Even the greatest guitar in the world, played by the most outrageous virtuoso, would become nothing more than an incoherent mess if it's not in tune – but that's where one of the best clip-on guitar tuners comes in. These convenient and easy-to-use guitar accessories will ensure you are always sounding your best, and our top choices from TC Electronic, Snark, Boss and D'Addario won't break the bank, either.
Product guide
Modes: Polyphonic, chromatic, strobe
Tuning range: A0-C8
Calibration range: A4 = 435Hz-445Hz
Accuracy: +/- 0.02 cent (strobe) 0.5 cents (chromatic)
+ Three tuning modes
+ Bright display
+ Very accurate
- Can damage nitro finishes
The Polytune Clip shows that you don’t need a fancy floor unit to have a lot of features in a tuner. It delivers remarkable performance, with chromatic, strobe, and polyphonic modes that make it a great option for players at all levels.
In chromatic mode, it offers an accuracy of 0.5 cents, which should be more than enough to put your guitar in tune. Strobe mode offers 0.02 cents accuracy, which means it is within one 5,000th of a semitone, which should satisfy most human ears.
The PolyTune Clip is five years old now but still the polytune mode impresses in its ability to display all six strings at once, making on-the-fly adjustments quick and easy. We found the screen to be bright and you get up to 18 hours of battery time.
Modes: Strobe
Tuning range: C0-B6
Calibration range: A4 = 390Hz-490Hz
Accuracy: +/- 0.1 cents
+ The most accurate tuner there is
+ Capo and drop tuning settings
+ Excellent build and display
- Strobe mode only
The StroboClip HD has a huge HD screen, soft rubber-gripped jaws, drop tuning and capo settings, and it utilizes very clever technology not often found in a clip-on tuner. This tuner can accommodate over 50 of Peterson’s sweetened tunings, taking account of the tuning foibles of some of the most popular guitars.
Sweetened tunings take account of how, say, a Telecaster with a three-saddle bridge might wobble in tuning as you fret a chord higher up on the fretboard, and makes the adjustments accordingly. With over 50 different sweetened tunings available, the Stroboclip’s adaptability to different instruments makes this a top contender in its class. Although incredibly professional, this may be overkill for any fresh-faced beginners out there.
Modes: Chromatic
Tuning range: N/A
Calibration range: A4 = 410-480Hz
Accuracy: +/- 2 cents
+ Small and lightweight
+ Bonus metronome
+ Lots of viewing angles
- Could be too small
The NS Micro Universal has a ratchet clip that allows it to fit discreetly onto pretty much any headstock, front or rear, and it has a 360-degree swivel adjustment and extendable arm to help position it so you can see the LCD screen as you play. Although small in stature, we found the bright LCD makes the tuner a breeze to use, even if your eyesight isn’t what it used to be – blast getting older!
In our experience, it's very light so it won’t tilt your headstock should you wish to keep it on throughout your performance. It’ll tune an electric guitar, but so too a bass, mandolin, banjo and so on, making it a versatile studio companion. There’s a visual metronome mode, too, ideal if your drummer is getting a bit enthusiastic.
Modes: Chromatic
Tuning range: C0-C8 (16.3-4186Hz)
Calibration range: A4 = 436Hz-445Hz
Accuracy: +/- 1 cent
+ Outstanding value for money
+ Color-coded digital chromatic display
+ Clip is respectful of your guitar’s finish
- Low on features
If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful clip-on guitar tuner that’s accurate to a cent either way, and you don’t need bells and whistles, the FT-2 is hard to beat. Coming in at around less than 15 bucks, it's a proper bargain.
There is no HD 4K display, no holographic Pokémon to shout out how flat you are, it’s just a tuner. It’s compact and unobtrusive, and it switches itself off after five minutes of inactivity to preserve battery life. What more do you want?
And it’s not like the display doesn’t get the job done. The digital chromatic setup is a breeze; it’s red when you are sharp (which is the worst; you’d rather be flat than sharp), amber when flat, and green when you’re in tune. Simple.
