old musical instrument tuners #2: CONN STROBOTUNER model ST-6

This is another vintage 'industry standard' instrument tuner, which ever-so-slightly pre-dates the PETERSON model 400 solid-state machine shown yesterday. Made by C. G. CONN LTD. of Elkhart, IN (also known for making band instruments, which I think they still make today?) it is a model SL-6, produced from approx. 1950 into the early 1960's. At that time, these machines were likely much more commonplace than their equivalent Peterson machines for the same purposes (piano tuners, bandrooms, backstage @ symphony or rock concerts, etc. etc.) but they no doubt also provided much inspiration to the Peterson engineers -- in fact, by the mid 1980's the Peterson Company purchased the rights to the CONN line of tuners and assumed official 'factory maintenance/service' for them in addition to their own.

It works in basically exactly the same way, its microphone 'hears' the pitch of an instrument and shows a spinning 'graph' of bars on its backlit display which appear to move slowly to one side or the other (indicating "sharp" or "flat") until the note is "in tune" and the graph remains still. It lives inside a brown texture-painted metal case measuring about 8" x 8" x 10" with a sturdy handle and hardware, its front cover (which holds the mic and power cord when 'stowed') is detachable. Looking into the grille on its backside reveals a glimpse of the glass electron tubes inside. This particular example still has its original factory "warranty registration cards" attached to its handle. :-)