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Thread: Tuner

  1. #51
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    Default Re: Tuner

    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Roy View Post
    While I readily agree that the Polytune is seriously overpriced,
    But then you go on to describe how the Polytune is superior to less expensive tuners, and you bought one. Sounds like it's priced about right to me.

    Rather than "overpriced", I think the phrase we're looking for is "diminishing returns" or "low bang-for-the-buck". After years of riding Hondas, I bought a BMW motorcycle. Is better than the Hondas I've owned? For the most part, yup. Is it better enough to justify the extra cost? No. The BMW is worth every penny I spent on it, but it is not better in proportion to the extra money spent. If all one can say about a Snark is "it doesn't cost as much as a Polytune", then the Polytune is not overpriced.

    "Overpriced" is the Peterson clip. No better than the Polytune, IMO, and yet still more money. And ugly.

  2. #52

    Default Re: Tuner

    Quote Originally Posted by Lane Pryce View Post
    ... Any you have experience with the PolyTune? ...
    I like it. I switched to Polytune from an old Korg AW-2.

    For what it's worth, here's a quickie video I made a year or two ago, showing both the Polytune and the Korg AW-2 in action, me rather lazily trying to tune a mandolin (mandolin tuning isn't my strong suit).


    (or direct link)

    I didn't use strobe mode though, just the regular ol' tuner mode, on the Polytune. I still haven't got around to trying the strobe mode, maybe I should do that someday just as a technical exercise.

    The only problem I see with the Polytune, is that now that everyone knows I use it, I no longer have any excuse for recording something that sounds out of tune. Except, of course, as sblock wisely points out earlier in this thread, mandolins don't generally stay in tune for very long anyway, plus I don't change strings often enough and the strings' intonation becomes noticeably less accurate as they wear (if even *I* notice it, ya know it's gotta be a long ways off), plus I probably don't have the bridge set in quite the right place (close enough, I can't tell the difference) etc.

    Anyway, it is nice to have a good starting point to go out of tune from. That's why I like the Polytune - it puts the ball in my court, so if the mandolin doesn't sound right, *if* I'm sufficiently motivated I have the opportunity to remedy the situation.

    Edit:
    Oops I just noticed this is a 3-page thread. I probably should go read pages 2 and 3 now to see if I'm being redundant (or a dunderhead, that's always a possibility too).




    My pickin':Practice backing tracks (MIDI-only) & scrolling sheetmusic with mandolin tab:
    Last edited by Jess L.; Jun-30-2017 at 10:07pm.

  3. #53
    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post
    The new (black) snarks are great. They are made better than the old red ones and lock in very quickly. At that price I now have one in every instrument case. At gigs there is one on the headstock of each of the 3 instruments I use.

    As for the accuracy question, it would be absurd(for me) to pay 5 times more for something theoretically more accurate. I mean even a Snark is more accurate than your attenuation. Unless you retune every 5 minutes, its more accurate than your tuning will be after the first song.

    If you are doing a tuning experiment in a temperature controlled vacuum, better spend 50 dollars for a atomic clock tuned strobe light or something. But in any practical application, a Snark(or countless others) is more accurate than standard detectable error of real world tuning. I just made that up. The caffeine has kicked in. Someone disagree and I'll bite your scroll off.
    Same here. I got a Sn-8 in every case myself.
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  4. #54
    Registered User almeriastrings's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner

    I have had the Polytune since they first came out... it has been used almost daily ever since, always in 'strobe' mode. I also have a Petersen bench tuner.... I find their accuracy roughly comparable.

    There seems to be confusion... judging tuners by how the display "locks on". This is misleading. You can make a very inaccurate tuner "lock on"... just because it "locks on" that does not equate to high accuracy. It is down to how the oscillators and sensors are "translated down" to a much coarser readout. One reason why strobe types are inherently more accurate is that there are no fixed divisions or 'trip points' in terms of the display.
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  6. #55

    Default Re: Tuner

    Unless you need to buy five at once, for some reason, or lose them frequently, dunno that price matters so much to me over 500hrs a year... I use the Peterson Stroboclip and clamp it on the bridge (because don't like the sucker marks on varnish headstock). Dampen the other courses with left hand and pluck lightly at 10-11th fret (greatest fundamental while avoiding harmonic). For me it is very quick to get the pitch where I want because I'm looking at variance in real time in magnitude and direction, not a light going on/off or changing color. Per Peterson and display I observe, the pitch is stable for 3-5 seconds and then goes slightly flat as decays. Fast and easy for me to place it there (with fresh strings and good tuner machines).

    I celebrate the choices in user interface, price, ergonomics, and we should all be able to find what works for us. I wouldn't say a tuner is bad because it doesn't work for me. I like the universally-accepted accuracy of Peterson and can use it very efficiently after a little initial practice. As for staying in tune, try massaging the string a bit on either side of the nut with your forefinger and recheck tuning; we all tune up from below so no later flat surprises, but if you simply equalize tension on both sides of nut I think stays on pitch longer. Wound/fatter strings more temp sensitive I've found as A/C cycles in music room, E doesn't change much.

