built in tuners - all lousy to the extreme. A disgrace for two high-blown DSPÂ´s working in unison. Clearly a half hearted approach of a company eager to sell you the next model. A DSP should be able to do this with one hand tied to the back. There is no excuse.

Later got a Sonic Research strobe tuner, very high quality and probably more true accuracy than the Peterson. But at the same time, maybe thatÂ´s over the top anyways, given the inherent flaws of a PSG like cabinet drop and non-true returns.

My friend is a music teacher and claimed that he can tune his guitars with the ear like no tuner can. He claimed that until he borrowed my tuner over night. He ordered one the next day and one for each of his students too...

The Sonic Research works very well in the chromatic mode, but I guess it will become fumbly if you want to program cents deviations. I contemplated that for a while but gave up on that. Too many imponderabilities...

For tricks like that the dedicated Peterson might shine.

I wanted something for the mobile phone, and I decided upon the Peterson app. It is really cheap and does its thing. It has a lot under the hood but they want $$$ for everything additional. But this is vastly unneeded. The app showes the note it is locked to and displays the cents you deviate from. If you want that.

If you have a PC running nearby (like a DAW) then get TBstrobetuner, a small program that does exactly what it says. Its huge advantage is that you can enter lists for your "sweeteners" with a text editor. It then locks only to the notes specified.

Example for a E13 just tuning:

;Lap Steel 8 string - E13 just
E4 0
C#4 -15.6
B3 2
G#3 -13.7
E3 0
D3 17.6
B2 2
G#2 -13.7

This list shows deviations from ET in cents.

or an adjusted just tuning: (compensated E)

;Lap Steel 8 string - E13 adj
E4 4
C#4 0
B3 2
G#3 -7.9
E3 4
D3 15.7
B2 0
G#2 4

this list is similar but has the E note corrected upwards to have the chord "center" more towards the real note, like some folks do it.

(side note: this gave me beat-less open chords but howling wolves on slants Rolling Eyes

)

This is very handy if you want to experiment.
All it needs is hardware you probably have: a PC with built in mic. You can create endless lists if you want. Very accurate.

You can run it for free with a nag screen or pay a few dollars and have peace.

Have fun,
Helmut
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Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I'm a pretty basic person, I have been using a LOW BUDGET tuner for the Steel forever. The last one died, it only lasted about 10 years . I think I paid $8 or $10 for it.

I'm not and never have been one to sit and tune every string , every raise, every lower with the tuner . I tune the root notes and then my ear takes over. If my Steel is that far off at gig time then I didn't prep for the gig ahead of time.

I've watched players sit and tune for 45 min with premium tuners. Thats not me.

So I bought this KORG CA-2 to replace the tuner that died. On the gigs I keep it plugged into the extra OUT on the V Pedal.

Yep, its not fancy and its about as lo budget as you can get. It takes up NO room in the seat. I hope this one last's 10 years . $10 I hope I last 10 more years Very Happy

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