• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

How do you tune your basses (AT GIGS) with low E/B?

Which low string/tuner do you use?

  • Low B headstock

  • Low B pedal

  • Low B other

  • Low E headstock

  • Low E pedal

  • Low E other

  • Carrots... I tune my bass with carrots at gigs

Results are only viewable after voting.
#21
brianrost said:
Korg makes the AW-LT100B headstock tuner designed for bass and it does pick up the E and B strings better than most. Sadly, it has physical issues. You cannot rotate the display, only tilt it and the power switch design is just clumsy. It does strobe tuning as well, which I find useless. I only use it on DB where the display angle is OK when mounted to the bridge.

I also found the Snark ST-8 to do well on the E and B. But for best results in noisy environments, bite the bullet and use a plug-in tuner.
Click to expand...
 
#22
I used to use a headstock tuner, but not leave it clipped on all the time. With one of my basses it worked great, even with the low B, with the other, I had to use the 12th fret harmonic. My theory was that it had something to do with one bass being better at transmitting the vibration, but it's just a guess.

These days I just use the inbuilt tuner on my Tech 21 DP-3X pedal. It has no problem with the low B.
 
#24
Headstock tuners don't seem to work at all for me.

So I'm using a Korg chromatic tuner if I need to make fine adjustments, and I've been incorporating a Pitchblack for on-the-fly tuning checks. Also handy as a muting pedal. The Pitchblack only tunes to 440Hz though, and one band I'm in tunes to 437Hz due to a piano with a wonky tuning.
 
#31
Thumpin6string said:
I had a head stock tuner that I thought was working fine on my 6 string, but it always seemed like I was a tad flat. Bought a pedal tuner and sure enough, every string was slightly flat. Needless to say that I now only use the pedal. The other went into my acoustic guitar case. Good enough for that.
Click to expand...

I played with a guitarist who had the same problem. After really pissing off both the drummer and me at two rehearsals and a gig we finally insisted that he show us his tuner. Turned out he'd bought a new one and, while fiddling about with it, had accidentally reset it to A = 432.

That was a DB gig for me so I'd been unconsciously adjusting my intonation to try to keep in tune with the guitarist, which is how he got away with it for so long.

You couldn't make it up ...
 
  • Like
Reactions: JRA, tradernick and eJake
#32
I'm not reading all this, so I apologize if this notion has been repeated, uh, repeatedly. :)

First, always go pedal tuner if you can. There are lots of options and I like Polytune.
Second, if one must use a clip on, the Polytune clip on is the way to go. Then use the 12th fret harmonic to tune the B.
Third, buy a bass that has quality tuners and only needs to be tuned before each set at most.

I have several of those basses and I may check them from time to time during a set, when there is a break, but once I have them tuned, they generally stay in tune. Sometimes, from day to day.
 
#37
I have a Snark that I use for back-up/emergency. It does great on everything except for the low B, but it grabs the 12th fret harmonic great. I have a Korg Pitchblack on my board...outstanding and quick. Unless there's crazy temperature swings going on, I only tune at soundcheck, then double check it at the beginning of sets.
 
#38
bloobass said:
I have a Snark that I use for back-up/emergency. It does great on everything except for the low B, but it grabs the 12th fret harmonic great. I have a Korg Pitchblack on my board...outstanding and quick. Unless there's crazy temperature swings going on, I only tune at soundcheck, then double check it at the beginning of sets.
Click to expand...

I can never get a snark to work on my electrics. Is there a trick I'm missing?
 
#39
I have a TC PolyTune 2 on my pedal board and a TC UniTune Clip-On (25 bucks) in each of my bass cases/gig bags. Either one will track my low B perfectly on stage and with background noise. And yes, if I have a gig without my pedal board, I will use the Clip-On live. I take it off when I am done and leave it on top of the amp; takes 10 secs to clip it back on. Whatever get's the job done, there are more important things to life than getting rubbed the wrong way by what kind of tuner someone else is using. Any tuner beats a guitar player tuning by ear with his amp cranked while on stage.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back