Rackmount Tuner

[hoshbrown41]

I'm starting to look around for a rackmount tuner since my Boss TU-2 is starting to be problematic - I'll spare you the details.

But do any of you run a rackmounted tuner? I've been looking at the Kord DTR-1000 and -2000, but it seems they've been discontinued and can only be found used on ebay/craisglist/etc.

Of course there's also the super expensive Peterson strobes, but I don't think I need to be spending $400 on a tuner at this point.

And I also came across a cheap Behringer one, but... it's a Behringer...

Finally, is it best to run them through the effects loop or in line?

Thanks!

[pasta4lnch]

rack tuners are a dying breed . . . I'm glad I was able to snag a furman PL tuner. I think Peterson and the B word are the only 2 left? Sabine maybe?

[Honk'n_down-low]

I considered a rack tuner - but then went with a Korg Pitch Black + - acts as an A/B box and a tuner, you can connect two basses and switch on the fly and allows for setting one channel to drop or altered tunings, and I found if I am doing a smaller gig or going to practice, the pedal is more manageable as I don't need to bring the whole rack with me. FWIW-YMMV.

[hoshbrown41]

Originally Posted by Honk'n_down-low

I found if I am doing a smaller gig or going to practice, the pedal is more manageable as I don't need to bring the whole rack with me. FWIW-YMMV.

The thing is my pedal is dying and I have an open rackspace....

[Floyd Eye]

Korg rackmounts pop up now and then. Snag one if you can. There's some on Ebay right now.

[Nev375]

I have a Korg DTR-2 that has served me well for around 9 years with no fuss. I bought it cause it didn't have a wall wart. My preamp has a tuner out jack so I always plugged it there.

I've been thinking of replacing it with an n-tune onboard tuner and freeing up a rack space. So if it's something you want, PM me an offer.

[hoshbrown41]

Originally Posted by Nev375

My preamp has a tuner out jack so I always plugged it there.

As does mine, but theres no way to mute the signal to the speakers that way, right?

[Nev375]

Originally Posted by hoshbrown41

As does mine, but theres no way to mute the signal to the speakers that way, right?

That depends on your preamp I guess. I've always just turned the volume knob on the amp down for that.

[walterw]

that would work, but it would be awkward and time-consuming, and changing your volume setting every time would have your soundman ready to strangle you by the end of the night.

if you were gonna carry around one of those dinosaurs, i'd think you should at least run it in series with your rig (before the amp, in the amp's loop, or between the preamp and the power amp), so you can use the mute footswitch that most of them had to kill your sound without altering your settings.

[walterw]

oh, and a "dying TU-2" usually mean cracked solder joints around the jacks, something that's easy to fix.

[dannster]

I always liked my Sabine Rack Tuners, used them for YEARS. I don't think they make them anymore though. I switched to the Turbo tuner stomp. Very nice and light years ahead of my old Sabines.

[Nev375]

Originally Posted by walterw

that would work, but it would be awkward and time-consuming, and changing your volume setting every time would have your soundman ready to strangle you by the end of the night.

if you were gonna carry around one of those dinosaurs, i'd think you should at least run it in series with your rig (before the amp, in the amp's loop, or between the preamp and the power amp), so you can use the mute footswitch that most of them had to kill your sound without altering your settings.

I see what you are saying, however, my preamp has a DI with it's own dedicated volume control. I would use either the amp line out of the pre (chickenhead knob, so very simple to dial it back to the exact location) or power amp (detented control, just count X clicks down, then back up)

Theres a dozen ways to skin this cat I guess is my point. And actually theres nothing wrong with sending your signal through the tuner and just using the mute switch. It's a quality tuner and probably adds no noise. I don't know though 'cause I just believe in having the shortest possible signal chain so I never tested that method.

Originally Posted by dannster

I always liked my Sabine Rack Tuners, used them for YEARS. I don't think they make them anymore though. I switched to the Turbo tuner stomp. Very nice and light years ahead of my old Sabines.

I've seen those on youtube clips. VERY impressive! I wouldn't mind switching to one of those myself.

[lobey]

I've got a Sabine RT7000 that I love. Handles the low B quite well.

They did quit making them a while ago. Good luck finding the RT series. They come up on eBay now and then, but go quick. Never, ever had a problem with mine.

[perogato02]

Buy a Korg racktuner used ... plug your bass in the tuner, connect the output of the tuner to your amp. Korg tuners have a mute on them so no prob there ... I use a Korg DTR-1 myself, an old cat but it does the job.

The Behringer isn't that bad ... I use one at home, okay it isn't superfast when you want to tune E or lower but it gets there ... and it has LED-lights, which are handy on stage and make it look good (not really an argument but hey ... )

[Hopkins]

I've got a Behringer, contrary to what I read about it, it has no problem picking up low E but for some weird reason I have sometimes tune D on the octave. I mainly use it for the rack lights on stage.

[tom once dead]

I use a Korg DTR-1000. I really like it. You should be able to pick a rack tuner off ebay if you look around.

[RNV]

PM sent.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by Hopkins

I've got a Behringer, contrary to what I read about it, it has no problem picking up low E but for some weird reason I have sometimes tune D on the octave. I mainly use it for the rack lights on stage.

If you have problems "tracking" a note, the problem is with the instrument, not the tuner.

It's very interesting to watch the action on a 'scope. I've seen Es on some basses that throw a 30-cent "wow" that can be heard as well as seen on the tuner and 'scope. There's simply no way that these can ever be in tune simply because the note itself is unstable, so don't shoot the messenger -- the tuner can only report what's going in. "GIGO"

The bigger the string and the lower the note and the lighter the bridge the worse this problem tends to be, and you can't even get out by tuning to a harmonic in the worst cases.

Some tuners and tuning programs have very aggressive damping which hides all but the very worst of these problems, but does not cure them. People are constantly misled by this. These tuners are just guessing and faking it.

The Behringer rack tuners do not have aggressive damping, and this makes them especially disorienting on "FINE" with an unstable bass source, but they are OK switched on normal and using the harmonic on mildly unstable big strings.

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by Bongolation

If you have problems "tracking" a note, the problem is with the instrument, not the tuner.

It's very interesting to watch the action on a 'scope. I've seen Es on some basses that throw a 30-cent "wow" that can be heard as well as seen on the tuner and 'scope. There's simply no way that these can ever be in tune simply because the note itself is unstable, so don't shoot the messenger -- the tuner can only report what's going in. "GIGO"

The bigger the string and the lower the note and the lighter the bridge the worse this problem tends to be, and you can't even get out by tuning to a harmonic in the worst cases.

Some tuners and tuning programs have very aggressive damping which hides all but the very worst of these problems, but does not cure them. People are constantly misled by this. These tuners are just guessing and faking it.

The Behringer rack tuners do not have aggressive damping, and this makes them especially disorienting on "FINE" with an unstable bass source, but they are OK switched on normal and using the harmonic on mildly unstable big strings.

It does this on all three of my basses, and I have no problem on my other tuners. I'm pretty sure it is the tuner, I doubt I have the same problem on all 3.

[BigOldHarry]

I had a korg rackmount - compared to my Pitchblack pedal it was expensive, heavy, hard to use and took up a rack space. But it worked.