Intelli IMT 500 Chromatic Tuner

[R. Kane]

Following up on an earlier thread, good tuners (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=8;t=32356;hl=arcane) I received my Intelli IMT 500 a few days ago.

This tuner is 1/3 the size and the price of the Intellitouch tuner, more accurate and responsive. The needle is damped so there's very little oscillation, the screen is much easier to read. I found it as accurate as my Sabine 9000 tuner/metronome with a clip-on mic, but easier to use and faster to respond.

My only complaint is that it did not come with a protective case. I don't know how it will stand up to the inevitable floor bounce test, and I don't know how good the customer support will be, for that matter. I got mine for $19.95 plus a steep $6.95 s/h from Sharmusic. I've just ordered a couple more, and they're out of stock.

Let's hope that the nice folks at Intellitouch see this as a challenge to come up with something comparable.

[R. Kane]

Here's a photo of the Intelli

[Douglas McMullin]

I tested one out last weekend and if I needed a new tuner I would have grabbed it. I like the design and I much prefer the tuning mechanism over the Intellitouch one. I am sure I will end up getting it before long.

[kyblue]

Hard to find a US store with stock

metmusic (http://metmusic.com/store/index.html?action=viewproduct&ProductID=1141406843536431)

[kyblue]

I ordered one of these from Metropolitan Music, and received it last week.

It works very well. And, best of all, it fits in my Pegasus case either in the storage compartment or still clipped to the headstock! I usually leave it clipped on to the mando.

Awesome.

Paula

[jim simpson]

I won one on Ebay for $29.00 w/free shipping. The ones that were sold from a European address were over $40.00. I tried one that a friend had just got and was impressed. I will probably attach a lifeline to mine like I have on my Intellitouch. If it comes loose, it will just dangle till reattachment.

[Lane Pryce]

I just ordered one from Shar. If it will fit in my case then its a good one. Lp

[Mike Bunting]

This looks quite similar to the Seiko STX-1 that is for sale for $40 at 1St Quality. Has anyone compared the two?

[Jeff Baldwin]

Thanks to Arcane for the original post. Kyblue for the vendor

I ordered and got one from Met Music...22 bucks quick and easy. Tested against my std tuners and its dead-one accurate
Backlit...and it fits in my tiny Collings case.....couldn't be happier. Think I will get one for my fiddle and guitar too

Jeff

[Gail Hester]

Yes indeed, thanks everyone for the heads up on these. I'm having one shipped that I won on Ebay for $23.

[kyblue]

Mike,

The only thing I know about the Seiko is that it is larger. Don't think it would fit in the small cases like this one does.

This one works well and is the right size. And, the added benefit of being backlit makes it everything I wanted, for a lot less $ than anything else I have found.

Paula

[Michael Gowell]

Whoa mamma, these are great. I've always tuned from a pitch pipe, and between a likely error in hearing the pipe and in hearing the string sing it's easy to wander off pitch on a couple of the strings. #With this unit it's strike the string, look at the meter, and adjust. #Even for me, with no electronic tuner experience, I managed to get the battery in, turn it on, and use and understand it immediately with no instruction (which is just as well, since no printed instructions come with it.)

Ordered online Wed. AM, UPS delivered Thurs. PM. #$22 for the unit, 8.50 to ship [they don't give you any choice of method - UPS ground only.] The unit arrived packed in many styro peanuts in a ridiculously large box. #Maybe since they [Metropolitan Music] ship so many instruments they just have a standard super-packaging policy for everything.

In any case, I'm delighted.

[Mteresko]

As am I. Got mine on Ebay for $33 w/ shipping, and it works great! Much improvement over my old Intellitouch, and it fits in the Calton case, too.

[Paul Kotapish]

Another vote for that little unit. I don't know who is doing the original manufacturing, but they are being sold in this country under a variety of brand names.

I got mine at Bob Gollihur's bass emporium.

http://www.gollihur.com/kkbass/korgtuner.html

He calls it a "Korg," but it all of the marking and label info says, "Meisel."

In any case, it's easily my favorite tuner. It's small, quick, accurate, and really easy to see on stage. And I really prefer the needle meter over little blinking LEDs or those annoying arrows on the Intellitouch. I used to prefer the Boss TU-12 for studio work and quiet gigs and the Intellitouch for noisy gigs, but this Meisel seems to work so well that it's the only one I use.

There was a long discussion about the merits of this and other tuners over on the Acoustic Guitar "Guitar Talk" boards recently, and this tuner had a lot of fans there, too.

[jim simpson]

I was working at home today and as luck would have it, my new Intelli tuner arrived (in a big box) at lunchtime. I immediately unpacked it and tried it on the guitar in my office (with really dead strings). I was able to tune it up so easily and accurately, I just couldn't believe how well it functions. If it holds up as well as it functions, this will be a long-term love affair!

[Jim Broyles]

Guess I'll see it tomorrow night, huh, Jim? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[jim simpson]

yes!

[kyblue]

You know, the more I use this thing, the more I like it. Think I need to order a couple more, too; maybe someone will take the old Intellitouch ones off my hands!

Paula

[Jim Broyles]

Been having trouble with my Intellitouch tuner, so I just ordered me one too.

