What did you use before electronic tuners?

[shoeless]

The clip-on tuner thread got me thinking about how I used to tune before having any kind of electronic tuner. Whenever I'd change strings, I used to use a A-440 tuning fork to get one string tuned, then tune the others to it.

A buddy of mine also told me about using the dial tone on a land line phone. Even though a dial tone has multiple carriers, one of them is an A-440 and you can tune to it. Have to be quick though, or else it changes to the off-hook warning tone.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

A=440 reference tone on a metronome.

 

[Mark Wein]

I started playing in 1985 and we always had electronic tuners although getting reference notes off the piano was also something we did.

 

[Pine Apple Slim]

I got my 1st elec tuner around '77, 3-4 yrs after getting my 1st guitar. Before that I used a fork but the best method was handing it to someone with a better ear and getti g them to tune it.

 

[Tiltsta]

An electronic tuner was one of the first things I remember buying. I had a banana tuner...from circa 1983 or so? We also had a piano and I had a metronome with an annoying A440 beeeeeeeeep.

 

[Mark Wein]

An electronic tuner was one of the first things I remember buying. I had a banana tuner...from circa 1983 or so?

I remember those.

 

[BlockInlay]

The clip-on tuner thread got me thinking about how I used to tune before having any kind of electronic tuner. Whenever I'd change strings, I used to use a A-440 tuning fork to get one string tuned, then tune the others to it.

A buddy of mine also told me about using the dial tone on a land line phone. Even though a dial tone has multiple carriers, one of them is an A-440 and you can tune to it. Have to be quick though, or else it changes to the off-hook warning tone.

Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.

 

[dmn23]

Sometimes I'd use Traffic's "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys." That note that's repeated over and over at the beginning is a reliable D.

 

[Coralkong]

Sometimes I'd use Traffic's "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys." That note that's repeated over and over at the beginning is a reliable D.

Yep. Pink Floyd's Time is just an open low E at the beginning.

 

[OGG]

Ears

 

[Modern Saint]

For my classical guitar, I would use either a pitchfork or my metronome. Both the pitchfork and the metronome were A440.

As for the electric, a piano or keyboard when available. Other than that, ears.

 

[rhino]

Hitler would be happy to know all you jerks have been using A440 all this time.

 

[335clone]

 

[baimun]

Van Halen, side 1.

It took me a long time to retrain my ears.... my "E" was actually Eb" for years.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

Hitler would be happy to know all you jerks have been using A440 all this time.

So long as it's not A=432.

 

[wagdog]

We tuned by ear. Usually used a pitchfork or tuning pipe.

 

[Gary Blanchard]

After I got one string in tune based on the harmonica, I'd tune the rest by ear.

 

[joeboy]

We were so poor I had to beat on a can with a stick to tune to. One day my uncle stole my can to spit tobacky in. I then had to squeeze the chickens. One day I got my ears cleaned out and tuned by ear.

 

[rhino]

So long as it's not A=432.

Why do you hate peaceful tranquility?

 

[dmn23]

We were so poor I had to beat on a can with a stick to tune to. One day my uncle stole my can to spit tobacky in. I then had to squeeze the chickens. One day I got my ears cleaned out and tuned by ear.