jczbluze

In re: to TUNERS, Almost every one of my students, after a year or so, gets to a point where they're convinced they NEED a new ax! However, I only take students who have, or will purchase either a VERY GOOD 'Beginner' guitar, or a decent Intermediate Grade ax (it's too hard to get them to practice if the guitar isn't a legitimate instrument!) The problem is, as one proceeds from rank BEGINNER to a legitimate INTERMEDIATE guitarist, our ears get MUCH better. With training, the human ear is capable of outperforming lower level tuners. So when students begin to say their guitar 'won't hold tune', or, 'won't tune up at all' and the ax checks out for the obvious trouble spots; it's not necessarily time for a new ax, it's likely time for a new TUNER as it's likely your ears have progressed beyond the abilities of your tuner! Tuners like the SNARK are great; small, reliable and fairly inexpensive. However, they are only accurate to between 1-2 cents. Our ears are more capable than that & it's possible you're hearing dissonance your tuner is NOT. So, before you drop a Grand on a new guitar; or give your friendly luthier $200, $300 or more; try a PETERSON STROBO CLIP. They're not cheap. On SALE, you'll pay about $70 and they're not as simple to use as a SNARK, BUT they're accurate to within 1/10 cent! I've seen some very happy students (and ECSTATIC parents of younger students) when I show them little Eric or Jimi's guitar will hold them a couple MORE years, IF they'll spring for a tuner! Besides that, there is a genuine JOY to hearing a well tuned guitar and your student - or YOU - will find a joy you've probably missed since the ax was new!