rack tuners

**BassIsFun17** · #1 07-02-2009, 04:09 PM

hey guys,
im not really sure where to post this....but i figure its best in the effects section...since a tuner is more like an effect than anything else.
im looking for a rack tuner to put in my rack...which already has a furman conditioner and SWR Bass 750 in it. I found a Korg DTR-1000 in the classifieds. I looked at reviews on musicians friend....and it said that it doesnt mute to tune, but under the information it says there is a mute switch, so that has me confused. My amp has a tuner out, which i currently dont use with my Boss TU-2, so i dont really know if that effects muting capabilities or not. Basically im looking for a reliable tuner for live use that will mute, that is rackmountable. The current band I am in, i dont use any effects, so i like the idea of just putting all that i can in my rack so i can have less on the floor to look out for when im rocking out.

thanks for all of your help

SVTDOUBLEBUCK · #2 07-02-2009, 05:11 PM

I have DTR-1000, love it! I have a furman rp-8, and my ampeg rack head, all in one rack, love it, and it works great! Yea it has a mute button, that mutes the sound and tunes at the same time, I actually have my tuner run through the effects loop in my ampeg, but the tuner out should work great too, hope I can answer your question! let me know if theres anything else I can answer!

Thankful birds · #3 07-02-2009, 05:16 PM

As mentioned, there is a mute. I pared down to a big combo and switched to a TU-2 pedal. The only thing I miss about a big rig was that Korg tuner. They're great.

**BassIsFun17** · #4 07-02-2009, 05:26 PM

okay thanks.
so what is the benefit of a tuner out vs. the effects loop?
also is there a mute footswitch? or do i have to push a button on the unit?

SVTDOUBLEBUCK · #5 07-02-2009, 06:05 PM

As far as I know there is not a pedal to mute it, but I have had no problems, between songs to walk behind me and push the button. I can tell you that the mute works great through my effects loop, but I haven't used it on a tuner our, I would think that the mute feature would not work, and that you could only use the tuner as a tuner, with no mute because the current is not running through the tuner, but using the tuner almost like a dead end in the current. If you are not using any pedals, than just use the effects loop, I am going to buy a sansamp soon, and even then I am going to run my bass---->sansamp---->head rather than run it through the effects loop!

a-lenthe · #6 07-02-2009, 06:18 PM

don't forget to run the tuner BEFORE the sansamp if you're DI'ing to the board out of the sansamp.. you can hit as many mutes as you want, but it will still go to the house. people who tune onstage without muting is my largest pet peeves..

i run mine: bass---tuner---sansamp---ampeg

and mine is a complete mute when muted

PJSShearer · #7 07-02-2009, 06:19 PM

I leave my Korg GT-6 tuner (circa 1980) sitting on my combo and pull the cable from the amp, insert it in the tuner and switch it on if I need it.

I have a tuner out socket on my new Ashdown combo but with no mute switch I'd have to spin the master volume to zero to use it, so its 50/50 which is best.

You could try the "Mark One" ears method - place the back of the neck against you left ear and ping some harmonics.

**BassIsFun17** · #8 07-02-2009, 06:29 PM

soo if i get the tuner
then i should run it bass > amp (tuner in loop). also i saw a picture of the rear panel and it showed a mute jack. does that mean i could buy an on/off pedal and connect it via 1/4 cable to have a footswitchable mute?

totallybacan · #9 07-02-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassIsFun17

soo if i get the tuner
then i should run it bass > amp (tuner in loop). also i saw a picture of the rear panel and it showed a mute jack. does that mean i could buy an on/off pedal and connect it via 1/4 cable to have a footswitchable mute?

Hey I got the same tuner in my rack and love it! Good choice!

There's a few ways you could do this. I use number 2, only because my amp has a mute function included.

1.Bass>Tuner>Output from tuner>Amp, which gives you the tuner before DI. From the tuner, you will need a cable that snakes around to the front of the amp, either underneath it or over it if there is room in the rack

2.Bass>Amp>Tuner out>Tuner, only requires one patch cable, mute will not work unless your amp has a mute. No need to worry about coloration

3.Bass>Amp>Effects loop>Tuner. Less messy than method 1, but if your D.I. is pre eq, you won't be able to mute via tuner. If your DI can be post eq, make sure it also happens after the return in the effects loop. If not, then still won't be able to mute.

In short, 2 is the easiest and the one i'd recommend the most. Use 1 if you are going to use a D.I. box or if your amp doesn't have a post E.Q. and effects loop D.I. If it does, use method 3. All of these will mute your rig onstage, but may not mute the PA if used incorrectly.

totallybacan · #10 07-02-2009, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassIsFun17

also i saw a picture of the rear panel and it showed a mute jack. does that mean i could buy an on/off pedal and connect it via 1/4 cable to have a footswitchable mute?

I forgot to add this in the last message. You can use any footswitch which shorts the connection, you could even leave an empty plug and just plug it into a spare pedal to mute, and unplug to unmute.

