• 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.

Your ideal tuner?

#41
I used a Boss TU-2 for a while and that was fine for my amateur self, but then I decided to get something easier to read and got a Korg Pitchblack. Been using that ever since. Simple, rugged, does what it needs to do well and doesn't try to do any more. Would be nice if it was smaller, but I'm not trying to fit 20 pedals on my board so no big deal.

Anyway, to answer the OP's questions:

- What features are most important to you in an ideal tuner?

Accurate, grabs notes quickly, easy to read, handles downtuning well, reasonable size.

- What is your current favourite tuner?

Korg Pitchblack is what I currently use. The feature set of the Boss TU-3W has me interested in it, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

- Is there anything about tuners that you don't like?

Loud true bypass footswitches you can hear in the sixth row. *CLICK!!!*

- What - if anything - would you like to see in a tuner that doesn't exist yet?

> Accurate and quick to grab notes.
> Big, easily readable display (shoot for 1" letters) with adjustable brightness for different lighting conditions. In fact, if smartphones can auto-adjust their brightness based on the lighting, I don't see why a tuner shouldn't as well.
> Silent footswitch with switchable muting and true/buffered bypass.
> Ability to handle the B-string of a bass and the most common degrees of downtuning.
> Reasonable size. I'm almost certain all that can be done in the size format of a typical single pedal such as the MXR Phase 90 or EHX Bass Clone.
> Some people will scream for top jacks; would be nice, but not critical for me.
> Standard Boss style 9V power. Don't care about batteries, but you can include that if you like. Don't care about the "power through" feature that some tuners have; that's what my power supply is for.
 
Last edited:
#43
I want a tuner that makes me the best bass player in the world. I also want it to tune the bass automatically. Or, what about a tuner that plays the bass itself?

These are what I'd like, but I'd be fine with a compact one that has speed, accuracy, visibility, and durability.
 
#47
Assuming you already know how to tune your bass by ear after getting a simple reference pitch* ;) then ANY electronic tuner is fine as long as you know how it works, and also how your particular bass, the strings, the tuning machine, etc. function mechanically.

About 2.5% of my "bass-related mental energy" goes into which tuner I am using onstage or in recording. (Actually in recording I double check and tweak in detail by ear...)

*As I typed this it occurred to me that IF you are playing a gig with an acoustic (i.e. a real, non-electronic) piano...you really should tune to the piano if your goal is to be truly in tune. Well, unless you know for sure that it's been tuned like within the last couple weeks and is overall still holding 440...just sayin', I know it's an unpopular viewpoint.
 
#48
I've used a Boss TU-12 or TU-12EX for years and they have been fine for me - fast, accurate enough, totally reliable, chromatic versatility. I don't have a pedal board and usually go direct to my amp or sometimes through a single preamp pedal, HPF or compressor depending on my need for the gig. In a pinch I will use a Snark clip-on tuner for a fast check and they seem to work nicely as well.

I fully appreciate that some folks want to have pinpoint, laboratory accuracy in tuning, but as soon as you fret the strings, the humidity or temperature changes, etc. you just lost your laboratory precision. For me, I need quick and reliable with good accuracy.
 
#52
project_c said:
I'm doing a bit of research for a friend who wants to design a multi-fx / utility unit for bassists, I thought I'd ask TB for some advice about the tuner section.

- What features are most important to you in an ideal tuner?
- What is your current favourite tuner?
- Is there anything about tuners that you don't like?
- What - if anything - would you like to see in a tuner that doesn't exist yet?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Best tuner is by ear! (if youn have it) good luck..
 
#54
I just got a GO GO pedal tuner. Like that the display is Orange when off pitch and the whole display turns green when on pitch. Big Display You can see it from across a room easy. I still use 20+ year old Sabine ST1000 the wife got me when we was dating. Best, most useful, gift she ever bought me.
 
#55
What features are most important to you in an ideal tuner?
Chromatic; FAST response; readable in daylight; battery lasts forever but is EASILY replaceable
What is your favorite tuner?
Snark ST-1 on the tuning head; Planet Waves chromatic tuner on the floor
Is there anything about tuners that you don't like?
Slow or inconsistent response; awkward to mount or use
What - if anything - would you like to see in a tuner that doesn't exist yet?
I'd like to see a display I can clip onto the mike stand so I can keep my head up while I'm tuning and not look like a knuckle dragging gorilla on stage. No band makes a good impression when three guys out front are hunched over for half a minute between songs.
 
#56
Fast, accurate, easy to use on stage, easy to see under any lighting.

My stage tuners are usually on Zoom efx which work fine and have a good display but not always easy to see especially outdoors. I also have several gogo tuners that I really like and generally keep a headstock tuner in my gig bag for outdoor gigs or to loan out.
 
Last edited:
#57
Boss Tu3 Waza would be perfect if :

You could mute both output's at the same time.

You could choose tbp/buffer in both output's. (Not sure if it is even possible?)

I would use it as a splitter. I could put different pedals to 2 different chains, and feed em into 2 channel radial di box. I can do it allready, but bypass chain is active all the time to foh when tuning.

Sorry about my sloppy English. Hope you get the idea.
 
  • Like
Reactions: seedokebass
#59
project_c said:
I'm doing a bit of research for a friend who wants to design a multi-fx / utility unit for bassists, I thought I'd ask TB for some advice about the tuner section.

- What features are most important to you in an ideal tuner?
- What is your current favourite tuner?
- Is there anything about tuners that you don't like?
- What - if anything - would you like to see in a tuner that doesn't exist yet?

Thanks!
Click to expand...


1. Good visibility/easy to read, speed, accuracy, and mute are at the top of the list for me.
2. Current favorite is a TU-2.
3. My previous favorite, the blue Stromostomp was nice but was not very durable. I was gentle on it too, but almost everything electronic on it came loose, was touchy or failed after a few years. A nice unit feature wise, but so much extra that was largely unused in most scenarios.
4. My wishlist: Programmable "hot keys" for multiple tunings/instruments, or routing options like A-B-Y or signal blending.


BassLover668 said:
This ultra cheap and make the work so good.
ke82717-1al.jpg
Click to expand...

I just got one of these in the mail today! What do you think of this tuner @BassLover668 ?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back