# Peterson Strobostomp tips



## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

I've got one(love it) and learned a few things over time.

Roll the volume back on your guitar. If you don't it can be all over the place. Caution, if you use the special guitar setting you may sound a little out of tune with people using normal tuners. Heck it's so exact you can sound out of tune either way.


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## SCREEM (Feb 2, 2006)

I would love one of those...must be nice to set the intonation with it


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## Yerffej (Feb 7, 2006)

seriously roll the volume back? odd. the thing about guitars is that you dont want perfect tuning. you tune just a bit off (its called tempered tuning) so that it plays very close to in tune across the neck instead of in tune in some positions and not in others


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> I've got one(love it) and learned a few things over time.
> 
> Roll the volume back on your guitar. If you don't it can be all over the place. Caution, if you use the special guitar setting you may sound a little out of tune with people using normal tuners. Heck it's so exact you can sound out of tune either way.


Sounds like a pain in the ass.

I suspect this strobe like previous Petersons is better suited to the work bench. For stage use, I personally want something quick and dirty that doesn't require special handling. I want to be able to tune while I'm talking to the audience between songs. A simple green/red LED bar works great.


Just my opinion of course.


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## exhausted (Feb 10, 2006)

i've gotten into the habit of switching to the neck pickup and rolling a bit of volume and tone off. settles things down and makes the tuning quicker. not that i have a strobostomp but it's tuner indepedent.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

Milkman said:


> Sounds like a pain in the ass.
> 
> I suspect this strobe like previous Petersons is better suited to the work bench. For stage use, I personally want something quick and dirty that doesn't require special handling. I want to be able to tune while I'm talking to the audience between songs. A simple green/red LED bar works great.
> 
> ...


 
Rolling your volume back isn't special handling. The only special handling is telling the guys that tuned up with the green/red LED bars that they are out of tune and to try again.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> Rolling your volume back isn't special handling. The only special handling is telling the guys that tuned up with the green/red LED bars that they are out of tune and to try again.



LOL, well, having a tuner that is much more accurate than a conventional one and using a conventional style guitar is putting the cart before the horse in my opinion. Most of my guitars are equipped with double locking tuners and stay in tune significantly better than your average guitar (even with all the little tricks like graphite solutions and so on).

It's a bit like using a microscope to evaluate a busted peghead.


Yes the Petersons are excellent tuners, but if they're finicky and don't play nice with conventional tuners (which put a good guitar in tune as good as anyone can hear), they're best left on the workbench. Great for intonation jobs.


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## SCREEM (Feb 2, 2006)

if I had the cash to spend on one, I'd use it for sure...nothing wrong with quality equipement and knowing its the other guy out of tune


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Milkman said:


> Sounds like a pain in the ass.
> I suspect this strobe like previous Petersons is better suited to the work bench. For stage use, I personally want something quick and dirty that doesn't require special handling. I want to be able to tune while I'm talking to the audience between songs. A simple green/red LED bar works great.
> Just my opinion of course.



...the strobostomp has been at the top of my wishlist, but when i went to order one, the store manager, who is a friend, warned me against it. he says they are very, very finicky, and that i should definitely try before i buy. i'm beginning to think you're right - great for bench work, too finicky for stage use.

-david
toronto


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## rippinglickfest (Jan 1, 2006)

*Quick Tune Ups*

For quick tuning in between songs onstage you cant beat the Boss TU-12 its auto to boot and I can recalibrate any of my guitars in about 20 seconds.
Small and fits nice in my pedal board. I've heard a lot of good things about the Peterson but who the hell needs a 300 dollar tuner.


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## rippinglickfest (Jan 1, 2006)

*Quick Tune Ups*

For quick tuning in between songs onstage you cant beat the Boss TU-12 its auto to boot and I can recalibrate any of my guitars in about 20 seconds.
Small and fits nice in my pedal board. I've heard a lot of good things about the Peterson but who the hell needs a 300 dollar tuner.

Ray


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## FrogRick12 (Feb 21, 2006)

The Strobostomp is not "finicky". It is as tough as nails. I've had one one my board for a year now and it has flown in a flight case as checked baggage to Winnipeg, Calgary, Red Deer, Vancouver twice and has done numerous club dates in Ontario - no problem.

