TU-2 or Pitchblack?

[polishcomedy]

Originally Posted by FMA

I guess I'm the other person using a DigiTech Hardwire tuner. Tracks very quickly. Very accurate. And the display is exceptionally bright. We play a lot of outdoor festivals over the summer and it is bright enough to handle it.

There are actually 3 of us in the thread.

[Bad Chile]

I love my Turbotuner. Tracks fast, accurate enough for intonation, MXR-size housing. Shipped fast, durable as all heck.

I play guitar. I don't always go out of tune, but when I do go out of tune, I prefer the Turbotuner.

[redstringuitar]

Originally Posted by twangpunk

Forgive me if I sound like the devil's advocate but I really don't understand the need for a tuner in the pedal chain.

I use a few pedals with no board so I can't justify it, but for those with pedalboards I could see including one if you've got the real estate.

Maybe I'm lucky...but my MIM Tele stays in tune pretty darn well in almost any situation.

It's non-essential convenience that's all...I just whip the lid off my board, connect guitar, amp, amp footswitch and power, quick tune up and I'm away.

[eugenedunn]

vjf1968 brought up a good point about the DI XLR-output of the Peterson Strobostomp pedaltuner. I had a issue with my amp at a gig and ended up running a microphone cable out from the XLR jack of my Peterson Strobostomp directly into the mixer-board. Played the whole gig running direct into the PA. A lifesaver.

The other cool thing is the Strobostomp has a power-pass-thru jack and can assist in easy daisychaining of power thru the rest of your effects.....

Both the Sonic Research and Peterson tuners are accurate enough for good intonation work. The Sonic Research has 0.02 cent accuracy, which is better than the 0.10 cent accuracy of the Peterson.... although at that accuracy, that's like splitting hairs.

I like all the "sweetened" intentional de-tuned programs for different instruments on the Stobostomp, although I wish the menu was easier to select from.

I still think the Strobostomp has more performance-oriented utility and flexibility....

[Joe-Bob]

Originally Posted by twangpunk

Forgive me if I sound like the devil's advocate but I really don't understand the need for a tuner in the pedal chain.

I use a few pedals with no board so I can't justify it, but for those with pedalboards I could see including one if you've got the real estate.

Maybe I'm lucky...but my MIM Tele stays in tune pretty darn well in almost any situation.

Twangpunk,

Luck has nothing to do with it. Every week, I have to tune at a jazz rehearsal where all the horns are already warming up. It would be totally impossible without a pedal.

A pedal allows me to tune silently, and check my tuning as the guitar changes temperature.

Also, I can tune quickly between songs, particularly if I've been doing alot of string bending.

The tuning of a telecaster may not bother you, but it's my most out-of-intonation guitar. All my other guitars tune much, much better. You may think you're in tune just fine. You're probably wrong.

[eugenedunn]

You may think you're in tune just fine. You're probably wrong.

That is amazingly true......

Besides, if you play outside gigs or when there's changes in temp and humidity, your tuning is gonna change..... You'd be surprised how far you can drift.

I like the silent tuning option of the Strobostomp.... not sure if the Sonic Research unit has the same feature.....

[Mik]

The Pitchblack+ is accurate to +/- 0.1 cent, two LED meters.

It has two input jacks (very useful for two guitars with different tunings) and can power out up to 200ma.

[Joe-Bob]

I'm gonna get me one of the Boss TU-1000 models. If it works as well as my TU-2 but with a giant display, then it will be worth the $$$.

[Tim Bowen]

Originally Posted by Bad Chile

I play guitar. I don't always go out of tune, but when I do go out of tune, I prefer the Turbotuner.

Couldn't resist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bc0WjTT0Ps

[Tim Bowen]

Originally Posted by eugenedunn

vjf1968 brought up a good point about the DI XLR-output of the Peterson Strobostomp pedaltuner. I had a issue with my amp at a gig and ended up running a microphone cable out from the XLR jack of my Peterson Strobostomp directly into the mixer-board. Played the whole gig running direct into the PA. A lifesaver.

He did indeed, and I'd agree, it IS a lifesaver in the grand tradition of Swiss Army Knives. It has saved me on more than one occasion. That said, I do feel that the DI function is like a spare tire. Players that use DI's regularly and that are finely attuned to such will likely not find the clarity of signal and headroom to be on par with superior dedicated DI's. But man is it convenient. It's among the best of the best of stomp tuners and the DI feature is gravy and icing on the meat and cake.

[ReIgnition]

I think the perception some people have that their guitar 'never' goes out of tune is because even on the best guitars each string will go flat or sharp in cold or hot temperatures all to the same degree... so your songs sound normal even if every string is a 1/4 step flat or sharp.

[Bad Chile]

Originally Posted by eugenedunn

That is amazingly true......

I like the silent tuning option of the Strobostomp.... not sure if the Sonic Research unit has the same feature.....

