Intonation and tuning devices

[jpas1954]

I bought a new SE Custom 24 a couplf of weeks ago. I restrung it with Ernie Ball Super Slinky, 9-42. (I believe the guitar comes with those gauges if not that brand.). I have a couple of on-guitar tuners, a Silver Snark and a D'Addario. When I use either of them - and I just double-checked - invariably the high B and E are a little flat. But I get solid green from both of those tuners on those strings.

So what's going on here? Am I expecting too much accuracy from the tuners? I would hope they'd be accurate. I can tune by ear but less so on a noisy stage. Or is there perhaps some intonation problem? Maybe the truss rod needs a twist. I haven't seen this happen on my Ibanez. For the record, the Fender on-line tuner seemed closest. How can they deviate so much?

 

[Huggy Love]

Clip on tuners are fairly accurate for on stage & in the studio, but not so much for doing things like setting the intonation. Most gtr techs use quality meter, strobe or high tech digital tuners.
If you're even questioning the intonation, re-do it yourself if you can, or take it to a tech.

 

[deathworlder]

Flat how?

 

[jpas1954]

Clip on tuners are fairly accurate for on stage & in the studio, but not so much for doing things like setting the intonation. Most gtr techs use quality meter, strobe or high tech digital tuners.
If you're even questioning the intonation, re-do it yourself if you can, or take it to a tech.

Yeah, I was mentioning how it seems to be off as opposed to using them for setting intonation. But I agree with your thought.

 

[jpas1954]

Flat how?

Well, i'm old school enough that I learned how to tune by ear. So the tuner shows me that B and E are in tune. But when I check by ear, they are both just flat enough to sound off.

 

[deathworlder]

Well, i'm old school enough that I learned how to tune by ear. So the tuner shows me that B and E are in tune. But when I check by ear, they are both just flat enough to sound off.

I too like sweetened tunings...

Try the Peterson stroboclip...
0.1 cent accuracy and has a host of sweetened tunings.
I use the "electric guitar" and "acoustic" sweetened tunings.

 

[theDeepender]

Clip on tuners are fairly accurate for on stage & in the studio, but not so much for doing things like setting the intonation. Most gtr techs use quality meter, strobe or high tech digital tuners.
If you're even questioning the intonation, re-do it yourself if you can, or take it to a tech.

This

 

[GADonis]

I had a Peterson stroboclip. It worked really well and was the best clip-on of all the clip-on tuners I've tried. Unfortunately during a gig I bumped the headstock on something (or someone?) and the stroboclip came off, hit the ground, and experienced a spontaneous, unscheduled disassembly event. Dang, that was $75 down the toilet. Decided then and there that I wasn't buying anymore clip-ons.

 

[Bogner]

It Is Possible Your Intonation Is Off. I Am Not A Fan of Clip On Tuners Myself...Especially When Setting intonation And Recording. It Is Hard To Beat A Proper Tuner. I Have Various Peterson Strobe And Pedal Tuners And They Have Always Served Me Well.

 

[GADonis]

It Is Possible Your Intonation Is Off. I Am Not A Fan of Clip On Tuners Myself...Especially When Setting intonation And Recording. It Is Hard To Beat A Proper Tuner. I Have Various Peterson Strobe And Pedal Tuners And They Have Always Served Me Well.

I have a StroboPlus HDC I use for setting intonation. The difference in using a quality tuner to set intonation is pretty amazing. I'm kind of hoping the stomp box tuners (non Peterson) on my two pedalboards crap out so I can justify buying Peterson's for the boards. I've just recently started playing with some of their "sweetened" tunings.

 

[gush]

Forgive my ignorance here but what is "sweetened" tuning?

 

[deathworlder]

Forgive my ignorance here but what is "sweetened" tuning?

Certain strings are tuned a few cents flat or sharp...makes notes within chosen chords play nicer together. Usually done to strings where you play the 3rd.

 

[deathworlder]

I had a Peterson stroboclip. It worked really well and was the best clip-on of all the clip-on tuners I've tried. Unfortunately during a gig I bumped the headstock on something (or someone?) and the stroboclip came off, hit the ground, and experienced a spontaneous, unscheduled disassembly event. Dang, that was $75 down the toilet. Decided then and there that I wasn't buying anymore clip-ons.

Bummer...
What exactly came apart?

I don't gig anymore...just nice to have something for guitars you can't plug in.

FWIW, I've found the Stroboclip to be just as accurate as the Strobostomp.

 

[nebben]

The first pedal in my pedal chain is a TC Electronics Polytune 3. the one with the "Bonafide" buffer and that you can strum and it will show you which strings are out of tune with 0.5 cent accuracy and accurate to .02 cents on "strobe mode." Note that those numbers are their accuracy claims and I have no way of verifying them. Unlike the Peterson tuners, it doesn't have built-in sweetened tunings, but the strobe mode is what I always use to set intonation and I've always been happy with the results. Here it is, reasonably priced imo:

TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Polyphonic LED Guitar Tuner Pedal with Buffer

Polyphonic Tuner with Selectable Analog Buffer or True Bypass Switching

www.sweetwater.com

 

[Abe]

Simple cheap D'addario clip-on tuners do me fine once on guitars fully intonated to their string types. But for the operation of intonation I always use a good strobe tuner as they just visually display more information and let you know where the most accurate setting is. The neck pickup is the most accurate to use when plugged in and doing this. Open strings and their 12th fret harmonics vs 12th fret fretted and you want 6 tie scores. I use light and even pressure when fretting at the 12th as squishing down the strings too hard is bending strings. A regular cheap clip-on tuner or whatever will have less trouble once a guitar is accurately intonated with a good strobe tuner.

 

[Prs Mods too]

You can also intonate at 3 and 15 or 5 and 17 and that can work out better depending on your playing style. I've been doing that for around 15 years with great results.

 

[Abe]

You can also intonate at 3 and 15 or 5 and 17 and that can work out better depending on your playing style. I've been doing that for around 15 years with great results.

That's a great way to make the better compromise as there's never such thing as perfect intonation on a normal guitar. Kinda about where you want your octaves to be most accurate.

 

[GADonis]

Bummer...
What exactly came apart?

I don't gig anymore...just nice to have something for guitars you can't plug in.

FWIW, I've found the Stroboclip to be just as accurate as the Strobostomp.

EVERYTHING CAME APART! Seriously it ended up in a bunch of pieces.

 

[deathworlder]

EVERYTHING CAME APART! Seriously it ended up in a bunch of pieces.

Was it the battery or rechargeable model?

 

[GADonis]

Was it the battery or rechargeable model?

It's been several years ago, so I'm not sure. But I think it was a battery operated model.