I've used it indoors, on outdoor stages at the CNE in bright sun light, in television studios, and in concert halls.

It is 100 times more accurate than a B*ss tuner. The first thing I did when I got it was to re-intonate my guitars - what a difference. It takes 2 seconds to check your tuning onstage - it is true bypass and you can tune silently - try that with your TU-12!

Unless you have a strobe tuner, you will never know or hear what it is like to be truly "in tune". The difference is unbelievable. The tempered tuning system of the 6 string guitar has nothing to with it - your instrument will be as in tune as it can possibly be. It will only sound sweeter with other instruments in the band.

If you ever have a problem with it, their customer service is unbelievable.
John Norris, their rep, will bend over backwards for you.


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

*I love my Strobostomp!*

Hi folks! I couldn't agree with Frog more. I am a TU2 convert to the Strobostomp and like any new piece of gear it takes a while to get to know it but mine works great. Accurate, easy to use, easy to see plus it is true bypass. I could notice the tone coloration with my TU2. The Strobostomp rules!


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

We played outdoors a few weeks ago. I had no trouble whatsoever using the strobostomp but our other guitar player was on his hands and knees trying to read the Boss TU-2. Now that I'm more familiar with the Peterson it takes no time at all to tune up properly.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

davetcan said:


> We played outdoors a few weeks ago. I had no trouble whatsoever using the strobostomp but our other guitar player was on his hands and knees trying to read the Boss TU-2. Now that I'm more familiar with the Peterson it takes no time at all to tune up properly.


 I had the exact same experience at an outdoor gig back in June. I've always liked my Boss tuner but I couldn't see the LEDs and LED display for shit because we were in the Sun. Although, I've never had any problem using the Boss tuner in clubs, pubs etc.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i ended up buying the korg dt-10. its probably less accurate than the strobostomp, but definitely more accurate than the boss, which i demoted to backup.

-dh


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## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

I've always wanted a Stobostomp, mainly for intonation use. If it is that accurate, it would probably be difficult if there are are two guitarists in the band trying to keep in tune with each other if one guy is using the Strobostomp and the other guy a standard tuner?


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

GONE


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

The strobostomp has been the first pedal tuner that i've had.... but the reason I bought it is becuase I wanted to avoid having to upgrade, upgrade upgrade, then finally buy the strobostomp. I tend to do that a lot with gear (especially pedals), and I never learn the lesson of "spending a little extra money for pro gear, and quality products will probably save me money in the long run)".

I've had the StroboStomp for about a year now, played close to 75 shows with it, brought it to the UK (dirty power), and have only had one bad experience with it. The plastic nut holding the input connector broke. I simply went to the strobostomp forum, and told them that I had a problem, and they contacted me back within the hour and mailed me out a pair of brand new metal nuts to replace them with the same day.

I'm confident that this pedal will stand the test of time, and if it doesn't, their service department has already impressed me.


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## Soldano16 (Sep 14, 2006)

There is MORE to the Peterson than accuracy.

Just as a piano does not sound in tune if every string is tuned to exact mathematical pitch, a guitar need tempered tuning to sound correct on all chords.

Systems like Buzz Fieten are other ways to deal with the problem.

The Peterson has a proprietary (they publish all the other tunings but not the guitar one) setting (each sting is tuned slightly up or done to perfect pitch)which when combined with it's accuracy is absolute bliss to those who can hear at that level. I find mine as fast to use as my old Boss TU-2.

Honestly, I would rather give up one of my Les Pauls than be without this tuner. I struggled for years tuning. It almost never sounded quite right. Now it's perfect all the time.

PS - BONUS

Because the Peterson puts you so in tune to start with, you stay in tune better while you play. I sometimes retune once, after the opening one or two songs of a set, but after that, almost never.


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## Eric Pykala (Jul 1, 2006)

You can have the most expensive guitar and rig in the world, and if you're out of tune, you still sound freakin' awful. I sold my TU2 when the Strobo came out and never looked back. Aside from the accuracy, it's the only tuner you can actually see outdoors on a sunny day. I used mine outside on Canada Day, was spot-on all day, and my other guitarist with a TU2 was floundering with the fact he DID NOT HAVE A TUNER. I also use it for intonation work, and as the DI for my acoustic rig.
And sorry guys, but if you can't figure out how to use a strobe, take up the drums.-Eric


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Anyone tried the new Peterson Flip tuner? How does it compare? And where can you get these in Canada? 

