Tuning dilemma.....

[martinc]

My Pano tuner app says I am bang on......open, 12th fret and notes in between...all strings.
My Snark Super Tight (new battery) says I am in tune on the open strings and at the 12th fret.... but sharp at the 3rd, 5th and 7th frets on all strings.

When I play, my ear tells me the Pano is closer but not by much.

Which tuner would you trust?

Thanks.

 

[RustyAxe]

My ears.

 

[Kro]

My Pano tuner app says I am bang on......open, 12th fret and notes in between...all strings.
My Snark Super Tight (new battery) says I am in tune on the open strings and at the 12th fret.... but sharp at the 3rd, 5th and 7th frets on all strings.

When I play, my ear tells me the Pano is closer but not by much.

Which tuner would you trust?

Thanks.

They both say that you're spot-on open and fretted at the octave right? If so, then trust both and be done with it.

 

[martinc]

My ears.

Rusty: Yours? Or Mine? Mine are not as good as they once were. I am a geezer.

 

[ProfFrink]

What happens at the higher frets? (the ones higher up than 12; and if you don't use them - forget it)

 

[martinc]

What happens at the higher frets? (the ones higher up than 12; and if you don't use them - forget it)

ProFring: Thanks. That's what I have been doing but it's frustrating seeing the difference in the tuners. Not sure which one I should junk.

 

[martinc]

They both say that you're spot-on open and fretted at the octave right? If so, then trust both and be done with it.

Kro: Thanks.
I have several clip on tuners that all agree with the Snark. No wonder I am suffering from paranoia!
Maybe I should find a Peterson bench strobo tuner and let it decide.

 

[ProfFrink]

Kro: Thanks.
I have several clip on tuners that all agree with the Snark. No wonder I am suffering from paranoia!
Maybe I should find a Peterson bench strobo tuner and let it decide.

Record you bass, and let us all run the recording through our own tuners

 

[martinc]

Record you bass, and let us all run the recording through our own tuners

Pro: then I could make everyone paranoic.

 

[martinc]

Thanks everyone for the speedy replies.
Looks like it will have to live with all this for a while.
Sooner of later I will have to know which tuner is correct though.

Please keep the suggestions or personal experiences about this coming.
Thanks.

 

[lz4005]

My Pano tuner app says I am bang on......open, 12th fret and notes in between...all strings.
...........
Which tuner would you trust?

Neither of those are accurate enough to use for setting intonation. You're trying to measure inches with a 3 foot stick.

 

[Bboopbennie]

TC electronic
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]2/p/P0CZ4#googtrans(en|en)

Does a nice job, and handles the B string well. I have had head stock tuners that didn't do well on a 5 string bass.

 

[JimmyM]

TC electronic
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]2/p/P0CZ4#googtrans(en|en)

Does a nice job, and handles the B string well. I have had head stock tuners that didn't do well on a 5 string bass.

The only headstock tuner I've been able to use for accurate intonation setting is the TC Unitune in strobe mode. Now and then you have to deal with overtones from the length of string across the fretboard behind your finger, but just mute them with another finger and it's fine. Have to do strobe mode, though, because even though it's a little harder to read than regular mode, it's a lot more accurate. Only available at Sweetwater, but well worth the low price for something that good.

As for plug-in tuner pedals, most do a decent job at it, but if you really want it on the nut, you need something that has a highly accurate strobe mode.

 

[Lofreck]

There are many high quality strobe tuner apps available for iOS, Android, and Windows. Why not to check against them? Some are completely free or have free trial.

 

[martinc]

Thanks for all your help everyone!

I ended up buying the tc electronic clip-on Polytuner. It also has a strobe function and many other options such a bass or guitar setting and a chord tuner which lets you know which string in a chord is out.

I checked it out with several digital recordings I have and it is right on. I still plan to check it against a Peterson bench strobe unit.

However the Pano tuner app was the closest in accuracy to the Polytuner than all the other tuners I have. The Pano tuner served me well but the Polytuner dials in the correct pitch much easier when setting up the intonation. Same thing when I use it on my Eminence and upright basses.