HO
HO
HO
HO
HOW T
W T
W T
W T
W TO R
O R
O R
O R
O RE
E
E
E
ECALI
CALI
CALI
CALI
CALIB
B
B
B
BR
R
R
R
RA
A
A
A
ATE Y
TE Y
TE Y
TE Y
TE YO
O
O
O
OU
U
U
U
UR P
R P
R P
R P
R PIIIIIK-7
K-7
K-7
K-7
K-700 TU
00 TU
00 TU
00 TU
00 TUN
N
N
N
NE
E
E
E
ER
R
R
R
R
Most tuners on the market allow the user to recalibrate only a few Hertz from standard A=440 Hz. They are
almost useless if you wish to tune to an instrument that is more than a few Hertz out of tune. However, you can
recalibrate your PIK-700 Tuner to match the pitch of any reference instrument by simply touching the RECAL
selector.
Example: If you wish to tune a guitar so that it will be in tune with a certain piano, simply play an “A” on the piano,
and wait a moment for the note to register on the tuner’s display. Then touch the RECAL selector on the tuner.
Instantly, the IN-TUNE light will turn on, indicating that the tuner now considers the piano to be in perfect tune.
Now, if you tune your instrument to the tuner, your instrument will be in tune with the piano. To return the PIK-
700 to standard A=440 Hz, simply turn the power off and then back on.
HOW TO TRANSPOSE
Unlike most other six-note tuners available, you can transpose your PIK tuner one half-slop sharp or fiat. For
example, to transpose your tuner one half-step flat, simply follow the Automatic Recalibration procedure above,
but play an ‘A-flat” on your reference instrument. To transpose one half-tone sharp, play an “A-sharp.”
P
P
P
P
PIIIIIK-7
K-7
K-7
K-7
K-700 SP
00 SP
00 SP
00 SP
00 SPE
E
E
E
EC
C
C
C
CIIIIIF
F
F
F
FIIIIICA
CA
CA
CA
CATI
TI
TI
TI
TIO
O
O
O
ON
N
N
N
NS
S
S
S
S
· Dimensions: 4.6 in. X 4.1 in. X 1.32 in. (11.7 cm. X 10.4 cm. X 3.35 cm.)
· Weight: .25 pounds (114 gm.)
· Notes tuned: E, A, D, G, B, E
· Range: Tunes the open strings of guitars, banjos, mandolins, violins, and 4- and 5-string basses·
· Ac/- 1 cent
· Battery: 9 Volt standard or alkaline
· Options: Contact Microphone
CM-1 Contact Microphone (Optional) The Sabine CM-1 contact micro-
phone makes tuning an acoustic instrument as easy as tuning an electric
guitar. Its removable rubber suction cup sticks the mic directly onto the
instrument. The CM-1 is ideal for tuning an acoustic instrument in a noisy
room or for tuning instruments that have very short tones like banjos and
mandolins. Ask your dealer about Sabine’s Contact Microphone today.
Sabine CM-1 contact microphone
Most musical instruments have peculiarities that cause annoying tun-
ing problems. Fortunately, most of these peculiarities are over-come
by following these simple procedures:
-
Pluck one string at a time.
-
Pluck the instrument once per second to keep the note “fresh” while
you are tuning. Notes go noticeably flat a second or two after being
plucked. If tuning a higher-pitched instrument (such as a mando-
lin), pluck a little faster; for a lower-pitched instrument (such as a
bass), pluck slower.
-
Do not pluck loudly. Generally light to medium volumes provide
purer tones that are easier for tuners to analyze.
-
Pluck the strings with the flesh of the thumb. Fingernails and flat
picks add overtones and slow the tuning process.
-
Tune from a pitch that is flat up to the pitch you desire. This proce-
dure removes any slack in the gears of the instrument’s tuning
heads. If you tune from sharp to in tune, the gears will slip as you
play, and the instrument will go flat after a few minutes of playing.
-
If you have difficulty getting a note to register on the tuner, touch
the other strings lightly to stop their sympathetic vibrations.
-
Use good strings. Old strings lose their uniformity and do not vi-
brate evenly. Remember to stretch your new strings out; new strings
stretch flat as you play.
-
All sources of friction cause tuning problems. For example, if the
slot in an instrument’s nut is too tight, the string will be pulled flat
as it is played. A tight nut (or capo) will cause the string’s pitch to
change in steps rather than evenly.
-
Avoid pressure on the instrument while tuning. Even moderate
pressure on the neck of a guitar will cause a noticeable change in
pitch. Also, press the strings straight down to the fingerboard.
Bending the strings sideways is very common, especially on diffi-
cult chords, but causes the strings to be pulled sharp.
-
A note for advanced fretted instrumentalists. Almost all fretted in-
struments, and most other instruments, are constructed to play an
“Even-Tempered Scale.” Sabine tuners are also calibrated to this
scale. The “Even-Tempered Scale” places equal tonal spacing be-
tween all notes in the scale so that the musician will not have to
retune to change keys. A disadvantage, however, is that the third
note of the scale sounds a little flat (14 cents, to be exact). For
example, when playing in the key of G, the B will sound flat. If you
tune the B string so that it sounds correct in an open G chord,
other chords using the B string will sound out of tune. The musi-
cian may choose to optimize the tuning of a particular key or to use
the “Even-Tempered Scale.” Much depends on the musician’s style,
but generally, it is best to tune exactly as your Sabine tuner indi-
cates.
SOME STRINGED INSTRUMENT TUNING TIPS
