Recommendations for a small battery powered tuner

2

200man

Power User
My old kwik-tune is dead...
I need a battery powered hand held job for when I'm on the couch cleaning and changing strings.
Money really not an issue, but build quality, reliability and accuracy are.
What do the pros here like ? :)
 
For string changes- I use the Korg's with the built in jacks-
I'd really recommend the tc electronic polytune clip tuner
 
Definitely consider a clip-on. I use a Snark. Tiny, easy to,read, quick to use, and no cables to hassle with—which is a big plus for couch work, which can be awkward at best.
 
Peterson makes a clip-on battery strobe tuner (StroboClip HD) which runs $60. I mention because I have a StroboPlus HD and that thing is amazing.

I too also have a Snark that is very usable but I don't know how accurate it is. When I tune a guitar with it and then put it on the Peterson I end up making a lot of adjustments. Then I compare the Peterson to the Fractal, which I trust the most and the Peterson and Fractal are very close. I think their most expensive one is $13 and I have this sneaking suspicion you get what you pay for.
 
USMC_Trev said:
I too also have a Snark that is very usable but I don't know how accurate it is. When I tune a guitar with it and then put it on the Peterson I end up making a lot of adjustments.
Click to expand...
I have a couple of Snarks. They're plenty accurate for performance. Not accurate enough for intonation.
 
200man said:
My old kwik-tune is dead...
I need a battery powered hand held job for when I'm on the couch cleaning and changing strings.
Money really not an issue, but build quality, reliability and accuracy are.
What do the pros here like ? :)
Click to expand...
I just realized that I didn't mention intonation...but when the strings change, the intonation is checked so...that is another requirement...sorry for not including...thanks rex

I'm still looking but I liked this one so far:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PitchBlackCust
 
Then there's the Boss TU3:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TU3

stomp pedal peterson:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StompClassic

...and a small hand held style peterson:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StroboPlusHD

the petersons show the string number...but they've got a lot of gimmicky add-ons
the korg has got a big simple display...but kinda funky
the boss is sitting in their boring standard case but is actually pretty popular?

Some folks prefer led speed over lcd speed?

This makes me think to just use the axe to intonate at home and forget it altogether.
I'm actually fond of the axe's tuner. Dam, I'm right back where I started. :)
 
200man said:
This makes me think to just use the axe to intonate at home and forget it altogether.
I'm actually fond of the axe's tuner. Dam, I'm right back where I started. :)
Click to expand...

Excellent choice...
Admin M@ said:
I find that our tuner's precision is very very high.

The Axe-Fx, with its spinning 8-BALL has the greatest precision of any tuner we offer. Using a test oscillator plugin in Logic, I was able to see differences in the speed of the spin between in changes as ridiculously small as 440.00 Hz and 439.99 Hz. The center "dot" offered on the Axe-Fx and AX8 is also extremely precise, registering a shift of one pixel when the pitch changed from 440 Hz 439.96 Hz. The ARROW indicators have a slightly more coarse precision. In my test, the left arrow switched off at 439.28 Hz -- so even this more granular indicator is still very precise.

So in short, I think the AX8 has an extremely precise tuner -- probably more precise in my opinion than you would need for guitar intonation, given that even the best instrument in the world will be out of tune by a greater degrees with the variation from one pick strike to the next, or as you change your posture, move, etc.
Click to expand...
 
Consider that your GAS is a tuner...not a 3k+ boutique amp.

I almost never use a tuner sitting on the couch. But there's a few (free!) metronome/tuner apps that will do the job just fine.
 
I'd have to say a Boss TU-3 and a Polytune are much better than any of the korg pitchblack tuners- i've had them all
 
200man said:
Have you seen their latest? It's unbelievable...it's called the...get this...the DPETERSON
[im sorry...that was bad :) ]
Click to expand...

haha, it's my namesake, so i have to go with peterson stuff.. lol, seriously though I own and have owned a slew of peterson tuners over the years, i still have a real old one with the knob you crank when you change strings, looks like a fish finder. the new stroboplus hd is hard to beat though, rechargable, props up, small enough to fit in case, yet large enough to see easily.
 
Polytune clip is great in my experience - works in loud or bright environments, very fast, accurate, efficient and compact. Surprising what it can do for what it costs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom