Peterson "virtual" strobe tuner

Mik · June 12th, 2003, 11:36 AM

goes for about $199 at MF et al...anyone with an opinion about it to share?

Thanks,
Mik

yevans · June 12th, 2003, 12:11 PM

I had always used a lcd needle or LED tuner and never felt I was really in tune. My inital investigation into strobe tuners was "Yikes! Expensive!", but I knew they were much more accurate from my trumpet-playing days in high school band.

I found the Peterson digital strobe tuner for $200 and took the dive. It was well worth it. I would tune my Tele with the LED tuner and then with the Peterson and I was way off, especially the G string. The Peterson is VERY accurate.

It's pretty rugged, has a clearly readable display, and the pass-thru plugs make it perfect - you can unplug it and use it for your acoustic, too, and they even have a clip you can plug in and clip on your acoustic guitar, trumpet, sax, whatever, to get true readings.

I highly recommend it!

Michael Minnis · June 12th, 2003, 12:15 PM

I've had mine for a couple years. It's great. Especially useful when intonating archtops.

Michael

Chris · June 12th, 2003, 12:16 PM

I have used the Peterson Virtual Strobe Tuner for about a year. It is easily the best tuner I've ever used. Very accurate. Easy to use for non standard tunings and tuning with a capo on. Good for both accoustic and electric. I should note that on occasion it acts up and can be difficult to use on the high E and B.

However, because it is so accurate it would not be a good tuner if you needed to tune up quickly on stage. Due to the accuracy, it is a much slower process to get in tune with this tuner. Furthermore, the display would be impossible to read under any stage conditions.

By the way $199 is not outrageous but is somewhat high. Shop around a bit and you can cut $10-20 off that price.

Chris

Hucklebilly · June 12th, 2003, 01:13 PM

I've had my Peterson VS-1 for a couple of months and I'm really happy with it. It has a tweaked guitar tuning that adjusts the 4ths and 5ths which sounds particularly good to me. It's also great for tuning my dobro, which needs the 3rds flatted 13 cents and the 5ths sharped 2 cents to really make the major chord sound in tune. I also figure by being able to intonate my tele myself, it saves my on tech fees.

Jimi D · June 12th, 2003, 03:30 PM

I think the VS-1 rocks - great for intonating your axes, and the guitar tempered tuning is sweet....

Roy · June 12th, 2003, 04:37 PM

I'm getting ready to do some work on my T/L which will require some intonation. (brass saddles) I wonder if my Boss TU flor pedal would be accurate enough to do this? Your thoughts. Thanks.

idylldon · June 12th, 2003, 05:14 PM

Some folks have trouble seeing the display on stage, but that hasn't been my experience. It's on my pedalboard and I've never had a problem seeing the display in any type of stage lighting. Maybe I'm just lucky or something. I do have the backlight option for the LCD on all the time, which helps a great deal. My guess is that they'll upgrade the display to the higher-contrast one in the new V-SAM when it comes time for them to revisit the VS-1 with an eye to improving it.

I also figured that I've saved enough by doing my own *accurate* setups (and some for friends) to have paid for it several times over. I've had numerous needle-type electronic tuners, starting with a Seiko way back when, but the VS-1 is so far beyond anything I've used it isn't even fair to compare it to anything else (other than another strobe tuner).

Read more about the VS-1 here:

http://www.petersontuners.com/forum/...asp?FORUM_ID=6

Cheers,
--
Don

MLT · June 12th, 2003, 05:52 PM

What they said.

Skydog · June 12th, 2003, 05:58 PM

Way more accurate, you won't be
able to go back to the other type
after usin' this one.

Dacious · June 12th, 2003, 09:21 PM

The other thing a Strobe is good for is checking pickup height. Too high, and you start pickup up other harmonics you don't want to see.

