[Harp-L] Conn ST 11 Strobe Tuner / Korg CA- 30 - Alternatives?

[Richard Sleigh <rharp@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Everyone,

I have numerous requests from my students about what tuner to use, and  
my standard response is: The Conn ST 11 strobe tuner if you want to  
spend a couple hundred dollars (give or take) or the Korg CA 30 if you  
want to keep it low price and very portable. I use both of these  
tuners and I am happy with them.

But I recently had one of my Conn tuners rebuilt ($180) and my other  
one now needs to be rebuilt, so now I am re-thinking what to offer  
people for advice.

I have tried the Peterson strobes, and find them complicated compared  
to the Conn. I have also seen other tuners that may be more stable  
than the Korg. But I can't remember what they are.

Here is why I love the Conn:

1. It is dirt simple - 4 knobs, and you really only have to use one of  
them (to select notes) most of the time. I learned how to use it in  
about 10 minutes many years ago.

2. The strobe pattern reads more than one note at the same time - for  
example - If I am tuning draw 1 & 4 on a diatonic harp, and 1 is flat  
and 4 is sharp, I will see the lower band moving counter - clockwise,  
and the upper band moving clockwise. So - at a glance, I can get a  
real good idea of which note is sharp flat, in tune, and how much -  
the faster the pattern moves, the flatter or sharper the note. I have  
checked out virtual strobes, and they don't do this. If someone knows  
of a virtual strobe or software that allows you to read more than one  
note at the same time, please let me know!

3.  It is super easy to tune to pure just intonation - dial up the  
root note, play all the notes you are tuning and look for the pattern  
to stop - then they ore in tune with the root. No math, all visual.

4.  It is easy to do compromise tuning (for the same reason as #3 -  
you just get used to how the patters move to tune certain notes, like  
the 3rds, etc.


On the other hand, they are getting harder to find, and need to be  
repaired.....

Any suggestions on EASY to use tuners?



Richard Sleigh

shop address:
205 E. Pine Street
Philipsburg PA 16866-1623

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