Tuners: TU-12BW, TU-80, OT-120?

[Allen]

You want to buy a tuner? I want to stop buying tuners. I have four!

I have the Boss TU-128W you mentioned, the Korg OT-12 (the predecessor of the OT-120 you mentioned), the Korg CA-30 and the Korg tuner/metronome TM-40. Here's my take on them:

First of all, they are all accurate. If I line up all four of them on my music stand, they all read the same. If I use one of them to generate a tone, the other three indicate that the pitch is dead on. It is possible for any particular tuner to have a pitch defect (either originally from the factory or from rough handling). I recommend you check any tuner against two or three others. The odd man out should be discarded.

The best tuner I have is the OT-12. I looked up the OT-120, and it seems to be a re-packaged version of the OT-12; the specifications look the same. This tuner is sensitive, covers a huge pitch range (including the basement) and has an illuminated dial. There is a choice of three response speeds (I use either medium or fast). This tuner also supports historical temperaments for those of us who are into Baroque and earlier music, and has a huge calibration range (again, useful for historic kinds of instruments). It has many other features. Also, it has great battery life.

The TU-128W is growing on me. It can clip onto the bottom lip of a music stand and contains storage for the included contact micropnone & cable. It covers the tuba range well and has selectable medium and fast response time. It doesn't have as many features as the OT-12, but does have all that a tuba player probably needs. I'm using this tuner more and more.

The CA-30 is a basic inexpensive tuner. It's not as sensitive to the lowest notes as the first two tuners, above, but it will do for tuning up and adjusting things. It's something to keep in your instrument case/bag if you aren't carrying one of the expensive tuners.

The TM-40 contains a basic tuner and a basic metronome. The all-in-one approach compromises the performance and convenience of both sections. It does work, and it lives in one of my instrument cases so I'll always have some kind of tuner and metronome with me.

I should mention my use of tuners, so you can have some context for interpreting my remarks. For me, tuners are mainly for practice time. I use them when evaluating valve slide settings, alternate fingerings and to make sure that my pitch sense isn't drifting off. Also, I have to check my very lowest notes more frequently, to fight my tendency to play sharp down in the basement. I'll carry a tuner to a rehearsal or gig just for a quick check. If I have to honor of playing the Bb to tune the band, I'll try to have a contact microphone on the tuba so people will take me seriously. [Connecting the mic to the tuner is optional.]

Cheers,
Allen
(who is hoping he doesn't have to 'fess up to his metronome collection)

[Arkietuba]

Go with the Boss TU-12BW!!! I have the Boss TU-12H and I love it! I don't seen any need in getting another tuner as long as this thing works (which should be a while considering how much I paid for it...haha).

[ArnoldGottlieb]

Another vote for CA30. I have a few of them. 1 at work, 1 at home, etc.
Works for me, bass and or tuba.
Peace.
ASG

[iiipopes]

I have tried literally dozens of tuners over the years, for all sorts of instruments, starting in elementary school with my school band director having an original Conn Strobotuner through all of the "gimmick" tuners that clamp on, have swirly dials, all kinds of displays, stomp box, rack mount, etc. There are only two tuners that have I have used that have consistency, ease of use, accuracy, stability, and probably more importantly for tuba, rejection of side sound or noise: The Korg CA-30 and the built in tuner to the POD 2.0 digital guitar amplifier emulator.

The POD is probably not a viable choice unless you want to digitally morph your tuba with a good microphone, so the Korg CA-30 it is. It has the added benefit of being inexpensive, portable, 2 X AA battery operated, can be calibrated from 410 Hz to 480 Hz, has both a built-in condenser mic and 1/4 inch line input, will take a signal as well as give a reference tone, and other features that make it worth more than its @$20 street price. I have one in each horn case, gig bag and accessories box. I even gave up my rack mount Korg for it.