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Thread: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

  1. #26
    Notary Sojac Paul Kotapish's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    I've used a bunch and settled on the TC Electronic Polytune a few years ago. Works great.

    The tuning fork approach is fine if you have trained your ear properly and you play in places quiet enough to hear it. That may be case for most of us for the time being, but up until March 13, many of my playing situations -- gigs, sessions, music parties, etc. -- were too noisy for a tuning fork or even a separate tuner like the Boss TU-12 to be of much use. And on stage, the Polytune allowed me to fine-tune the strings very quietly in the midst of things, even if I couldn't be sure what was off by listening alone.
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  3. #27

    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    If you're talking guitar and not mandolin, I love the little D'Addario soundhole clip-on tuners. It's the same model as their headstock one, with a different clip.

    M&M

  4. #28
    MandolaViola bratsche's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by Northwest Steve View Post
    I have been using the D'Addario micro tuner for the past couple of years. I really like the size and ability to be out of the way and out of sight.
    https://www.daddario.com/products/ac...adstock-tuner/

    The one issue with the micro tuner is it will leave (at least on a really nice mandolin) about a nickel sized circle/ring from the rubber foot. They have come out with a version that mounts to the screw of you tuner to eliminate that issue. I just noticed this today. I maybe giving this a try.
    https://www.daddario.com/products/ac...ip-free-tuner/
    I like the micro-tuners' unobtrusiveness as well on some of my nylon-strung instruments which go out of tune more easily. But I just toss out the clip and nip off the part that it attaches to, and use double-sided tape to hold it in place right where I want it.

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  5. #29
    Registered User John Flynn's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    I have bought a LOT of tuners over the years, not sure why, including three red Snarks. I liked them, but the plastic fingers that go in the back of the tuning head all eventually broke on me.

    The one I have now is the DeltaLab CT-30 available at Guitar Center and elsewhere for about $25. I find it easy to read, accurate and it folds flat to go in my gig bag pocket without getting broken. It also has nice added features like pitch change, a metronome, etc. Just my two cents.

  6. #30
    Registered User darylcrisp's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by sunburst View Post
    The 4th and 5th harmonics are pretty strong when we pluck a string, and often clip-on tuners will pick up one of them instead of the fundamental. For example, D is the 5th harmonic of G, so it is not unusual for the clip-on tuner to "hear" the D instead of the G. After all, it can only display one note at a time and all harmonics are present in the note. Moving the tuner and clipping it on somewhere else will sometimes help the situation, but usually damping the string and plucking it again will eventually get you the right note. Patience...
    The precision of the tuner doesn't really have much to do with the harmonics of the note. If we tune well within 3 cents, that's about the best we can do, so higher precision is esoteric anyway. Maybe there are tuners that reject harmonics better than others, but that is not added precision necessarily.

    Edit:
    Looks like I didn't fully read Tom's post before starting to type. Sorry for the redundant info.
    Another thing I forgot to mention. Plucking the string near it's center (12th fret area) can help. That tends to make the fundamental stronger and the harmonics weaker.
    another vote for unitune and or a polytune-they do not eat battery life like some snarks do either. and thank you Sunburst, I learned a ton of info in that reply that I did not know, and all of it will help.

    d

  7. #31
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Otherwise, I have a couple Intellitouch ... Older large one & the newer smaller .. seem to work reliably ..
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  8. #32
    Registered User Bob Buckingham's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    KORG or Peterson strobe the only two I have found to be accurate.

  9. #33

    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    I've used the Intellituner for a good few years, pretty good IMHO.

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  10. #34
    Registered User GeoMandoAlex's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by sunburst View Post
    The 4th and 5th harmonics are pretty strong when we pluck a string, and often clip-on tuners will pick up one of them instead of the fundamental. For example, D is the 5th harmonic of G, so it is not unusual for the clip-on tuner to "hear" the D instead of the G. After all, it can only display one note at a time and all harmonics are present in the note. Moving the tuner and clipping it on somewhere else will sometimes help the situation, but usually damping the string and plucking it again will eventually get you the right note. Patience...
    The precision of the tuner doesn't really have much to do with the harmonics of the note. If we tune well within 3 cents, that's about the best we can do, so higher precision is esoteric anyway. Maybe there are tuners that reject harmonics better than others, but that is not added precision necessarily.

    Edit:
    Looks like I didn't fully read Tom's post before starting to type. Sorry for the redundant info.
    Another thing I forgot to mention. Plucking the string near it's center (12th fret area) can help. That tends to make the fundamental stronger and the harmonics weaker.
    Sunburst, thank you for that explanation. I did not take into account the harmonics with the clip on tuners. thank you for passing along the information.
    I can only play half as much as I want, because I only play half as much as I would like.

  11. #35
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    How many of you use an app on your mobile phone? Perhaps not ideal in a stage situation, but pretty handy around the house.
    David A. Gordon

  12. #36
    Registered User Murphy Slaw's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon View Post
    How many of you use an app on your mobile phone? Perhaps not ideal in a stage situation, but pretty handy around the house.
    I have the Tuner Lite app, just in case of emergency. It works just fine.
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  13. #37
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Looking at my pile of tuners, I am convinced that none work perfectly and the best I can do would be to get fairly close with one of each pair of strings, then tune the other to the first of each pair then adjust by ear for the fine tuning. I pretty much stopped using the Snarks after they kept snapping off. I use the mini-Planet waves for all my instruments.

