SABINE Contact AutoTuner AX3000 Operating Manual

AX3000 Series Contact AutoTuner
Operating Guide
AX3000
Now that you're the owner of a patented Sabine AX3000
Contact AutoTuner, the most unique and innovative chromatic
tuner available, you'll find tuning your instrument has never
been easier. The AX Tuner's highly accurate advanced digi-
tal technology allows superior performance when tuning most
stringed instruments, particularly electric or acoustic guitars,
banjos, mandolins, violins and bass guitars.
OUTSTANDING FEATURES
• New MagnaPad mounts AX directly on your
instrument - sticks like a magnet and comes
off with a twist!
• InTouch™ Contact Microphone Picks Up Your
Instrument's Vibrations
• It's Cordless!
• Easy-To-Read Three-Color LED Display
• Full-Range Chromatic Scale
• Automatic Recalibration
• Automatic Power Down
• Longest Battery Life
• Digital Accuracy
• Available with Rich Wood Finish (AX3000-W)
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TUNING
CAUTION: The AX Tuner is not recommended for use on
instruments with antique or cracked finishes. See cautions
on reverse side.
1. PLACE THE TUNER DIRECTLY ON YOUR INSTRUMENT
WHEREVER IT IS MOST CONVENIENT AND EASY TO
SEE. You will want to experiment with the tuner to find
where its peak performance can be reached on your par-
ticular instrument. For example, the tuner may work best
on your guitar when placed near where the fingerboard
meets the top or on the side next to the neck's heel.
2. PRESS THE POWER BUTTON ("P") TO TURN ON YOUR
TUNER. When the power is turned on, the D# note indica-
tor will blink once per second. Tones generated by both
acoustic and electric instruments are detected by the AX
Tuner's InTouch™ sensitive internal contact microphone.
The AX Tuner picks up vibrations from the top of the instru-
ment rather than the air so it is less affected by background
noise than other tuners. It is therefore not necessary to
play loudly; plucking the string lightly once per second usu-
ally gives the best results. Heavy plucks may make tuning
more difficult.
THE TUNER WILL TURN ITSELF OFF AFTER TWO MIN-
UTES. However, if you wish to defeat the power down timer
to have the tuner stay on throughout the performance in-
stead of automatically turning off after two minutes, turn
the tuner off; then hold down the calibrate ("C") button
and press the power ("P") key. Release the power key
first and then the calibrate button. Two LEDs will light
initially to indicate the tuner is in the non-timer mode.
3. LIGHTLY PLUCK THE STRING YOU WISH TO TUNE. Ad-
just the instrument's pitch until the desired NOTE INDICA-
AX3000-W
TOR LED lights. For example, if you wish to tune a D string
on a guitar, pluck the string and tune it until the "D" LED
lights. Pluck the string every second or so to keep the note
"fresh" and to prevent the note from fading flat. Also, to
eliminate extraneous overtones, mute the other strings af-
ter each pluck.
4. SLOWLY ADJUST THE INSTRUMENT'S PITCH UNTIL THE
DESIRED NOTE'S LED TURNS GREEN, INDICATING THE
STRING IS IN TUNE.
Note that the LED turns yellow when the tone is flat and
turns red when the tone is sharp. The LED blinks rapidly
when the tone is far from being in tune and blinks slower
and slower as the tone approaches being in tune.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the other notes until the entire
instrument is tuned.
5. TO REMOVE THE AX, GENTLY TWIST AND LIFT THE
TUNER. Store the AX in its DomeHome™.
RECALIBRATING YOUR AX TUNER
Most other tuners 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 AX Tuner to
match the pitch of any reference instrument simply by touch-
ing the calibrate ("C") button.
Example: If you wish to tune a guitar so it will be in tune with
a certain piano, place the tuner on the piano, defeat the two-
minute power down timer, play an "A" (or any other note) and
wait a moment for the note to register on the tuner's display.
Then lightly press the calibrate button on the tuner. The "A"
LED will turn green, indicating 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.
Note: To reset the tuner to standard a = 440 Hz, press the
power button to turn the tuner off and then back on. The ax
tuner always returns to a = 440 Hz when it is turned on.
CLEANING THE MAGNAPAD
Do not immerse the tuner in water or place it directly
under a faucet. This may damage the tuner and will void
the warranty. There are two ways to clean the pad.
1. Use a little isopropyl rubbing alcohol and a toothbrush
(preferably an old one!). For quick & easy cleaning, carry
around some foil pack alcohol wipes to clean the pad.
CAUTION: Make sure the alcohol has dried completely
before placing the AX Tuner on your guitar. - or -
2. Moisten a clean, lint-free cloth and use it to rub the pad
until it is clean. You can also just rinse your finger and use
it like a squeegee to clear the pad of dirt and dust. Allow
the pad to air dry for about 10 minutes. The MagnaPad™
becomes tacky again when it dries.
To keep the pad tacky longer between cleanings: Keep the
guitar surface clean, avoid touching the MagnaPad™ pad,
and keep your AX Tuner in its DomeHome™ when not in use.