[Joe F]

Those little tuners are popping up at jams all over the Twin Cities area. #The bass player at the local old-timey jams ordered a bunch of them just before Christmas, and recently placed an order for several more. #He's selling them at cost, and by spreading the S&H costs over several units, the price is very reasonable ($25).

I like my Korg CA-30 tuner, but I haven't touched it since I got this one.

[ootee1]

I'd be happy with any alternative to the intellitouch tuners. Good idea but poor execution in my estimation. I ordered one of these IMT's from metmusic last friday but I guess we overwhelmed them. Mine is backordered for another week. Too late for mandolin camp http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[Denny Lytle]

I just ordered one from Metro. Music and got this reply. It looks like they have a new shipment coming in. FYI

Thank you for your order placed on our website for the #17307 Intelli Clip-On Tuners.
We are currently out of stock of this item although we have a shipment on the way. Our shipment is expected to arrive early next week. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Once our shipment arrives your order will ship out immediately. You will receive email notification of your package from "QuantumView" the day the order is sent.
Again, thank you for your order.

Sincerely,

Metropolitan Music Co.
Toll-Free - 866-846-5461
Phone - 802-253-4814
Fax - 802-253-9834
www.metmusic.com

[Brady Smith]

Got mine today..they are fantastico. #Guess it's good bye to the others.

[mandoh]

I work at Flea Market Music/ The Magic Fluke. I believe we just started carrying these tuners though Im not sure weather they're on our website or what they cost. Also we started carrying a folding stand made by Meisel that works very well for mando even though we sell them for ukes. Just a heads up.
Aaron

[otterly2k]

just got one on the 'bay from indiana guitars... I like the Intellitouch fine, and it fits in my OM case... but not in the mando case. thought I'd give it a try based on all these good reviews. I'll chime in when I've had a chance to give it a try.

[Brady Smith]

Problem is...I'm not getting any playing done now. Just kinda sit there and tune and untune...tune and untune....

Think I'll clamp it on the dog's nose next and wind her tail up and see what happens. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[otterly2k]

brady...

step AWAY from the tuner...!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

and for goodness sake, leave the dog alone!

[Brady Smith]

Yes....I will leave the dog alone...I already know that growl is a G.

[otterly2k]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
roflmao

[Doug Edwards]

OK, you guys convinced me and I got the fever. I just ordered one off EBay for $34, almost bought two. This guy had a ton of these at one time and they seem to be going fast. I weighed the supply/demand equation and decided the $22 price won't be there very long. Maybe I'll get another later from a cheaper source.

IMT Tuner (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7403290230&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1)

[mandoh]

I'm sorry but is intelli the manufacturer or just a distributer. The ones here at flea market music say meisel, also, I saw a picture of one that said music 123. They are all obviously the same tuner but who is making them?

[Brady Smith]

There is no indication of any sorts as to who manufactures them on the box or on the instruction sheet. Closest thing to it says Intelli IMT-500 and made in Korea.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi - I've had one of these tuners for a few months now & i think that they are a great little gizmo.For Banjo & Guitar
they work ok,but they seem to get lost a bit on Mandolin. When tuning the 4th strings,it seems to register D instead of G unless i really hit the string hard.It's not that the Mandolin is unresponsive,i just think that i'm getting some overtones in there somehow,
Saska

[ApK]

There are several recent threads over at the forums on www.acousticguitar.com comparing this Intelli/Meisel tuner with the Seiko STX1 and also the Korg and the Intellitouch as well. I just ordered a Seiko (found one for under $40) based on those reviews, but if I had seen this one for $19.99 like the OP, I'd probabaly have gone for it.

[Steve Perry]

Looks like FQMS might be carrying them... #Branded as Morgan Monroe.

Morgan Monroe Intelli tuner (http://www.fqms.com/Morgan_Monroe_Clip-On_Intelli__P21377C2538.cfm)

Steve Perry

[otterly2k]

Well, whatever label is on it, it's a terrific tuner. Mine just arrived today. While I like the Intellitouch fine, this one definitely surpasses it. The dayglo green backlight is better than the red of the I'touch. It seems more sensitive and stable in picking up the vibrations, and gives tuning info in finer and more meaningful increments. The size is perfect, imho, as it fits in the pickbox of my mando case easily. I'll be keeping both, but suspect that I'll use this one more.

[Doug Edwards]

[QUOTE]"Morgan Monroe Clip-On Intelli List $39.95" (FQMS price $29.95)

I guess the supply/demand is driving them up a bit. Perhaps the Intellitouch will come down in pricing, you rarely see them less than $50.

[Clyde Clevenger]

I ordered 3 of them from Shar Music, $19.99 each plus $8.50 shipping, for one or all three. Says they are backordered, but I can wait, I have a drawer full of tunners right next to my drawer full of tail pieces, and bridges and nuts and end pins and bridge pins and strings I'm going to try one day. I'm not either, yes you are, leave me alone, you will never change, what about you!.

Both of us.

[Jim Broyles]

Just got mine. It is very easy to read and the clamp holds better than my Intellitouch does. We'll see how she holds up. I like it that you can aim it so you can actually see it without twisting your neck while tuning a mandolin.

