Tech: Tuner advice update

Subject: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: van lingle
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 06:35 PM

After about 8 years of good service my Sabine AX-800 tuner has about had it and I'm looking for a new one. I've read through all the old threads regarding tuners and it looks like the Intellitouch and Sabine AX-2000 are the ones that would best meet my needs (occasional acoustic gig at a fairly quiet coffee house but mostly used at non-electric acoustic jam sessions). Anyone else got any opinions about these two and is anyone aware of any other tuners that might rival them?
Thanks and Happy Christmas.vl

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 07:29 PM

I have been using Intel for three years now and LOVE 'em . Only drawback I have come across so far is Difficulty of reading under VERY bright stage lights !!

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: breezy
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 08:21 PM

I think I prefer one that has a direct connection, the Intelli aint as quick as I'ld like it to be though I have to use it with guitars that carry no pick-up, so if I have a choice I'ld go connect direct.

My original tuner is fine after 14 years and its still in its original packaging after heavy use.

take care of them and they last

The intelli 'shorted' at one stage and kept flashing like Blackpool Illuminations, and it was only the engineering brilliance of George Papavgeris in communication with the manufacturers that sorted the problem, so be warned.

he also writes some mean songs too.

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Gypsy
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 09:43 PM

Intellitouch is a fine tuner.......with a good company that backs up their product. but they are SLOW! Have a 20$ Seiko with a clip, much faster...o'course, i gots 72 strings to tune, so speed is essential for me ;>)

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: van lingle
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 06:19 PM

Looks like it's 1 to 1 to 1. Anyone care to break the tie. Thanks for the responses. vl

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 06:55 PM

I've always prefered Sabine over Intellitouch in any setting... and know 5 or 7 other people in the same boat...

Take that as you will

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: mooman
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 07:02 PM

The Intellitouch works very well for me

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Mooh
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 06:13 AM

My Sabine(s) went for a crap when they were dropped, but I otherwise liked them. Have been using the Intellitouch for a few years and like it, especially for mandolin, but nothing I do will make the thing quick to read bass notes so I use harmonics to tune the low E string or I tune it last by ear.

For plugging in I usually use a Boss.

I've owned a Danelectro floor pedal tuner (too slow and insensitive), a Digitech multi-effects unit with built in tuner (too jumpy on the high strings), a Yamaha basic non-chromatic tuner which works great except the on/off switch is tempermental.

I've got major lust and covet issues around a Peterson Strobe tuner, which is hands down the best brand I've tried.

My advice is to try the thing before you leave the store because they don't all work alike, and vary from unit to unit in sensitivity and quality control.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 09:55 AM

"try the thing before you leave the store"

And keep your reciept, so that if after a week, you hate the thing, you can still return it

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Mooh
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 04:35 PM

Keep the receipt, right on! My local store once refused a return on a 1/4" cord because I didn't have the receipt. They know me, knew I'd bought it from them (maybe the day before), had the same cord they could have exchanged, but still denied my claim. The proprietor must of been having a bad day or something, and I was baffled, but what the hey, maybe he was trying to make a point. Sigh...

While we're on the subject, does anyone know of any very tuners not mentioned here?

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 05:03 PM

"any very tuners"

Any very WHAT tuners?

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: DonMeixner
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 05:12 PM

"any very tuners"

Probably a British slang thing Clinton, Perhaps Variable Tuner types meaning adjustable calibrations and other such stuff.

My hearing is so bad I'm just happy when a tuner works well. Skip the speed, give me a good tone.

I use a Korg T-2 and a Digitech T-II. Both good.

Don

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Cluin
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 05:13 PM

I've got a 10+ year old Seiko chromatic tuner (the same one I had way back when, CH) that I still use a lot though the built-in mic on it doesn't work half the time anymore. But I plug into it anyway and it works great. Been dropped/tossed a few times by bandmates and I've had it apart myself twice for resoldering, but it's still doing it's job. Also use a Sabine stick-on often, but it seems to read A-440 as slightly flatter than the Seiko. As long as we all use the same tuner, there's no problem though.

An old bandmate hads one of those Danelectro pedal tuner things, but he wasn't happy with it and returned it. To me, it looked good in theory, but was mostly a pain-in-the-ass... or maybe it was the band-mate. Do you REALLY have to check your tuning between EVERY song, just because you CAN?