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  8. #56
    Notary Sojac Paul Kotapish's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner

    I love my TC Polytune clip-on. Beats any of the many other clip-on tuners (or stand-alone) I've owned or tried.
    Just one guy's opinion
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  9. #57
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    Default Re: Tuner

    Reverb $5 tuner does the trick for me
    https://reverb.com/item/204704-reverb-clip-on-tuner

  10. #58
    Registered User varmonter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner

    I have a old korg tuner from the late 80s early 90s.
    About the size of a pack of 100s cig. I had a piano
    Tech come i to tune my piano. He had a thousand dollar tuner. I put that old korg (dt12 model i think)
    Up on the piano and it went toe to toe with the techs tuner. I have had some that work for me and
    Some that dont. Pt-1 never worked well for me.
    Snarks although unreliable always worked well
    Up to the moment of thier death. Petersons workec
    Great at home on the quiet couch but sucked at a noisey gig..( worthless in this application).
    To me it comes down to reliability at a gig.
    I still use the old korg at home. A snark is in my case. I am old enough to remember being amazed
    At how this new electronic tuner technology save so much time and arguing with bandmates as to pitch.

    - - - Updated - - -

    I have a old korg tuner from the late 80s early 90s.
    About the size of a pack of 100s cig. I had a piano
    Tech come i to tune my piano. He had a thousand dollar tuner. I put that old korg (dt12 model i think)
    Up on the piano and it went toe to toe with the techs tuner. I have had some that work for me and
    Some that dont. Pt-1 never worked well for me.
    Snarks although unreliable always worked well
    Up to the moment of thier death. Petersons workec
    Great at home on the quiet couch but sucked at a noisey gig..( worthless in this application).
    To me it comes down to reliability at a gig.
    I still use the old korg at home. A snark is in my case. I am old enough to remember being amazed
    At how this new electronic tuner technology save so much time and arguing with bandmates as to pitch.

    - - - Updated - - -

    I have a old korg tuner from the late 80s early 90s.
    About the size of a pack of 100s cig. I had a piano
    Tech come i to tune my piano. He had a thousand dollar tuner. I put that old korg (dt12 model i think)
    Up on the piano and it went toe to toe with the techs tuner. I have had some that work for me and
    Some that dont. Pt-1 never worked well for me.
    Snarks although unreliable always worked well
    Up to the moment of thier death. Petersons workec
    Great at home on the quiet couch but sucked at a noisey gig..( worthless in this application).
    To me it comes down to reliability at a gig.
    I still use the old korg at home. A snark is in my case. I am old enough to remember being amazed
    At how this new electronic tuner technology save so much time and arguing with bandmates as to pitch.

    - - - Updated - - -

    I have a old korg tuner from the late 80s early 90s.
    About the size of a pack of 100s cig. I had a piano
    Tech come i to tune my piano. He had a thousand dollar tuner. I put that old korg (dt12 model i think)
    Up on the piano and it went toe to toe with the techs tuner. I have had some that work for me and
    Some that dont. Pt-1 never worked well for me.
    Snarks although unreliable always worked well
    Up to the moment of thier death. Petersons workec
    Great at home on the quiet couch but sucked at a noisey gig..( worthless in this application).
    To me it comes down to reliability at a gig.
    I still use the old korg at home. A snark is in my case. I am old enough to remember being amazed
    At how this new electronic tuner technology save so much time and arguing with bandmates as to pitch.

    - - - Updated - - -

    I have a old korg tuner from the late 80s early 90s.
    About the size of a pack of 100s cig. I had a piano
    Tech come i to tune my piano. He had a thousand dollar tuner. I put that old korg (dt12 model i think)
    Up on the piano and it went toe to toe with the techs tuner. I have had some that work for me and
    Some that dont. Pt-1 never worked well for me.
    Snarks although unreliable always worked well
    Up to the moment of thier death. Petersons workec
    Great at home on the quiet couch but sucked at a noisey gig..( worthless in this application).
    To me it comes down to reliability at a gig.
    I still use the old korg at home. A snark is in my case. I am old enough to remember being amazed
    At how this new electronic tuner technology save so much time and arguing with bandmates as to pitch.

  11. #59
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    Default Re: Tuner

    I need to know where I can get one of those small wires that plug into the tuner and then you clip it onto the bridge or somewhere else to tune...I cannot see the read out on my Snark when out of doors so I need to use the clip wire one which has a nice picture...

    Willie

  12. #60
    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner

    Phil

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  13. #61
    Registered User J Mangio's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner

    Peterson TP3 clip on tuner pickup....9 bucks, at MF, delivered.
    2021 The Loar LM700 VS

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