Tuners

[SpacewitchIan]

I'm having trouble finding a suitable tuner. Most seem designed for guitar rather than bass and a few I have tried have difficulty with low end (especially as I tune to drop Bb). The only really reliable one I have used is my guitar player's Boss Chromatic Tuner pedal - but I don't really want the hassle of an extra pedal, especially as I will pretty much stay in tune all night and don't need to tune between songs unless I bump a tuning peg on somerthing which is rare.
I just need something that will give me a quick, hassle-free tune up before I go on stage - a "clip on" would be ideal, but the ones I have tried struggle with bass frequencies. Ideas?

 

[punkjazzben]

I know what you mean about having another pedal, but it doesn't have to stay on all night. I just plug my bass in at the start of the set, tune up, and put the pedal aside, thus using it like you would a non-pedal tuner. Saves batteries too. An amp with a tuner out output gets it out of your way, too. So don't discount the Boss just because it's a pedal. I believe TC does a good tuner pedal for bass, too.

 

[lowfreq33]

You'll be hard pressed to find a clip-on that will pick up a low Bb reliably, especially in noisy environments.

 

[khutch]

My Planet Waves and Snark tuners pick up a low A just fine. You may have to find the right spot on the headstock. Or tune to the 12th fret harmonic....

 

[Son of Bovril]

Snark is the best clip on tuner I have used for 5 string bass

 

[ctmullins]

...Or tune to the 12th fret harmonic....

This is what I do routinely with my garden-variety clip-on tuner. Works fine.