| Author | Message | ||
| murray
Intermediate Member Username: murray Post Number: 129 Registered: 7-2007 |
Thought I would research what people find the best tuner for bass guitar. I have been using the now discontinued needle Boss TU 15 for sometime and it is fine but not rated the most accurate. TC Electronics and Korg have some good ones - I use the Korg Pitchjack regularly for acoustic bass guitar and it is brilliant. Glynn | ||
| rustyg61
Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 676 Registered: 2-2011 |
I have had my Korg DT-1 Pro for over 15 years & it works great!  | ||
| dannobasso
Senior Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 1461 Registered: 3-2004 |
I have become a fan of Peterson strobo tuners. | ||
| tubeperson
Advanced Member Username: tubeperson Post Number: 365 Registered: 5-2005 |
Peterson's are the best, the stomp box version is "economical" compared to their rack mount. Just like Alembic, quality always counts! | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1943 Registered: 11-2004 |
What about a good quality tuning fork and your ears?? | ||
| tubeperson
Advanced Member Username: tubeperson Post Number: 367 Registered: 5-2005 |
Terry, that assumes one has functional ears that are tuned. Mine get clogged all the time (allergies, plus some hearing loss), and that is where a quality tuner comes into play. Unless a cranky guitarist enters to fray. | ||
| fc_spoiler
Senior Member Username: fc_spoiler Post Number: 1385 Registered: 5-2006 |
The Korg Pitchblack is awesome, no problem with a low "A" (one step below the low B of a five string) and it tracks great. The display is loud and clear, even in heavy light situations (sunlight/stagelights) My setup: XLR from the wireless goes to the Korg, the standard jack output from the wireless goes to the amps rack. (so the tuner is never in the signal chain and always active) I've created a mute setting with my midi effects switching system (Rocktron patchmate) for silent tuning. Before the vacuum cleaner:  | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1245 Registered: 5-2002 |
Peterson. The iStrobosoft is the best deal in tuners right now if you have an iPhone. | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1914 Registered: 9-2002 |
I like the BOSS TU-80 Tuner/Metronome. Cheap, fits anywhere, takes AA's, tone generator for matching pitch, tap time to set metronome, built-in mic for unplugged axes, and it reads Open B with no problem. But I DO wish it had a lighted LCD, its only shortfall for me. J o e y (Message edited by bigredbass on August 15, 2012) | ||
| glocke
Senior Member Username: glocke Post Number: 934 Registered: 9-2002 |
i came here to ask the same question as my trusty tuner of 15 years died in its sleep.. The petersons look nice, but are more than I want to spend...Looking at one of these. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/boss-tu-12-tuner | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1267 Registered: 10-2006 |
How accurate do you want to get? If ± 1 cent is works for you, most tuners, from the top-of-the-line rackmount Korgs tp a $29 InteeliTouch clip-on, will give you that. The Peterson virtual strobes, like the Peterson (or Conn if you can find one) physical strobes, give you ± 0.1 cent. Peter (who uses a Korg CA-10 pocket-sized unit, but lusts for a Conn ST-10) | ||
| murray
Intermediate Member Username: murray Post Number: 130 Registered: 7-2007 |
Good point, Peter. The Boss TU 15 is +/- 1 cent and as the Orion keeps good tuning then this is fine. If I needed 0.1 cent tuning, I think I would still find it difficult to justify the £150 odd Peterson Strobe price. I like the look of the Korg Pitchblack but am unsure of the need for the Polytune feature of the TC Electronics one. Just gathering info. in case mine packs up. Glynn | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 1118 Registered: 6-2002 |
For when I bring a small rig I just use the Intellitouch clip on. Works great and the bass does not even have to be plugged in. It gives a quick base line of where your tuning should be. But when I bring my rack, I have a Furman PL tuner. It has 8 outlets on the back, lights on the front with a dimmer and a built in tuner in one rack space! They are not available new anymore. I am on my 2nd one now because I lost my first one. To me nothing else would do because of the 1U mounting that served 2 purposes. Michael | ||
| cje
Intermediate Member Username: cje Post Number: 118 Registered: 5-2009 |
+1 on iStrobosoft - certainly at least the best tuner on the iPhone. It has blown away all the other tuners I've owned in my life except for my other Petersons. I have a Peterson VSAM and also the StroboRack in my rig. I use them to intonate as well, something I just can't do with my non strobe(like) tuners. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1945 Registered: 11-2004 |
I just use the tuner in my Zoom unit..I mean who is really going to notice +/- 1% deviance??..The audience?. The band would notice but you would have to be at least a semitone or two but even then the drummer wouldn't notice LOL | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 1785 Registered: 2-2005 |
I've used a Boss Tu-12 for years. I like that I can carry it in my guitar case when I go somewhere. I have attached a piece of velcro on the bottom of it and the top of my rack to keep it in place when I play. Keith | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 1291 Registered: 7-2003 |
I've been using the Turbo Strobe for a couple of years and am totally satisfied. It has the capacity to grab a note faster than any other tuner I've used (tried most all of them). All-metal box construction is very tough. To my thinking, it gives you all the Peterson stomp box does, plus some, at a much lower price. Only available online, but the company's been there for years. Google it or check TB for discussions. http://www.turbo-tuner.com/ | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 2960 Registered: 6-2002 |
