This guide will help you find the best guitar tuner for your budget and tuning needs.
A tuner will likely be one of your first gear purchases…what’s the point of buying the latest and greatest distortion pedal if you’re not in tune? Whether you’re a first time buyer or in the market for an upgrade, there is sure to be a tuner on this list that you’ll want to grab.
There are a few things you’ll need to know, such as the benefits of clip-on tuners versus pedal tuners and chromatic versus poly tune technology. Before getting to the recommendations, let’s first discuss the different types of tuners.
What you Need To Know
Types of Tuners
Chromatic Tuners
Chromatic tuners will tune to the nearest note in the 12-note chromatic scale. Chromatic tuners tend to be easier to use than guitar tuners. Also, most chromatic tuners have both chromatic and guitar modes.
Guitar Tuner
Guitar tuners differ from chromatic tuners in that you have to pre-set the note you want to tune to.
Polyphonic Tuners
Polyphonic tuners feature advanced tuning technology that allow you to strum all 6 strings simultaneously with a display that will tell you which strings are out of tune. Pretty cool right? This makes tuning much less of a hassle and takes less time, however polyphonic tuners tend to be somewhat more expensive.
Strobe Tuners
Strobe tuners are renowned for their tuning accuracy. These also tend to fetch a higher price. Most beginners won’t notice a difference as entry level tuners these days provide amazing accuracy, however guitar techs and pro players say they’re a must.
Clip-On vs. Pedal?
Clip-On Tuners
Clip-on tuners are extremely nifty. There are no cables or microphones involved as you simply clip the tuner onto your guitar’s neck and it will tune using the vibrations. Clip-on tuners offer convenience and surprisingly good accuracy. They work well for both acoustic and electric guitars.
Pedal TUners
Pedal tuners allow you to directly plug in your guitar using a 1/4” cable. These are practical if you have a pedalboard and frequently play live performances. However, they may be burdensome when practicing at home compared to the simplicity of a clip-on tuner.
The Best Guitar Tuner To Buy now
Let’s dive into the list:
1. Snark ST-8HZ Super Tight All Instrument Tuner
Snark is known for its high quality, affordable tuners. The ST-8HZ is a clip on tuner. I’ll first say that if you haven’t tried a clip-on tuner, you should because they are a game changer. There are no cables or microphones needed as the ST-8HZ tunes using your guitar’s vibrations so you can even tune in a loud venue. They are also extremely convenient for everyday use.
Features
HD Display
The HD color display is not only visually pleasing but highly practical. The display visibility works very well under various lighting such as playing outdoors in the sun or playing under bright stage lights.
Accuracy & Tuning
Snark tuners have a good reputation for their tuning accuracy. They are accurate to 1/10th of 1Hz. This is more than sufficient for most guitarists.
Swivel
The display rotates 360 degrees and works for right or left handed players. I typically leave my Snark clipped on to the end of my guitar neck and without hassle position the display so that it is always in sight. The clip also is padded with nice rubber that is soft but sturdy, and will not scratch your guitar’s finish.
Tap Tempo Metronome
The Snark has a built in visual only metronome. To set the BPM simply press the button to tap your desired tempo. I’ve never been a fan of visual only, as I find they are not as effective as click metronomes. Regardless it is a cool feature and it might just require a bit of practice to get used to.
Battery Life
Depending on how often you tune, the battery will last a long time. I generally replace the battery in my Snark once every two years. The display will enter “power save” mode after five seconds of non-use to conserve battery life. The display will instantly light up to full brightness if you strum a note. The power automatically shuts off after two minutes of non-use. The Snark uses those slim button batteries, which you can buy at any pharmacy.
The Bottom Line
The Snark ST-8HZ is an excellent choice for guitarists. It is effortless to use as an everyday practice tuner - mine is always clipped onto my neck so I can easily hit the on button, quickly tune, and resume playing in under a minute. It is also great in a live or professional setting. The rubber grip stays put if you tend to move around a lot on stage. The vibration tuning technology is also a life saver. The Snark will work if you need to check your tuning before going on stage where you may not have an amp or if there’s a lot of background noise. Overall, the ST-8HZ is highly affordable and delivers accurate tunings.