[ApK]

For those who care: I got my Seiko STX-1 today (next day, woo hoo!) and it works VERY well on the mandolin, and the guitar, not so good on the fiddle. (My $8 Dana w/$5 suction cup pickup works best on the fiddle). It's small enough to fit easily in the mando case accessory compartment. (Pickbox? Is that what it's called? No wonder it's so pathetically small, then.)

[david blair]

I've been using a high quality strobe tuner lately, really like it. I think that my ear has also improved to notice smaller differences. For fun I compared the tuners recently, first tuning to perfect pitch with strobe, and comparing to my Intelli-. I was flat according to the Intelli, about one bar above middle showing for all the strings.
Has anyone read the instructions and attempted to adjust their Intelli?

[Doug Edwards]

Just got mine today, really cool. The smaller size is perfect for the mandolin case. The tuner also is easier for me to read than my Intellitouch. I end up with a few more.

Just for fun I put in my mouth and hummed. Worked good except for me being flat.

[Doug Edwards]

The smaller size fite well in the small compartment of my double case.

[Adam Tracksler]

I got one from angiesbanjo.com. I like it alot. Its super accurate and I have an easier tine tuning when other people ar eplaying with it. I'd give it 2 thumbs up!

[erick]

I got mine today and they work great for mandos. On guitars the low strings make the keys of the Intelli rattle a bit, which was somewhat annoying to me.

[danmills]

Posted by Svea at the Acoustic Player Magazine forum.

"By the way, if you get one and it makes a rattling sound when left on the headstock, it can be fixed in about 10 minutes. What is actually vibrating are those three buttons you push to turn it on and change settings. You need a very small Phillips head screw driver to take it apart and then you need to put something in the corners of the housing where the back of the buttons are. For the price I didn't mind fixing this annoyance. There is really not much to this tuner after looking inside. I imagine that a few knock-offs of these will come along soon."

[jim_n_virginia]

OK, OK I guess curiosity got to me and I ordered a Intelli of of eBay and got it for $29.95 and $4.95 shipping.

Now I have two Intelletouch tuners and they work pretty good. Great for noisey dimly lit jams. I think that using an Intellitouch is easier the more you use it as I watch new users stuggle to tune with it and ones who have had one for a while have no problem. One of the small problems with and Intellitouch we can all agree I think is the tuner gets a little wonky when the battery starts to get weak, they are heavey and will fall off if you swing to hard and the worst is even when you get it tuned many times you still need to tweak by ear to get the tuning perfect, at least I do.

Now... I got my Intelli IMT 500 pretty quickly in the mail. I open it and a little disapointed that it doesn't come with a case. I'll need one so I can carry it in my pocket or so it doesn't get scratched up from all the junk in my case compartment.

I did get instructions with mine and it was very easy to understand. There are only 3 buttons. The first buttom lets you tune a guitar with the capo on. You can click the button four times and tune a guitar with a capo on the 4th fret. Click it two times and tune with the capo on the second fret and so one.

For all you mandolin capo users http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif you can tune your mandolin without taking the capo of while you are playing Rawhide!

The second button turns it off and on and the third calibrates it. Thats all, very simple.

Now first off I am impressed how simple the tuners is and how accurate it is, on the mandolin anyways. Tunes my guitar once with no problem but mostly just used it on mandolin.

One of the usful things I have already discovered is that you can leave it clipped on and watch each note played as you play. This will be invaluable in my studies. I tried it on my fiddle and it tunes great also and I tried bowing a string and it picks up also which is totally cool so I will be able to use this tuner for my fiddle lessons too.

I have already put my Intellitouch tuners up and I am already looking on eBay for another as a backup.

What a joy it is to find useful equipment! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Lane Pryce]

Mine came in the mail from Shar yesterday and it is incredibly small. The functionality is great; good bye Intellitouch! Lp

[Strange1]

Can it be read easily on LH instruments? Thanks

Jack

[Lane Pryce]

Left hand right hand no hands ---- this little tuner is great. The head swivels so it can be seen from all positions. Lp

[Lefty&French]

...this little tuner is great. The head swivels so it can be seen from all positions. Lp
I agree! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif (Tested and approved by the whole band)

[EdSherry]

I just got mine (from Metropolitan Music). Great tuner. Much better than the Intellitouch (IMHO). I've had problems with the Intellitouch LCDs giving out over time (e.g., the middle left arrow no longer lights up). Hopefully, the IMT will not suffer from the same problems.

[LBMando]

Man, after reading this thread I had to order a couple for myself too...I have 2 coming in and hope they live up to what everyone says...

[Jim Broyles]

One month report:
The tuner is accurate, and I haven't gotten any false notes while tuning as yet. I sometimes used to get E instead of A and B instead of E with the Intellitouch, and sometimes I'd even get the note a major third above the note I was playing.

If I could order my ideal tuner I'd get a clamp-on tuner with a real needle, like my old Arion HU-8400 guitar tuner. To me, the virtual needle seems to lock in before you have it perfectly tuned. Or it could be just me... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Morgan Monroe Guy]

I sold these tuners for 3 months before I actually tried one.

