Best clip on tuner for acoustics

Matthutch · August 2020

Hi all.

I've got a couple of cheap clip on tuners and they're OK but not massively accurate and are flakey on the bottom E string. Who's got a recommendation for me? The Korg Sledgehammer Pro looks good and not hugely expensive (although extremely melodramatically named!)

I'd rather buy something good once than buy something half good first, then have to buy something good later on anyway.

Who uses what and would you recommend it (tuners to steer clear of just as welcome as ones to seek out!)?

Cheers,
Matt

munckee · August 2020

TC Polytune on all my guitars.

Matthutch · August 2020

Cheers. Saw those and they look good but they seem to be out of stock everywhere!

camf · August 2020

TC Unitune Clip - best I've ever used. But not available for now. I've two but I'll buy another ASAP.

drofluf · August 2020

Red Snark or the D’Addario sound hole one https://www.amazon.co.uk/DAddario-PW-CT-15-Micro-Sound-Tuner/dp/B018K9K034

Roland · August 2020

Polytune’s what I use

ICBM · August 2020

I also use a TC Polytune Clip.

Yes, I would recommend it.

bandmaster188 · August 2020

My planet waves/D’addario tuner has been really good and doesn’t chew through batteries.
i bought a boss TU01 clip on A while back and although It’s steady and clear in the tuning department, it seems eat batteries at an alarming rate.

hollywoodrox · August 2020

I have the TC for my electric, but it’s the one that tunes one string at a time ,

Matthutch · August 2020

Thanks everyone. Typically the runaway winner so far is out of stock everywhere

blobb · August 2020

the strobe one, peterson.

Linky

Strat_a_tat_tat · August 2020

Peterson. Very accurate tuner.

BigMonka · August 2020

Personally I prefer a soundhole tuner on my acoustic as it's much neater looking and doesn't need to be taken off when putting the guitar in a case. The one I'm using is the D'Addario NS Micro like this...

Image: https://jgwindows.com/media/catalog/product/cache/4f90cae31f10b9531e4d9f25f0805028/p/l/planet-waves-ns-micro-soundhole-tuner-25.gif

Grampa · August 2020

BigMonka said:

Personally I prefer a soundhole tuner on my acoustic as it's much neater looking and doesn't need to be taken off when putting the guitar in a case. The one I'm using is the D'Addario NS Micro like this...

Same as I use, brilliant piece of kit and very unobtrusive. Won't break the bank either.

brucegill · August 2020

The little daddario one in the sound hole is really nice but watch the finish on your guitar, don’t think they’re great for Nitro.

But the Peterson strobe is the best I’ve used. Love it. Don’t use all the “sweetness” personally, but super accurate.

No idea how so many people like the TC though?!

Moe_Zambeek · August 2020

I have a TC and a Peterson. Both work well; I prefer the Peterson because I like strobe tuners and the sweetened tuning for guitar sounds good to me.

camf · August 2020

The TC Unitune is half the price of the Polytune and the Peterson but I found it to be a great wee tuner. I’ve barely heard anyone who has one fault it - especially for the price.

blobb · August 2020

I like the sweetened tunings on acoustic. It's a great little tuner although it always takes me a second to latch my brain onto the strobe direction. Think it tunes my brain for me before I start playing, so if it can do that it must be pretty effective. I used it to tune a violin, I even tried using it to tune my record player (don't ask).

The clamp is an engineering marvel. How on earth it rotates to exacty the place you want it is baffling. To me anyway. I always think I going to snap the arm off but it always falls into place somehow. I like stuff with a bit of character.

Running up against one of those handy to mount snark things, it was way more accurate. They got ditched.

The last bit's always your ears anyway and the strobe is much better for tuning, rather than setting an exact number.

richman6100 · August 2020

Have tried quite a few and now have the Peterson StroboClip HD. Best one I've owned, for sure. The sweetened tunings are really worth trying.

DiscoStu · August 2020

I've got a D'Addario NS Micro soundhole tuner which is great and very discrete. I've also got a TC Polytune clip on which circulates round all my guitars.

Gandalph · August 2020

I bit the bullet and ordered the Peterson StroboClip last week because, as you mention, the tc is out of stock everywhere. At £50+ it’s not inexpensive but imo worth the money. It’s like playing a new guitar compared to when I’ve used my cheaper clip ons! Well worth the extra investment.

jhumber · August 2020

Another vote for the Polytune Clip, which I prefer over the D'addario and Snark ones I've tried in the past. Very accurate, and priced well.

stickyfiddle · August 2020

Polytune clip. Though I mostly tune by ear and rarely use a tuner at home - mostly just for setups, intonation etc.

bbill335 · August 2020

i am yet to find a headstock tuner that doesn't buzz when certain notes are played. not so much an issue on electric but definitely annoying on acoustic. i've had snarks, couple of korgs, TC, no-name snark copies. does the soundhole tuner buzz at all or does it grip enough not to?

ICBM · August 2020

BigMonka said:

Personally I prefer a soundhole tuner on my acoustic as it's much neater looking and doesn't need to be taken off when putting the guitar in a case. The one I'm using is the D'Addario NS Micro like this...

I think I'd find that annoying. I had a mic clip once that went there and it distracted me too much when I was playing - just that there was something unexpected there. I might get used to it, but I'm not sure.

bbill335 said:

i am yet to find a headstock tuner that doesn't buzz when certain notes are played. not so much an issue on electric but definitely annoying on acoustic. i've had snarks, couple of korgs, TC, no-name snark copies.

Surely that's only a problem if you leave it on when you're actually playing?

thermionic · August 2020

I got a Polytune when amazon did them for about £26 (they did this periodically, you have to be lucky). I’d be tempted to get a Unitune now though, as I tune strings individually 99% of the time as the “showing the bottom E as flat bug” annoys me. It’s also accurate enough for intonation adjustments on my electrics.

bbill335 · August 2020

ICBM said:

bbill335 said:

i am yet to find a headstock tuner that doesn't buzz when certain notes are played. not so much an issue on electric but definitely annoying on acoustic. i've had snarks, couple of korgs, TC, no-name snark copies.

Surely that's only a problem if you leave it on when you're actually playing?

it's the only way i've found to NOT lose them!

stickyfiddle · August 2020

The only thing worse than people who leave their clip on tuner attached while playing are those who do it while playing in public...

Snags · August 2020

Going for the other way, to the peasant end of the market, I got fed up with trying to remember which gig bag or case I'd last left the 'decent' clip-on tuner in so bought a few of the super cheapo Donner ones so I could scatter them more liberally around the place, and they've been great.

bobbatone · August 2020

The TC unitune is the best I’ve tried so far, although I find I still have to adjust a fair bit by ear.

stickyfiddle said:

The only thing worse than people who leave their clip on tuner attached while playing are those who do it while playing in public...

This! Especially on a gig. It’s a cardinal sin along with leaving your car keys, wallet and iPhone stuffed in your pockets.

JCA2550 · August 2020

TC Unitune by far the best clip on I've found.

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Best clip on tuner for acoustics

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