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Cluin
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 05:15 PM

Oh, advice? Not much except to say if you're gonna get one, make sure it's chromatic and kind-of "hands-free" once you've turned it on.

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: open mike
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 05:37 PM

definately Intellitouch..
the model that is back lit
so can be read in any light...
they clamp on to most instruemtns
are easy to share with band mates
and others...but i recommend putting
your name on it so it comes home to you!
tuners seem to be the mose left-behind item
at musical events...the batteries seem to last
a long time...i wishg i had invented them or at
least had stock in teh company!!http://www.tuners.com/

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Cluin
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 09:22 PM

Tuners the most left-behind?

I thought it was plectra, followed by capoes and extra strings & batteries.

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Gypsy
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 10:15 PM

Korg anything tends to be good, as well

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Mooh
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 06:10 AM

Very GOOD tuners...LOL...sorry for the edit problem. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Grab
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 08:50 PM

Cheapy CA-30 (Korg IIRC) works fine for me. I've not managed to break it yet, which indicates some resilience. And it's cheap, and it's chromatic, and it just works. I've seen lots of cool flashy ones (Intellitouch have a *very* high Gadget Factor Rating) but never felt the need. Having said that, I like Clinton's idea of an in-line tuner pedal so you don't have to disconnect.

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Dec 04 - 11:18 AM

The beauty of the intelltouch is that it doesnt pick up back ground sounds if you are tuning in an area with other noises and don't have a pick that can go directly into the tuner. I find that after having used them a while I can go really fast. This is great on the banjo as I use lots of different tunings. The backlit model can be read in any lite. They are pricey. They have a "learning mode" so you can set one up with a mode to tune to a piano that is not up to pitch etc. The clip allows you to have your hand on the instrument and is in a position where it is easy to glance at. I have trouble looking down and seeing a tuner on the floor etc. If you have pickups in all your instrument any of the other will work. If you don't ...go for the intellitouch.

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 08:46 AM

Intellitouch rejects noise better than any other (because even pluggers are affected by table vibrations from the pickup in electro-acoustics) but I have never been wholly satisfied of their accuracy.

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Willie-O
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 11:59 AM

I just got a Center-Pitch Universal, a new model which is made by the Intellitouch company and costs less than even the no-frills Intelli.

It cost $44 Cdn versus $50 for the no-frill Intell (and $80 for the backlit one), all prices at a store which prices everything on the high side.

The technology is about the same I guess, but the physical design is very different--a different type of clamp that is better designed to grab odd-shaped surfaces, like a fiddle peghead, and a kind of ET-looking display-head-on-a-stick.

It is unique among gadgets in that the three auxiliary buttons all actually do things which I can understand, and they seem to work. (for one, it adjusts for band instruments that want Bflat or Eflat tuning).

Only annoying thing is that the clamp system doesn't seem to work as well as it should--it's fallen off the guitar peghead a couple of times. But I'm happy with its performance otherwise. The last couple of cheaper chromatic tuners I've tried have sucked.

W-O

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 04:38 PM

I got an Intellitouch tuner for Christmas. For years I have used a Korg with an analogue dial. The Korg works great with a pickup or in a quiet room. Lately I have been playing my old Framus at some parties and ceilidhs and it does not have a pickup, so the clamp on tuner is the answer.
The cheverons are not as accurate as the old meter needle and they take some getting used to, but I think that it will serve it's purpose. I still keep the Korg close at hand though.
          Sandy

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: Gypsy
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 09:48 PM

You can still get a tail with a clamp for yer korg........much as i loved the convenience of the intellitouch, they are just too slow.

Subject: RE: Tech: Tuner advice update
From: DonMeixner
Date: 01 Jan 05 - 12:25 AM

I now have an intellitouch tuner with the back lite option. I haven't used it on the job yet but in the living room it seems fine.
I now have four tuners. 2 korgs ( One very old and one not so old, but still old), a Dijitech II, and the Intellitouch.

The all do the job well enough for me to be pleased with them. The Intell seems to work best and fastest if you strike a harmonic on the 12th fret.

No complaints on any of these.

Don