I like the Schallers, but the Gotohs are not to be sniffed at either. Putting my ears to good use, no need to rely on fidgety electronics. Though it probably helps to have PP. ;-) | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1916 Registered: 9-2002 |
. . . . and remember, always tune UP: From flat to up-to-pitch. If you tune down to in-tune from sharp, keys will almost always slip a little. Tuning up tends to 'set' the key. J o e y | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3107 Registered: 6-2002 |
I bought a Patterson tuner fairly recently and it was just rubbish. The display kept fading battery kept discharging and the build quality was shockingly bad for an item that was so expensive. I took it back and got a refund. | ||
| rustyg61
Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 680 Registered: 2-2011 |
I got the Peterson App for my iPhone today, it works great! I was so impressed I gifted it to my son who is a band director. Thanks for the info Edwin! (Message edited by rustyg61 on August 18, 2012) | ||
| jcdlc72
Intermediate Member Username: jcdlc72 Post Number: 186 Registered: 11-2009 |
For most "on the go" situations, I rely on my Korg GT-3 or either a Boss TU-12, to carry on the gig bag's pocket and use as needed. And I have not had bad results with those. However... on my rack rig there is this Behringer (BTR2000 if I'm not wrong) that works quite well. Dual inputs plus mic, a slant edge with LED lights that allows me to use it as a rack lighting unit (put on the top rack space), it also serves as a metronome (with both sound and a swing-motion Led line, not that I use it live, but useful for studying at home), and makes no noise when used in-line (I feed it with a "dry" output of a Digitech RDS1900 DDL I have on my preamp's FX loop). On my main guitar rig, however, I use a control pedalboard (Roland FC100 for controlling a GP-8 centered rack system) and was needing a tuner I could hook on the floor to the tuner output of the FC100 and was having a hard time finding an accurate and BIG one I could see without my eyeglasses on -I have a tendency to sweat profusely on stage, and lately have been preferring to perform without them-, and after trying quite several units, I've found the Morley Accu-Tuner stomp unit the best choice. I can see it in sunlight situations, the LED is BIG, I can see big letters and either "standard" arc-type or strobe tuner-like indicators. I have used only once with a bass, but either way I've found the response is good. My humble 0.02 | ||
| yogalembic
Intermediate Member Username: yogalembic Post Number: 136 Registered: 5-2012 |
Boss TU 2, velcro'd to my pedalboard.....for years. | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 1292 Registered: 7-2003 |
"I bought a Patterson tuner fairly recently and it was just rubbish. The display kept fading battery kept discharging and the build quality was shockingly bad for an item that was so expensive. I took it back and got a refund." That's why I like the Turbo Strobe so much. I've had it going for 2 years without a battery change, it's built like a brickshithouse (sorry) and my guitarists all want to borrow it... I bought it because of the feedback that said the Peterson stomp was plastic and finicky. If I wanted to lay out the cost for the Peterson Stobo rack, and if all my stage rigs had an extra space (they don't), I'd buy the rack model. Even at that, I'm not convinced the Petersons are appreciably more accurate than the Turbo Strobes (or any of the other major brands folks have mentioned). At the end of the road, I just want something that is accurate enough to sound right with the band, built very, very tough, and practical to use (I use a stomp model as a separate plug-in without wiring it inline). | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1270 Registered: 10-2006 |
The Petersons are, indeed, 10 times more accurate than the others mentioned - but I'd never heard of Turbo until now, so of course I checked out the website. They claim ± 0.0017 cents from the factory & guarantee ± 0.02 for the life of the unit, opposed to Peterson's ± 0.1. Me thinks this needs further research - thanks, Bill! Peter | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 5208 Registered: 7-2004 |
I used to use the Boss stompbox tuner ... until I played a gig in bright sunlight. The Boss was useless. I use a Peterson VS tuner. No longer in production, but if you can find one they can't be beat. I also have the new Peterson clip on. I love it. Bill, tgo | ||
| xlrogue6
Advanced Member Username: xlrogue6 Post Number: 226 Registered: 8-2002 |
Just bought a Fender-labeled $15 clip-on that's a surprisingly great gig tuner--and the display is readable in sunlight. I tried every clip-on in the store, and that little Fender was the only one that passed the sunlight test. It also locked onto notes more quickly when clipped on the bridge of my Knutson Messenger EUB than several of the others. | ||
| slawie
Senior Member Username: slawie Post Number: 433 Registered: 8-2002 |
If you buy a TC Electronic RH750 amp it has a built in tuner that can also adjust frequency from standard 440hz. then again I am a TC fanboy! slawie | ||
| peoplechipper
Advanced Member Username: peoplechipper Post Number: 297 Registered: 2-2009 |
I use the Boss TU-2 and it works great; at home I have an ancient Korg DT-2 that is about 30 years old...I still use it for setups and it's accurate enough that everyone I've done a setup for has been happy and sent me more instruments...it's an old LED tuner that won't die...Tony | ||
| murray
Intermediate Member Username: murray Post Number: 133 Registered: 7-2007 |
Made my decision and bought the Korg Pitchblack for £42. Excellent bit of kit - just use it on Meter mode. Glynn |
