Since the dog ate my last tuner, and I have seen good things about them, I have researcher Snark guitar tuners. Has anyone got a good or bad things to tell me
About them?
About them?
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Snark Tuners?
- Thread starter CauliColin
- Start date
- Jan 27, 2010
- 4,141
- 471
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Genz Benz Amplification
Lots of people swear by them. I personally don't find the clip on tuners to work well on bass, or in high volume situations. But I seem to be in the minority around here.
I love mine.
For low B, I usually have to use a harmonic and even then sometimes it thinks I'm playing F#. Still - they're cheap, they look cool, they work quickly and accurately, and they have a tempo counter too.
For low B, I usually have to use a harmonic and even then sometimes it thinks I'm playing F#. Still - they're cheap, they look cool, they work quickly and accurately, and they have a tempo counter too.
I have had a few, currently have one ... I like them, but I like the Planet Waves MS Mini Headstock Tuner a bit better ... lower profile and a clear color change when you are in tune ... with both, it seems it does matter where you place it on the headstock for response, so you may need to play with it a bit, but both work just fine ... BTW, the PW MS came from Bassstringsonline ... the owner, Jason, is one of the resident members right here at TalkBass ... I buy from him anytime I can, good dude, and straight shooter ... good prices too !!
I love mine; but, yes, they have problems if you are trying to tune while the club is slamming dance music on the breaks or the guitards are noodling at 143db. Since it picks up vibrations and those things make your bass vibrate, it can be an issue. But, I have found that, if I can catch a couple of seconds in the cacophony, that's all I need to get tuned up.
Everyone in my band uses them. The only thing I'll warn you about is that they're pretty damn fragile. We've broken three of them so far. I guess it's a good thing they're $12 at amazon.
Get a plug in for stage I think the Snark tuners are better for band practice and bedroom jams personally.
If you have used both, and prefer the Snark, you may want to share the info for your preference to help other folks on here considering both ...
I had good luck with both, but found the PW easier to see without my glasses in my practice room, which is the only place I use them ... I just keep it on a practice bass full time, so the lower profile of the PW tucks behind the tuner much better to keep me from knocking it ... and I do like the clear color change when close ...
i like the snark the best out of the 3 clip-on tuners i've used (vs. korg or intellitouch). it's sometimes a little slow getting a reading on an open, low e, but eventually it settles in with a reading. the other 2 were slower still. i never broke any of them, but the korg looks to be the most fragile with its tiny & narrow plastic ball joint attachment.
i find the readings to be consistent across all 4 strings, but not exact, compared to my plug-in tuner. i.e., when going from clip-on to plug-in (or vice versa), what's dead-on for one will be a few cents off on the other. but the variance will be the same on all strings. i can see how any of the clip-ons i've tried could be problematic with an open, low b string.
i find the readings to be consistent across all 4 strings, but not exact, compared to my plug-in tuner. i.e., when going from clip-on to plug-in (or vice versa), what's dead-on for one will be a few cents off on the other. but the variance will be the same on all strings. i can see how any of the clip-ons i've tried could be problematic with an open, low b string.
They're cheap, they work on basses (unlike other clip-on tuners), and they free up a space on your pedalboard. GET ONE! You won't be sorry! 
I got one a few months back out of curiosity, I've found it a really handy little piece of kit, good tracking for a vibration based tuner. I leave it on the headstock for practicing and reinforcing fretless intonation now and again, it tracks well (making sure you have a good contact point on the headstock).
I own and use way too many of these tuners. Different tuners seem to work with different basses. The Planet Waves mini works best on my ABG, and my upright bass. For my five string electric basses its a toss up for last place. The intellitouch pt10, Snark 1,2,3, Planet Mini headstock, Korg aw2all suck on the B string, no matter which five string I put them on. The Planet Mini is pretty good for the E string. The Snark is ok.
At the NAMM show, the rep from Snark told me the newest model is much better for bass. They also changed the face so its easier to read. Not quite as fine a needle to follow. After buying three (or four?) of them, I'm not sure I want to invest any more money on the Snark's.
At the NAMM show, the rep from Snark told me the newest model is much better for bass. They also changed the face so its easier to read. Not quite as fine a needle to follow. After buying three (or four?) of them, I'm not sure I want to invest any more money on the Snark's.
My SN-1 arrived today. So far, I am very pleased about it. Good at picking up the note. Better than I thought. Btw this is my first headstock tuner.
I've not used the Planet Waves tuner, but the TC Electronic Polytune app works wonderfully, even in surprisingly loud environments if you're close enough to your amp. I got it when it was free. Not sure how much it costs now.
$15, no pedalboard space or 9v plug required. works for me. i bought a bunch & handed em out around xmas.
I find my Snark is better and reacts quicker than my PW. The PW would prefer that I turn the amp down and if i have to go to and from drop D it's not as fast while i tune. I do like that I can easily see if i'm in tune or not on the PW and my bandmates cant see it 
Only drawbacks so far to the Snark is that I've broken it twice closing it into my gig bag still on the headstock, and that it's so obvious.
Only drawbacks so far to the Snark is that I've broken it twice closing it into my gig bag still on the headstock, and that it's so obvious.