I own one of the deluxe Intellitouch and have never really liked it. (I own 18 tuners including my former 2 favorite seiko and Boss TU-1) Shame on me for waiting so long to try it. These tuners are the bomb and I have forsaken all of my other tuners in favor of this one.

The band I play in has drums and electric bass, plus we play a lot of noisy enviroments besides, it tunes accurately no matter what the back ground noise.

Call me old school, but I don't like to use tuners with rows of lights near as well as needles. The needle rocks!

The low profile large screen WOW!!

This is hands down the best portable tuner I have ever used!

I talk to 100's of musicians every week and have not found one that tried this tuner and did not feel the same. (regardless of what they were using before)

Peace

Mike

[Ira Chavis]

Down with Intellitouch, long live the Intelli IMT 500 Chromatic Tuner. I bought 2 at merlefest

[Lane Pryce]

I am really loving mine! My Intellitouch is in the spare case and has not been used since I got my Intelli. Lp

[Doug Edwards]

I ended up buying two of them. #Where can you buy stock in this company? The darn thing is hot.

I just spoke with Neal at Glenrose music. He gets these through Morgan Monroe. Right now he's back ordered on the things.

[GeneK]

Gotta add my positive vote for the IMT-500 too. Have retired the INTELLITOUCH.

For the fun of it,tried it out on two guitars and an electric bass at church. Works great on everything. Ordered thru METROPOLITAN MUSIC. Fast turnaround and great price.

Made a funky case out of a washcloth folded and sewed. Gives plenty of protection in my gig bag.

[Fliss]

It's time I owned up and said I've got two of these too. I bought one about 6 weeks ago, and really like it, so since that one lives in the case with my flat top, I had to get another to keep with my bowlback! I can feel a third coming on, to keep with my guitar. But one of the big plus points for me is that it fits in my mandolin case.

I got mine from Teampro music in the south of England via the web.

Fliss

[mandopixie]

I saw one advertized this morning and jumped on it (ordering it, that is)!
They shipped it right away, and there doesn't seem to be a shortage at: http://www.oasishumidifiers.com/tuner.html
It has to be better than that Korg clip-on, and it looks like it would outperform the 'Intellitouch'.
I saw these postings only after I ordered mine..

[Doug Edwards]

I bought mine from David at Oasis as well. Very good to deal with and fast turn around.

[dj coffey]

As of this morning (Sat. May 6th), the Podium in Minneapolis has some in stock. Marty was adjusting my bridge and showed me his. Darn cool!

[ab4usa]

Also a happy Oasis customer. When I saw he was from my home town I just went over and picked it up. He tells me that he is going to be working ion a humidifier for mandolins soon.

[Scott Tichenor]

The owner of this company recently registered here so maybe he'll come out of the woodwork and introduce himself.

[Gail Hester]

"The owner of this company recently registered here so maybe he'll come out of the woodwork and introduce himself."

That would be great Scott. We've had ours for about a month and it's just a terrific product. The big difference seems to be its ability to work well on a noisy stage.

[otterly2k]

I like mine a lot... my only (minor) complaint is the button rattle that someone else described above somewhere. Didn't happen at first, but a few weeks into using it, I starting hearing it. Not a very big deal, and not enough to keep me from liking it better than the other tuners I"ve tried, but something that I hope will be worked on in future versions...

[neal]

Ok, I broke down with all the reviews here and elsewhere and got one off Ebay. My new favorite tuner. Intelli. Now I guess I'll just sell the Intellitouch, which works fine, but I like the almost analog setup of the Intelli.

Thanks for the tip. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[bluesmandolinman]

I ordered one too.
Received it - tried it - love it !
small and precise
thanks for the recommendations http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[adgefan]

I have good and bad experiences with this new tuner.

Firstly, I will agree that the size, backlight and display all make this far superior to the Intellitouch tuner. Also the clamp for attaching to the instrument is much higher quality and seems much sturdier.

Unfortunately, I still get the same problems I had with the intellitouch in terms of it giving out the wrong note. It tells me my Gs are Ds for example. Not a huge problem, but not an improvement on my old tuner. I also find the needle "sticks" and you have to wait a long time for it to return before you can start tuning the second string of each pair. The most annoying thing is that it picks up other instruments which the Intellitouch never did. This is especially true with basses, so I guess it must be particuarly sensitive to lower frequencies.

I think in terms of functionality it is almost identical to the Intellitouch. However, I think it is preferable to the Intellitouch due to it's compact size and cheaper price.

[lawdawg]

I have good and bad experiences with this new tuner.
Trying changing battery to cure the G/D problem. Mine did this after a while and new batteries cured it. Also, I have tuned amidst some the hardest driven playing and tightest circles imaginable without picking up other instruments?

[adgefan]

Trying changing battery to cure the G/D problem. Mine did this after a while and new batteries cured it. Also, I have tuned amidst some the hardest driven playing and tightest circles imaginable without picking up other instruments?
I've only had the tuner for a couple of weeks so the battery isn't the problem. As for picking up other instruments it may be that my mandolin is resonating slightly when other instruments play and the tuner is picking up that. Like I said, I still prefer it to the Intellitouch despite these problems.

[Joe F]

I've found that mine is a bit slow to respond to the G strings, but other than that the tuner is great. #I haven't used my Korg CA-30 (which I loved) since I got this one.

