I now use the NS Micro on all my instruments.
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a vet.
I have two Snarks -- a red and a black. They both work just fine. I've had no problems with either after at least four years. I also have an older Intelli that that is accurate. I'll add that I also have a Peterson Strobo Clip that I hardly ever use, because it's too fidgety for me. It takes longer to use and is no more accurate than the less expensive ones.
awm
I have a Snark that I got free with an Appalachian dulcimer; it's labeled as a ukulele tuner but I've used it for everything from my 6 string electric bass tuned to Drop A to my kantele.
Last edited by parttimepicker; Jan-02-2018 at 2:48pm. Reason: clarity
Breedlove Quartz FF
Eastwood Mandocaster
This is a timely topic for me. I just received a black super tight Snark in the mail today, to supplement my red one. The black seems to have a larger bar on it and is a little less jumpy. It does not seem to have a button where I can adjust for capo position, but maybe I just need to find it.
The "Snark" brand (first time I heard of it was in the last couple of months, in here), is new to me. I did a cursory look-see and noted a few different colors and sizes.
I've owned a couple of different Tuners over the years..........what seemed the most enjoyable to me was a big bright dial, easy to read, and properly functioning.
I don't much care WHAT the name on it is.........I just don't want some obnoxious thing on there. I don't care what "color" it is, at ALL!!!
Breedlove Crossover FF SB
“The weather was so bad even my iPhone was shaking!”
-SDC
Then you'll love the new pink Snark; it's the tuner of the "fuchsia"...
Seriously, though, the reason we discuss red, blue and black Snarks is that they have different features. E.g., the red one has a built-in microphone, to tune instruments that don't offer easy places to clip on a tuner -- for example, the Autoharp. I like having the capability to flip the little switch to "mic" and use the tuner to check a wind instrument, like a harmonica.
The new black one has an easier-to-read display. Sometimes hard to read my red Snarks in direct sunlight.
It's not a question of buying a tuner to match every outfit. In the few years they've been sold, the Snark tuners have grabbed a big market share; I see them on many musicians' instruments, amateur and pro. Not saying they're the best, just that there are a lot of them around.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
I wonder if in the not too distant future tuners like Snarks will be built into mandolins, guitars, etc as a standard feature, the way tuners pretty much already are with acoustic/electric guitars. You wouldn't have to use the tuner if you didn't want to, but it would always be there if you did.
Never tried the snark although I'm sure it's great. FWIW - i have the peterson strobe and intelli 500 and prefer the intelli...use it on my guitars also.
Well, I actually read the little instruction page yesterday. There is a little triangular button on the back where I can adjust for the capo up to the fourth fret, and it will indicate the open string name and show if it's in tune. Same as the red Snark I have. Another case of "read the instructions, dummy". Yes, I could just use the actual note on the string, but this is easier because I'm just learning music theory and it's cumbersome to figure it out the long way around. Lazy me.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Snark HZ tuner. It is a newer model, and finally someone at Snark listened to all the complaints about the SN and ST model's teeth that hold the swivel ball on the tuner stem always breaking. I had several die that way, wrote an email to Snark on their replacement warranty, and they sent me a HZ model as a replacement. Instead of three (breakable) teeth holding the swivel ball, there is a ring on each end of the stem surrounding the ball that appears to be glued on. I doubt that's going to break anytime soon. The face of the tuner is slightly different from the SN/ST series, and a few folks online complain it's not as highly accurate. It works very well for me (so yeah, I'm never going to pick up a paying gig, and the sound guy isn't ever gonna tell me I'm 2 Hz off, but I like my strings tuned pretty darn close and this tuner works just dandy.) The tuner can show Hertz digitally on the front screen, but it is designed for guitars and basses, and I've never bothered trying to see if it works for a mandolin. Based on the very specific instructions on how it is used to tune a guitar, the Hertz function is pretty much not a feature for a mandolin. That said, the more robust construction, combined with a smaller package makes it a Snark I prefer over the older SN/ST (Red, blue, black, fuschia, plaid, etc.) versions. Also, without taking accurate measurements, the battery seems to be holding out a bit better on the HZ model over the SN/ST models. (If you must know, I have several "Red" and "Blue" tuners, and pieces thereof, lying about the house. And you're gonna have to add "Black and White Snark" to your terminology if you want to refer to this tuner in chromatological terms.)
