Guitar tuner: comparison to buy the best tuners for guitars

The best electric basses for beginners:

1. Peterson StroboClip HD
2. Danelectro Snark SN-1X
3. Tc electronic UniTune
4. Harley Benton Dr. Chord Pro
5. Korg TM-60 White
6. Cherub WST-910
7. Tc electronic PolyTune 2 Mini
8. Boss TU-3
9. Roadie Roadie 2 Tuner and Roadie Roadie Bass Tuner

The best guitar tuners on the market

The Peterson brand is gaining more and more followers due to the quality and precision of its devices. It has a wide range of chromatic tuners. We have not tried them all, but those that have passed through our hands were of good quality.

Design:

The Peterson Stroboclip HD guitar tuner is a chromatic tuner because it scrolls through the spectrum of sound vibrations recognizing all the notes of the scales such as: C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, A#, B.

The design is of the clip type for attaching to the headstock of guitars, basses, ukuleles and other plucked or plucked string instruments. It has a grip range of up to 25.1mm. That is, it fits any type of shovel.

The most striking aspect of this guitar tuner is the impressive high-definition LCD display with feedback. It is the largest display on the market for this type of device and the notes and needle movement can be seen clearly in broad daylight. The overall dimensions of the product are 1.75″ x 2.4″ x 1.2″.

As a power source, manufacturers have included a CR2032 button battery: it is the most common on the market and you can find it almost anywhere. Although, as some users have told us, the battery does not last long due to the high power consumption of the HD display.

Materials:

The Peterson Stroboclip HD guitar tuner is robust, as its housing is made of ABS, a highly shock-resistant plastic. In addition, its LCD screen is made of a durable polymer and covered with a transparent protective plastic. Although the internal components are Chinese, they feature SIFTECH quality, which perform well.

One thing we liked about this guitar tuner is the quality of the clip. We like it very much because it is robust, has excellent strength and grip range that allows it to clip onto any stringed instrument, such as a Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster, without coming loose easily.

Tuning and Instruments:

The Peterson Stroboclip HD guitar tuner has an adjustable calibration ranging from 390Hz to 490Hz. Taking this into account, we believe that it achieves a remarkably wide tuning and is a high quality device since you will have at your fingertips all possible frequencies in stringed instruments.

One option that makes it special for guitar is Drop Tuning. With it you will be able to take your guitar to any of the tunings mentioned in previous sections. Also, it fits baritone guitars and four, five and six string basses where the B-string of your bass will have a very accurate reading thanks to its 16Hz to 1975Hz response range.

You can obtain the tunings for Bluegrass, open G, rondeña and almost fifty tunings programmed in its internal memory, for various instruments via USB connectivity.

Conclusion:

From our point of view, the Peterson Stroboclip HD guitar tuner is perhaps the most accurate on the market: it is large, robust, rugged and technologically excellent. The pre-configured tunings are very playful and the options for tuning acoustic and electric guitars are great.

We like the Danelectro brand very much. They specialize in the manufacture of sound enhancing accessories for guitars and basses. The Danelectro Snark SN-1X tuner is proof of this and we reveal all its secrets in this review. But to open your mouth, it is the best seller in the market.

Design:

The Danelectro Snark SN-1X is a chromatic tuner for guitar: its range of action gives you the possibility to interpret and convert all the notes of a standard musical scale. In addition, it has a clip-on design. It is designed to fit any guitar or bass with a grip range of 24.0mm, more than enough for all plucked string instruments.

One aspect that we really like is that the manufacturers have incorporated a good quality metronome that is indispensable for practice time with your band.

This original version of Snark has a color screen that can be rotated through 360°. It has a radius of 1.6″ and the numbers are three times the size of those established for the optimal range of visibility in healthy sighted people up to 50 years of age.

Another thing we like about the Danelectro Snark SN-1X tuner is that it incorporates a metronome, something that is very useful for every beginner and intermediate guitarist. Finally, it incorporates a CR2032 lithium battery, which is the standard type of battery in all electronic devices.

Materials:

The Danelectro Snark SN-1X tuner is constructed of high-strength ABS polymer, which is ideal for small devices that are at risk of being knocked and broken. The display is a high quality LCD with tilt correction, which significantly improves the disturbances common in this imaging project technology. It is manufactured in South Korea and these companies currently maintain high quality standards by complying with ISO 13406-2 standards.

