Hd500 Tuner Not Accurate

[Ball_ed]

Hi fellow Line 6'ers,

 

I compared the accuracy of the HD500 tuner against a cheaper tuner (Arion Hu-30) & found the 'G' string on the HD500 isn't tuning correctly. So inquisitively I borrowed my mates TC Polytune Tuner (supposedly a kickass tuner) & the results are the same being the 'G' string on the HD500 isn't in tune. The rest of the strings between all 3 tuners are the same.

 

The initial reason I compared accuracies is because I always felt (heard) that my guitar wasn't in tune. Another confirmation is when I play harmonics to tune between the 'D' & 'G', this also shows inaccurate tuning with HD500 but not the other 2 tuners.

 

The HD500 tuner is set to 440Hz, Mute mode.

 

Any ideas on how to recalibrate HD500 tuner? Is there a software fix? Anyone else experienced this?

 

Cheers

 

 

[Aeolianreflex]

I don't know of a way to calibrate the tuner but to have only one string tune wrong doesn't seem right.

You could just compensate for it by tuning using a known "good" tuner and then see what that corresponds to on the HD.

One thing to keep in mind is that the G string on a guitar should be tuned 15 cents flat to compensate for tension differentials and other wonkiness that is inherent in every guitars design. 

[Ball_ed]

I don't know of a way to calibrate the tuner but to have only one string tune wrong doesn't seem right.

You could just compensate for it by tuning using a known "good" tuner and then see what that corresponds to on the HD.

One thing to keep in mind is that the G string on a guitar should be tuned 15 cents flat to compensate for tension differentials and other wonkiness that is inherent in every guitars design. 

 

Thanks Aeoli, but in the post I mention that I've compared the HD500 tuner with 2 known "good" tuners being:

- Arion Hu-30

- TC Polytune Tuner

 

The only tuner not tuning is the HD500 with regards to the 'G' string only. And without solely relying on the tuners, when I use harmonics to re-check the tune of the HD500, I'm always out on the 'G' string. With the other 2 known good tuners all strings are in tune, these are also re-checked with harmonics.

 

I am running a Joe Satriani Big Bad Wah "before" the HD500, would this affect the signal from my guitar before it reaches the HD500, thus altering the non-tuning result? The Wah pedal is in the off position when tuning.

 

Thanks for the reply.

[spaceatl]

I have a Peterson Strobe and I find my HD Desktop tuner is just fine...Almost as precise which seems to be an improvement over the XT....Line 6 tuners have always been fine for me for shows, but I set intonation with the Peterson...a strobe is just easier to read...

 

....strings go flat as they lose energy...A mistake a some players make is tuning using a very soft attack and long sustain...That is a great way to end sharp all night and not sharp in a good way...Tune the attack. Another misstep some players make is paying or allow someone else to set their intonation...Intonation is not a general thing and how it needs to be set has more to do with the players touch than ANYTHING else. Unless you have your own tech that know exactly how sharp you pull around the 8th fret on the g string etc..., they will never find the magic compensation point and likely the guitar overall will never be in tune for the player...probably perfect for the tech... :ph34r:

 

Not saying you don't have a problem...just I have never had any trouble with any Line 6 tuner and I have quite a few of them and have compared them to a lot of things...sorry about the rant...

[pugdealer]

I have the same "issue"...the G string doesn't tune properly!

 

I always end up fine tunning the G string by hear...

[spaceatl]

So what do you guys mean "G string doesn't tune properly"?

 

...sharp, flat...not tracking proper...what's the deal guys? :unsure:

[scottyo78]

That's weird.  :o

I've never, ever had a problem with my HD500 (which I've had now for 6 months), nor with my PODXTLive.

Both Tuners work great as "tested" by my ear and my bandmates.

Not saying you specifically are not having a problem though. :P

 

My best guess is (as stated above) the string is old and flat thus not giving out good vibrations. Also being that the third is un-wound can be problematic for it's pitch.

 

Seems to me the calibration and reference is set with a crystal circuit. The Tuner can be set differently per page 1-4 in the Manual. "Reference (Knob 1): If you’d like to tune to a reference other than standard 440Hz, select from 425 to 455Hz.".

[toneman2121]

the g tunes when using other tuners

[bjnette]

Might be combination of the input volume or added noise and or string length ie intonation or bad string.

[Ball_ed]

So what do you guys mean "G string doesn't tune properly"?

 

...sharp, flat...not tracking proper...what's the deal guys? :unsure:

Flat...

cheers

[Ball_ed]

the g tunes when using other tuners

Yes...

Cheers

[davidb7170]

I've also not had any problems with my HD500, X3L, or XTL tuners -- always had good luck with them on either my variax's via the VDI or regular guitars in the guitar inputs.... I get the good results either using the HD500 internal tuner or an external tuner. Weird... I even use the internal tuner to set the intonation on my guitars, and it's spot on.

 

Dave

[spaceatl]

So you tune it spot on in the HD500 and it then it shows flat on the other tuners? I am not disputing what you are seeing as I am not seeing it for myself and there simply can be other contributing factors...The first thought that comes to mind is a sticky nut...Get it just right, bend it a few times and it goes a touch flat because of a little sticky spot. I am sure this is something you are familiar with, but just throwing things out there...

 

A little idea of how flat would help us understand this a little better...flat is a little vague.

 

I suppose the only other question I can come up with is...Does this exact same thing occur on more than one guitar? I think in order to really isolate what you are seeing it might worth going through the same comparison with another axe...Might be worth taking the wah out too just to be sure nothing else is contributing...I can't really see how a bypassed wah would affect it...unless maybe there is some sort of harmonic hum in the circuit...

