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Thread: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

  1. #26
    Registered User Bill Bradshaw's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by Sherry Cadenhead View Post
    My favorite suggestion yet! I've not heard of felt with a sticky side. I presume it's available at most any store that carries craft items?
    We've had some around for a long time. My wife thought maybe home depot. I thought maybe a craft or sewing place. Google for sure.

    Good luck.

    BB

  2. #27
    Registered User sblock's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Bradshaw View Post
    We've had some around for a long time. My wife thought maybe home depot. I thought maybe a craft or sewing place. Google for sure.
    Felt pieces with instant adhesive on one side describes those green felt "feet" (pads) used on the bottom of items like vases, bowls, candlesticks, small items of furniture, etc. Companies like 3M sell these feet in a variety of sizes, ready to go. You can buy them in almost any local hardware store. There is no need to seek out a craft store or Home Depot or the like.

    That said, if the felt covering is too heavy, it can dampen vibrations and severely reduce the tuner sensitivity. In my opinion, if you're seeking to protect the headstock finish from tuner jaws, you are better off with something thinner and finer, like a piece of microfiber cloth, for example, of the type used to clean eyeglasses. Just my opinion.

  3. #28
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Don't you need the cushioning that something thicker such as felt would provide in order to prevent damage? I believe the problem isn't scratching, but denting from pressure. I'm sure there's a happy medium. There so often is.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

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  4. #29

    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    winning answer...use a tuning fork. not great for gigs

    2nd place...get used to it, don't sweat the small stuff, someday it will be someone else's Mando, it's yours today enjoy it.

  5. #30

    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Tuner evolution:
    Phase 1. Somebody hits an A, you hear it and tune to it. And then tune the other strings. (Worked for centuries.)
    Phase 2. Lacking a reference instrument, stand a tuning fork on any convenient surface. Tune by ear, as above. (Another century or so.)
    Phase 3. Everybody has a tiny reed device. Sometimes they all agree. (Half a century.)
    Phase 4. Electronic device has microphone and internal reference; displays offsets. (A decade, until)
    Phase 5. Device as above, but like a snake, picks up vibrations by direct contact. Another decade. (Present confiiguration)
    Phase 6. Device is attached to player’s ear, uses microphone, audibly tells player how to tune. (Next year)
    Phase 7. Device, as above, has AI, offers criticism. (Almost immediately after phase 6)
    Phase 8. Device, as above, also provides mild electric shock when needed. (Currently in development. Stay tuned!)

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  7. #31
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    As much as I'd like to see Phase 8 be developed, what I really want - I think - is:

    Phase 9. Device, permanently attached, connected to servo motors on each string which automatically tune to perfect pitch - or user-determined preset.

    This would effectively eliminate human error, the biggest problem in nearly all human endeavors. What's the part in all cars that causes the most problems and crashes? The nut behind the wheel.

    The biggest problem with music is it's made by musicians. If you've ever been in a band, or hired a band, you know what I mean. So remove the human factor from this and tuning will be quick, easy, and flawless.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

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  8. #32
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by Richard500 View Post
    Phase 8. Device, as above, also provides mild electric shock when needed. (Currently in development. Stay tuned!)
    Pun intended?

  9. #33
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    As much as I'd like to see Phase 8 be developed, what I really want - I think - is:

    Phase 9. Device, permanently attached, connected to servo motors on each string which automatically tune to perfect pitch - or user-determined preset.

    This would effectively eliminate human error, the biggest problem in nearly all human endeavors. What's the part in all cars that causes the most problems and crashes? The nut behind the wheel.

    The biggest problem with music is it's made by musicians. If you've ever been in a band, or hired a band, you know what I mean. So remove the human factor from this and tuning will be quick, easy, and flawless.
    Didn’t Gibson make some guitars with some sort of self-tuning mechanism a few years ago? I heard it really didn’t work.
    Jim

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  11. #34
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Didn’t Gibson make some guitars with some sort of self-tuning mechanism a few years ago? I heard it really didn’t work.
    They must not have, because I never got a check for my idea.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

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  12. #35

    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    As much as I'd like to see Phase 8 be developed, what I really want - I think - is:

    Phase 9. Device, permanently attached, connected to servo motors on each string which automatically tune to perfect pitch - or user-determined preset.

    This would effectively eliminate human error, the biggest problem in nearly all human endeavors. What's the part in all cars that causes the most problems and crashes? The nut behind the wheel.

    The biggest problem with music is it's made by musicians. If you've ever been in a band, or hired a band, you know what I mean. So remove the human factor from this and tuning will be quick, easy, and flawless.
    Not that unusual an idea. My lady’s dad was a nationally known composer, bandleader, inventor, and fed up with musicians, although he had among the best in his permanent small group. He preferred machinery, and is known for kickstarting the electronic music industry, hiring Moog, for example, as a young squirt to wire up some of his inventions. Eventually, he made progress with a ‘composing machine’ that pretty much would run on its own. Motown bought an early version! As he was, alas, mortal, development stopped around 1986, just before microprocessor power could have enabled the furtherance of his ideas. One so far completely unrealized one was not only to eliminate the musicians and maybe the composer, was to direct contact the audience without audio.
    Today, given recent events, I’ll bet you could convince a few million Americans that microchips in the vaccines can do just that...

  13. #36
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    One of our jammers, a guitar player, keeps a tuner and a capo when not in use, clipped to the peg head. So once I showed up with a tuner, a capo, and a clothes pin clipped to my mandolin peg head. So there.

    Only three comments -

    I have never heard of any damage due to the clip on tuner.