Modes: Chromatic
Tuning range: N/A
Calibration range: A4 = 415Hz-466Hz
Accuracy: N/A
+ Bright display
+ Respectable performance
+ Tunes basses and guitars
- Not for nitro finishes
Snark makes clip-on guitar tuners in many different colors and in many different styles, but there is a recurring theme in that they are all very accessibly-priced and have a bright, colorful screen that makes them visible in low-light situations.
The Super Tight is exactly that. It clamps on tight to your headstock, offering a chromatic tuner that can be switched between microphone mode for tuning acoustic instruments and vibration mode, which uses a transducer.
There is even a tap-tempo metronome mode, which again is an excellent feature at the price. If you’re looking for an entry-level clip-on guitar tuner that’s small enough to throw in the gigbag or jacket pocket, this is a very decent option.
Modes: Chromatic, half-strobe, strobe
Tuning range: A0-C8
Calibration range: A4 = 436Hz–445 Hz
Accuracy: +/- 0.1 cent
+ Super accurate
+ Improved display
+ Reverse display
- Bulky clip
The original Pitchclip has been improved. While the PC2 remains an excellent super-budget option you can pick up for 12 bucks and it’ll be accurate to a cent, the PC2+ has a much better display, offering half-strobe and full-strobe modes.
These new modes improve the accuracy of the tuner tenfold, but perhaps just as important in a tuner with such a compact profile, the PC2+ just seems brighter and more readable in all situations, great for dark stages.
Its display is reversible, making it a decent option for right and left-handed players. It’ll tune a bass, too, and while it doesn’t list the full 24 hours of playing time as its predecessor you’ll get a very respectable 18 hours from one battery.
Modes: Chromatic
Tuning range: C0-C8 (16.3-4186Hz)
Calibration range: A4 = 436Hz-445Hz
Accuracy: +/- 1 cent
+ Accurate to a cent
+ Bright display
+ Easy to use
- Only one mode
The Boss TU-10 is a serious tuner despite its simple looks and low price point. At 1 cent accuracy, it’s as accurate as the vast majority of players would need, and it is compact, lightweight, and pretty darn easy to use.
There is a flat tuning mode, where you can tune down up to 5 semitones, making drop and alternate tunings relatively pain-free. Unfortunately, it won't set your guitar up for you, but it's a useful feature for those who like to get low.
The display performs well in a number of low and well-lit scenarios, and it will tune your bass, uke or mandolin too. It’s typical Boss; well-designed, no fuss, player friendly, and for the price that’s a fair degree of functionality and accuracy.
Modes: Chromatic
Tuning range: N/A
Calibration range: A4 = 435Hz-455 Hz
Accuracy: 0.3 cents
+ Very discrete and accurate
+ Multicolor display
+ Fits a variety of acoustics
- Acoustic only
Here is a smart little clip-on guitar tuner for acoustic players. You mount it in your soundhole, so it’s for your eyes only, and when you turn it on you’ll get a bright multicolor display that’s accurate to 0.3 cents.
You can also use it on ukuleles and other acoustic stringed instruments, and the option to calibrate it from 434-445Hz means you can use it with the local orchestra if and when the occasion arises.
Not everyone likes having a clip-on tuner on the headstock, or keeping one there, so the convenience of having this secreted away means you can have it on whenever you need it. It’s easy to operate, quick, and shouldn’t foul up your guitar’s finish.
Modes: Chromatic, strobe, half-strobe
Tuning range: A0–C8
Calibration range: A4 = 436-445 Hz
Accuracy: 0.1 cents
+ Ultra-precise tuning accuracy
+ Easily seen 3D display
+ Premium build quality
- Not rechargeable
With a curved, high-visibility 3D display, the Korg Sledgehammer Pro is ideal if you're after a clip-on tuner for live performances. The curved screen allows you to see the tuner from most angles, meaning if you’re extra rambunctious on stage and likely to knock the tuner out of place, you don't have to faff about readjusting it. The feather in the Sledgehammer’s cap is the shuttle switch which allows you to turn on/off the tuner with one hand, making it even more useful in a live situation.
The Sledgehammer matches the ultra-precise tuning accuracy of Peterson’s StroboClip HD at 0.1 cents, making it incredibly accurate. That tuning accuracy of 0.1 cents is available across all chromatic, strobe and half-strobe modes.
Buying advice
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