Go to any jam session in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, and you'll see little black squares clamped to the headstocks of most of the instruments there.

[dhepple]

Hi, I'm Dave Hepple...I noticed a call for an introduction, so here I am. I have been a guitarist since the age of thirteen. The closest thing I have to a mandolin is a 1963 Gibson Hummingbird. In real life I am a financial advisor (CFP), but I also run a small business called Oasis, Inc. After dissappointment with others brands of humidifiers, I invented one for the guitar. I am working on humidifiers for other instruments including the mandolin. Some of you folks have purchased the Intelli IMT-500 tuner from me. I found it at the NAMM show this January and was quite impressed. It took me awhile to figure out that mandolincafe.com was the origin of many sales. THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS! Dave Hepple

[Doug Edwards]

Hi Dave,

I enjoyed our correspondence the other day. Since you were looking for suggestions for a mandolin humdifier design, this is a great place to ask. There's some pretty savy people here on the board and more opinons than you'd ever be able to sort out.

You might want to start a thread on what we'd like to see in a mandolin humdifier. I'm sure plenty would share their thoughts.

[Roydw3]

David, I too ordered one this past week as a result of the recommendations on mondolinecafe.com - I am waiting eagerly for the tuner. I use a pitch pipe most of the time...people think I am crazy, but when they check my tuning, I am usually right on. The downside is when I am in a big group and there is lots of noise. I can hear the pitch pipe, but can't hear the strings. Anyway, I can't wait for the tuner. Thanks so much
Denny

[lawdawg]

Welcome - Dave.

Thanks for the tuner - it was the talk of the jam sessions at a bg festival I attended last week. It was clipped to everything from a mando to a tub base & worked just fine.

Loren

[mike_c]

after using mine for several weeks i have discovered that i can carefully tune my mando with it,,and it is NOT in tune when i'm done... i went back to my seiko

[Tom Smart]

I agree with mike_c that it's not a very accurate tuner. You can perfectly center the needle on each of the two strings in a pair, and end up with a pair that is still noticeably out of tune. It *seems* really accurate because it usually locks in on the right note and the needle is so stable compared to other tuners. But you could just remove the batteries and paint a perfectly centered needle on any tuner, and you'd have the most stable (but inaccurate) tuner ever made.

That said, I still really like this tuner for its usability. It's by far the easiest one to use I've ever tried, especially in a noisy setting. But in a quieter setting, or on stage, just be aware that the Intelli will get you within a couple of cents, and you'll want to rely on your ears to get the tuning perfect from there.

[dhepple]

Dave Hepple here...I am looking for input regarding the humidifier for a mandolin. Is this the particular forum? Should I be making this posting in another section?

[ootee1]

I've got to agree that the accuracy of this tuner is questionable. I thought it was just my ears but it seems that others also hear a problem. I was just at a jam and I was definitely flat as compared to the rest of the group even though the tuner said I was dead on. I've also noticed that it will tell me that both strings are right on but I can hear that they are different from each other.

[mandopixie]

5-9-06 ( 9:08pm PST)
Well, I was very excited to get mine. #Unfortunately it was somewhat of an anticlimax. # I wish this were a positive feedback, but I am sorry to have to report a sub-par performance from this tuner. It is not even as accurate as my Intellitouch, which I thought I was imagination. The IMT failed to register small increments which my ear picked up. When mounted side by side, the pudding eaten was indeed proven. My old tuner is more sensitive than my new one! I had wanted to retire it, but that is not going to happen, for now at least.
I don't know if this is a defect in the individual unit, or in the overall design. Judging by the widely varied feedback here, it looks like the jury is still out on this one.
Not best pleased..

[Roydw3]

Just received mine today. I have played with it quite a bit. It is so much easier to use than my guitar tuner. I spend so much time on my guitar tuner trying to get it right. The needle really helped. It was great. I did notice that it is not as precise as my other tuner, but when it was locked in, I could make the final adjustment by ear (which I prefer anyway). I used it as I played for about an hour, and it was right on the entire time.

[Clyde Clevenger]

I've had two for a couple of weeks now and they are dead on. I've checked them with a tuning fork, and several of my "high end" tuners. And this one only cost $19.95 It's as good as my best Seiko and about 1/10th price. Maybe I'll keep the Seiko, just to keep tabs on the Intelli???

[mandoisland]

I got mine last week, and used it since the.

I can confirm that the resolution of this tuner arount the center ist not extremely precise. I have the impression that the "needle" stays fixed even if the tone changes slightly, so probably other tuners are more precise than the intelli IMT-500.

But the size and usability of this tuner is really great, and I think if you have got used to it you will be able to tune your instrument quickly and precise. Maybe the next version of this will have a better resolution near the center. I will compare it to my intellitouch later.

[Davetnova]

I've just ordered one and was offerred the mt900 instead, suppossedly a newer model with more features. It hasn't arrived yet so I haven't had a chance to try it. Has anyone else used a 900?

[R. Kane]

I can confirm that the resolution of this tuner arount the center ist not extremely precise. I have the impression that the "needle" stays fixed even if the tone changes slightly, so probably other tuners are more precise than the intelli IMT-500.
Try damping the other string of the pair. The tuner may be picking up vibrations from both the string you've struck and its mate.