The internal components are Chinese, from the company “Million Sunshine Technology”, which is a company with excellent quality controls. According to user feedback, none of them have been found to be defective and no returns have been necessary.

Tuning and Instruments:

Basically this is a tuner for guitar and bass, as it senses the entire frequency range of these instruments. The “B” string on a five-string bass is the most difficult string to pick up on any digital tuner, but Danelectro maintains an excellent range of perception for this string. For us, this is very valuable.

The calibration setting is within the 415-466 Hz range and is not as wide as on other guitar tuners, but is sufficient for any musical instrument.

We are also struck by the quality of the vibration sensor, which has a high sensitivity to vibrations. We believe that other brands of clip-on guitar tuners do not pick up vibrations as accurately anywhere on the headstock . However, the Danelectro Snark SN-1X Danelectro tuner has the same quality anywhere on the instrument.

Conclusion:

Danelectro has surprised us with this tuner for guitar and bass. The Danelectro Snark SN-1X has a high quality of manufacture and performance. We are also not surprised that this tuner is the best-selling tuner on the market. The reason? The addition of a metronome option that every student should have in a compact form, in the form of a 2in1 Tuner/Metronome.

There are few companies as reputable as Tc Electronic in the manufacture of audio devices and sound processors for guitars and basses. The brand has a wide range of high quality devices that are highly valued by leading musicians. The TC electronic has demonstrated great precision in tuning, but it also has great features that make it a good choice for purchase.

Design:

The Tc Electronic Unitune is a chromatic and clip-on guitar tuner . But not just any clip. So far, most brands have opted for an ABS clip with a steel spring. However, TC Electronic has opted for an all-steel clip, also with a steel spring. This means having the highest durability and resistance in the market.

The clip achieves twice as strong a grip as other brands. We like this because it does not lose strength, even if it is not attached to thick blades. The housing is made of typical ABS, which has become the material par excellence for the manufacture of covers/housings.

The LCD display carries a South Korean quality seal and an ISO 13406-2 warranty. The Tc Electronic Unitune presents data in a futuristic way, is very elegant and reminiscent of the theme of movies such as Tron Legacy. The scrolling of the notes across the screen is very easy to read, intuitive and highly accurate.

The screen is large in size. Therefore, its range of visibility and readings is better than that of other tuners. One detail that we miss is that the screen has the option to rotate 360º. However, due to its robust design and the mobility of its component, we believe it is more resistant with the vertical rotation angle only at 90º.

Finally, it measures 25 x 60 x 28 mm and this makes it one of the largest guitar tuners on the market.

Materials:

For the construction of this guitar tuner, they have chosen to use high-strength ABS polymer for the housing, which is the typical material for this type of tuner. However, the clip is made of steel and its steel spring separates it from other clip tuners, making it the most resistant and the one with the widest opening range and grip strength.

Also, the high quality LCD display with ten layers of liquid glass and excellent polarization filters to give the highest quality image with light feedback.

Its internal components bear the stamp of Nordic quality and enjoy the highest reputation in electronic technology. Therefore, you can be sure that your investment is secure.

Tuning and Instruments:

This time we find an exclusive device for guitars and basses that has the highest quality for the tuning of these instruments. The failure rate in strobe mode is +/- 0.02 Cent, while in tuner mode it is +/- 0.05 Cent. Despite this, we believe that this tuner has the components and quality to be perfect and we believe that its tuning is totally accurate.

Conclusion:

The Tc Electronic Unitune guitar tuner has proven to be a very accurate tuner. In addition, it has great features that make it a good buying option. We love it because it perfectly fulfills the function for which it was designed. In addition, its materials are first class, its internal configuration is optimal and its precision, in our opinion, is the highest on the market.

Which one would we choose?

If what If you are looking for a tuner that specializes in guitars and basses, the best one for you is the Peterson Strobe Clip HD. If you are looking for a tuner that besides fulfilling its basic function helps you in the moments of practice with a good metronome, then we recommend the Danelectro is ideal. However, if you want to the most accurate and most rugged of all, then the TC electronic is what you are looking for.