    Clipping on a tuner as needed seems to me the best preventative. They look ugly on a guitar IMO, how much more so on a mandolin.

    If one makes the decision to keep the tuner clipped to the instrument, the tuner has become part of the instrument, like other mando-accoutrements, an arm rest or a ToneGard for example. In which cases, IMO, surface defacing doesn't matter, as it is covered by the accoutrement. (Kind of like how installing frets may scar the neck. You have to cut a notch for it FGS.)

    All opinions expressed or implied are my own.
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  15. #37
    Registered User TheMandoKit's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    As much as I'd like to see Phase 8 be developed, what I really want - I think - is:

    Phase 9. Device, permanently attached, connected to servo motors on each string which automatically tune to perfect pitch - or user-determined preset.

    This would effectively eliminate human error, the biggest problem in nearly all human endeavors. What's the part in all cars that causes the most problems and crashes? The nut behind the wheel.
    Look here: https://www.tronicaltune.com

    Might be trouble to try to fit a mando, but this is one of several similar systems out there.

    NFI, never even seen one. YMMV. Void where prohibited.
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  16. #38
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by TheMandoKit View Post
    ... this is one of several similar systems out there.
    Dang! I knew I should have patented it!
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

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  17. #39
    Registered User Sherry Cadenhead's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by TheMandoKit View Post
    Look here: https://www.tronicaltune.com

    Might be trouble to try to fit a mando, but this is one of several similar systems out there.

    NFI, never even seen one. YMMV. Void where prohibited.
    Cool!

  18. #40
    Registered User TheMandoKit's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by Sherry Cadenhead View Post
    Cool!
    Dunno, Gibson's "Robot" system was pretty similar, and didn't seem to be a huge seller.

    I never thought tuning was a big deal, but maybe I just have a good ear. I did have someone ask me to help him tune his new mandolin. He couldn't get the second string of each pair in tune. When I quickly got them in unison, he remarked that he had wondered what the second set of tuning knobs were for...apparently thought the paired strings were just one long string doubled through the tailpiece and one tuner tuned both. 🙄

    Yep.
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  20. #41

    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    apparently thought the paired strings were just one long string doubled through the tailpiece and one tuner tuned both. ��
    Worth a chuckle, but only a month ago, on this very site, someone suggested doing exactly that to deal with the peg-vs-hook issue on some antique. That was the thread where I had to suggest use of knots, then explain one of them.

  21. #42
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Now is the time for someone to work with Tronical on mandolin tuners, or maybe not.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  22. #43
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Just need to make them a little smaller.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  23. #44

    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    On the other hand...
    Maybe, if you’re playing electric, tuning the strings can be avoided entirely. Here’s my extraordinarily patentable notion:: Strings are tuned only approximately, once. You strum once. The gizmo detects the open string frequency and deduces where it should be, and more to the point, what each fretted note should be, and sends that out to the amp. To recap, you play the correct frets you would ordinarily, and the gizmo turns that into all the right notes.
    No little problematical motors, wasted time tuning, and no extra anything to mar the precious peghead or mar the finish.
    Investors?

  24. #45
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    It's called pitch correction and it exists.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  25. #46
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Autotuned voices are annoying enough. Autotuned instruments? Gahhh ... At some point one has to learn how to sing and play an instrument. Otherwise it isn't music, it's computer-generated or -corrected sounds. I'm trying to imagine what autotuning would do to a bent blues note or a slide guitar solo.

    I said above that the biggest problem with music is it's made by musicians. It's supposed to be a joke. It's part of the package, and a necessary one. Otherwise, you'll get some pretty meaningless, useless, even painful noise. IMO & FWIW. YMMV.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  26. #47
    Registered User double E's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    I've had a lot of tuners. The Peterson is my favorite. It takes a bit to get used to it. But it is the most accurate, in my opinion, of all I have had. I think you will like it. EE

  27. #48
    Registered User double E's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by cassetteland View Post
    What is that all about? I've been eyeing the peterson as the Snark SuperTight super sucks.
    I've had a lot of tuners. The Peterson is my favorite. It takes a bit to get used to it. But it is the most accurate, in my opinion, of all I have had. I think you will like it. EE

  28. #49
    Registered User mingusb1's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Long thread and maybe it's been articulated in here already but a clip-on tuner can indeed mar the finish on the headstock, and quickly. Not due to abrasion from repeatedly taking the tuner on/off, but due to a chemical reaction induced between the tuner clip rubber and mando finish. A luthier mentioned to me that some of the rubbers essentially have a softener in them that reacts with the finish. I had a tuner clipped on a new varnished instrument and it marred the finish in like a day while sitting in the case. So I've learned my lesson:

    I don't leave them clipped on.

    Z
    Member since 2003!

  29. #50
    Registered User Sherry Cadenhead's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to Keep a Headstock Tuner from Damaging Your Instrument

    Quote Originally Posted by mingusb1 View Post
    Long thread and maybe it's been articulated in here already but a clip-on tuner can indeed mar the finish on the headstock, and quickly. Not due to abrasion from repeatedly taking the tuner on/off, but due to a chemical reaction induced between the tuner clip rubber and mando finish. A luthier mentioned to me that some of the rubbers essentially have a softener in them that reacts with the finish. I had a tuner clipped on a new varnished instrument and it marred the finish in like a day while sitting in the case. So I've learned my lesson:

    I don't leave them clipped on.

    Z
    That was a hard lesson learned! My conclusion from starting this thread is to tune from my PC when playing at home, try to use my smartphone when playing away, clip on a tuner (temporarily) when I must. Someone in this thread called me paranoid. I'm OK with that. Love my new Weber and I plan to take good care of it.

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