Soundhole Tuner for X20 (and probably any other Emerald)

[new2guitar_eh]

These fit very well in my Journey and Yamaha, but as was stated earlier the edge of my Emerald X10 (old style soundhole) is simply too thick to use these. I am going to try the Dual Lock velcro approach which has been suggested.

[seamusknives]

I ordered my X20 without any electronics so I surely have more sound hole real estate than most. I received my D'addario sound hole tuner and it clipped on just fine. The slightly built-up lip at the hole, fortunately, didn't affect mounting the tuner. Probably every lip varies just a bit and I lucked out.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by seamusknives

I ordered my X20 without any electronics so I surely have more sound hole real estate than most. I received my D'addario sound hole tuner and it clipped on just fine. The slightly built-up lip at the hole, fortunately, didn't affect mounting the tuner. Probably every lip varies just a bit and I lucked out.

I have a previous model used X7 coming and I don't know anything about the soundhole or the electronics on that, but I'm hoping my soundhole version of this tuner works on that. If not, I still have another mini with the clip on bracket I could cut the nub off of and mount inside the soundhole like with the X20. I'd like to get some use out of the soundhole tuner I have - I don't see buying any wood acoustics with a traditional soundhole again anytime soon, if ever...

-Ray

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by raysachs

I have a previous model used X7 coming and I don't know anything about the soundhole or the electronics on that, but I'm hoping my soundhole version of this tuner works on that. If not, I still have another mini with the clip on bracket I could cut the nub off of and mount inside the soundhole like with the X20. I'd like to get some use out of the soundhole tuner I have - I don't see buying any wood acoustics with a traditional soundhole again anytime soon, if ever...

-Ray

If your incoming X7 has the B-Band pickup (love mine), it has a built-in tuner that is accurate. I have had no issue with clipping a small Korg tuner to the headstock, as well.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

If your incoming X7 has the B-Band pickup (love mine), it has a built-in tuner that is accurate. I have had no issue with clipping a small Korg tuner to the headstock, as well.

It appears to have the same LR Baggs VTC with the soundhole controls as my X20. Or, if not the same pickup, at least the same controls... There are definitely no exterior controls, so I'm sure no tuner. One way or another, I'm gonna have a tuner in the soundhole, either with the soundhole tuner if it fits well or another setup like in my original post in this thread. Either will be fine...

-Ray

[byudzai]

I just put one of these tuners in my X30. works great. i used non-manly velcro and it seems to pick up the pitches just fine. i also hesitate to use heavy gorilla tape because it'll be tricky to get the battery compartment out.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by byudzai

I just put one of these tuners in my X30. works great. i used non-manly velcro and it seems to pick up the pitches just fine. i also hesitate to use heavy gorilla tape because it'll be tricky to get the battery compartment out.

I used dual-lock, which is just essentially a stronger version of velcro, but if velcro holds well enough, no reason not to use that. I have a bunch of dual lock from putting my pedal boards together for my electric gear.

Turns out this tuner didn't fit in the soundhole of my X7 with the pickup controls in there, so I just clipped it to the headstock. But I find these tuners have a lot of trouble with the low E, so lately I've been using my TC Polytune clips on the headstocks instead of these little guys. Much more visible, but extremely functional and the looks don't bother me...

[David Eastwood]

I started out with the 'clipless' NS Micro - but quickly discovered two things:

1) it has trouble picking up anything on the 6th string - I think the mounting method, hanging off a thin piece of plastic attached to a machine head, must isolate it more than is desirable
2) it's completely incompatible with a Hercules stand

So, I followed raysachs' example, and used dual-lock to pop it unobtrusively under the top in the soundhole. No issues with the 6th string at all, and easy to remove for battery changes.

I am surprised that Emerald does not offer a sound hole tuner as an accessory.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by EvanB

I am surprised that Emerald does not offer a sound hole tuner as an accessory.

My X20 arrived perfectly in tune. I’m not sure I see the need

Regardless, it would be a useful option.

[byudzai]

Originally Posted by EvanB

I am surprised that Emerald does not offer a sound hole tuner as an accessory.

I think they offer pretty much this setup. I asked Kevin one time and I believe that's what he said. It does seem like it should be a standard accessory.

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

My X20 arrived perfectly in tune. I’m not sure I see the need

My X20-12 arrived with 11 of the 12 strings still in tune - only one of the high B pair was off a bit.

This reminds me of a story, the last time I saw my grandmother before she passed. When it was mentioned that I play guitar, she proudly stated that, "I have one in the back of the closet. The same strings have been on it for 27 years now, and it is still in tune". I didn't bother to dig it out to play for her, suspecting what I would find.

[raysachs]

Byudzai's review of the X30 and endorsement of this soundhole tuner got me thinking about a way to mount one of these inside my X7. It's the older model and there isn't enough room to fit it just under the lip of the soundhole. I guess if there were no electronics, you could put one in at an angle, but mine has the volume and tone controls there. And then the neck is just really close to the soundhole on that guitar. So I decided to try to somehow get it on the bottom of the guitar at an angle I could easily see by glancing down at it. After playing around with a few options. I took a couple of wooden guitar picks (had a bunch of Thalia picks lying around that I'm not really using anymore) and some Sugru, which is miraculous stuff, and I made a little angled mount:

0 by Ray, on Flickr

Then I put some dual lock and put some on the outer surface of each pick, with a companion piece on the floor of the guitar and on the back of the tuner. And then stuck the little tuner wedge on the floor with the tuner mounted:

0-2 by Ray, on Flickr

0-1 by Ray, on Flickr

I did this before the Sugru had fully bonded so I could still adjust the angle of the tuner so I could both see it and reach the buttons easily. And it even picks up the low E really well down there in the chamber.

I suppose you could just sugru the tuner directly to the bottom of the guitar, but that stuff can bond really well and I didn't want to have to scrape it off of the carbon fiber and you wouldn't want to do that to the tuner because it would be a bugger to change batteries. So the sugru is only used to build the little pick wedge and that's stuck to both the guitar and tuner with dual lock. In a day or so, that little wedge will be hard as a rock and fully bonded to those picks...

-Ray

[GuitarLuva]

I've been using planet waves NS micro soundhole tuner. It fits perfectly where I have it. No tape no nothing so you can easily remove it and put it right back if you wanted to.

[GuitarDoc]

like Luva's idea but afraid it will leave marks if left too long. I don't like to stick to just one tuner so I don't put one in the hole. also it may be crowded with the pickup controls. I have two clip on tuners (Peterson and Korg , a korg with a mic, and a Boss Pedal on the board. May not play well, but I play poorly...in tune.