    I am even considering training myself to tune using a tuning fork like most of the classical folks do. When I first started playing there were no electronic tuners, just ones you blow into or tuning forks. In the late 1970s I was in a string band that payed quite a bit and our fiddler bought himself a Peterson strobe tuner. Back then I think he paid $200 for it. It was a large box (like the one below) you had to plug in but it really helped in those noisy bars. Pretty funny, too. Every so often one of us would go offstage to tune and the audience thought we were watching TV.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  14. #38
    not a donut Kevin Winn's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon View Post
    How many of you use an app on your mobile phone? Perhaps not ideal in a stage situation, but pretty handy around the house.
    I use the ClearTune app. It works great.
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  15. #39
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon View Post
    How many of you use an app on your mobile phone? Perhaps not ideal in a stage situation, but pretty handy around the house.
    Peterson iStrobosoft. Depending on my mood, it's my fast choice at home. Or if I just want to watch a different strobe.
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  16. #40
    Registered User lowtone2's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    I have used and enjoyed the practicality of clip-on tuners since they first came on the market, starting with a intellitouch in my case. For the last several years the music stores have had only Snarks, and while they are ok, something always breaks, or they just wear out, and they eat batteries. I've probably owned 5 Snarks, and never kept a rubber cushion on the foot for more than a week. And they are kind of coarse. I get the string close with the Snark, and then fine tune with my ear. A more accurate clip-on would be nice, otherwise around the house i use an app.

  17. #41
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    I like the Snarks for my guitars, but I use the microtuners for the mandos. I find them to be pretty accurate and better than the Snarks on mandos. That said, it's still a matter of using my ears in conjunction with the tuner. The G string never registers very accurately and the D can also be tricky. Usually A and E can be reliably hit spot-on with the microtuner on my mandos.

  18. #42
    Registered User Jon Hall's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Be careful what you wish for! The Boss TU-01 Chromatic Tuner is very accurate. I have to be very patient using it because it is so accurate.

  19. #43
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon View Post
    How many of you use an app on your mobile phone? Perhaps not ideal in a stage situation, but pretty handy around the house.
    I use the iStobosoft app almost exclusively at home and always did my final tune up before worship services with it (prior to March 13). The only downside, IMO, is that it’s not practical for stage use because it’s too sensitive, unless there’s a trick of which I’m ignorant. In church I always kept a Snark or Intellitouch in my pocket or on a music stand nearby. I agree with others that they’re not perfect, but, especially in a noisy environment, they’re handy and get close enough that my ear can finish the job. But, obviously, I’m not doing this professionally...

    Also, the iStroboSoft app is awesome for setting intonation...way more accurate than the clip ons I’ve tried.

    Alex Orr, I agree with you. At home or playing out, the Snark is fine for my single course instruments, but I prefer the iStobosoft for my double course instruments.
    Chuck

  20. #44
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by FrDNicholas View Post
    After yeas of using a Snark, I'm in the market for a more accurate tuner. My snark has a new battery but yet it still will read a note other than the one one I'm playing. If I hit my G string, it will sometimes read D. Or, I have to wait until it clears before hitting the second A string to have it read true. Is there a clip on tuner that folks have used in the price range of a snark that seems to work better?
    Curious as to whether you are saying that the Snark is less accurate than other tuners or is the issue the delay in it recognizing a new note when you change springs? I have 2 Snarks and they seem OK but maybe my ear inst that accurate

  21. #45
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    So my clip on tuner died last night, and I reviewed this thread for suggestions on another one.
    I settled on UniTune from Sweetwater. Just wanted to let you guys know, if you need one, it is on sale for $19 shipped right now, NFI

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  23. #46
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    What I experience with my Snark is that it sometimes shows a different note than the string I'm striking. SOme folks have suggested striking the string at the 12th fret and that does seem to help. When I originally wrote this, I was frustrated after changing strings and was venting a little.
    Daniel Kaufman

  24. #47
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Rieter View Post
    So my clip on tuner died last night, and I reviewed this thread for suggestions on another one.
    I settled on UniTune from Sweetwater. Just wanted to let you guys know, if you need one, it is on sale for $19 shipped right now, NFI
    Good choice Sue, I have several of those. I keep one on each instrument I may travel and play so I won't forget to bring a tuner. They are most accurate on the strob setting. That is also a good price.
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  26. #48
    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Rieter View Post
    So my clip on tuner died last night, and I reviewed this thread for suggestions on another one.
    I settled on UniTune from Sweetwater. Just wanted to let you guys know, if you need one, it is on sale for $19 shipped right now, NFI
    Thanks for the heads up! Those are nice little tuners

  27. #49
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    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Quote Originally Posted by FrDNicholas View Post
    After yeas of using a Snark, I'm in the market for a more accurate tuner. My snark has a new battery but yet it still will read a note other than the one one I'm playing. If I hit my G string, it will sometimes read D. Or, I have to wait until it clears before hitting the second A string to have it read true. Is there a clip on tuner that folks have used in the price range of a snark that seems to work better?
    My Peterson Strobe is very accurate !

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  29. #50

    Default Re: more accurate clip on tuner than Snark?

    Best one I have found
    Quote Originally Posted by rickbella View Post
    I bought a Polytune a couple years ago and find it much more accurate than a Snark:

    https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...SABEgIPqvD_BwE

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