The best base tuners for Spanish and acoustic guitars

We have selected the best base tuners. We are referring to those that are not clip-on, but those that are generally rectangular with sizes like the palm of our hand. Base tuners tend to have the most configurations and applications.

The Harley Bento Dr Chord Pro is an impressive guitar tuner. You can tell that the brand has taken great care and thought of even the most unusual details that cover most of the needs of the beginner guitarist.
The Harley Bentor Dr Chord Pro guitar tuner is not limited to just having a display with several buttons, but offers a wealth of features that make it one of the best basic tuners.

Design:

The Harley Bentor Dr Chord Pro has been designed as a basic tuner. It could not be otherwise, since its performance demands this size.

The Harley Bentor Dr Chord Pro is primarily a chromatic guitar tuner with an accuracy rating of 0.01cen. This is the average of all digital tuners. That's why we assure you that it is very accurate and does its job faithfully.

In addition, it has the metronome possibilities with time signature selector to identify 2/2, 2/4, ¾, 4/4 6/8 and the option for speed adjustment up to 250 bpm (beats per minute), which you can subdivide from eighth notes to sixteenth notes. In other words: it has it all.

We have been pleasantly surprised with the chord finder, which is highly responsive. It also has the ability to identify and help you search for up to 2640 chords. Which is a bestiality. In addition, it has a button with five chord options:

• 1. Position finder, which indicates how the fingers are placed on the fingerboard.
• Chord protractor that tells you the different variations of the same chord on the fretboard.
• 3. Name Identifier
• 4. Switch to right-handed or left-handed mode
• 5. The identifier without names, where you assign the black dots on the digital fretboard and it tells you what the chord is called.

The designer has placed the option of (auto Power Off) so that the device automatically turns off when it has been switched on for some time without use. In addition, its dimensions are 120 x 70 x 28 mm, with an approximate weight of 150.g and the power source is through a 9.v battery and if you prefer with an external power supply that is optional.

Materials:

The housing is made of ABS material, which is the most common material for this type of device. Its LCD display is made in Germany. Every single internal component is German assembled in Indonesia with skilled labor, according to Thomann.

Tuning and Instruments:

It is a chromatic tuner just for guitar that recognizes all the notes of the standard “C” scale and its precision range is great, clear and crisp. With it, your guitar will be totally in tune.

The frequency setting is very wide, from “LA” (27.5 Hz) to “DO 8” (4186.01 Hz), to provide the student with an excellent training. The calibration settings are not that wide anymore because it goes from 430Hz to 450 Hz, although it is enough for any guitarist, because the truth is that it is almost never used more than that range.

Another interesting aspect is the built-in tone generator so that you can tune your guitar by ear, listening to the notes that the tuner emits through the speaker, having a range from “DO 4” at (32.7 Hz) to “SI 4” at (493.883 Hz).

With its built-in microphone it can perfectly pick up the sound of your guitar strings and you will be able to tune very fast. Headphone output.

Conclusion:

The Harley Bentor Dr Chord Pro is an impressive multi-function guitar tuner. From our point of view, it has everything for the beginner guitarist to have more than extra help in his practice sessions. Its components are of high quality, the chord identifier is very complete and with the metronome option, you can't ask for anything more.

Korg is perhaps the most iconic company when it comes to digital tuners. All its products stand out for their quality, performance and durability. The TM-60 is a reflection of this and is one of the best-selling tuners on the market, both for its build quality and the accuracy of its options.

Design:

It is a chromatic tuner designed only for guitarists as it does not clearly perceive the frequencies of the electric bass.

It incorporates an intuitive design for tuner and metronome selection. Its configuration is quite friendly and can be done by simply observing the indicators on the screen. A pro of the Korg TM-60 is that you can use the tuner and metronome option simultaneously, something that is not possible with other brands.

Its LCD display has the option of backlighting, as well as the ability to turn the light on and off when not needed, so your battery can last much longer.

The metronome has a time signature selector, speed setting and beat subdivision that are identified with the musical nomenclature of the figures quarter note, quarter note, eighth note, sixteenth note, triplet, sixteenth note, doublet and other dotted figures. The reality is that this metronome is the most complete digital tuner on the market.

