Best clip on chromatic tuner?

[spiltmilk_2000]

Looking for a clip on headstock tuner which is accurate in semitones to use to work on my fretless intonation? Any recommendations? Thanks in advance people! 

[Hellzero]

TC Electronic Polytune, quite cheap (compared to a Peterson) and very accurate.

[ambient]

As above, TC Polytune clip.

[jrixn1]

Tuners are good.  Depending on what/how you are practising, another good tool is a drone.  E.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvUzRnbyT2w  

 

[ambient]

1 minute ago, jrixn1 said:

Tuners are good.  Depending on what/how you are practising, another good tool is a drone.  E.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvUzRnbyT2w  

 

Maybe not so good on a gig though?

[Hellzero]

If you are into Indian music, it's not a problem.

That said, I use this free strobe tuner on my PC and it's absolutely brilliant : https://www.tomasboril.cz/tbstrobetuner/

[Frank Blank]

I use the TC Polytune and the TC Unitune on my fretted basses but I must admit I prefer the Peterson StroboClip HD on the fretless.

[pete.young]

These are great tuners for tuning the instrument, but using one to work on your intonation? I don't see how that's going to work, you need to use the tuner between your ears for that.

[Hellzero]

Urm, don't you have eyes ?

[AndyTravis]

I’ve got a Korg Pitch hawk or something, got it as a freebie a couple of years ago. Thought I’d lost it but it turned up when I was looking for something else.

Decent little thing - don’t even know if they still make them.

Handy for my latest acquisition.

[leschirons]

TC Polytune clip works very well. Clear, and accurate. Only downside, it doesn't swivel.

[casapete]

I’ve found the Snark ones work well, and are very wallet friendly too. 

Careful talking about clip on tuners on here though, better have your crash helmet ready....

[radiophonic]

I have a Polytune clip - and I don't know if this is a general issue with clip-ons - but it isn't that happy with drop tuning. It's fast and accurate down to Eb, but when I go to Db on the bottom string, it regularly loses the signal. Since I have to re-tune mid-set, during a drum segue, I've gone back to a tuner on the board for safety's sake. I'd prefer a clip on though.

[Hellzero]

Did you set it up for bass ?

I have mainly 6 strings basses and even a 6 strings EUB and have absolutely no problem tuning a low B.

[Hellzero]

Here is the way to do it as NOBODY BUT ME ever reads a user manual (copy/paste) :

Setting  instrument  type (guitar or bass)

By default, PolyTune Clip is set up for tuning guitars. To tune a bass, press and hold the Display Mode Button for more than 5 seconds. The secondary display will display “B”. To return to Guitar Tuning Mode, press and hold the Display Mode Button for more than five seconds again. The Secondary Display will display “G”. The selected instrument type will be stored and preserved even when you change the battery.

 

 

 

Read the f*cking manual ! 😎

[Frank Blank]

29 minutes ago, radiophonic said:

I have a Polytune clip - and I don't know if this is a general issue with clip-ons - but it isn't that happy with drop tuning. It's fast and accurate down to Eb, but when I go to Db on the bottom string, it regularly loses the signal. Since I have to re-tune mid-set, during a drum segue, I've gone back to a tuner on the board for safety's sake. I'd prefer a clip on though.

Have you set the Polytune to bass? They come (usually) set to the guitar default. I had the same problem as you until I switched it to the bass setting then it worked on the deeper notes.

[Frank Blank]

11 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

Here is the way to do it as NOBODY BUT ME ever reads a user manual (copy/paste) :

Setting  instrument  type (guitar or bass)

By default, PolyTune Clip is set up for tuning guitars. To tune a bass, press and hold the Display Mode Button for more than 5 seconds. The secondary display will display “B”. To return to Guitar Tuning Mode, press and hold the Display Mode Button for more than five seconds again. The Secondary Display will display “G”. The selected instrument type will be stored and preserved even when you change the battery.

 

 

 

Read the f*cking manual ! 😎

Duh, sorry, repeating your post essentially.

[radiophonic]

23 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

Have you set the Polytune to bass? They come (usually) set to the guitar default. I had the same problem as you until I switched it to the bass setting then it worked on the deeper notes.

