Tuning up on stage

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 28 Aug 2020 8:48 am

Did a Search, couldn't find exactly what I was looking for, so:

Can anyone recommend a set of headphones that I can plug directly into the guitar to tune up in a noisy environment?

Looking for something cheap and minimal, not fancy - these would be solely for live tune-up. Striving for simplicity - I'm lugging around too much stuff already & I need something I can stash easily and quickly without worrying about it. Trying to avoid running it through the amp.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 28 Aug 2020 9:58 am

I don't know about the head phones but I use a tuner and have my offsets memorized. I let my guitar acclimate for a half hour or so, then I sit down and go through the strings and changes twice, using the tuner. I always tune the same, so I really don't need to hear it until I plug in to play through the amp.

One of those mini-amps that plug into the output jack, with a set of H-phones would work if you are tuning by ear.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 28 Aug 2020 11:30 am

Kevin Fix · Post by **Kevin Fix** » 28 Aug 2020 12:36 pm

A head phone that covers your ears works best. I quit using them years ago. I use a Peterson Tuner. Works best for me. Back in the day, I used a pair of amplified head phones. No head phone jacks in the amps back then.

Anthony Campbell · Post by **Anthony Campbell** » 28 Aug 2020 12:47 pm

Buy a Peterson Strobostomp HD. You can mute your signal while still being able to tune. Buffered or true bypass, and you can program your own tunings, or use the sweetened tunings that come stock. Also can run on batteries or wall power. This is a better/more efficient investment than lugging around a pair of headphones.

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 28 Aug 2020 12:54 pm

Thanks, guys.

Jack Hanson's phones are what I had in mind. Rightly or wrongly, I still trust my ears - when I can hear what I'm doing!

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 28 Aug 2020 9:54 pm

Jeez you guys pay big money for them guitars . Get em to tune it up before they send it and ya good to go !

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 29 Aug 2020 1:06 am

Whoops

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 29 Aug 2020 3:28 am

Brendan Mitchell wrote:Jeez you guys pay big money for them guitars . Get em to tune it up before they send it and ya good to go !

Set it and forget it!

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 29 Aug 2020 5:45 am

Headphones would also come handy for some unheard practicing. My right hand was always so stiff after all this lifting and nervousness before a gig.
Now where exactly are they plugged in? Tn the instrument or in the line out of the amp?

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 29 Aug 2020 6:11 am

I don't guess they make them anymore. I used to have a set of battery powered over ear phones that I used just for that purpose. No built in fx or anyhing else, just plugged into the guitar jack so you could hear the guitar. A little bulky old school style with the battery in the head band, but worked for tuning and practicing.

I bought them from Malcolm Kirby at Discount String Whse. and left them in a hotel room in St. Louis one year. Haven't been able to find any since.

[Edit: I see the ones Jack referenced are in fact powered and plug directly into the jack.]

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 29 Aug 2020 6:19 am

Joachim Kettner wrote: Now where exactly are they plugged in?

The Vox headphones plug directly into an instrument's output jack. They are basically a set of Audio Technica headphones with a tiny amplifier built in. I use them for tuning in a noisy environment. Like Frank, I still prefer tuning by ear. I adjust my Es on the E9 neck and the Cs on C6 neck with an electronic tuner, then tune the rest by ear, like I've done for decades.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 29 Aug 2020 6:34 am

So those are powered and plug directly into the guitar jack. Didn't get that. I see amazon has them for just under a buck. Might consider those if I ever get back to playing again.

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 29 Aug 2020 6:48 am

Jerry, I had those same bulky 9v-powered earphones with the telephone cord that went directly into the instrument. They got tossed somewhere along the way ...

$100 is a little rich but like you, if I ever play out again, I'll have to get something.

Maybe I'll bait a hook over in WTB.

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 29 Aug 2020 2:33 pm

Brendan Mitchell wrote:Jeez you guys pay big money for them guitars . Get em to tune it up before they send it and ya good to go !

you can say that again!

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 30 Aug 2020 4:02 am

Mine was right in tune when it came out of the box from Bruce Zumsteg.

Richard Alderson · Post by **Richard Alderson** » 30 Aug 2020 11:17 am

Trying to avoid running it through the amp.

Just curious, what is the disadvantage of running the headphones through the amp? Too loud? or a less obvious concern? I am also interested using headphones at loud venues during set up.

Larry Allen · Post by **Larry Allen** » 30 Aug 2020 12:21 pm

Just use an in line visual tuner...

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 30 Aug 2020 12:46 pm

Richard Alderson wrote:

Just curious, what is the disadvantage of running the headphones through the amp? Too loud? or a less obvious concern? I am also interested using headphones at loud venues during set up.

Richard, it's just inconvenient, that's all. It's a hassle on a crowded stage sometimes to get back to the amp, screw around with the phones, tune for 2 minutes and then make my way back through the cable jungle again. I just wanna pull the phones out, plug 'em in into the guitar at my station, tune up & stick 'em back in the pak-a-seat. Basta!

I know I can get in-line tuners but I like tuning by ear ... and I'm frugal!

Anthony Campbell · Post by **Anthony Campbell** » 31 Aug 2020 1:04 pm

Are you averse to tuning by ear at home, and making a custom sweetened tuning on the Peterson, then just using the Peterson at the gig based on what you callibrated at home?

I'll stop pushing the tuner after this post, I swear!

Jerry Horch · Post by **Jerry Horch** » 31 Aug 2020 2:12 pm

I have my Korg in my rack....dont need any volume and seems pretty easy to see....no problem..

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 31 Aug 2020 2:15 pm

I kinda get the idea Frank prefers using headphones to tune.

Jacek Jakubek · Post by **Jacek Jakubek** » 17 Sep 2020 10:51 pm

What you need is guitar headphone amp. Vox has a bunch of different versions of these, all for $40-50. I got one and it works great. Runs on 2 AAA batterie and has a headphone input that you can plug any headphones into it. Even has an AUX input so you can connect your CD player and play along to backing tracks on your headphones. It's small enough to fit in your pocket.

Check out the different versions they have at Sweetwater here: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/search ... dphone+amp

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 18 Sep 2020 4:36 am

You could use a smart phone with an app and headphones.
Personally, I prefer the convenience and efficiency of using a good tuner. I too have the Petersen Strobostomp and the U12 sweetened tuning is spot on for my guitar. The strobe tuners have much higher resolution now. Lack of resolution was a complaint I had using the typical cheapie, ie Snark.

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 18 Sep 2020 7:51 am

Not sure why you need headphones when you can simply use a volume pedal w a tuner out so that no one has to listen to you while you tune.