Rob Ross
Apple Valley, Minne-SOH-tah
1996 Flatiron A5-Performer, 1915 Gibson F-2 (loaned to me by a friend), 2008 Kentucky Master KM-505 A-Model
1925 Bacon Peerless tenor banjo (Irish tuning), 1985 Lloyd Laplant F-5, 2021 Ibanez PFT2 Tenor Guitar (GDAE)
and of course, the 1970 Suzuki-Violin-Sha Bowl Back Taterbug
I agree. I've been using Peterson Stroboclips since they came out, and the new HD's are a big upgrade. If you're looking for a Snark, I would say the most accurate is the ST8. But a better option in that price range, IMO is the D'Addario Eclipse Tuners. Quicker response and less likely to break, which is my biggest issue with the Snark.
Brought out both my Snarks, the Black SN-8 and the Red SN-4 (Mic) and compared to this tuner I found in a music store, The Master Key. Was strange to see how the two Snark tuners varied on the tones they picked up. SN-4 seemed to be more "in tune" with The Master Key than the SN-8 did.
Both tuners agreed on D & A, with a slight variation on E (not by much). G on the other hand, SN-8 showed the Master Key's G two marks below the tuner's G, whereas the SN-4 (Mic) showed the Master Key's G as being spot on.
Was unable to find a violin pitch pipe, but this Master Key does wonders ... although holding it while tuning is a bit awkward.
Edit: Used a Reverb link as the photos are better. They are available on Amazon.
• Seagull S8 • Weber Y2K6 • David Hudson Bloodwood Didgeridoo (C#) •
From Rob Ross - " I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Snark HZ tuner. " Which one Rob ?. I'd not heard of them,but there are 2 models :- The Snark ST8HZ 'Super Tight' & The Snark HZ-1 . Both seem to be more compact models than the Reds etc.,but just how much more 'durable' they'd be,i suspect it down to how carefully they're used. The HZ-1 is actually described as 'unbreakable' :- "Unbreakable clamp assuring your tuner will be ready for any situation",
Ivan
Weber F-5 'Fern'.
Lebeda F-5 "Special".
Stelling Bellflower BANJO
Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Thank you for posting this question - I came here to do the same thing. Just ordered myself a Snark SN-8. I will report back.
From Allen H - " Nothing's unbreakable; trust me, I know... ". Exactly my thoughts Allen !. Going back many years,i bought an un-breakable 'Melamine' coffee cup for use at work. I'd only had it for a couple of day & when i was washing it out,it slipped from my fingers,hit the tiled floor & broke a big chunk out of it.
There's alway some idiot who'll break anything !,
Ivan
Weber F-5 'Fern'.
Lebeda F-5 "Special".
Stelling Bellflower BANJO
Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.
If you think something is unbreakable just give it to a kid to play with and see if it will stand the "test"....
My self I find the Snark to be OK but they do drift a bit, tune one string perfect and then strike it a second time and a lot of times it will not be the same, I do find that if Ilet the reading go off and then strike a note it does a better job then if I keep striking the string while trying to bring it up to pitch, I guess it doesn`t respond very fast to the note that is being struck......Also they are hard to see in certain lightings, like out of doors unless you have a brand new battery in them and then they aren`t all that easy to read...
I usually just use a tuner to get it close anyway and then fine tune with my ears, after all that is what we listen to the instruments with...I learned that from Sonny Osborne...
Willie
I just want to say that I played around with tuning today using my Snark SN-8 and I love it. There is a lot to like, including its robustness, and large screen. But the thing I like most is how quickly I can tune because the Snark is really good at picking up and modifying when I play the string once and then tune the peg. With my D'arrio I have to keep hitting the string, but this only needs me to pick at it once and I have a good 5-secs to move the peg into the correct position, plus a quick pick at the end for insurance.
Hi Ivan,
I have the HZ-1, and it lives in the outer pocket of a Boulder gig bag, and goes on the road about 12 to 15 days of the month, getting chucked into and out of airplanes the whole time. It hasn't busted yet, but I've only had if for a bit less than 2 years. I don't know if it truly is 'unbreakable', but I'm betting that wascally ball socket is going to be the last thing that breaks on it. As I said, works for me. Also, last night at a jam, I finally turned on the HZ button. I never ever realized it was there before I read the instruction booklet the other day. Doesn't seem to do much for a mandolin, but by gosh, now I can see new fancy digits I never knew I had. What won't they think of next!
Rob Ross
Apple Valley, Minne-SOH-tah
1996 Flatiron A5-Performer, 1915 Gibson F-2 (loaned to me by a friend), 2008 Kentucky Master KM-505 A-Model
1925 Bacon Peerless tenor banjo (Irish tuning), 1985 Lloyd Laplant F-5, 2021 Ibanez PFT2 Tenor Guitar (GDAE)
and of course, the 1970 Suzuki-Violin-Sha Bowl Back Taterbug
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