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Cheapo tuner good enough for intonation work?

synterx

synterx

Jan 24, 2005
1,706
270
Illinois
chicagorockhouse.com
#1
Got a new peavey cirrus 5, and it needs a touch of intonation work. Correct me if I'm wrong, I've always done this by simply tuning the string open, then hit the 12th fret and seeing if it stays in tune.

But, can any old digital tuner work for this? Is it close enough? I really don't want to pop for a $200 petersen if I don't have to. I want to get it right though.

Thoughts?
 
#2
THe process you describe is right- compare the open string to the fretted 12th fret and see if they're in tune with each other. (You can use the 12th fret harmonic instead of the open string because if your strings are in good shape, the 12th fret harmonic IS and always will be the exact octave of the open string- that's how harmonics are generated).

My experience with using different tuners is that it depends on how good your ear is, how patient you are, and what you want. I started doing set-up work while I ran a gutiar store, so I had a real Conn Strob-O-Tuner to use. After I left retail, I used my regular tuners. But they vary enough that they can show the fretted note matching the open string, but being enough out of tune that by the time you're really playing music it's noticably out of tune. I could get by using two tuners in series and averaging the results (a Sabine and a Boss). And I had one guitar that never sounded right on the G string no matter what I did.

I got a Peterson VS1 right after they came out, and the first thing I tackled was my problem child guitar. It took about three minutes to get it set up perfectly. I won't go back to regular tuners for set up work.

jte
 
#3
I've gotten by with my Boss TU-80 and Planet Waves tuners. Neither one is particularly special, can be picked up for about $20... Fine for getting the intonation pretty close on my Peavey. I just checked to see how close the 12th fret was to the harmonic.
 
#4
imo, not usually

now, if you happen to have a really accurate cheapo tuner, then that's a different response--but i haven't found a really accurate cheapo yet that i'd recommend

you can get close for sure, just hard to get right
 
#5
Yeah, cheap but not too cheap. I've got a Casio tuner that works fine for setting intonation. It was originally $50 @ MF, but I bought it for the closeout price of $29. I also have a $9 Korg tuner that I wouldn't use no matter what. My ears are more accurate than that thing.

This is not an endorsement of Casio nor an indictment of Korg. Most manufacturers seem equally capable of selling good stuff AND cheap stuff with their names printed on it.
 
#6
It's a freebie Hartke tuner I got a while back. I'm wondering how well software tuners work? I have a nice looking one in LogicExpress, and there's the Petersen on-screen tuner, pretty cheap.

I could just get the robostomp I guess. I just put new strings on, and want to get it all dialed in just right.
 
#7
Two Peavey Cirrus 5's
One Peavey Millennium 5
One Peterson Tuner

Well worth the $$ IMO as you can do your own set-ups and be spot-on. I also use it during live performance using an unaffected line out (or tuner out if available) from my preamp.

Riis
 
#9
The difficulty in using the less expensive tuners for intonation is that they all have unknown tolerances.

This is easily demonstrated, if you've ever gigged with guys who use different cheap tuners! Everybody's in tune, but nobody's in tune with anybody else.

Me, I use a Peterson VSII (I think it's discontinued, but the Petersons all have similar quality and operation) and I can perfectly nail intonation. I'm not having to rely on a flickering set of LEDs or a wavering needle, but on a stationary -- or not stationary -- strobe.
 
#10
lpdeluxe said:
The difficulty in using the less expensive tuners for intonation is that they all have unknown tolerances.

This is easily demonstrated, if you've ever gigged with guys who use different cheap tuners! Everybody's in tune, but nobody's in tune with anybody else.

...
Click to expand...

+1 !

For intonation, though (no other players involved), I've had good luck with the cheapos. In addition to the 12th fret (harmonic and fretted), you can supposedly get better intonation by repeating the harmonic/fretted process at either the 17th or 19th fret. I can't remember which (I never bother), but I did try it once, and either the 17th or 19th fret has a harmonic the same as the fretted note. This supposedly helps "fine-tune" your intonation if you play high on the neck.
 
#11
dbcandle said:
+1 !

For intonation, though (no other players involved), I've had good luck with the cheapos. In addition to the 12th fret (harmonic and fretted), you can supposedly get better intonation by repeating the harmonic/fretted process at either the 17th or 19th fret. I can't remember which (I never bother), but I did try it once, and either the 17th or 19th fret has a harmonic the same as the fretted note. This supposedly helps "fine-tune" your intonation if you play high on the neck.
Click to expand...


a lot of guitar players i know who play a lot in certain positions, like a rhythm acoustic guitarist, for example, fine-tune the intonation to sound the best for that particular position on the fretboard, even though other positions may be a bit out...others, who play the whole board, do as you describe and check intonation all over the neck to arrive at a good compromise so no particular place sounds out
 
#12
lpdeluxe said:
The difficulty in using the less expensive tuners for intonation is that they all have unknown tolerances.

This is easily demonstrated, if you've ever gigged with guys who use different cheap tuners! Everybody's in tune, but nobody's in tune with anybody else.

Me, I use a Peterson VSII (I think it's discontinued, but the Petersons all have similar quality and operation) and I can perfectly nail intonation. I'm not having to rely on a flickering set of LEDs or a wavering needle, but on a stationary -- or not stationary -- strobe.
Click to expand...

Hmmm...think I'll snag my guitarists' tuners and and A/B them with my Peterson VSII.

Riis
 
#15
watspan said:
ditto--I got a turbo tuner as well--only downside is the lcd display is hard to read on stage--the strobe part no problem, but the lcd is small and dark--IMO--still a great tuner
Click to expand...

The backlight works for me and I can see the notes no prob. + if you set it in bass mode you don't have to see the note, just the strobe. I hear ya though, the new pedal version he's putting out looks like it'll be really nice. Another awesome thing is that it is so accurate and so fast in response I can practice my fretless intonation with it in chromatic mode. Honestly probably the most useful thing on my pedalboard.
 

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