Need tuner input

Gere Mullican · From: LaVergne, Tennessee, USA (deceased)

I have been using a Kork CA30 tuner for about 3 years and it seems to be not as reliable as I would like. I have been leaning toward the Peterson, but $220 is a big wad for a non professional part time picker. Any ideas on the Korg DT3 at about $84? Or is the Peterson the only way to go? All ideas will be greatly appreicated.
Gere

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GFI SD10, Peavey NV 112, Hilton Pedal & Boss DD-3 & MXR Dynacomp compressor and Boss Tone

Larry Robbins · From: Fort Edward, New York

I wii agree the Peterson is a bit of dough to lay out for a tuner. But I got to say that I have never been so in tune. And sounded so good. The pre-set are good for a lot of folks but, you can also program in your own as well.Also this is a good all around tuner with all the pre sets for a lot of other inst....Do a search and I think you will find many others who will agree....Worth every penny!

Sonny Priddy · From: Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA, R.I.P.

The Boss TU-12h Tuners Are Real Good I Use Them All The Time And Around 70 or 80 Dollars. SONNY.

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Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Gere I wasn't aware the DT3 cost that much.

I have had one for ten years or so, and it has been perfect the whole time.

Now I have a GT12 (it's at the gig so I hope that's right) that has an analog dial illuminated arrows and is as accurate as any I've found, including "faux strobe" digital-strobe-image tuners.

The Biggest Plus is that both the DT3, and the GT 12 are in line and ON all the time with no discernable signal change that I can hear, live, recorded, soft or loud..

(The first DT1 I had that looked like a cassette case added a faint buzz to the signal, but live it wasn't noticed, though I would turn it off a lot because of that until I upgraded to the DT3 five years or so later..)

For those detuning certain strings or changes, I supppose if they can't remember which strings they detune, or how flat, a programmable detuning programme might be worth a couple hundred more buckos.

I only basmentized my DT3 for needing one set up on my home rig, and I wanted to try the analog needle.

I vote for the Korg. They've served me well for over twenty years.

EJL

Gere Mullican · From: LaVergne, Tennessee, USA (deceased)

It looks like the majority go for the Korg tuners. It looks like for over $200 I wouldn't have to program in my own tuning. I ain't that much on electronic knowledge so I would probably mess up the settings. I am so confused I don't know which one to choose. Bobbe, don't you have no input? Thanks
Gere

Steve Dodson · From: Sparta, Tennessee, USA

Gere,
Check your e-mail.

richard burton · From: Britain

Paying a lot of cash for a super-accurate, hi-tech tuner, then trying to get a piece of lo-tech wood, with up to 20 strings on it, in perfect tune, is a total waste of money, in my opinion.

I once new a singer who had a regular guitar, this guitar did not have an adjustable bridge, consequently it could not be tuned to any acceptable degree.
What did he do?
Did he get the guitar fixed?
No.
He bought the most accurate, most expensive tuner available, and couldn't comprehend why his guitar was so out of tune, after spending all this money.
Moral of the story:
Throwing money at a pedal steel accessory won't necessarily improve anything.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Although pricey, the Peterson is the way to go. It's fast and accurate and when I tune up my guitar is in tune. The Peterson and the Korg 2000 rack tuners are the only tuners I've had that I can say really got me in tune. I still have a Boss TU12H, but being a mechanincal meter and with a scale that is not expanded or easy to read it will get you close, but not like the Peterson.

The only issue with the Peterson, for me is the preprogrammed Steel Guitar settings. They don't work for me as (1) I don't tune plus 10 cents (high from 440) and the presets will not get my guitar in tune with itself. I use the two user memories and programmed my own settings.

Judging from the number of Peterson VS-II's at our club jams, it's the tuner of choice for most of the club members.

Peter Jackson · From: Midcoast Maine, USA

Curious,does the Peterson emit a tone for each preset note?

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

You get what you pay for. Save up and buy a great tuner, you won't regret it, and you only have to buy it once. It makes a great difference. I opt for the Peterson. Works for me.

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

I've got a Petersen, here at the house, but I've got Korg CA-30's all over the place. Good, cheap, all-purpose tuner.
Oh yeah, there's a Boss TU-12H on my guitar pedalboard, connected to the "tuner out" jack on the Ernie Ball volume pedal.

David Doggett · Posted 18 Sep 2005 6:31 pm

I can't believe anyone can actually manipulate the tuners on a guitar more accurate than a Korg or Boss TU12 will get you. If the Peterson is any more accurate, I don't think it is usable accuracy. The presets are a convenience, if you can afford them. But if you can't remember your tuning, then a note card is a cheap way to deal with that. There is a common rule of thumb that anything less than 5 cents is acceptable for most listeners. Any of these tuners will do way better than that.

[This message was edited by David Doggett on 18 September 2005 at 07:33 PM.]