June 12th, 2003, 11:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mik Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,416	Peterson "virtual" strobe tuner goes for about $199 at MF et al...anyone with an opinion about it to share? Thanks, Mik __________________ a "motor-bike with a touch of blood in it is better than all the riding animals on earth, because of its logical extension of our faculties, and the hint, the provocations, to excess."-T.E. Lawrence

June 12th, 2003, 12:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
yevans NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 7	I like it! I had always used a lcd needle or LED tuner and never felt I was really in tune. My inital investigation into strobe tuners was "Yikes! Expensive!", but I knew they were much more accurate from my trumpet-playing days in high school band. I found the Peterson digital strobe tuner for $200 and took the dive. It was well worth it. I would tune my Tele with the LED tuner and then with the Peterson and I was way off, especially the G string. The Peterson is VERY accurate. It's pretty rugged, has a clearly readable display, and the pass-thru plugs make it perfect - you can unplug it and use it for your acoustic, too, and they even have a clip you can plug in and clip on your acoustic guitar, trumpet, sax, whatever, to get true readings. I highly recommend it!

June 12th, 2003, 12:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
Chris NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2	Peterson Virtual Strobe Tuner I have used the Peterson Virtual Strobe Tuner for about a year. It is easily the best tuner I've ever used. Very accurate. Easy to use for non standard tunings and tuning with a capo on. Good for both accoustic and electric. I should note that on occasion it acts up and can be difficult to use on the high E and B. However, because it is so accurate it would not be a good tuner if you needed to tune up quickly on stage. Due to the accuracy, it is a much slower process to get in tune with this tuner. Furthermore, the display would be impossible to read under any stage conditions. By the way $199 is not outrageous but is somewhat high. Shop around a bit and you can cut $10-20 off that price. Chris

June 12th, 2003, 01:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
Hucklebilly Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 783 2 Photos	Peterson I've had my Peterson VS-1 for a couple of months and I'm really happy with it. It has a tweaked guitar tuning that adjusts the 4ths and 5ths which sounds particularly good to me. It's also great for tuning my dobro, which needs the 3rds flatted 13 cents and the 5ths sharped 2 cents to really make the major chord sound in tune. I also figure by being able to intonate my tele myself, it saves my on tech fees.

June 12th, 2003, 03:30 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jimi D TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 46 Posts: 73 1 Photos	I think the VS-1 rocks - great for intonating your axes, and the guitar tempered tuning is sweet.... __________________

June 12th, 2003, 12:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
Michael Minnis Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 157	I've had mine for a couple years. It's great. Especially useful when intonating archtops. Michael

June 12th, 2003, 04:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
Roy TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Texas Posts: 52	I'm getting ready to do some work on my T/L which will require some intonation. (brass saddles) I wonder if my Boss TU flor pedal would be accurate enough to do this? Your thoughts. Thanks.

June 12th, 2003, 05:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
idylldon Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Idyllwild, CA Posts: 102	Wouldn't be without mine Some folks have trouble seeing the display on stage, but that hasn't been my experience. It's on my pedalboard and I've never had a problem seeing the display in any type of stage lighting. Maybe I'm just lucky or something. I do have the backlight option for the LCD on all the time, which helps a great deal. My guess is that they'll upgrade the display to the higher-contrast one in the new V-SAM when it comes time for them to revisit the VS-1 with an eye to improving it. I also figured that I've saved enough by doing my own accurate setups (and some for friends) to have paid for it several times over. I've had numerous needle-type electronic tuners, starting with a Seiko way back when, but the VS-1 is so far beyond anything I've used it isn't even fair to compare it to anything else (other than another strobe tuner). Read more about the VS-1 here: http://www.petersontuners.com/forum/...asp?FORUM_ID=6 Cheers, -- Don

June 12th, 2003, 05:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
MLT Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Irvine, CA (aka "Whoville") Posts: 176	Another happy VS-1 user. What they said. __________________ "Questions are good; answers are better" - Anonymous technical writer

June 12th, 2003, 05:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
Skydog Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 371	Peterson strobe-tuner . . . Way more accurate, you won't be able to go back to the other type after usin' this one.

June 12th, 2003, 09:21 PM	#11 (permalink)
Dacious Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Godzone Posts: 2,612 35 Photos	The other thing a Strobe is good for is checking pickup height. Too high, and you start pickup up other harmonics you don't want to see. __________________ My other Telecaster is a Thinline The Tele Bible, Ch 1, v 10 Love thy Telecaster, covet not thy neighbour's Strat!