 

Anyway, good luck...Not really sure what to tell you other than do your best to isolate the issue to the HD500 and I would think if you can repeat the problem with two different guitars that would pretty much prove to me that there is something up...At that point I would say call support by telephone...use this thread to document what you do so you can refer them to it....Anyway, that is all I can think of...good luck to you sussing this out...

[chuberto]

I owned a TC Polytune (which I sold when I bought my HD500) and numerous other tuners before that. I actually believe that something is wrong with the tuner in my HD500. I don't have another tuner to compare it to but if I tune it to the HD500, it often sounds wrong and I have to tweak some strings. As a guitarist of 22 years, I know how to tune and had no trouble with my Polytune. There's something just not right about the HD500 to me.

[spaceatl]

I don't know this for a fact, but my ear tells me that the Line 6 tuners do not have much transient compensation....Some of the newer tuners do...

 

Tuning and adjusted intonation that matches the player is number one in my book.

 

Here is a pretty decent article I found that explains some of the factors I alluded to and a whole bunch more. Most old timers know about the temperament/compensation and that it is practically impossible to adjust the intonation of any guitar perfectly up and down the neck...Unless you have one of those crazy TT necks and then you still have to adjust for the curve and finger pressure. Always wanted to try one, but they are a bit expensive for me...

 

I guess what I am trying to convey is that the way I read a tuner when I tune my guitar is not the same as the next guy...If that doesn't make sense, read the article...It does a better job of explaining this stuff than I can....Sorry to rant, but guitar tuning is probably the most misunderstood subject by most of the guitarists I have worked with...Number one problem in my book are players that have someone else setup intonation...That just simply does not work unless the tech knows exactly how the player touches the neck...Tone always sucks when the tuning is wrong...

 

Good Tuning Article

http://www.guyguitars.com/eng/handbook/Tuning/tuning.html

 

If you want a true tempered neck

http://www.truetemperament.com/site/index.php

[toneman2121]

[DeanDinosaur]

Pickups heights also effect intonation, if set too close to the strings their magnetic pull will definitely cause major intonation problems. Some of the single coil staggered pole pieces are closer on the G and D, so if that's the issue, you could have problems with the G and the D strings more so than other strings. Regardless Check to make sure that you have at least 1/16 between pickup pole pieces and strings, specifically neck pickup, then middle and bridge in order of significance.

[spaceatl]

Great point DD....I would add the decreased sustain that goes along with the mag pull...hotter the passive pups are, the worse this can be. Active pups don't have this as those only have a few turns on very weak mags (ie: EMG)...

[Guitarmaniac64]

I never had any trouble with the line6 tuners not on my XT,HD or not even on the Pod farm plugin.

I have a strobe tuner for intonation so i usually use to check every tuner against that one since it is more precise than other tuners.

But the L6 tuners is good atleast the ones i own.

[moondancer]

Electronic tuners use the static frequency of a crystal and should work exact. What happens when you tune by flageolet (harmonics) or e.g. at the 5th or 7th fret?

If you have problems with the same string, something with the intonation of the string is not proper or the magnetic field of the pups disturbs the harmonics.

But if the tuner is incorrect pressing a "g" on any other string on the guitar, most probably your hd is a case for the service centre :o

[toneman2121]

" But if the tuner is incorrect pressing a "g" on any other string on the guitar, most probably your hd is a case for the service centre"

 

 

OF COURSE! why didn't anyone else think of that, ...check the g note on another string. brilliant! :)

[StephenSLR]

Another confirmation is when I play harmonics to tune between the 'D' & 'G', this also shows inaccurate tuning with HD500 but not the other 2 tuners

 

Tuning by harmonics is incorrect.

 

http://www.schrof.net/guitar/articles/harmonics.html

[StephenSLR]

I often tune using a tuner then fine tune to eliminate the 'beats'.

 

Since I usually play power chords I'll pluck the both the low E string open while fretting the B on the A string, second fret (or any power chord) then fine tune the A string while the E string is still ringing till the beats are eliminated.

 

Then do the same with A string and G string fretted on 2nd fret and so on.

 

With G & B strings I'll fret A & D (2nd & 3rd fret respectively) and with B & E strings I'll fret D & G (both on 3rd fret) as these are the fingerings I tend to use.

 

s

[Ball_ed]

Hey guys,

 

I smacked on a fresh set of strings, had the intonation set & no longer have an issue with the G String. All 3 x tuners are reading approximately the same thing which is acceptable from what I've read in these forums.

 

Moral of my story is "don't sit on a set of strings for 6 months waiting for one to break, before changing them over"

 

Thanks to all who replied to this post, it was from your answers I was able to make the world a better place.

 

Rock On.....

[StephenSLR]

Moral of my story is "don't sit on a set of strings for 6 months waiting for one to break, before changing them over"

 

http://guitar.about.com/od/commonbeginnerquestions/a/change_strings.htm

 

s

[gchaddock1972]

I am a piano tuner and a guitar player. One thing I'v come to from my work as a tuner is understanding the equal temperament. There is a compromise when tuning instruments. The guitar is mostly fourths. Except when tuning g and b. Then it's a third. In the equal temperament thirds are not pure. What that means is there is a wave or vibration when playing g and b together at the same time. If you play e and a it sounds pure and both notes have no wave when played together. g and b should vibrate at around 7 to 8 beats per second. This wave sound always drove me nuts till I started tuning pianos and understood the equal temperament.

 

The reason I'm sharing this with you is because it may bring some understanding as to the difference in tuners. Maybe they have adjusted the temperament in the tuner for guitar vs any instrument.

[gchaddock1972]

any time you fret there is a slight chance you will pull the note sharp.