What's the best electronic tuner?

[mhoward]

I just lost my tuner, a Korg with a microphone as well as a plug input. It worked great, and the dial was a good indicator of the note, with a couple of arrows that indicated when I was right on a chromatic note. The only thing I didn't like about it was that if I didn't plug it in, the microphone would get confused by background noises. And plugging it in means I'd have to unplug my guitar from the amp and plug it into the tuner, which was a little tedious.

 

So I'm looking for a replacement, and started looking at the ones that clip onto the headstock. They're not confused by background noise because they sense vibration through the wood, and it's very easy to clip them on.

 

The Intellitouch PT-1 looks like a good one. It's $40 at Amazon. There's also a PT-2 that has a few less bells and whistles for $30. Do they do a good job? Is it easy to change to alternate tunings or drop down to Eb tuning like SRV? Anyone have any others that are better and no more expensive?

[tdb]

I've always like the boss TU-2.

[AndersonTech]

Since you asked about "the best" - you could ckeck out the Peterson StroboStomp. They're expensive, though.

[mhoward]

I meant "the best" in the sense of the best value. The PT1 is selling on Amazon for under $40 and has a lot of features, and has the ease of a clip-on. The Boss looks very good, but it's more like $100 and it has a mic or a plug-in jack, not a clipon. I saw a conversation on another forum where someone was asking how to operate it, so it's not friendly. StroboStomp looks amazing, but it does cost $190, and it looks like you have to plug into it, so it wouldn't tune my acoustic. I think I'm talking myself into the PT1.

[zygoat]

Best value? TU-2.

[Burgess]

I use a Peterson Strobe. It's the best, period.

[bdegrande]

The Intellitouch is 3 times as accurate as the TU-2 (1 cent vs. 3 cents), and far less expensive. It also doesn't go in your signal path at all, so no issues with coloring sound, and it can be used on acoustic instruments and unplugged electric. I think the backlight on the PT-1 is worth th price difference if you have to tune in dark venues.

 

....and, yes, the Peterson is better (I own a VS-II), but it is in another price range.

[Phishmonkey]

I didn't like the peterson, it was too accurate to be practical

[ganjaseed]

I like the Peterson Strobostomp

[Burgess]

I didn't like the peterson, it was too accurate to be practical

 

If you do your own setups it's the only way to go.

[Loobster]

I use one of these. It's really cool.

 

[Phishmonkey]

 

If you do your own setups it's the only way to go.

 

 

For intonation its great, but I would never be able to use one live. I'm using a TU 12 now but I want a pedal. Probably going to be a TU2 or the planet waves. That kord one looks nice too though

[Electric Blues]

I use a Peterson Strobe. It's the best, period.

No doubt the best. It's all I use, that plus a Korg that hooks up to the neck and works on vibration as mentioned.
The Peterson is also the best to do intonation
http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=AW1&category_id=5

http://www.petersontuners.com/products/strobostomp2/index.cfm
The peterson is true bypass and VERY exact. The Korg was perfect when I played at worship and couldn't make any noise while tuning,

[vnad]

My Boss TU-12 works great for me.

[guitarNed]

Best tuner is a Peterson, no question. I like their newest stomp box version. Most popular, for good reason, is the TU-2. It's what I have.

 

What I'd buy if my TU-2 was stolen: a Behringer floor tuner, just to see how good it is.

[Phishmonkey]

Best tuner is a Peterson, no question. I like their newest stomp box version. Most popular, for good reason, is the TU-2. It's what I have. What I'd buy if my TU-2 was stolen: a Behringer floor tuner, just to see how good it is.

 

 

Does it have the soul of hertz?

[picklesandmayo1]

I get along fine with a Korg CA-30, for both wind instruments and strings. I've got like 4 of them at home. Very cheap, and very good.

[Blueboner]

The Strobostomp has the best accuracy, but it's really not needed. The vast majority of people can't hear 1 cent difference (I think it's 4 or 5 for most), so 1/10 cent accuracy is pretty much overkill. The Korg DT-10 is almost as accurate (1 cent); is cheap ($80); and is much more useful and easier to use with quicker tuneup than the Strobo. The newish Planet Waves strobe tuner pedal is supposed to be cool as well and it's dirt cheap.

[Phishmonkey]

The Strobostomp has the best accuracy, but it's really not needed. The vast majority of people can't hear 1 cent difference (I think it's 4 or 5 for most), so 1/10 cent accuracy is pretty much overkill. The Korg DT-10 is almost as accurate (1 cent); is cheap ($80); and is much more useful and easier to use with quicker tuneup than the Strobo. The newish Planet Waves strobe tuner pedal is supposed to be cool as well and it's dirt cheap.

 

 

I just read the reviews of the planet waves one, its supposed to be ver loud an buzzy. Thats disappointing as it has the best display of any of the pedal tuners

[TomCTC]

I use one of these. It's really cool.

Same here, only the brushed chrome version.

Tunes like a charm!

[Armchair Bronco]

Here's another vote for the Korg CA-30.

I really ought to buy 1 more and keep it in the car for those imprompu visits to GC and the local custom guitar shop. The CA-30 isn't much bigger than a short stack of credit cards, and it's very accurate and very easy to use (plugged *and* unplugged).

[OldGuitarPlayer]

Best tuner is a Peterson, no question. I like their newest stomp box version. Most popular, for good reason, is the TU-2. It's what I have. What I'd buy if my TU-2 was stolen: a Behringer floor tuner, just to see how good it is.

 

 

I have the Behringer TU100 Chromatic Tuner. It is the Boss "clone" stompbox style one and I have used it at several gigs and it works fine. It cost me $30 Canadian. The Planet Waves stompbox style tuner also looks good and it sells here for about $70 Canadian.

 

Regards,

 

OGP

[Psychotronic]

What I'd buy if my TU-2 was stolen: a Behringer floor tuner, just to see how good it is.

 

 

Don't. The other guitarist in one of my band's bought one, and regretted it immediately. POS.

[guitarNed]

 

Don't. The other guitarist in one of my band's bought one, and regretted it immediately. POS.

Heh. Interesting. I'm glad to hear both of these comments, 'cause they are both based on real-life.

 

I think the deal with most equipment is that the "truth" about reliability comes out slowly, over the course of thousands of ownership experiences. I suspect that this is a big part of the popularity of the TU-2; it has built a reputation, based on the actual experience of tens of thousands of players.

 

Time will tell if the Behringer holds up. Eventually, thousands of ownership experiences, shared in forums like this, will show whether the experience of OldGuitarPlayer is typical (i.e. good) ...or whether the experience of Psychotronic is typical (i.e. bad.)

 

Gotta love the Internet & HCEG. Thx, guys.

[jrockbridge]

Another vote for the Peterson Strobostomp. It did take some getting used to at first. Having experience with strobes on turntables did help me relate to it.