The Sonic Research TurboTuner has silent tuning. Now, I don't play out - at all. I probably don't need a pedal tuner. But as others have said, it is nice to have.

1) I have a guitar plugged in at all times. Plug in the master power strip, turn on tube amp, while the tube amp is warming up I'm all set to tune.
2) When changing guitars - no need to reach over and turn down the amp. Engage tuner, unplug first guitar and plug in second guitar, and I'm ready to go.
3) Handy mute feature for when the phone rings.
4) When I'm jamming with friends and I forget to drop the low and high E strings to a D in order to play one finger chords for a Neil Young song, I can easily correct the situation.
5) It looks cool.

[TxTeleMan]

I haven't used a TU-2, but I used a Pitchblack and I like everything about it... all pros no cons.

[Radspin]

Zoppotrump,

I have the Korg DT-10 and the Pitchblack and the Pitchblack is way, way way more accurate.

[xjazzy]

After you see this review you should have figured it out:




And about that TU-1000:

[twangpunk]

Originally Posted by Joe-Bob

Twangpunk,

Luck has nothing to do with it. Every week, I have to tune at a jazz rehearsal where all the horns are already warming up. It would be totally impossible without a pedal.

A pedal allows me to tune silently, and check my tuning as the guitar changes temperature.

Also, I can tune quickly between songs, particularly if I've been doing alot of string bending.

The tuning of a telecaster may not bother you, but it's my most out-of-intonation guitar. All my other guitars tune much, much better. You may think you're in tune just fine. You're probably wrong.

Well you're....you're...You're probably right!

I'm just trying to talk myself out of one (and a pedalboard).

Now I'm not so sure; And that's O-Kay...

[RomanS]

Originally Posted by twangpunk

Well you're....you're...You're probably right!

I'm just trying to talk myself out of one (and a pedalboard).

Now I'm not so sure; And that's O-Kay...

Well, do you play live, with a band? Then it is essential (of course a less expensive option would be one of those clip-on tuners on the headstock...)

If you're only playing at home, a pedal tuner is convenient - but not absolutely necessary!

[Joe-Bob]

Originally Posted by twangpunk

I'm just trying to talk myself out of one (and a pedalboard).

Now I'm not so sure; And that's O-Kay...

If you're only using one or two pedals, you don't need a board.

The TU-2 is really easy on batteries...I had one pedal tuner that would waste a 9v in 4 hours. The Tu-2 will go several times that on a battery. That said, I usually power it externally, so that I reserve the battery fo when I need it.

[Joe-Bob]

Originally Posted by xjazzy

And about that TU-1000:

The video convinced me I don't want a Pitchblack.....and if it will stop tanks, I'm ordering a TU-1000 next week!









.....actually, I'm pretty sure the tanks would win, but I'm gettin' one anyway!

[twangpunk]

Believe it or not I play live with two very different bands. I plug into a little Korg tuner and throw it back in the gig bag before each show and for the prestigious gigs that we play I can stay in tune well-enough I suppose.

And though I'm beginning to use more pedals than I'm comortable with for various reasons I'm fighting the pedal board tooth and nail for some reason.

I'm at the point where I need to scale back the stomp-boxes or give in to the madness and get "on board".

[BillAftermath]

@Twangpunk - I want to use a tuning pedal just so my tuning can be spot on for some things, because I often play solo acoustic stuff, and if I have to stand up there and judge pitch 100% on my own the crowd will get bored. Most of my guitars are good at staying in tune, but the way I see it, I would rather be safe than sorry.

[surfco]

Korg.

[Joe-Bob]

Originally Posted by xjazzy

And about that TU-1000:

Well, I put one on order today. I'll let you know when it comes in.

[Schwalbe]

Originally Posted by Big Mike Simpson

I have only used the TU2... if you play an outdoor gig in the daytime you can not see it... other than that I like it.

Pitchblack is the same in that regard.

[BillAftermath]

I think of these two I will probably go with the pitchblack, but I don't know. I just saw a TU-2 on Craigslist for $35, and I am gonna pick that up, and if it is worth it I will keep it, if not I will sell it because I know I can get more than $35.

[Joe-Bob]

I have a TU-2 now, and I use it all the time. There's nothing wrong with it. I need another tuner so I can have two set-ups for different gigs. The Tu-1000 caught my eye, and I thought I'd give it a whirl.

[RomanS]

I just read that Boss is coming out with a new Boss TU-3 which will feature an extra-bright mode for daylight operation; still not true-bypass, though.

[OuttaspaceMan]

I'd go for the Korg. The Pitchblack is more compact. In my experience the note detection is very sensitive, and the accuracy is superb. The type of switch which Korg used seems more durable than a 3pdt switch. Plus it's true-bypass. =)

[Joe-Bob]

The TU-1000 is true bypass. It also has a buffered output.