Another feature that we like is the automatic shut-off feature for when you accidentally leave it on. Finally, the Korg TM-60 measures 11.1x 7.4 x 7.4 x 1.8 cm, a more than ideal size for a device that has so many applications and its weight is reduced to only 100g. Includes two AAA batteries.

Materials:

Korg has always stood out for the high quality of its materials. Despite using the same configuration as other brands -such as the ABS casing-, its resistance to shocks is higher.

A point that we can detail in first person and that has also happened to other users is that the device accidentally gets soaked with water and just letting it dry is enough for it to continue working normally. This is due to the high quality cover of its electronic board and internal components, which are covered with an enamel that is waterproof, dustproof and retains the recommended temperature for its operation. The LCD display has the quality controls of the made in Japan.

Tuning and Instruments:

It is a digital tuner designed for guitars, violins, violas and wind instruments, but it does not have a good reading on the frequencies of electric bass, cellos and others that emit such low frequencies, although the manufacturer indicates that it does. However, its range of action for capturing mid and high frequencies is excellent.

This device detects the frequency of three octaves ranging from C one “C1” (32.70 Hz) to C eight “C8” (4186.01 Hz), that is the whole range of middle and high notes. Also, through its loudspeaker it generates reference tones from C three “C3” (130.81 Hz) to C six “C6” (1046.50 Hz). In addition, it is possible to calibrate the frequency from The four A4 at 410.Hz to 480.Hz.

Conclusion:

The Korg TM-60 is a great guitar tuner, with the best built-in metronome, and recommended for intermediate guitarists who only need to develop agility and speed. The quality of its construction and resistances are the best in the market because it has good water resistance, therefore we fully recommend it.

Cherub has entered the digital tuner market to meet the needs of orchestral musicians. It has also been gaining wide acceptance among guitarists and bassists due to the high quality of its devices. We personally are very attracted to the Cherub WST-910 tuner. Here's why.

Design:

This is a multirange device designed to tune everything in its path. The first thing that stands out is its size (116 x 78 x 27 mm): it is the largest in the comparison, although it does not weigh too much (160 g) and is comfortable to carry anywhere.

Its display design is divided into two parts: the upper part indicates the frequency and the note in Anglo-Saxon notation; the lower part is the digital needle that emulates analog tuners and expresses the pitch of the notes and their relative frequencies.

It does not have a metronome option and is powered by two AAA batteries or a Voltage power supply which is not included.

Materials:

Its housing is typical ABS, with good quality Chinese internal components. We checked: it doesn't overheat like most Chinese devices.

The ten-plate LCD display is divided into two parts to reflect the same reading in two different modes. It has internal illumination, with good response, and we like the digital needle on the lower display because its response is stable, it does not vary or wander between perceived frequencies.

Tuning and Instruments:

This device is only a tuner but its tuning range is a past time. It tunes everything that gets in its way, capturing with clarity from E zero “E0” (20.60 Hz) to D eight “D8” (4699 Hz) which is the entire range of a grand piano, everything a symphony orchestra uses within its sonic possibilities. It only needs to capture the notes of a Gong with a radius of 2 meters, it would be the extreme.

For the factory, the accuracy percentage is 0.5 Cent and we believe it does not do it justice, it is more modesty on the part of the designers, as it has excellent response with guitars, six string basses, cellos, double basses, although we have not seen it tested for tubas. The frequency range can be calibrated from 400Hz to 499Hz, which is a great advantage because it is never used above 450 Hz.

In addition, it has a transposition function for instruments from C, F, Bb and Eb, as well as an integrated tone generator. It also includes eleven different tuning modes: C “C” (chromatic), tuning in F, Bb, Eb, G (guitar mode), B (bass mode), violin mode, ukulele mode in C, ukulele mode in D and others.

Conclusion:

This tuner delivers everything it promises and goes beyond, because it has everything a band or orchestra needs to tune their instruments. Therefore, we fully recommend this tuner as the most suitable tuner for orchestral musicians.

Our recommendation:

If you are a beginner guitarist, we recommend the Harley Benton Dr. Chord Pro. If you are an experienced intermediate guitarist or musician, then you should buy the Korg TM-60 tuner, because it has the best metronome on the market. Now, if you are a band or orchestra musician the Cherub WST-910 is the beast that will help you with tuning even your triangle.

