Just learned something about tuners

Pukulele Pete · Jul 10, 2010

I could not understand why anyone would want to have geared tuners on a soprano. I never had a problem with friction tuners................until I bought a new tuner tuner ( I'll call it that so you know which is which ) , I bought the type that has a red and green light to tune. Wow , it was almost impossible to tune, to get to green. I understand now why anyone would want geared tuners. Instead of putting geared tuners on a soprano ( there should be a law against it ) buy a new tuner tuner. The one I use is the Intelli 500 and it is easy to tune with the friction tuners. Get a tuner tuner with the red and green lights and you will go crazy trying to tune your uke if it has friction tuners.

Melissa82 · Jul 10, 2010

Lol, I totally understand. I went through the same thing with my Korg CA-30 and Ohana. But, I got used to it.

kissing · Jul 11, 2010

It really depends on who you are.

I used Grover friction tuners on a Soprano (which are supposed to be good quality frictions).
Still didn't like it.

Geared all the way for me.

penster · Jul 11, 2010

Pukulele Pete said:
Get a tuner tuner with the red and green lights and you will go crazy trying to tune your uke if it has friction tuners.

I find the same problem. I always use pitch pipes which seem much faster than electronic tuners.
Penster

casarole45 · Jul 11, 2010

Pukulele Pete said:
I could not understand why anyone would want to have geared tuners on a soprano. I never had a problem with friction tuners................until I bought a new tuner tuner ( I'll call it that so you know which is which ) , I bought the type that has a red and green light to tune. Wow , it was almost impossible to tune, to get to green. I understand now why anyone would want geared tuners. Instead of putting geared tuners on a soprano ( there should be a law against it ) buy a new tuner tuner. The one I use is the Intelli 500 and it is easy to tune with the friction tuners. Get a tuner tuner with the red and green lights and you will go crazy trying to tune your uke if it has friction tuners.

He he, yeah I have a super accurate tuner and know exactly what your talking about but stick with it you get used to it and it gets easier, its just having to get used to having to super fine tune stuff, hopefully you've noticed how much tighter everything sounds with a super accurate tuner. As I side note, I only noticed the other day on someones violin, they have normal tuners at the head then fine tuners at the bridge for fine tuning.

Pondoro · Jul 11, 2010

So if you have a needle tuner it usually has marks, 10 and 20, on the right and the left. How close do serious player get before they say, "Good enough." I always try to get every string perfect but I have no training that this is necessary. I'd like to hear what other people do.

Brewerpaul · Jul 12, 2010

I don't know if anyone's mentioned this to you (or how much of a newbie you are) but no matter what type of tuner you have it's usually easier to tune a bit HIGH and then bring down the pitch until it's right on the mark. Tuning up to a note is harder for some reason. I learned this around 40 years ago on my first guitar and it's proven true on many guitars, mandolins, violins and uke.

kissing · Jul 12, 2010

Brewerpaul said:
I don't know if anyone's mentioned this to you (or how much of a newbie you are) but no matter what type of tuner you have it's usually easier to tune a bit HIGH and then bring down the pitch until it's right on the mark. Tuning up to a note is harder for some reason. I learned this around 40 years ago on my first guitar and it's proven true on many guitars, mandolins, violins and uke.

I read that it's recommended to tune UP to a note because tuning HIGH then lowering can make it go out of tune soon, due to loosening/slipping of the string.

Lori · Jul 12, 2010

Pondoro said:
So if you have a needle tuner it usually has marks, 10 and 20, on the right and the left. How close do serious player get before they say, "Good enough." I always try to get every string perfect but I have no training that this is necessary. I'd like to hear what other people do.

With geared tuners it is easy to get the needle right on Zero. After getting used to accurately tuned ukuleles, my ear has become more sensitive to when it is slightly out of tune. I found friction tuners too much trouble, although I like the way they look. I haven't tried PegHead tuners yet though.
–Lori

clayton56 · Jul 12, 2010

I think I've gotten used to friction tuners, and when I get out one of my geared ukes, it almost falls over in my hands from the balance change.

They can put a man up in a space shuttle but they can't make a lightweight geared tuner. Hey, how about geared tuners with plastic buttons? Much of the weight must be those metal buttons.

I get it up to tension to my tuner but then even out the strings by ear. There's something called "temperament" where notes are tuned slightly sharp or flat to get a certain feel. Piano tuners do this, in fact everyone does when they are up to pitch but one note sounds a little sour and they change it to blend properly.

Brewerpaul · Jul 12, 2010

kissing said:
I read that it's recommended to tune UP to a note because tuning HIGH then lowering can make it go out of tune soon, due to loosening/slipping of the string.

I am SO embarrased... (where's that little red-faced smiley?) I don't know what I was thinking when I typed that, but you are abslutely right. That's really what I meant, I promise. I can only plead extreme fatigue after a long and tiring day.

Yes, tune UP.

From now on, feel free to ignore any advice I offer...

lambchop · Jul 12, 2010

Brewerpaul said:
I don't know if anyone's mentioned this to you (or how much of a newbie you are) but no matter what type of tuner you have it's usually easier to tune a bit HIGH and then bring down the pitch until it's right on the mark. Tuning up to a note is harder for some reason. I learned this around 40 years ago on my first guitar and it's proven true on many guitars, mandolins, violins and uke.

I find the exact opposite - tuning low always causes slack - you tune high, then go below it, then back up - then it works. The better the tuner, the less of a problem, but, again, it's go higher, back off, then go up again and all the slack is gone and you get a good tune. Oh, and by the way, if you are within a few percents of the green, no one can tell the difference. As long as you are close on either side of the green, you are fine. Mike

allanr · Jul 12, 2010

All of my ukes have geared tuners except for my Martin S-O. I MUCH prefer the geared tuners. I can accurately tune my Martin using the friction tuners - almost as quickly as I tune with the geared tuners. But it isn't fun. I thought about changing them to geared, but I don't want to ruin the "look and feel" of it, or drill holes in the peg head.

I was told by someone who knows more than I do about these things that, while with geared tuners you should always tune up to pitch, with friction tuners it is easier to tune a bit high, and then tune down to pitch. I seem to go back & forth for a couple of teeny twists until I hit the sweet spot. Sometimes I manage to tune up to pitch without going high, but most of the time I end up a bit high and then tune back down - but that is more from lack of experience than from adherence to theory

nscafe · Jul 12, 2010

kissing said:
I read that it's recommended to tune UP to a note because tuning HIGH then lowering can make it go out of tune soon, due to loosening/slipping of the string.

I've heard that too. I always tune up, with a clip-on tuner, with friction tuning pegs. I don't have a problem with it personally. Either it's just not all that difficult, or I'm super awesome.

kissing · Jul 13, 2010

They can put a man up in a space shuttle but they can't make a lightweight geared tuner.

But there are - pegheads are lightweight 'geared' tuners.
They cost quite a bit, but they're available. Maybe there isn't as much need to make them standard for all ukes as much as there was a need to put someone in a space shuttle.

That said, I'm very confused as to as why Banjo tuners are not used on Ukuleles much.
Banjo tuners stick back into the headstock, like the friction tuners, but are geared:

These are GEARED tuners..

Ukulele makers.. duh?

Just learned something about tuners

Pukulele Pete

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Melissa82

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kissing

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penster

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casarole45

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Pondoro

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Brewerpaul

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kissing

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Lori

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clayton56

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Brewerpaul

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lambchop

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allanr

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nscafe

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kissing

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