Don Sulesky · From: Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH

I agree with Jack that the 442.5 is just too sharp for me. I have settled on 441 with some slight adjustments for my E9th neck and 440 for my C6th neck which puts both my ShoBud SuperPro and Emmnons Legrande II in the best tune I've had in years.
I will in a pinch use my TU-12 to tune open once I've tuned the pedals and knee levers with the Peterson at home, but on a gig I depend on the Peterson tuner.
Don

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

For someone that must have gauged nut rollers and other what they deem "critical" items, I can't belive they would only tune closer than 5 cents.

On the lower stings, e.g. the 10th (C) stirng on a C6th, a 5 cent difference is very noticeable.

Get it the most accurate open tuning you can, then as you move up the neck and with the various pressures of the bar it will still be "in tolerance". Bruce Bouton, in his instruction video states to tune it open and then check it several places up the neck such as the 8th and 15th frets and then if it's out up the neck retune to get it in tune up the neck, as we don't usually play the steel at the open postion anyway.

Howard Tate · From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.

I have had a Korg AT12 for well over twenty years, that cost as much as the Peterson, more if you consider inflation. It is super accurate, but the needle will not stop moving long enough to tune my steel, you have to interpolate. The Peterson eliminates all the overtones so it's much more accurate for the steel. I kept checking the clearance section at Musicians Friend and got a substantual saving, I don't remember the price but it was less then $200. I'm glad I got it. I still like the Korg for the Six string.

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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3, DD-3, Fender Steel King, Understanding wife. http://www.Charmedmusic.com

Gere Mullican · From: LaVergne, Tennessee, USA (deceased)

OK guys, thank you one and all for the great usable info.i I just a few minutes ago broke down and ordered a Peterson from Bobbee and Danny said he would ship it right out. Now if I can only figure out how to use it when it arrives.
Gere

David Doggett · Posted 19 Sep 2005 8:35 pm

Ouch! Jack, how come you gotta yank my chain about those nut rollers?

I just said within 5 cents is acceptable to most listeners, especially on the fly while playing real music. But someone with a good ear can hear better than that, if they stop and listen close. But my main point is that my Boss tuner is more accurate than I can make my guitar with the tuning keys. It is very hard for me to get everything exactly where my Boss says it should be. I can only get within about 1 cent of where the needle says I should be, just because of the mechanical limitations of the tuning keys (1 cent is 0.25 Hz at 440 Hz). I don't think most of us can hear changes less than that. So for me to have a meter that reads out and is accurate to 0.1 cents (0.025 Hz at 440 Hz) would seem to be a waste of money for me. Then, no matter how close everyone starts out, after the first song or two, I'll bet you would be very lucky to find eveyone in the group within 5 cents of each other. And there's that new 3rd string that keeps going flat. Now maybe if you like the display on a Peterson, or want the presets, I could see spending the money for that.

Speaking of low strings, they always seem to drift after the attack. Is that my tuner, or do low strings do that with all tuners?

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Dave, it's just "your turn in the barrel"

But, the Peterson with the electronic strobe display will allow you to get more accurate than any mechanical meter. The meter, just because it is an electro mechanical device, cannot be as accurate as as a pure electronic display.

The Peterson does have the advantage of memories (two memories) to store your personal settings (e.g. one for E9 and one for C6). It's much faster to have the offsets preprogrammed and then just tune everything to "zero" rather than have to interpolate and try to get it to some number such a -3.5Hz and on many meter tuners you can only get it to where you guess -3.5 is.

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

The CA-30's are cheap and accurate enough for most bandstands, bars, and honkeytonks.

Lee, from South Texas

Tore Blestrud · From: Oslo, Norway

Afther some hesitation I finally bought a (expencive) Peterson VSII. I was never totally satisfied with my tuning, especially in higtech recordingstudios. The Peterson takes a little while toget used to, but the guitar now sounds 100% in tune to me! I wish I had bought it before.

[This message was edited by Tore Blestrud on 21 September 2005 at 11:13 AM.]

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

David, I have the new Grover 18:1 Rotomatics, so it's cake to tune as accurate as I want. But the standard tuning keys will get you there, too.
I have never been so in tune, and had it so easy to get in tune! You just need to borrow one of these Peterson VSII's and try it. We could all get by with a tuning fork, but why? The Peterson VSII is just the newest technology available to steel players, that I know of. They are well worth the extra money, for me at least.

[This message was edited by James Morehead on 21 September 2005 at 03:57 PM.]

David Doggett · Posted 21 Sep 2005 6:47 pm

Well, maybe if I pass it around to the rest of the band. "Look, guys, see if you can make the spinning wheel stop."

Gere Mullican · From: LaVergne, Tennessee, USA (deceased)

Well it sure didn't take Danny but one day to get my Peterson to me. You can't beat that service. Ordered it one day and got it the next day. I called John Norris at Peterson and he stepped my through the procedure. I can't wait to try it out tonight. Thanks Bobbee and Danny at Steel Guitar Nashville.
Gere

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