Tuner Accuracy

[MikeS]

I personally can't stand Strobes. They are TOO precise. I liked the Snarks a lot, but as said above they tend to chew through batteries and if you drop one, it's very likely to break.
My favorite head stock tuner now is TC Electronics PolyTune. They are pricey, but MUCH less than strobes and more durable than Snarks.

 

[jmin]

I bought a couple of Snarks over the past couple of years. I like 'em. One cost $10, the other $29. One's supposed to be "super accurate." They both work the same to me. Heck, there's lots of smartphone apps with decent tuners (for free!). Beats using a pitch pipe or tuning fork!

 

[CapnDenny1]

My Snarks going dim is not related to battery issues. I suspect the zebra strip connector is getting corrosion or something.

I agree, when they work they are plenty accurate.

But I still like the Peterson. Some of my guitars actually stay in tune while I play, and justify getting it right on. Most drift so yeah, close is good enough.

I throw the pitch off more by unintentionally bending the fretted strings, or pressing too hard.

 

[PapaRaptor]

I've seen the same dimming on the 3 blue Snarks I've had for about 6 years. They are to the point they are not usable. I still have them and could probably use them in total darkness.
A couple of years ago, I bought a Deltalab NT100 Ninja Clip-On for $20 at the GC in West Palm Beach. The store manager recommended it to me. It turns itself off when it is folded back into the clip-on cradle. It can also be permanently mounted to the back of a headstock with another cradle that comes with sticky tape. If you forget to move it back to the cradle, it will turn itself off after a few minutes . There is a battery indicator, so you know when your battery is getting ready to die. I found it to be right on in accuracy compared to my Snarks, a Boss TU-80 and also the tuner on my Eleven Rack. It's also pretty cool that you can clip it on so the whole readout is behind the guitar headstock.
It's on sale right now for about $8.50 at GC.

 

[JN99]

I recently got a Peterson StroboClip because it has the BFE (Buzz Feiten) offsets and really like it. I don't find it to be too precise or any more difficult to use than my Snarks. Great tuner, more expensive than a Snark for sure but I wanted one with the BFE offsets. I think I got it for about $45 - money well spent.

 

[Many Moons]

and use that to tune the rest using your ear

Can't. Feed back from my hearing aid messes things up!!!!

 

[burlew]

I have a couple of headstock tuners, snark included.

But my fav is an old Korg that lives permanently on my pedal board. The reason I like it is coz you can recalibrate it.
I think I've had for 10'years or more

 

[Al Holloway]

I had a Snark. Firstly the clip that holds the head in (the ball joint) broke and I had to tape it. Then the disply got so dim, even with a new battery, you couldn't read it. Buy cheep buy again. I splurged for a TC Electronic Polytune clip. About 4 times the price of the snark but worth the difference IMHO. It has been a little sidelined lately, I must admit, but only as I have put a polytune3 on my board. I love this. I have the buffer on. Also I have it in always on mode. If you want to silence it to tune pres the switch. Otherwise always on. If I was giging I may change this. However for practice at home it is a great reference when bending notes.

cheers

Al.

 

[aleclee]

Not a Snark fan. Had one that broke on my when packed in the gig bag. That led me to the Planet Waves NS series clip-ons. They're tiny but easy to read: very unobtrusive on the headstock. I even got one to work on my headless Strandberg.

Doesn't keep me from lusting for a Polytune Clip. I have a Polytune pedal and it's super convenient.

 

[PapaBear]

I dont worry about perfect, reality is, as soon as you start playing, there becomes some change in the tuning. I tend to bend the G string a lot, I mean a real lot........so it probably isnt 100% right away.

And if plying any solid rock and hitting the strings, same thing.............Snark gets me close enough for government work

We've all or at least I've been there, these days I can't pick up a guitar without noticing right away if it's in tune, that's not to say I play in tune, but my ear has advanced enough to recognize an out of tune guitar

 

[cowboy]

If absolute accuracy is required, use a strobe.
For the rest of us, Snark or pretty much anything, is good enough.

Snark is my back up to my Boss TU3.

If Yo-Yo Ma is lurking around here in the forum, he might have a different opinion.

ditto...I use a Peterson Strobe for intonation and the Snarks to get me in the ballpark...a lot of "tuning" depends on how well intonated your guitar is to begin with...and I check my tuning in 3 different locations on the guitar...later.

cowboy