[mike_c]

we ain't letting two strings ring at once...there is a big range the string can vary and the tuner says it's all dead on.

[fredfrank]

I've noticed that, too. I just let the string quiet down and then give the tuner another chance. Or I'll tune one string in a pair and then tune the other by ear. Kinda a pain, but they are so convenient!

[Lane Pryce]

I checked mine against my intellitouch and it is dead on ---- if the intellitouch is right that is. Lp

[fredfrank]

there is a big range the string can vary and the tuner says it's all dead on.
Maybe this tuner is in the "close enough for bluegrass" mode!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
I shoulda held off buying mine . . . I coulda picked yours up cheap, Mike!

[LBMando]

I just go my two and love them...They are compact and fit in my Calton...

[jim_n_virginia]

I just double checked mine and it is dead on. I own 3 other tuners and plus 2 Intellitouch tuners and it is 10X easier than all the others.

Now I tune one of a pair by tuner and then tune the other by ear. Kinda defeats the idea of tuning in a noisy environment but I have always tuned this way even with other tuners.

What makes it worth it's weight in gold is you can leave it clipped to the headstock with NO worry of it falling off and while you are gigging or at the jam if something sounds sharp or flat you can make an instant change.

I love it and am going to buy another for home and one for the case! The two Intellitouch tuners I used to use are now retired to a desk drawer!

[mike_c]

fred,,memorial weekend we could have a "whine about my new tuner" mando jam.

[fredfrank]

It's a date! We could also throw a "Try my Pick" party where we get out all the picks we've tried and drive the rest of the folks nuts!

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[ApK]

I've only had the tuner for a couple of weeks so the battery isn't the problem.
The batteries could still be the problem. Many electronic devices come with testing batteries only, and may be near dead when you get them.

[Tom Smart]

Instead of saying it's not very accurate, I probably should have said it doesn't have very high resolution. If you look closely, the needle moves in 2-cent increments. So even if it picks up the note perfectly, there's still a lot of slop in the display that will result in your instrument being audibly out of tune if you don't fine-tune it by ear.

I still think it's a great little device though, and it has replaced my Seiko as the one I carry in my case.

[Lane Pryce]

Maybe Dave Hepple can fine tune the design with some improvements. I would really like to see a nice compact analog design with a real needle to go in my case. Lp

[Clamdigger]

I just tuned(pun intended)into this thread after trying to tune my MT using the IMT 500 tuner for the first time. After checking it with my two Korgs, I also found it was not accurate. Sure is a good idea though. Clamdigger

[EdSherry]

I agree that the IMT is not "as accurate" as some other tuners (such as my Peterson StroboStomp, which is the most accurate portable tuner I've ever used, and I've used virtually everything on the market at one time or another). #But it's a heck of a lot more convenient, as well as far less expensive.

Any tuner that relies on a built-in mic inherently has problems, especially in a noisy environment (i.e., most jams). #If you're relying on a pickup plugged into a tuner, then you're already talking about 3X to 10X the price of the IMT.#

I find I use my IMT more to "get in the [very close] ballpark" and then fine-tune by ear. #

I agree it would be nice to have an analog needle, along with other nice features (e.g., the "sharp/flat/right on" arrows like on my Boss TU-12H), but that's a MUCH more expensive proposition, and I don't know any (technical) way to build that into a product that (a) you can clip to your headstock and (b) sells for under $30.

[ApK]

I'm pretty sure that contact tuners like these use a a peizo transducer, not a microphone, when in contact mode, and if so, that IS essentially a pickup direct to the tuner.
I'm not familiar with the Boss you mention -- what do you mean by "sharp/flat/right on arrows." That sounds like the three LEDs on just about every cheap tuner I own. (I own about 6 or 7, none over $50)

[EdSherry]

I agree with ApK that the IMT (like the Intellitouch) has a piezo contact, rather than a mike. #What I was referring to is that most other tuners either use a small mic, or require a line-in 1/4" signal (or both). #The latter requires that you have a signal source (whether an instrument pickup, like the Fishman, or a "tuner pickup" that clamps to the instrument somehow). #In either case, you're talking about more $$ than the IMT. #(For example, Musician's Friend sells a "Matrix" tuner pickup for $14.99, and you need a tuner as well; I paid $22 plus shipping for my IMT from Metropolitan Music.) #

The "three LEDs" are present on a lot of tuners, but not on the IMT. #The TU-12H (and its brother the TU-12) is, in my experience, the longstanding "industry standard" tuner, going for about $70 at Musician's Friend.

[Baron Collins-Hill]

i just ordered one from elderly, its backordered until june 2nd, but ill let you know when i get it.

baron

[sbarnes]

i got one based on all the early reviews here.....
it's not extremely accurate but is very convenient and gets you 'in the ballpark'....
definately better than my 2 previous korgs.....
but probably not a 'better mousetrap'

[Jeff Baldwin]

[QUOTE]t's not extremely accurate but is very convenient and gets you 'in the ballpark'....

tuners are tools and require practice and the skills that come with experience
to be "accurate". A plane, perfectly trued and sharp, does not impart a level, smooth service... the person operating the plane does.