The best digital tuners for electric guitar

We come to the comparison of the best electric guitar tuners. We refer to foot pedals for tuning electric guitar, bass and electro-acoustic guitar. First of all, you should know that for electric guitar tuners, what counts are two aspects:

• Size: because an electric guitarist or bass player needs to assemble a compact rack, to be able to transport the necessary components as comfortably as possible.
• Resistance: because it is a foot tuner and will only receive the treatment of our boot when we are excited splitting solos our favorite songs.

Tc Electronic, faithful to its philosophy of manufacturing the most compact devices on the market, offers us the smallest foot tuner on the market. Despite its size, it is small but tough, and has excellent manufacturing characteristics. Intuitive, easy to use, good manufacturing materials and design are just some of its key features.

Design:

The Tc Electronic Polytune 2 Mini is a chromatic pedal guitar tuner, especially for you to build your own effects rack for electric guitar or bass guitar. Its design is compact, measuring 51 x 45 x 93mm and weighing 160g, the lowest on the market.

It has an ultra-bright LED display that has an ambient light sensor and adjusts to the perceived incidence, saving energy consumption and preventing overheating.

A Bypass option is also available. It allows you to mute the sound while tuning the instrument. This is vital, because many musicians or the rest of the band will appreciate the silence while you tune.

As for the inputs and outputs: it has an input for the 9.V and 1 Amp power supply. The pin is 5.5mm / 2.1mm and the polarity is center negative +/-. We have already told you that the power supply is not included.

Materials:

This is a robust guitar tuner. Its casing is made of metal molded in a single piece, which increases the resistance of its edges and makes it more aesthetic and practical to disassemble.

The bottom cover is also made of metal to ensure that nothing inside will break if it gets knocked on the bottom.

The switch button is perhaps the most important part because it receives all the ‘love' from our boot. This one, although Chinese, has a great quality because TC electronic has thought about the effort of this little friend called “Stomp button switch”.

Tuning and Instruments:

As we have already mentioned, the Tc Electronic Polytune 2 Mini is a tuner specialized in tuning electric and electro-acoustic guitars, such as the Yamaha F310.

Its frequency range is fixed: for A tuning at 440Hz and its tuning range is from A zero (27.5Hz) to C8 (4186Hz), being able to tune practically all types of instruments. However, its response is better with guitars and basses.

The tuning accuracy is +/-0.1 cent and it has a function called by the company as ‘Total recall', with which you can store the tuning preferences even after disconnection.

Conclusion:

The Tc Electronic Poli Tuner is the most compact tuner on the market. It has an excellent response to string vibrations, in addition to being robust, resistant, with great manufacturing features and with a storage option for your favorite tunings. We recommend it for all those who wish to build a small rack, but with great possibilities.

In a word: excellent. The Boss TU-3 is synonymous with quality. This is one of the best pedals on the market. It is a high-end tuner with the undisputed Boss seal.

Design:

This guitar tuner pedal is designed to be chromatic and capture all the notes of the scale. We refer to sharps and flats. In other words: it captures the whole spectrum of the scale.

For its display, the designers have opted for 21 LED lights that cover the entire spectrum of the sound perceived by this pedal, with moving lights that slow down as you approach the correct pitch.

The lights shine brightly. This way you can visualize them when you are in dark environments. In addition, it has an option to increase the brightness intensity.

The Boss TU-3 is designed to cover a frequency range from 16.35 Hz to 4,186 Hz – that's the full spectrum of sound you need for any instrument.

The power supply can be by 9V battery or by means of a 9V DC transformer with coaxial connector with negative pole inside that is not included in the pack. Finally, its dimensions are 73 x 129 x 59 mm and its weight is 390 g, which is somewhat heavy. It is a bit heavy, but it is not a problem.

Materials:

The materials used to manufacture this guitar tuner are high quality:

• Its casing is made of reinforced metal, molded in a single piece to achieve the highest possible strength.
• Its internal components are of Japanese technology and have passed the strict quality controls of Japanese companies. We assure you that you will buy a durable pedal.
• The LED display has 21 high quality lights that keep its incidence within the appropriate range of visibility for both children and adults.
• The “Stomp button switch” footswitch is of high quality. According to some user comments, they are the most resistant on the market.

