Has anyone used a Tru Tuner yet?

jdrumst

Junior Member
Hey Guys,

I have seen a new product called Tru Tuner out and seen it on a few forums and videos, some good reviews and some skeptical people on it, but most say they have not tried or used one. Looking to see if anyone has used it or know someone who has, and any thoughts on it. Interested in getting one to try but not sure yet. Thanks!

www.trutuner.com is the web site and it has a video
 
wild but cool idea. i think the true test is with touring acts or guys that do clinics all the time.
 
I'll be interested to hear how this really works. Looks pretty cool. I'd probably buy one if it works. Does anyone know the cost?
 
Okay, just looked it up. It's selling for $69.99. I hope someone on here can give a review.
 
There was a thread or two about this, I think the consensus was that the amount of configuration and coordination probably wouldn't save time over using a key, it was too large, and the potential for losing one of the special S-keys was high. I saw it in action at the Chicago show last year and again at NAMM in January, and I have to agree.

Oddly enough, there was a sort of similar device, quite a bit more engineered and expensive, that debuted at NAMM not far from the TruTuner. http://www.crankitmusicgear.com/#!home/mainPage Must be a trend in trying to make tuning easier and faster.

On tour, I use a cordless variable speed drill with a drum key bit, which is definitely the fastest way to remove and replace rods, and just tried the Gibraltar 4 to 1 ratchet key, which is pretty cool, though not nearly as fast as the drill. As for the tuning part of the equation, I have no problem quickly getting even tension around the head, and tuning from there is easy.

Bermuda
 
What I said when this was introduced:

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86952&highlight=tru+tuner

The concept is cool, but

1) Anyone who has ever used a drum dial knows a common problem is just because the tension is even, it doesn't mean the head is perfectly even and in tune, and usually a drum still takes some tweaking. This does not eliminate this step.

2) Anyone who has ever used a drum dial knows there can often be that on lug that sits at a much higher/lower tension than all others because of inconsistencies in the heads.

3) Lugs can be inconsistent due to dirt, rust, lube, or whatever, so having the same # of turns of a key doesn't always mean each lug is even with the rest; i.e. the same reason torque wretches have never been popular sellers.

4) And so like the drum dial, torque wrenches, and other "tuning" devices, this only gets a drum in where it should be in tune in theory, but theoretically in tune and actually in tune are not always the same thing.

However, the biggest hurdle that kills this is $75.

A drum dial is $59 and effectively does the same thing, in letting you get an even tension around the drum. Granted, your device saves some time, but it's not a competitive price point compared to a drum dial.

A torque wretch, while not popular, sell for $15-$29.

The Tune-bot debuted at NAMM, and measures actually tuning, and not theoretical tuning, for only $14 more dollars at a $99 street price. Granted, not everyone buys into the Tune-bot being a viable item, still, it's a competitor in the market place claiming to do more than your product for not a whole heck of a lot more $.

You product won't work on Sonor drums, may not work on Gretch, which granted only eliminates a small part of the market, but that is not a problem other devices have.

If this could sell for around $20-$25 street price in a retail store, I think you could sell a decent amount of units. But at $75, it is not price competitive with other products that accomplish similar results.

Quite frankly, I'm astonished anyone has ever bought one.
 
Nice gimmick but quite frankly, i can't think of anything faster than the ol' drum key and ear method for tuning.
 
Tuning by ear is always the best. Doesn't matter how mechanically, technically and "correctly" a drumhead is seated and tensioned, we still hear it with our ears, and therefore that's the test for how well-tuned it is.

The TruTuner is meant to not only aid with tuning, but to speed the head changing process. In theory, it's a worthwhile pursuit. But the reality is, there are faster, less-expensive ways to change heads, and tuning is always going to be a one lug at a time process.

Bermuda
 
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All valid points. The main advantage I see to this product is allowing you to change head quickly and in the ballpark. Tuning by ear is always best and the way I would see using this product to get "close" with almost all even tension and then take the disc off and tune by ears with the keys in place.

I just watched a video comparing speed with a drill and it seemed about 40 seconds faster. I would think it also helps without overstretching your head and safer on your rims due to even pressure being applied.

I can tune drums fine by ear but always have hated the time and tedious work it takes do so. The fun part and art of tuning is fine tuning it and the hassle is doing each key one by one. I think it would be a good product for me if it works as advertised.

@Bermuda...you said you saw in action at NAMM, did you get to try it and does it work like they say it does...and was the quality of it professional grade?
 
I have a hard enough time keeping track of two drum keys. I hate to imagine how much time I'd sepnd scrounging around in the bottom of a traps case or bag trying to find all those little lug keys.

Too impractical for me personally. The wait for a device that can set up and tune better than I can continues, I guess.
 
@Bermuda...you said you saw in action at NAMM, did you get to try it and does it work like they say it does...and was the quality of it professional grade?

I didn't try it, I wasn't really interested. It does what it says, although there's extra coordination involved in lining up each key to the proper orientation so that it fits in the holes on the disc. This takes only a little time, but it's the extra fiddling around that makes it unattractive to me. I also don't feel that it saves significant time in removing or replacing the head, hoop & rods... a drill is certainly much faster (and much less expensive, and also useful for other tasks.)

As for any tuning advantage, it's hard to say. I've never had a problem getting the rods where they need to be in order to tune, so a device like that doesn't interest me.

It's basically a plexiglass disc with a handle attached to the center, holes, and several "s" drum keys. I don't think there's much thatt can go wrong with it, except when you lose a key. Wisely, they do have spares available.

Bermuda
 
I’ve not used this Tru Tuner gizmo but getting an equal torque on each lug screw or an equal amount of turns will not guarantee that the tension on the head is the same at each lug! Screws have different resistance to being turned and have to be started at exactly the same thread to have the identical number of turns. Hoop and drum rim inconsistencies and micro variance in mylar thickness of the head will result in head tension differences.
I like the Tunebot myself.
Assuming the Tunebot microphone and circuitry do actually work, and can accurately measure the "note" difference. If so it is actually reproducing what your ear is doing when you tune a drum.
I have found it a good tool to teach me how to tune drums. It gives a very good start point when you are a confused beginner and teaches what to listen for and to learn to tell difference between the sounds.

Having said that it is vital to make the tap that the tunebot has to hear, as similar and in the identical place at each lug!

I have been musing about some type of articulated hammer a bit like a tiny bass pedal beater which attaches to the rim and will hit the head with identical force, and at the same distance from each lug.

This would no doubt raise the price of the thing to £300+ !!
 
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