While there have been a number of posts questioning the accuracy of this little tuner, I find it no less accurate than any I have used

Jeff

[ApK]

Hmm...testing the accuracy of tuners...I see a business opportunity for anyone who has an audio test oscillator sitting around!

[kyblue]

I've tested mine against several tuners (intellitouch, korg, etc.) It's been as accurate, and I can get there faster. And, as said before, it is smaller, fits in Peg case. To me, that is a better mousetrap.

No, I don't have a strobe tuner to test it against. But, I don't care.

Paula

[Jim Hilburn]

I said it in the first thread about these and I'll say it again here.
Regardless of whether they work or not it's pretty cheezy to name it so close to Intellitouch and try to give the appearance that it's one of their products.
If it's so great let it stand on it's own.

[TonyP]

here here! well said Jim

[R. Kane]

Its a little strange seeing a thread that I had started take off like this. Hard to read, but also hard not to read everyone's posts. I definitely should have added a question mark after the mousetrap subheading. Since its not possible to edit that part of the thread, let me editorially add a question mark here: a better mousetrap? And I didn't discover these gadgets: I read about them in the IGS forum. For the record, I have no interest in this product.

I sort of agree with Jim H's post about copping the Intellitouch name, but for all we know, Intelli may have been in business somewhere before Intellitouch. They have a bunch of other products. see (http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/intelli.htm)

I am more interested to see what Intellitouch does about this challenge from a competitive product standpoint. And Intellitouch has repaired or replaced 2 of my tuners when I asked them, whereas Intelli doesn't tell you how to contact them, so I'm not expecting any customer service. Maybe that's the $45 difference.

I'm also thinking these little tuners are not all uniformly accurate: my first was a good one, I gave that one away to someone, and its replacement isn't nearly as accurate. YMMV. For $19 retail, how much quality control is being exercised when they're being made? Maybe there are bad batches, like everything else. Or its just random.

Would somebody please start a new thread on this thing?

[EdSherry]

Re variability: I would be VERY surprised if any variability is due to the electronics. Rather, I would expect that variability would be due to how well the piezo transmits the signal to the electronics, which in turn depends on how well the clamp works. It would not surprise me that that could vary from tuner to tuner. I suspect it's a matter of tinkering with the placement until you get a good connection between the tuner and the instrument.

[dhepple]

Has anyone purchased the Intelli IMT-900. If so, does anyone have any comments on its performance?

Thanks

Dave Hepple

[Baron Collins-Hill]

i got it and love it, super small, super nice, super accurate. woohoo

[BluegrassGirl26]

I just got one Saturday. It's great and I love it but did I get ripped off? My friend got one too. We both paid twenty bucks but his lights up and mine doesn't http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif . Is there more than one model or did I just get the short end of the stick #again?

[JGWoods]

I said it in the first thread about these and I'll say it again here.
Regardless of whether they work or not it's pretty cheezy to name it so close to Intellitouch and try to give the appearance that it's one of their products.
If it's so great let it stand on it's own.
So my "Hilbarn" mandolins I am making...probably not a good idea? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Jim Hilburn]

It has been noted in the other Intelli thread that there are other Intelli products, hand-held tuners and metronomes, which are also bargain priced items. I had
never seen them before and don't know how long they've been around, but that fact does shine a new light on the subject. If an existing product line decided to get into the clip-on tuner market and by co-incidence had a similar name, then I have absolutely no problem with it.

[R. Kane]

Lighten up everybody, please, and let's put this thread to bed.

[fishinNbanjo]

While I have never tried one of these, I love my Inteletouch, I just think that they are a little steep in price, maybe these will bring the price of them down http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Ken Sager]

I bought the Intelli, and wish I had bought more batteries for my Intellitouch instead.

I only wish the Intelli was as accurate as the Intellitouch. Not even close. The Intelli requires a great deal more fine tuning beyond what the indicator reads while the Intellitouch is much closer to dead on. Trying to tune on stage with the Intelli is a waste of time, since it takes longer to fine tune than simply using the Intellitouch. The Intellitouch is simply more accurate and faster to use.

The weakness of the Intellitouch? They are prone to falling apart when they hit the ground. My current Intellitouch is a FrankenTuner cobbled together from three broken tuners. It works perfectly when it's in one piece.

THE PRECEDING MESSAGE WAS MERELY MY OPINION, just in case some of you were mistaking my comments for fact.

Big love to all,
Ken

That's amazing, my Intelli's have been right on. I just bought my fourth one. I check them against my gold standard an old Korg.

[dunbarhamlin]

For rough and ready these are good, but there's at least 8 or 9 Hertz slop in them (just gauged by listening to beats.) If I needed to be spot on, short of a decent strobe tuner I'd still use a fork.

[judith]

Oh man, I hestitate - we probably should put this baby to bed. BUT, 3 things I can say about Intelli - one, I often get a false reading on the G course (it says "D"), but I ignore it and when the needle says its on, it usually is. Two, I love it that the needle is steady and does not jump all around. It's overall less frantic and easy to follow. Three, though its movement is a little slow sometimes, I also find that easier to read. No more from me. J

[Ken Sager]

I'll give more for why mine isn't accurate: I can tune both strings of any pair separately until the dial is dead center. Each string individually reads dead on in tune. Played together they are out of tune enough to vibrate. My problem is knowing which sring to correct. Once I pick one I have to then tune each pair to that first choice, but without the tuner. Once that is done it's a crapshoot whether I'm in tune with anybody else.

