Touble with Tuner?

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 2 Feb 2003 3:03 pm

I picked up an MSA Sidekick awhile back and on two separate occasions at two different clubs I had problems with my electronic tuner. I have two different korg tuners, the small ones that are about the size of a cassette tape, and both of them were acting up. What happens is that it doesn't seem to pick up the note and the light will just bounce around. I have had this problem before while tuning a guitar and I would just go to a different place, like off the stage to a table, and it would work fine. Unfortunatley I can't do that with a steel. The tuners worked fine for my telecaster last night, but neither one would work on the steel. Does anyone have any idea what causes this and is there a remedy?

Bill Crook · Post by **Bill Crook** » 2 Feb 2003 3:24 pm

possibly.......

The Steel pick-up is MUCH hotter than the Telecaster's...

Try running the steel thru a Volumne pedal then to the tuner. If you overdrive a tuner,it bounces all over the place due to not being able to lock in on a specific freq.

This has happened to me using those hand-helt tuners.

[This message was edited by Bill Crook on 02 February 2003 at 03:25 PM.]

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 2 Feb 2003 8:13 pm

Bad cable or output jack connection on the guitar?

Dyke Corson · Post by **Dyke Corson** » 2 Feb 2003 9:49 pm

Bob, you can come to the store and pick up a Boss TU-12 tuner to try if you like, see if it makes any difference. Sounds like bad input jacks maybe?? We could try spraying some cleaner in there, or have Muttonhead re-solder the input jacks...

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 2 Feb 2003 10:13 pm

Bill's idea of plugging into the volume pedal and then into the steel sounds like a good possibility.Resoldering the input jack is also a good idea. I need to have Muttonhead look the steel over anyway, the 5th string keeps going flat after about 5 or 6 tunes.Beleive it or not, its a good sounding horn. Dyke, I'll probably be in later this week. [This message was edited by Bob Watson on 02 February 2003 at 10:22 PM.]

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 2 Feb 2003 11:06 pm

Another bit of advice. Assuming you are plugged into it, and have some signal, gently brush the string with your thumb of finger. flesh only. as lightly as possible.(damp the others)
Seems kinda counter-intuitive. IT works for me.
Oh, are we havin fun yet?

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 3 Feb 2003 8:46 am

Do you have the Korg set on "Slow" mode, or "Fast"? Will it work by just setting it on the guitar? (Most Korgs do have a built-in mike.)

Tony Orth · Post by **Tony Orth** » 3 Feb 2003 9:41 am

As Ron implied, sometimes a second string will sound (accidentally), either hit by you or some vibration has cause it to sound, that will confuse the tuner. This is easy to do if you mute your signal to tune.

I place my left hand/fingers on the strings I am not tuning, if the tuner doesn't seem to be picking up the note. Seems to work most of the time.

TOny[This message was edited by Tony Orth on 03 February 2003 at 09:44 AM.][This message was edited by Tony Orth on 03 February 2003 at 09:46 AM.]