Pitchblack +

Posted by Fozzi from ACOUSTIC LICENCE ex STORM, the REPORTERS,White Lies,theFlying Pirhanas,Xeptu on 27th Nov 2010

I first read a new product review of the Korg Pitchblack + in the monthly Mixdown mag I pick up with Xpress mag @ my fave music shop CONCEPT MUSIC. (My excuse for dropping in every week!)
Of course there was a couple of pedals already in the cupboard @ CONCEPT to have a look at, and I purchased one on the spot.
The road ruggedness of the pedal casting and switches suggests it will outlast other AB switches and floor tuners from 'unnamed brands'(i have had a couple)whose switches and casings just dont survive rigours of live gigging and bumping around in roadcases.

The accuracy of tuning, in my case acoustic guitars, was the first impress; plus i could hook up 2 of my six stringers, or a six and the 12 thru the one unit! Hooking up 2 instruments saves us channels on the desk (and extra leads on stage) and the 'true' bypass is clean as!

Giant LED's and the F1 mode, using meter and full strobe mode, enhance 'reading' of the tuner and visibility is excellent whether on a darkened stage or at an outdoor gig.

The tuning accuracy alone impressed my acoustic duo partner so.... that i returned to purchase 2 more!
One for his rig and a second to use with my 4 and 5 string acoustic basses,the Pitchblack + has a bass tuning mode! They can even power each other and/or other pedals with included 'daisy chain' power leads.

AB switching for 'tuning' and 'switching' instruments is seamless and guitars and channels have no need to be turned off or down when instruments not in use as the tuner mode mutes the output, so changing from one guitar to another or guitar to bass is a pleasant experience for us and punters alike without 'squealing' and 'hums'!
We are pretty much 440 tuners, but the options of open tuning settings and even creating and storing your own will only add to any guitarists 'need' to get hold of one of these!