clip on tuner TT-500/IMT-500 and the low E string

camera_obscura · #1 10-22-2009, 02:48 AM

so i bought the clip on tuner everyone seems to recommend, TT-500, formerly known as the intelli IMT-500 and it's very hard to register the low E string on all 3 of my guitars. is there a way to make it register better? it only seems to register 10% of the time, but the other strings register well. i had really high expectations but i'm kinda disappointed.

Steev · #2 10-22-2009, 02:53 AM

Try hitting the 12th fret harmonic and see if the tuner registers that. It's a purer tone.
You could also try the 7th fret harmonic and tune to a B.
Also moving the tuner to a slightly different spot on the headstock can really improve the sensitivity.
steve

Sombras · #3 10-22-2009, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steev

Try hitting the 12th fret harmonic and see if the tuner registers that. It's a purer tone.

That's what I do, too.

camera_obscura · #4 10-22-2009, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steev

Try hitting the 12th fret harmonic and see if the tuner registers that. It's a purer tone.
You could also try the 7th fret harmonic and tune to a B.

dang, that really works! and registers much better. thanks!

Acoustom · #5 10-22-2009, 08:29 AM

The Fzone FT-800 is a much better tuner for the same price. I have both and the FT-800 registers instantly on all 6 strings whether you use harmonics or not. Next time try the FT-800, it's just a tad smaller which I also like.

Glennwillow · #6 10-22-2009, 08:53 AM

I bought this tuner and love it. I bought a couple more and gave them to my grown children. I love that you can tune a guitar with other noises or conversations in the room and this thing doesn't care.

I have not had any problems getting the low E string to register on this tuner on any my guitars. I wonder why this is a problem for you?

I only leave it on the guitar long enough to tune it, and then take it off and turn it off. It vibrates some times and drives me nuts.

Glad the harmonic approach works for you....

Regards, Glenn

emmonsh · #7 10-22-2009, 08:56 AM

its a problem on almost every guitar out there. cant believe you havent had any with it. enough of a problem that once i went back to a strobe tuner never will touch them again. not always a problem but its there

simonsonics · #8 10-22-2009, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camera_obscura

so i bought the clip on tuner everyone seems to recommend, TT-500, formerly known as the intelli IMT-500 and it's very hard to register the low E string on all 3 of my guitars. is there a way to make it register better? it only seems to register 10% of the time, but the other strings register well. i had really high expectations but i'm kinda disappointed.

Oddly, mine works well, but usually reads B instead of E.

Wade Hampton · #9 10-22-2009, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camera_obscura

so i bought the clip on tuner everyone seems to recommend, TT-500, formerly known as the intelli IMT-500 and it's very hard to register the low E string on all 3 of my guitars. is there a way to make it register better? it only seems to register 10% of the time, but the other strings register well. i had really high expectations but i'm kinda disappointed.

I've got a bunch of these tuners, (one in most of my instrument cases,) and learned very quickly that once the low tones cease registering (or are sluggish, at best,) it means that the battery needs to be replaced.

What I do is go to Wal-Mart or some other general merchandise store with competitive prices and buy several twin packs of the # 2032 coin batteries at a time. Then I trim off the excess cardboard and store a pair of the batteries with each of the tuners in each of the guitar cases, so that whenever I experience this slowed response it takes me less than a minute to remove the dying battery and replace it with a new one.

99.99% of the time: problem solved.

Even if the tuner is brand new and you're using the battery that came with it, this can still be a problem. Depending on how those tuners have been stored or how long they've been in transit, the batteries might not be at full strength.

Having said that, I no longer use one of these Intelli 500 tuners for my baritone guitar. For that instrument, I have a Korg clamp-on tuner that more reliably registers the lower notes.

But the disadvantages to that tuner are that it's fairly twitchy while in use, and it's also almost twice as expensive as the Intelli/Tune Tech/Meisl/Whatever-they're-calling-it-THIS-week tuner.

So both have their place, so far as I'm concerned.

But anyone who uses one of those Intelli's should make it a point to change the battery the instant the low E string fails to register, or takes three times as long to register as it should.

This is as good a reason as any to turn the tuner off when it's not actually being used to tune the instrument. These little tuners go through the batteries fast enough even when there's an effort made to conserve them.

Hope this helps.

Wade Hampton Miller

Acoustic Rick · #10 10-22-2009, 10:21 AM

You can also hit your little E string and once you get a register hit the big E and it'll show up and tune up.

ljguitar · #11 10-22-2009, 10:37 AM

Hi co...
I have 3 of these which I use and pass out at jams and just show people how to hit the octave harmonic on the low string, which works like a charm.

It is dependent on how much vibration travels up the neck to the headstock, combined with how strong the 7th fret harmonic (which is still present when you strike an open string) sounds...which can confuse the tuner. And Wade is right, fresh batteries work better on 6th strings...but none of them pick up my low strings in alternate tunings where I'm dropping them to C or D till I hit the octave harmonic.

My gigging partner uses an IMT-500 to tune his basses as well as an Intellitouch...so he just tunes to the harmonics all the time.

It's not big deal to me to hit harmonics on the low strings, but if it bothers you, you will have to buy a different tuner.

As for batteries - I bought a 20 pack off e-bay for peanuts (a bit over $1 per 5 battery card average), and have a lifetime supply. I hand them out to friends, and keep a couple cards (with 5 batteries each) in my case pockets...

xanatos · #12 10-22-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simonsonics

Oddly, mine works well, but usually reads B instead of E.

What's happening is the tuner is picking up the harmonics of the E note, the low note (the fundamental) might not provide enough vibration, so the tuner is picking up the 7th fret harmonic.

This can happen on any of the strings (or though sympathetic vibrations)

This is also why some tuner manuals suggest:
-for electric guitars, us the pickup closest to the neck to reduce harmonics
-make sure all other strings are muted
-pluck with your finger instead of a pick

sharkydude50 · #13 10-22-2009, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steev

Also moving the tuner to a slightly different spot on the headstock can really improve the sensitivity.
steve

This is what I do with mine. Closer to the top edge near the tuners to tune the E, A & D; opposite location on the headstock for tuning the other 3 strings.

TomHB · #14 10-22-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A027298

The Fzone FT-800 is a much better tuner for the same price. I have both and the FT-800 registers instantly on all 6 strings whether you use harmonics or not. Next time try the FT-800, it's just a tad smaller which I also like.

Yep, I have the FT 800 and it works great. Guitar or uke, it registers fine.

camera_obscura · #15 10-22-2009, 06:26 PM

yeah i don't mind using harmonic to tune the low E now. not a problem.

it sucks if it's really a battery issue as it was brand new, sealed inside the box.

i guess if i had known about FT-800, i would've gotten that instead. i'll give that one a try if i need another tuner in the future though, so thanks!