Double Bass Question About Snark Tuner (red)

[tstone]

I have a red Snark chromatic tuner, but I also have others, so I hadn't used it in a few weeks.

Today I clipped it on the bridge and switched it on, and only got a very dim display, so faint you could barely tell it was on. The moment I played a note, the display brightened up and was readable. But when the volume died down, the display went dim again.

I figured it was a low battery, so I put a new one in, but got the same result. My question is, is this just the way these things are, and had I forgotten that characteristic, or has mine gone wonky?

 

[SVT4001]

A new battery in any of mine (I have five of the rascals) brings it back to very bright- but they don't stay that way long. They mellow into a useable brightness level for a while, and then down to what you report: barely readable most of the time with a little goose when you hit a note.

Sadly, the cost of new batteries almost make the unit disposable- but I hate to throw stuff out. They track well and they're so easy to clip to the bridge, I'll put up with them for now.

Any chance your spare battery was not fully charged?

I have heard stories of them not lasting too long- the actual tuner that is- like people replace the battery once and they die (dead) soon after...this has not been my personal experience...yet anyway!

Joe

 

[LouisF]

I've had the same Meisel clip on tuner for years. Very easy to read. FYI

Louis

 

[brummiejon]

It's a battery power saving feature..... perfectly normal

 

[jdepriest]

I've had the same issue with my red snark. It's a great tuner but it sucks batteries. A friend has had the black chromatic Snark for months and is still using the battery that came with it.

 

[GregT]

I know this is an old, old thread, but I 'd rather not start a new one about the same thing. I have about 7 or 8 Snark tuners and two have recently faded. They don't light up all the way. Very hard to read. Both batteries test at 3.05 volts. One that is still bright reads 3.08 volts. It is hard to believe that 3/100ths of a volt would cause this, but I suppose that could be the cutoff point? I'm not sure what a fresh CR2032 battery would register, but I will certainly be trying one....or two.

 

[GregT]

Answered my own question. I remembered I had a new Snark still in the box. I checked the battery and it was 3.35 volts. It absolutely lit up the one that was dim. I will be getting some spare batteries today. Maybe this renewed thread will be of some use to someone with the same issue.

 

[misterbadger]

eBay's the place for CR2032s - buy ten or so at a time. I haven't had a Snark actually die in the four or five years I've had them. Batteries seem to last 4-6 months depending on the amount of use. YMMV...

 

[Jim Dombrowski]

What is the difference between the Red and Black tuners?

 

[GregT]

I have had both, and I think the black ones are a little more stable when you tune. The screen seems to work better.

 

[misterbadger]

Black ones are easier to lose...