The essential pedal thread has a recurrent theme - a lot of people seem to be using pedal tuners instead of a clamp on.
Why?
Why?
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Tuner pedal vs clamp on
- Thread starter 5andFretless
- Start date
Pedal is not susceptible to other noises in the room. Clip tuners can be and gigs are frequently loud places.
Pedal can use pedalboard power supply (no dead batteries).
One pedal works on any instrument you plug in (versus swapping instruments with clip on or having multiple clip ons).
Visibility; good pedals are easier to see.
Accuracy; this depends on device, but my turbo tuner is rated .02 cents. Have not seen a clip rated that well (granted this is a small point as all modern tuners are accurate enough).
Use what you like. I have a few clip ones that I rarely use. Pedal and rack tuners always seem easier to me.
Pedal can use pedalboard power supply (no dead batteries).
One pedal works on any instrument you plug in (versus swapping instruments with clip on or having multiple clip ons).
Visibility; good pedals are easier to see.
Accuracy; this depends on device, but my turbo tuner is rated .02 cents. Have not seen a clip rated that well (granted this is a small point as all modern tuners are accurate enough).
Use what you like. I have a few clip ones that I rarely use. Pedal and rack tuners always seem easier to me.
this pretty much hits all the points. The first one is most relevant to me. I have had clips really go all over the place in a loud room and it’s annoying to ask others to be quiet.
the one thing I would add is that my tuner is my mute button for my whole rig
scottfeldstein
Roots and fifths and a little extra.
Pedals don't ugly up your bass. Pedals can be invoked and dismissed no-handed. Pedals can mute your rig with just one tap. Pedals can be used without depending on batteries. Pedals are more accurate and quicker.
IME as soon as the drums and guitars start noodling, the clip on tuners are useless.
Pedal tuners do make it easier to tune in loud venues and aren't as fussy as clip ons can be regardling placement, but IMHO that's the only advantages they have on a gig. So I've gone over to the clip-on side, as my tuners aren't very fussy and I don't usually play loud venues.
As for looking goofy hanging off your headstock, yes they do IMHO. This, however, is easily solved.
As for looking goofy hanging off your headstock, yes they do IMHO. This, however, is easily solved.
If you're using a pedal board you should have a pedal tuner on it. No batteries, better tracking, instant mute for changing instruments, buffering for long cable runs potentially, etc.
If you're not using a pedal board you should use a clip on tuner. People who worry about what that looks like need help with their insecurities. Nobody paying you to play cares.
If you're not using a pedal board you should use a clip on tuner. People who worry about what that looks like need help with their insecurities. Nobody paying you to play cares.
Yeah, but I care
I tried to get used to it but I can't. Can't say I agree that using a board requires a pedal tuner, either. Personally, I resent a business pedal being on my board where a fun one could go.
Yeah, but I care
Can't say I agree that using a board requires a pedal tuner, either. Personally, I resent a business pedal being on my board where a fun one could go.
So you use a clip on tuner, take it off and hide it somewhere? Which then makes it take two or three times longer to use it to touch up your tuning mid set? Because you don't want anyone to see your tuner?
I've tried several clip-ons and they won't usually work for me because when I want to use it (immediately before or after a set) there's a DJ blasting away. Clips don't like noisy rooms. I got a Turbo Mini. Great, done.
I prefer a pedal tuner because 1) it is rugged enough to bounce around with the cables and 2) can’t run down the battery between gigs. And it tunes better - and looks cooler. 
Not a total hater, though - I like using a clip-on for the upright bass.
Not a total hater, though - I like using a clip-on for the upright bass.
Yes. I realize that sounds like an insurmountable obstacle to you
but somehow I slog through and keep the show moving as fast as it's going to go anyway.Yes. I realize that sounds like an insurmountable obstacle to you
You realize wrong. It sounds stupid. Not difficult.
scottfeldstein
Roots and fifths and a little extra.
I realize I need to amend my previous response. I own more than one clip on tuner. I even have one that's pretty invisible, a D'Addario "micro" clip on tuner. It's small, it's black, and it disappears on my black headstock Warwick. I used it every night on my last pit gig last August.
I just think pedal tuners are usually better, but sometimes a good clip on is a blessing on your house.
I've used TC Polytune clips and pedals for years.
A major benefit of a pedal tuner is that it allows you to mute your signal while tuning. They can also be run from a power supply, which makes them more reliable and gig-worthy than a clip on.
On the other hand, Clips are very convenient and the fact they are so small, run on batteries and don't require a cable to be used can also be seen as a pro.
A major benefit of a pedal tuner is that it allows you to mute your signal while tuning. They can also be run from a power supply, which makes them more reliable and gig-worthy than a clip on.
On the other hand, Clips are very convenient and the fact they are so small, run on batteries and don't require a cable to be used can also be seen as a pro.
1. My bass has the word "Prototype" in pen on the back of the headstock. So I'm not clamping anything to it.
2. On guitar, I'll use a clip on at an open mic, but that's really it.
3. The first clip-ons I used years ago were Snarks. They weren't bad, but the pedal tuner I already had, a Korg DT-10, was just plain better. When it died, I switched to a TC Polytune (which I hated) and then a Turbo Tuner Mini. At that time, there were no clip on tuners that were more accurate than the Turbo Tuner mini. And the Snarks aren't durable at all. So they were fine for quick home use, but that's about it.
4. A couple of years ago, I bought a TC UniTune. It is as accurate as my Turbo Tuner in strobe mode, but I dislike the display in strobe mode. Standard mode is ok but not as accurate.
5. Recently, I bought the Peterson Strobostomp HD pedal tuner because I needed a second tuner. It's the first tuner I've bought that stands up to the Turbo Tuner. Peterson makes a clip on version. I will likely buy that one when I either lose the UniTune or it breaks (#1 is far more likely than #2).
Bonus: Mentioning Turbo Tuner drives @JimmyM bonkers.
2. On guitar, I'll use a clip on at an open mic, but that's really it.
3. The first clip-ons I used years ago were Snarks. They weren't bad, but the pedal tuner I already had, a Korg DT-10, was just plain better. When it died, I switched to a TC Polytune (which I hated) and then a Turbo Tuner Mini. At that time, there were no clip on tuners that were more accurate than the Turbo Tuner mini. And the Snarks aren't durable at all. So they were fine for quick home use, but that's about it.
4. A couple of years ago, I bought a TC UniTune. It is as accurate as my Turbo Tuner in strobe mode, but I dislike the display in strobe mode. Standard mode is ok but not as accurate.
5. Recently, I bought the Peterson Strobostomp HD pedal tuner because I needed a second tuner. It's the first tuner I've bought that stands up to the Turbo Tuner. Peterson makes a clip on version. I will likely buy that one when I either lose the UniTune or it breaks (#1 is far more likely than #2).
Bonus: Mentioning Turbo Tuner drives @JimmyM bonkers.
These
The ability to mute my signal chain is almost as important to me as the ability to tune my bass...
I do use clip-on when I travel light (without pedal board) though...