Yes, it's on bass. It might be instrument specific of course since it's relying on neck resonance. Sometimes it works, but it fails often enough that I can't rely on it in a gig situation. Pity because I could use the extra slot on the board....

[spiltmilk_2000]

Thanks all... just to clarify why I’m planning on using one to improve intonation. I play unlined fretless and whilst I can rely on intoning by ear for most intervals I find it really difficult to hear if major 7ths and b9s are in tune. Due to the natural dissonance of these intervals the ‘beating’ between a drone and my note makes me automatically start trying to adjust the pitch. I’m hoping using a tuner to check these intervals will give me confidence in exactly what they should sound like so I can be more secure and confident in what I’m aiming for! Maybe it’s a waste of time but I guess it’s gotta be worth a shot.

thanks for the suggestions all...

russ

[Skybone]

TC Electronic Polytune  or Unitune.

The Unitune is cheaper, and probably better for bass players.

[Hellzero]

1 hour ago, spiltmilk_2000 said:

Thanks all... just to clarify why I’m planning on using one to improve intonation. I play unlined fretless and whilst I can rely on intoning by ear for most intervals I find it really difficult to hear if major 7ths and b9s are in tune. Due to the natural dissonance of these intervals the ‘beating’ between a drone and my note makes me automatically start trying to adjust the pitch. I’m hoping using a tuner to check these intervals will give me confidence in exactly what they should sound like so I can be more secure and confident in what I’m aiming for! Maybe it’s a waste of time but I guess it’s gotta be worth a shot.

thanks for the suggestions all...

russ

This is a very good idea, being mostly a fretless player for more than 3 decades, I always like to check my intonation (which is very accurate) and tuners are great for it. That said a clip on tuner will be a real pity to watch while playing. That's why, for practising, I suggested this for PC as you can play and watch the screen at the same time : https://www.tomasboril.cz/tbstrobetuner/

Or the paying Peterson app ($9.99 USD) : https://www.petersontuners.com/products/istrobosoft/

 

[ped]

2 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

This is a very good idea, being mostly a fretless player for more than 3 decades, I always like to check my intonation (which is very accurate) and tuners are great for it. That said a clip on tuner will be a real pity to watch while playing. That's why, for practising, I suggested this for PC as you can play and watch the screen at the same time : https://www.tomasboril.cz/tbstrobetuner/

Or the paying Peterson app ($9.99 USD) : https://www.petersontuners.com/products/istrobosoft/

 

Same here, although my intonation isn't accurate 😅

I use Polytunes with the clip removed, stuck to the back of the headstock. Unitunes would have been better probably but they weren't released at the time. On my mini bass I use a polythene because it's half scale and can work better in guitar mode. It's actually stuck to the body on that bass (you can prob just spot it in avatar)

So yes I like clip on tuners. The Poly/unitune is the only one (to my knowledge) that's 'flat' with the clip removed.

[Monkey Steve]

I've got a couple that I tend to use when I'm playing an acoustic or just can't be @rsed to plug an electric in.

An Ortega that I got free with my Ortega acoustic bass (for no good reason as that has a built in tuner).  works fine, solid if unspectacular, no problem with the low B

Then more recently I got a D'Addario eclipse.  Top marks for the display - colourful and very intuitive.  Points deducted as it fell apart after a few months of use...but I will probably replace it as it's just much better to use than the Ortega

[la bam]

I have a snark - very good for £20.

however, i always have more than one tuner at a gig - either a rack tuner and clip on tuner, or 2 clip ons - that way i can gather if they are both right.

so far so good - they both read the same.

(or theyre both wrong! - but i dont want to think that!).

[Frank Blank]

2 hours ago, spiltmilk_2000 said:

Thanks all... just to clarify why I’m planning on using one to improve intonation. I play unlined fretless and whilst I can rely on intoning by ear for most intervals I find it really difficult to hear if major 7ths and b9s are in tune. Due to the natural dissonance of these intervals the ‘beating’ between a drone and my note makes me automatically start trying to adjust the pitch. I’m hoping using a tuner to check these intervals will give me confidence in exactly what they should sound like so I can be more secure and confident in what I’m aiming for! Maybe it’s a waste of time but I guess it’s gotta be worth a shot.

thanks for the suggestions all...

russ

The strobe clip on is perfect for exactly this imho.