Best clamp on tuner

lomo · #1 10-06-2011, 09:13 AM

I don't think there's an ideal place for this thread, so I'll put it here. Mods please relocate as necessary. I'm looking for the best quality clamp-on tuner for 5 string bass (the kind that clips to the headstock). Do any of these things track a low B well?

threshar · #2 10-06-2011, 09:48 AM

I picked up a planet waves ns mini tuner this week - only had it for a few days but it seems to work fine on my warwick 5. picks up the B just fine.

I also like that it is very small and fits behind the headstock so it is hidden from the audience.

droskobass · #3 10-06-2011, 09:54 AM

Peterson strobo clip... simply amazing

tallboybass · #4 10-06-2011, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threshar

I picked up a planet waves ns mini tuner this week - only had it for a few days but it seems to work fine on my warwick 5. picks up the B just fine.

I also like that it is very small and fits behind the headstock so it is hidden from the audience.

Very cool, thanks for posting. Does it lock on to the note pretty well or waver around some?

lomo · #5 10-06-2011, 10:36 AM

I called The perfectbass-thay tried the Planet Waves job and said it didn't track the B well. They are out of stock on the Korg series. I'm goin' with Peterson.

threshar · #6 10-06-2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tallboybass

Very cool, thanks for posting. Does it lock on to the note pretty well or waver around some?

It is locked on solid on my bass.

zombywoof5050 · #7 10-06-2011, 11:19 AM

I don't play a 5-string, so I don't know how well it tracks the low B string, but I love the Snark clip-on tuner, and it's only about $15. You may see a black one at GC, but it costs a lot more than the blue or red one. I use the blue one which is the cheapest one and it works great. The red one has an extra feature or two, like a mic, and it costs about a dollar or two more than the blue one.

Snark Tuners

The price on the website says $29, but I've seen them online for as low as $10 shipped. There is a local pawn shop near me that sells them for $18.

Also, they imply that the blue one only does guitar/bass pitches and the red one is chromatic for all instruments, but the blue one actually is chromatic too and detects all the notes just as well as the red one. It just doesn't have a mic like the red one, it only works by vibration sensing.

Pilgrim · #8 10-06-2011, 11:25 AM

Seiko STX1 works great for me!

ack · #9 10-06-2011, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zombywoof5050

I don't play a 5-string, so I don't know how well it tracks the low B string, but I love the Snark clip-on tuner, and it's only about $15. You may see a black one at GC, but it costs a lot more than the blue or red one. I use the blue one which is the cheapest one and it works great. The red one has an extra feature or two, like a mic, and it costs about a dollar or two more than the blue one.

Snark Tuners

The price on the website says $29, but I've seen them online for as low as $10 shipped. There is a local pawn shop near me that sells them for $18.

Also, they imply that the blue one only does guitar/bass pitches and the red one is chromatic for all instruments, but the blue one actually is chromatic too and detects all the notes just as well as the red one. It just doesn't have a mic like the red one, it only works by vibration sensing.

I have two (a Blue and a Red) that should be delivered today. They get great reviews and like you said, they were $13 (multi-instrument) and $10 shipped.

They can't be any worse than the Sabine RT-1601 rack unit I just bought. I've seen cadavers with less response lag than this Sabine has.

MarTONEbass · #10 10-06-2011, 11:42 AM

You want a Snark, trust me. Get the red one. Tracks the low B perfectly, nice and bright on dim stages, clip is rock solid.

MarTONEbass · #11 10-06-2011, 11:43 AM

...and you could buy half a dozen Snarks for the price of the Peterson.

droskobass · #12 10-06-2011, 11:49 AM

On the Peterson Strobo clip: (IMHO)

Well best is Best... Most accurate, fastest, sweetend tunings, buzz Feiten, any instrument, back light, so accurate you could intonate your bass with it, metal construction etc...

it's still well under 100$ almost every where.

It's the only tuner where being a clip on isn't a compromise, so that's why it's the "Best" -IMHO-

deshi00 · #13 10-06-2011, 11:53 AM

Only one I can comment on is the Snark, I have the red one and like everyone else says, it works awesome, easy to read, and was cheap. Cant comment on the low b though, I play a 4 banger, it hit drop C tuning easily though.

laklandplayer · #14 10-06-2011, 11:57 AM

The Snark works great but the ball and socket swivel breaks very easily, not durable at all. I had to return mine and I got the Intellitouch about $29.00 that glows red when out of tune and green when it is in tune. Its great for dark environments and works great on the upright bass too.

**ronaldpdbrandt** · #15 10-06-2011, 12:00 PM

+1 for the Snark!

johndough247 · #16 10-06-2011, 12:01 PM

Another vote for the Peterson strobe clip. Responds very fast and very accurate. However (with my bass at least), sometimes it'll pick up the 2nd (or 3rd) harmonic of the note you're playing (example: tuning the E string it might show B, but it still works once u know that's what it's doing).

Tim1 · #17 10-06-2011, 12:02 PM

Yep, another happy snark user here.

turbo chicken · #18 10-06-2011, 12:12 PM

i used this one for a while... Intellitouch PT10 Mini Clip-On Tuner and more Tuners & Metronomes at GuitarCenter.com.

It seemed to be able to tune fine. I prefer the HUD over the snark
It didn't work well in a gig ... turn down or off amp... then tune ... then turn up for the appropriate volume for the next song was a pain in the arse. Too much for a quick tune between songs.

Clip on... good for practice situations or offstage situations
Pedal ... good for playing live or onstage situations

Kwesi · #19 10-06-2011, 12:17 PM

Planet Waves NS Mini Headstock Tuner

Seriously, the most convenient headstock tuner around. You find a spot where it fits and you never have to take it off of you bass again. It's that small. It doesn't hurt that it's dead accurate either. I've got two, one for each of my basses and from now on, every bass I get will get their own as well. Also you can support fellow TBer, SLaPiNFuNK, and his business. Yes, it's a shameless plug but he's got the best price on them and he's a cool guy so he deserves it

. Check out the thread on it (with a review):

Planet Waves NS Mini Headstock Tuner Review (You and your Bass need this!)

Kwesi · #20 10-06-2011, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lomo

I called The perfectbass-thay tried the Planet Waves job and said it didn't track the B well. They are out of stock on the Korg series. I'm goin' with Peterson.

It actually tracks very well on the B if you use the 12 fret harmonic. I do that for every string. Everything goes much faster.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tallboybass

Very cool, thanks for posting. Does it lock on to the note pretty well or waver around some?

I locks on to notes just fine as long as you make sure that no other strings are ringing simultaneously.