It's just easier with my Intellitouch.

That's it for me, too.

Love to all,
Ken

[jim_n_virginia]

I'll give more for why mine isn't accurate: It's just easier with my Intellitouch.
Ken maybe you got a bad one? As with anythinmg that is so mass produced as it seems these little tuners are it's going to be hit or miss and judging buy the comments on the thread it's mostly a hit.

I test mine against my Intellitouch (I have two of them) and it is every bit as accurate and three times as fast which to me is important when you are up on stage.

Is the Intelli spot on? No it isn't but neither is my Intellitouch. Also I only tune the first string to the tuner and then tune the paired string by ear to match the the one I tuned by the tuner. I can do this very, very quickly and as long as it is between songs I don't have any problems.

I think these tuners are great for what they are designed for. For festivals, BG jams and tuning up quickly during a performance but I wouldn't use one for recording, tap tuning a top etc.

My Intellitouch's are in a drawer now and my Intelli is in my case and the funniest thing is when I go to weekly practice or my weekly BG jam and I tune up it usually gets passed around and everyone tunes up with it (it works GREAT on an upright bass LOL!

[John M. Riley]

the real question is...are these intelli's as good as the clip on korgs that came out not too long ago?
I have one of the korgs and it is killer. I just ordered an intelli, so i guess i will find out.

[adgefan]

Well, here's an update on my experience with the Intelli. As I mentioned previously in this thread, the size and convenience was a positive factor which made me use it more than my intellitouch. However, as time has passed I find myself going back to the intellitouch again. Why? Well, the Intelli takes forever to reset itself between each string, so tuning takes a long time. And when tuning pairs of strings, it can report they are both tuned the same - then I start playing and they're way out. It pick ups other instruments in a jam which is intensly annoying. I simply cannot use it to tune in a session unless I get up and leave the circle.

So I've gone back to the intellitouch. That has some issues too, but at least I can tune up in a loud session with it. From others reports it seems that these tuners aren't consistent. I know plenty of other people who use these tuners in jams with no problem so it's not a bad tuner by definition. I just seem to have got a dodgy one.

[Lane Pryce]

I purchased the Intelli primairly because of the size. Since then I have purchased another case and my Intellitouch fits in the acessory box. Guess I'll sell the Intelli since I already have two Intellitouch tuners. Otherwise the Intelli is a dang decent tuner. Lp

[jackofall]

I have an Intelli, an Intellitouch, a Korg and a no-name £15 guitar tuner that's about 11 years old. On the old cheapie and the Korg I use a plug-in clip-on contact mic.

After reading the variable opinions here I gave them a good ABCD test. Turned out that they all seem to be about as "accurate" - that is to say they all tend to agree with each other about whether or not my mando strings are in tune.

The G reporting as D glitch I have seen on the Intellitouch and the Intelli. In both cases a change of batteries improved things a whole lot. Performancewise, these two seem pretty evenly matched. Both are sensitive to positioning and I find they work most accurately on my Eastman 504 when clipped in one spot to tune G and D and then in a different spot to tune A and E.

Both work best if you are careful to damp the strings you're not tuning. Similarly, both work best if between attempts you damp all strings and give the unit a few seconds to settle.

As has been observed, if you want total accuracy, go for a fork or a strobo. On the other hand, if you just want a good, affordable tuner that will get things close enough for a gig, and that works against background noise, then either the Intelli or the rickety old Intellitouch are perfectly good tuners. Especially compared to most of the other stuff out there.

I am fond of the Korg tuner, but to be honest it isn't as convenient and it pretty much agreed with what the clip-ons told me anyhow.

Meh, with the units I have I see no reason to complain at all. I'm satisfied with 'em all.

[Tim]

I recently bought the IMT-500. #Similar to the previous post, it matched the Intellitouch when tuning my Weber Gallatin. #I also have a Freshwater octave. #The Intellitouch doesn't register anything on that instrument - I always have to use a Korg for that one. #I tried the IMT-500 and it picked up gave tuning info for that instrument.

I do like the finer adjustment that the "needle" gives versus the three arrows on the Intellitouch.

[John M. Riley]

ive been trying to use to imt-500 the past couple of gigs. i dont think that it is half as good as my other clip-on korg

[mandopete]

Well, see now I thought it was an Intellitouch - just goes to show you how close I looked at the label! #Given both the size and price it's pretty hard to resist purchasing one of these little jewels. #Lights up in dark, does chromatic and even looks like a needle - I'm sold. #And so was everyone else at the Darrington Bluegrass Festival last weekend. #You couldn't hardly show up at jam without seeing one of these. #

My initial impression is that they are not as accurate as the tradional tuners that utilize a clip-on transducer. #I'll have to play around with it a bit more and try it out on the old cow bell <grins>.

[Steve G]

I just received a couple of these yesterday. Oh my stars, I believe they've done it and howdy! I highly reccommend.