Pete


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## pitchshifter (Feb 5, 2006)

Im interested in the FLIP too. Im about to start to record and the TU-2 won't cut it in my books.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I picked up the Planet Waves tuner.

True hard bypass
Will power other pedals (DC out)
Nice large stable LCD
Built like a tank
$100 CAD


For stage use, it's a hell of a tuner for a reasonable price.

http://www.planetwavestuners.com/index.php?option=com_tuner&task=tunerdetailpage&id=10


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

All this talk about the Strobostomp, so I picked up a used one at L&M today. I'm looking forward to being "in tune". :tongue: :tongue: :tongue:


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

*New & "improved" SS*

http://www.petersontuners.com/products/strobostomp2/index.cfm


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

CalgaryTerry said:


> http://www.petersontuners.com/products/strobostomp2/index.cfm


Thank god! No improvements that I would find useful.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I had an old Conn Strobotuner that I used for a long time. Thing worked great. I ended up selling it a while back. Should get another.


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## blackspy (Mar 3, 2006)

I picked up one after playing with it in the store for a bit. Best tuner I've ever owned, on stage, workbench or at home. It is far from difficult to use, in fact you can even get away with tuning up with it and not being 100% in tune, and still being tuned more accurately than "the other guys." I wouldn't want to part with mine.

My TU-2 didn't last a week after I bought this.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...any truth to the rumour that they are dropping the price of the strobostomp?

-dh


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

I just wanted to add that I've had the original strobostomp for about a year and a half now, and I haven't looked back.

If I had to get a backup tuner pedal, i'd get a boss, only cuz i'm on a budget and they're hella cheap compared to the strobostomp.


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

I find strobes better for intonation but for general tuning I use the planet waves pedal tuner in standard mode.

For all my tuning that requires high accuracy I use a Korg At-120

Khing


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

I have used a VS 2 for about a year or so. I put it on my board, and use an AB box to switch from my "live" line to the tuner. Excellent product, and a huge improvement over my previous boss tuner. I find the strobe readout really easy and accurate, but it took a few weeks to adjust (I was ready to throw it out for the first few days).

I get the bass player to use the peterson to tune up, then the other guitar players sound out of tune:wink:


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Eric Pykala said:


> And sorry guys, but if you can't figure out how to use a strobe, take up the drums.-Eric



....soon's i figure out this blues scale thingy, i'm gonna learn how to use a strobe.

-dh


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## Eric Pykala (Jul 1, 2006)

Sorry guys, didn't mean to sound condescending. Here's a few tips.
Turn down your volume control a bit. 
Use your neck pickup. 
Use your thumb or a finger, not a pick.
Pay attention to the band on the right. The other bands are just there to amuse you during acid flashbacks.
Re: Price. How much will you pay to play in tune? Buy cheap, pay, pay, and pay again until you finally get the unit you wanted all along. Buy the right thing the first time; it actually costs you less in the long run. Satisfaction and performance linger long after the price is forgotten.
Tuning, particularily on stringed instruments, is a compromise at best. However, if you can get your guitars in tune with themselves AGAP, everything sounds sweeter. If you play in a band with other string players, all of this multiplies itself many times over. The more instruments playing simultaneously out of tune creates more and more phase irregularities in the overall sound. What does that mean? Cloudy, indistinct front-of-house mixes.
So, before you buy those NOS tubes, or that $100 patchcord, or that $300 boutique overdrive, think about how much better you'd sound with a really accurate tuner and a good setup job. The difference is huge, not subtle!-Eric


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## adamthemute (Jun 18, 2007)

Plus...you can play baseball with it and run it over with your car!

http://www.petersontuners.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=465


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

I just wanted to add that about a month ago, this tuner saved my ass at a gig, because it has the active XLR DI... The venue was small, and had limited gear. The 2nd DI crapped out right before the gig.... luckily I had this little puppy around.

Like I said a few posts ago, I've had this pedal for probably over 2 years now, and still haven't even considered changing.


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