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Rackmount tuner - where'd the Korgs go?

mikeddd

mikeddd

Nov 12, 2009
2,161
63
San Antonio, TX
#1
I'm looking to buy a rackmount tuner and don't want to spend $600 on a Peterson. So I go looking for the ubiquitous Korgs and nobody carries them anymore. What happened? The only rackmount tuners I see are Behringers and they've got pretty crappy reviews. Anyone know of a place that might have NOS Korgs? Thanks.
 
#6
I think most artists realized that it was an awkward way to tune live. you had to get a mute switch for it if you didn't want sound coming through while you're tuning and also turn around and face your amp which looks weird if you're in the audience. A pedal is small, discrete, does the job perfectly and keeps you by your mic the whole time.
 
#7
faceinbass said:
KORG Pitch Black.

Get one and get over your need for racking a tuner. :bassist:
Click to expand...


OMG, this is the BEST gear review video EVER. I laughed so hard I almost want to buy the thing just so I can imitate this guy. :D

Cool looking toy, the Korg Pitch Black is. But I don't want another pedal. Guess I'll peruse the FS forum. I just don't understand why no more rackmount tuners! :confused:

@jetlaggemini: Good points and I can see where some folks might not want to walk all the way back to their rack, turn their back on the audience, etc. For me, in my room, my buddies garage and the pool parties we play, it's not too much of a biggie. :o
 
#8
My main reason is that one more pedal (even true bypass) is still one more thing between my guitar and my amp. I like my DTR-1000 which I connect to the 'tuner out' jack on my amp...and it looks COOL!!!!! Between the Knight Rider light on the Korg and all the blue LEDs on my GBE750 my tone has improved exponentially!!!!!

-JV
 
#10
jetlaggemini said:
I think most artists realized that it was an awkward way to tune live. you had to get a mute switch for it if you didn't want sound coming through while you're tuning and also turn around and face your amp which looks weird if you're in the audience. A pedal is small, discrete, does the job perfectly and keeps you by your mic the whole time.
Click to expand...

Pretty much this

About a month ago I traded my Pitch black for a Korg dtr 1000 and now I'm contemplating selling off the Racktuner for the pitchblack again. I mean it's cool looking and everything and it does the KIT lights from Knight Rider when you play, but if you have a pedalboard, there's no need for a rack tuner... I just got into the effects thang so I'm pretty sure down the line I'm going back with a tuner pedal.

On the other hand, if you don't have a pedalboard or you're not into any effects, then I suppose a rack tuner would be handy.
 
#12
The disappearance of rackmount tuners is, IMO, because of how much better pedal tuners are selling and how much easier they are. With my tuner I can tune on the fly without having to walk over to my amp, plus it acts as a mute switch. If I were to use a rack tuner the audience would have to listen to the changing pitch, something that I doubt they want to hear.

Honestly, there's nothing wrong with a Korg, Sonic Research, Peterson, or any other tuner pedal. It's just the changing times. ;)
 
#13
Thanks for the replies, everyone. :) I know it's sacrilege to say "No more pedals!" in the Effects Forum. That's what I get for posting in the wrong forum. :ninja: LOL! My amp is rackmount and has a tuner out...would be convenient as heck (as blastjv said).

Being that I'm new to the bass I haven't picked up any effects yet, aside from a DBX266XL from my PA rack. I'm a 20+ year guitarist and have had Ye'Olde Forest Of Pedals at my feet...sometimes it's fun but mostly it's just a PITA.

If I do get any effects for bass, it'll be a rackmount all in one unit with a footcontroller...or an all in one bigass pedal type deal vs. a forest of pedals.

I honestly wouldn't mind having a Behringer TUNER in my rack if the performance was decent. The initial reviews I read say it sucks, though. I do own several PA-related pieces of Behringer gear (crossover and 31-band EQs) and they've been great.
 
#14
Meh, take reviews with a grain of salt.

If you go behringer, buy new so you can return it if it dies or is DOA.

... but I think you want a rack tuner so your audience can critique your tuning style and so that you can impress them with your cool rack mounted light show. ;)
 
#17
I've used Korg Rack tuners for years - just always found a rack setup to be more convenient.

In my rack is an ADA MB-1 bass preamp, a Boss VF-1 FX unit, a Korg Rack tuner fed by fx loop 2 out from the MB-1, and a wireless receiver. Out front, I use a Rolls Midi-Buddy peadl to switch presets on the pre and FX, and I've set one program as a tuner/mute - the tuner is always active, I can look and tweak tuning during a song if I have to, or hit the button to tune silent. No need to walk back to the rack to do it, that's why they make the displays on the rack ones so big.

The only cord I have is the midi cable from the rack to the midi control pedal, and it feeds power too.
 
#19
EVERY rack tuner I've seen has a mute function, and just about every rack mounted amp. People keep talking about how the audience has to listen to you tune if you use a rack tuner, I'm not sure why...

Not arguing against pedal tuners. I think they're great. I just don't use one right now for the reason I mentioned above.


-John
 
#20
I've always loved having the tuner in the rack but I've never really used effects. I'm building my board now and bought a sonic research strobe tuner. It's going to be a heck of a lot more accurate than that Korg I have sitting in the rack but I'm sure it'll take some getting used to. Guess that means that my Korg may be for sale before too long for those who still like having one in the rack.
 

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