Tuning and Instruments:

As a guitar tuner it covers a frequency range from C zero (16.35 Hz) to C eight (4,186 Hz). In other words, it tunes everything that is put in front of it. It also has a Flat-Tunning option that allows you to pick up to six low semitones for tuning. This positions it as the most complete pedal tuner on the market.

It also has an option to mute the instrument while tuning and covers the tuning of seven-string guitars and six-string basses. Its accuracy is the highest of all tuners available in any brand, being +/- 1 Cent, it is perfect and the frequency is adjustable from 436 to 445 Hz.

Conclusion:

The Boss electric guitar tuner pedal is the best on the market today for guitarists and bassists who want to build a rack of top-notch devices. The Boss TU-3 has it all: ruggedness, workmanship, design, precision and multi-instrumentation. Although it is not exactly cheap, we believe it is worth every euro of its price because it is one of the best on the market.

¿Nuestra recomendación?

Of all the electric guitar tuners reviewed, we would definitely choose the Boss TU-3. It is a tuner for professionals. If you are a beginner guitarist you should aspire to have it because it is the best we have found in guitar tuners in a stand format.

Electronic automatic tuner for guitar

About guitar tuners, you should understand that their main function is to facilitate the tuning work for musicians who play stringed instruments. But in the market there are tuners that go further because they incorporate a motor that automatically turns the tuning pegs to tune your guitar by itself. We tell you all about it below and review what we think are the best electronic automatic guitar tuners.

The Roadie company has designed what for us are the space shuttles of tuners. They feature an internal servo motor that automatically tunes your guitar. This tuner is the pinnacle of convenience because it is automatic, convenient and accurate.

Design:

This automatic tuner for guitar and bass is one of a kind. It is intended to take the tuning experience further than any such device on the market. The reason? It features a high-precision servo motor that automatically tunes your instrument just by sensing its vibration or tension.

Its body has a compact design with an LCD display on the top that indicates the musical note. It also incorporates a memory so that you can save the tunings that suit you best or that come to mind. This way you won't forget them.

Another interesting aspect is that forty different tunings are preset and can be accessed at the touch of a button.

Its high-performance motorized crank mechanism can move even rusty pins. This is due to the selection of a motor that is strong enough to move even the hardest pins a guitar can have.

In addition, its configuration is designed to tune all types of stringed instruments with low, medium and high frequencies. Therefore, this version is suitable for guitars, ukuleles, cuatros, mandolins, bandolinas, bandolas, guitarrones, violins, violas… In other words, anything with a plucked string mechanism. The only drawback is that to tune your bass you need the bass version.

The interesting thing about this tuner is that it is automatic, since it tunes just by attaching it to the peg and does its job. As extra information, it has USB-C connectivity so you can link it to your computer and reconfigure the preset tunings, as well as save the ones you have created.

Its power supply is powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with charge status indicator included. Finally, let's talk about its dimensions: 76x25x86.mm with a weight of 280.g.

Materials:

• The housing is made of ABS material reinforced with carbon.
• The internal components are of the highest quality made in the USA technology.
• The motor is a servo motor with high precision.
• Its LCD screen is also made in the USA, with ISO standards to guarantee the visual quality and durability of this device.

Tuning and Instruments:

Roadie has two versions of this tuning: one is for guitars and any mid/high frequency instrument and the other version is for bass and guitar.

The instrument recognition accuracy is less than 1 cent and for tuning it is less than 2 cents and is in the same accuracy range as the Korg and Cherub devices, the most accurate on the market.

In addition, its frequency is adjustable from 420 Hz to 460 Hz and is sufficient for any currently used frequency.

Conclusion:

The Roadie is one of a kind and although there is an automatic version from Gibson, it is not portable and requires a luthier to install it on the headstock, which means an extra money investment. But if you want the ultimate tuning experience, we heartily recommend it, whether you are a beginner or an expert.

We recommend you to check our comparisons on the best electric guitar amplifier, guitar straps, accordions, harmonica, güiro, as well as our musical instruments page, where you will find in-depth and objective reviews of the best equipment on the market. For example, Fender Precision Bass, Jazz Bass, a clarinet, double bass or any type of instrument.

Guitar Tuners Features