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Introducing the Z-TunerTM with Knife Edge TuningTM
$68.95 + tax & shipping
Do you build, repair or customize guitars or basses? How many times have you (or your customers) wanted an integrated tuner? And how many times have you stuck one of those cheap plastic tuners on the outside of an expensive instrument? What a crime! You don't have to do that any more. With the Z-Tuner, you can perform a custom tuner installation that is easy and effective, with a minimum of modification to the instrument. Miniaturization of electronics and patented innovative design has allowed us to cram an entire tuner into a package of only one square inch, including the battery! One light mounts externally on the instrument, and doubles as the power switch. That's it! Where are all the lights and meters found on other tuners? You don't need all that stuff to tune a 6-string guitar! All you need is a pitch reference for E, A, D, G, and B, and you're done. With just those five notes, you can even use some nonstandard tunings, like drop D, and others, without having to carry a complicated tuning instrument to every gig. (A good guitarist can tune nonstandard tunings with only one or two notes as a reference.) How do you turn it on? The light holder on the Z-Tuner is actually sensitive to your touch. Just touching the light holder turns the tuner on and off (with your other hand grounded, to the strings for example). The Z-Tuner also turns off automatically, to preserve the battery. The Z-Tuner uses an inexpensive coin battery (included) that can be purchased at electronics stores. It lasts about a year and is easy to change. How accurate is the Z-Tuner? The timebase of the tuner has less than 0.1 cents error. We have invented what we call Knife Edge Tuning, which is much more accurate than the algorithms used by other tuners. Most tuners have sharp, flat, and in-tune indicator lights, or a meter indicating the same. The problem is that the in-tune indicator is of a certain width in terms of pitch. That means that you can tune a string over a range of pitches and the tuner still says "in tune". Depending on how you tune each string (up from flat [preferred], or down from sharp), the in-tune indicator says your instrument is in tune, but the first chord you play tells you differently. The average in-tune width of popular tuners is about 5 cents. Knife Edge Tuning eliminates this problem by eliminating the in-tune window altogether! How's it work? You should always tune a guitar string up from a flat starting point, in order to take all the mechanical slack out of the tuning gears. Starting with the string a little flat, the Z-Tuner light is red, and as you slowly tune the string up in pitch the light changes to green at exactly the point where the string is in tune. There is no in-tune window to confuse the issue and lead you astray. When the string's pitch crosses the knife's edge, it's on pitch. With this system, you can typically tune a string to within about a cent of proper pitch. How do you tune up a new set of strings? Since the Z-Tuner only responds to a few notes, you need a point of reference when tuning. That point is the note E. When the Z-Tuner hears an E, it flashes its light red-green-red-green, so you have that reference. Do a rough tune of the new strings to that E and then finish the job using Knife Edge Tuning. Will it fit my guitar? The Z-Tuner is tiny. It only requires about 0.25 cubic inches, and a place to mount the indicator light. If you have any problems, the money back guarantee applies. How do you install it? The Z-Tuner comes with full installation instructions. There are wires coming off the Z-Tuner for:
The most important issue is mounting the indicator light on the instrument where the user can view it and touch it easily. But the light is small, only 0.310 inches (7.9mm) in diameter, so is easy to mount and is very inconspicuous. Insulating washers are included in case you need to mount the light on metal. Will it change the guitar's sound? The impedance of the Z-Tuner is about ten times the impedance of your amplifier's input circuit, and so the Z-Tuner does not load or change the sound of your guitar. Does the Z-Tuner work on basses? Yes. There is a solderable jumper on the Z-Tuner that allows you to select guitar or bass operation. Does the Z-Tuner support other tunings? Yes. Hold the on/off switch active for 5 seconds and the tuner switches between standard and 1/2 step drop tuning. Is there a Z-Tuner model for an Austrian Bazuzaphone with Camel Skin Bladders? Unfortunately, no, and we're not sure we want to see such an instrument, so don't send us a picture. But if you can describe an instrument's sound palette and what notes you wish to tune (even nonstandard frequencies), we can produce a Z-Tuner for you, for some additional cost. Contact us to discuss your needs. Z-Tuner Specifications
Where can I get technical support? If you need help installing or using the Z-Tuner, please see our contact page. You may call or email. Our goal is to help you get maximum value out of the Z-Tuner, so please call or write if you have a question or problem. Technical support is FREE. If you are not safe with a screwdriver or soldering iron, don't take a chance on damaging yourself or your guitar! Any qualified local guitar tech can install the Z-Tuner. We'll support your tech during installation, if needed. I want one now! The Z-Tuner costs $68.95 plus Virginia sales tax (where applicable) & shipping, and includes the tuner, battery, LED & hardware, user manual, and free support. We will accept your money order or check -- please contact us. Due to governmental regulations, this product is available only in the USA and Canada!
There is a 30-day money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied for any reason in the first 30-days after purchase, you may return the product for a full refund. |