2. TC Electronic PolyTune Clip
I’ve personally never had any issues with tuning accuracy issues with the Snark, but if you’re looking for something with even greater accuracy, consider the TC Electronic PolyTune. While the PolyTune is a more expensive clip-on tuner than the Snark, it does come with additional features such as poly tune technology, which allows you to tune all 6 strings simultaneously, greater accuracy, and capo modes.
Featuers
Poly Tune Technology
The breakthrough poly tune technology allows you to tune all 6 guitar strings at once. Pretty cool right? All you need to do is strum all six strings simultaneously and the poly mode provides a reading for which strings are sharp or flat. This is sure to save some time tuning rather than having to pluck and mute each string individually.
Display
The super bright LED display works well in various lighting conditions. The display is adaptive and automatically switches orientation for left and right hand players. The one downside is that unlike the Snark’s display that swivels 360 degrees, the PolyTune can only be positioned horizontally or vertically, and even tilts, but does not swivel. The lightening-fast LED lights and reading allows for quick tune-ups. The robust stainless steel clip is sturdy and the rubber components are custom made and will not damage your guitar’s finish.
Greater Accuracy
The PolyTune offers ultra-precise accuracy with +/-0.02 cent resolution. It also offers strobe and chromatic tuning modes.
Bass Guitar Selection
The PolyTune has greater accuracy for tuning different types of instruments, unlike the Snark that is not perfect when it comes to tuning a 5-string bass or woodwind instruments. The PolyTune delivers this accuracy and even has a bass guitar selection mode. If you are a bass player, it has an internal memory and retains all settings even after shutting off or removing the battery.
Warranty
The PolyTune comes with a 3-year warranty
The Bottom Line
The TC Electronic PolyTune Clip is modestly more expensive than the Snark. Don’t get me wrong, the Snark delivers incredible accuracy for its affordability. However, if you are a professional recording or performing musician you may consider the modestly more expensive PolyTune, which does offer greater tuning accuracy. You really can’t go wrong with either the Snark or the PolyTune and choosing which one to go with is a matter of your professional needs and budget.
3. Boss TU-3 Guitar Tuner
If you’re a musician that prefers a pedal tuner, consider the BOSS TU-3. The tuner is trusted by professionals and is found on the pedalboards of many well-known guitarists. It is a best-seller and is considered to be an industry standard.
Features
Works for guitar and bass and supports drop tunings. It also has chromatic and guitar/bass modes.
The pedal has a large, high-brightness LED display with brightness control for outdoor settings.
Provides tuning accuracy up to +/- 1 cent.
The pedal can supply power for up to seven BOSS compact effects pedals.
The TU-3 is an all around champ and deserves it’s place as one of the best selling tuners on the market. However, keep reading as in my opinion you can get a more advanced tuner for nearly the same price.
4. TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Mini Guitar Tuner
One advantage of the PolyTune versus the BOSS TU-3 is its poly tune technology. This is sure to benefit musicians that perform regularly and may even be a requirement if you have limited time between songs.
Features
The PolyTune pedal offers the same poly tune technology as the PolyTune Clip. Just strum all six strings simultaneously and the poly mode provides a reading for which strings are sharp or flat.
Provides fast accurate readings with polyphonic, chromatic, and strobe tuning modes. Ultra-precise +/-0.02 cent accuracy.
Has a build in BONAFIDE buffer that keeps your tone crisp through long cables and pedal chains. The pedal has switchable true bypass / buffer modes that optimize the signal for any type of setup.
The extra-small pedal design provides ample visibility while taking up less space on your pedalboard.
Take note that given this is the mini version, it does not have room for a battery and requires a 9V power supply (as is the case for most mini pedals). If you can think of a scenario where you’ll need battery power, the full-size version may be a better option.
White and black versions are available.
Best Guitar Tuner Recommendations
Do any of these immediately catch your attention? Your buying decision should take into account your budget and need for advanced features. I personally own the Snark and love it as an everyday tuner. However, I’m tempted to upgrade to the PolyTune Clip (because poly tune technology is awesome). Performing and touring musicians will certainly require a pedal tuner. Despite the robustness of the clip-on tuners, if you’re moving around on stage they could easily go flying off into oblivion.