**BassIsFun17** · #11 07-02-2009, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by totallybacan

Hey I got the same tuner in my rack and love it! Good choice!

There's a few ways you could do this. I use number 2, only because my amp has a mute function included.

1.Bass>Tuner>Output from tuner>Amp, which gives you the tuner before DI. From the tuner, you will need a cable that snakes around to the front of the amp, either underneath it or over it if there is room in the rack

2.Bass>Amp>Tuner out>Tuner, only requires one patch cable, mute will not work unless your amp has a mute. No need to worry about coloration

3.Bass>Amp>Effects loop>Tuner. Less messy than method 1, but if your D.I. is pre eq, you won't be able to mute via tuner. If your DI can be post eq, make sure it also happens after the return in the effects loop. If not, then still won't be able to mute.

In short, 2 is the easiest and the one i'd recommend the most. Use 1 if you are going to use a D.I. box or if your amp doesn't have a post E.Q. and effects loop D.I. If it does, use method 3. All of these will mute your rig onstage, but may not mute the PA if used incorrectly.

so for option number 2....since my amp doesnt have a mute switch....could i buy or build a sigal mute. like a true bypass switch or something?

totallybacan · #12 07-03-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassIsFun17

so for option number 2....since my amp doesnt have a mute switch....could i buy or build a sigal mute. like a true bypass switch or something?

The only problem is that it would have to be before the D.I. but still be able to let a signal go to the tuner. Personally, given your situation, I'd just run the tuner first, then from that output run it to the amp. at least until you find another way to do it. This is the cheapest and simplest way.

So bass>tuner>amp. If you have a D.I. box, put it after the tuner. If you are running D.I. from the amp, mute will still mute. Find yourself a shot(er) cable, about 3 ft, preferably with a right angle plug, and use the right angle on amp input, run it underneath (if there is a gap) and to the tuner. That way everything is always connected

**BassIsFun17** · #13 07-03-2009, 03:00 PM

okay thanks
that sounds like the best idea for me right now.
luckily i have one rack space left open......so ill be able to use that to run wires through and allow proper ventilation for my amp.

totallybacan · #14 07-03-2009, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassIsFun17

okay thanks
that sounds like the best idea for me right now.
luckily i have one rack space left open......so ill be able to use that to run wires through and allow proper ventilation for my amp.

Nice! This sounds like a great setup! If you like having the open spot, you can always clean it up at some point by adding vented rack cover for that one spot, and seeing if you could cut a little notch in the side big enough for the wire to go through.

BassieMike · #15 07-03-2009, 10:14 PM

I have the DT-1000 tuner and use the tuner out of my SM-900. Side chain the tuner, if left inline they all "suck tone."

**BassIsFun17** · #16 07-15-2009, 12:37 PM

okay guys
i found a tuner in the classifieds. its a korg dtr1000...got it for 85 bucks shipped.
im running it like most of you have said to do. as a straight signal. it works great like that. now my question is, should i buy a switch to mute it with....or could i run a volume pedal in my chain, and that would do the same thing?

LiquidMidnight · #17 07-16-2009, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a-lenthe

don't forget to run the tuner BEFORE the sansamp if you're DI'ing to the board out of the sansamp.. you can hit as many mutes as you want, but it will still go to the house. people who tune onstage without muting is my largest pet peeves..

i run mine: bass---tuner---sansamp---ampeg

and mine is a complete mute when muted

Bingo.

I plug my bass directly into the Korg, then wrap a patch cable underneath my amp into the input (I have an extra inch or two of space in the bottom of my rack to do that). That way when I mute, I'm muted both through my rig and the FOH. The only complaint I have with the Korg is that it doesn't have a front panel output. That would make it a lot easier than having to take a cable from the back of the unit into the input of a head or preamp.

The Korgs are excellent units.

NKBassman · #18 07-17-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

Bingo.

I plug my bass directly into the Korg, then wrap a patch cable underneath my amp into the input (I have an extra inch or two of space in the bottom of my rack to do that). That way when I mute, I'm muted both through my rig and the FOH. The only complaint I have with the Korg is that it doesn't have a front panel output. That would make it a lot easier than having to take a cable from the back of the unit into the input of a head or preamp.

The Korgs are excellent units.

I have a Korg DTR-2000, and used to run bass>front input on the tuner>rig, until our singer stepped on my cord one day, pulling it down and breaking the front pannel input.

Then I started plugging directly into one of the 2 inputs on the back of the tuner, didn't realize how much of my cable this ate up, and nearly pulled my entire rack off my cab during a particularly aggressive rocking out session, and damaging that input as well.

So now I run bass>rig, and use the "Uneffected" 1/4" out on my Sansamp RBI into my last remaining undamaged input on the tuner. This seems the safest way to run, but leaves me without any way to mute.

So... while we're on the topic, if anybody has any suggestions...