Gibson may have failed with its experiments with robot tuners, but Band Industries’ fourth-generation Roadie tuner wants to convince the world that it was onto something after all.

The Roadie 4 is a smart tuner that automates the tuning process in double-quick time, and it arrives with “completely re-engineered algorithms and upgraded audio circuitry.”

Guitarists can completely change their tuning with just one pluck per string. As seen in the video below, co-founder Bassam Jalgha switches from E standard to open D after inputting his desired tuning into the device before placing it onto a tuning peg.

After hitting each string once, the Roadie 4 automatically turns the pegs to lock his acoustic guitar into the new tuning. An audible beep can be heard once the correct pitch has been achieved. And it does so steadily, with no shaking or extraneous noise.

In the three years since the high-scoring Roadie 3, its creators have dissected user feedback to ensure its younger brother mastered and expanded on its recipe. In total, Band Industries has been working on the Roadie’s R&D for 12 years, and the fruits of its labor are now ready to be picked.

One key improvement is its bigger screen. Expanded to a 1.9” full-color LCD display, it more than doubles its predecessor's screen size.

It’s also very immune to background noise, meaning tuning can be delivered in a library and in the middle of a bustling backstage green room with equal degrees of accuracy.

A new scroll wheel enables quicker navigation of its features, with different instruments and tunings selectable. With that in mind, the device’s peg connector has also been modified. It will now hook up to a wider array of instruments with pegs larger and smaller than the average guitar.

Everything from electric guitars to acoustics, mandolins, ukuleles, and banjos are all on the table. It can also handle 12-string, seven-string, and eight-string guitars, meaning low-pitched riff machines aren’t too much for this thing to handle.

Bassists will need to order the instrument-specific Roadie Bass, which is already on the market.

The Roadie 4 is also taller than those that came before it, and it has an anti-slip backing as part of its more ergonomic profile.

“Roadie 4 is our most powerful and user-friendly tuner to date, built to make tuning faster, more precise, and effortless,” says Band Industries. “With cutting-edge vibration detection, completely revamped audio circuitry and algorithms, a high-torque motor, and improved resistance to background noise, Roadie 4 delivers flawless, reliable tuning, whether you're at home, on stage, or in the studio.”

Freshly launched as a Kickstarter campaign, at the time of writing, it has decimated its £7,441 target, having amassed over £100,000 from over 1,000 backers.

The campaign can be backed for as little as $10 (with no reward), while 1x Roadie 4 costs $109. Two can be bought for the slightly discounted price of $200, and three cost $299.

Head to Kickstarter to learn more.

Inspired by the smoky playing preferences of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Keith Richards, a new cigarette-shaped clip-on tuner has hit the market – and it’s one of the most wonderfully weird things we’ve seen in a while.

Coming in a façade-continuing packet, the Tunerette is a chromatic tuner that satisfies a player's tuning needs while giving off that classic rock star look without the need for actual cigarettes and their health kick backs. Because, why not?

Keef and co. would often be seen placing their smokes in between the strings and their headstock mid-performance, with smoke billowing out from its end while they unfurled fiery licks further up the neck.

It's a move that's synonymous with peak rock ’n’ roll, but in the smoking ban era, the image has become a rarity, and in truth, it wouldn't look the same with an e-cig. Now, that might be about to change.

The Tunerette comes from the mind of Dave Hinson, best known as the owner of St. Louis store, Killer Vintage Guitars. He's also the editor of the Vintage Guitar Price Guide and a contributing editor to the Blue Book of Guitars, so he knows his onions when it comes to vintage guitars. He also knows plenty about clip-on tuners, it would seem, and knows where many fail to pull a draw.

“Inspired by the legends of rock, [Hinson] envisioned a tuner that not only paid homage to the golden age of guitar but also addressed all the gripes he had with existing headstock tuners,” says Tunerette. “Add a dash of smokin' style to your tuning game.”

All jokes aside, the “fast and accurate” Tunerette features a bright LED display that looks clear and intuitive, weighs a little over an ounce, and its lithium battery is rechargeable via USB connection.

It also auto-switches off after 60 seconds to conserve battery power, and there's a warning when there is about 20 minutes of tuning time left – so players aren't forced to bum a tuner from a friend or a random person in the smoking area of a venue.

Lastly, it has a handy benefit for the forgetful types. A disclaimer on its vintage cig packet reads: “We advise removing any clip-on tuner before a performance. But with Tunerette, if you leave it on, at least you won’t look like an idiot!”

The oddball tuning has the backing of Norman Harris or Norman's Rare Guitars, who jokes: “We're in California, a lot of people don't smoke anymore, but you can look cool with this up in your headstock.”

Granted, owning one will cost $49.95, considerably more than a pack of smokes proper, but you can’t drop tune your guitar with a Malboro Red – or any brand, for that matter.

Head to Tunerette to learn more.

The Peterson StroboStomp Mini is a smaller version of the highly acclaimed StroboStomp HD tuner pedal. With a small footprint, top-mounted jacks, accuracy within 0.1 cents, and a bunch of additional features, it’s probably one of the best guitar tuners out there right now.

Diving straight into the box, it’s immediate that you’re dealing with a high-quality product. The packaging is nice, plus, you get a perfectly cut piece of Velcro to stick to the bottom of the pedal, should you wish to attach it to your pedalboard – a nice touch indeed. The pedal is obviously well built, with a sturdy and silent switch and a premium metal casing. 

But how does it fare as a tuner? Well, the first thing to mention is how accurate it is. You can get your guitar or bass perfectly in tune. Whether you use open strings or harmonics, it allows you to completely nail the tuning of your instrument. It’s also very quick to react, allowing you to tune quickly when you need to. 

One of the defining things about this tuner is its strobe display. If you haven’t used one of these before, it might take a little getting used to, but you’ll quickly be able to do so.

A dotted circle moves around the display, and the note you’re playing is shown in the middle. The circle moves clockwise when your note is sharp and counter-clockwise when it’s flat. The faster the circle moves, the more out of tune you are, and the slower it moves, the closer you are to the note in the middle. When it stops, you’re bang in tune – though it might not stop completely. It really does become quite clear what you need to do when you’re using it. 

It’s incredibly sensitive, too, and will move to even the slightest touch of your tuning pegs. It’s this that allows you to get such accurate tunings. Where other tuners might read in tune, the StroboStomp Mini encourages you to minutely adjust even further. 

Does it make a difference though? Some people are happy with less accurate tuners which is fine – they still work great. However, if you can tell that something is ever so slightly off with your tuning, then this will help you rectify that quicker. I’ve had experiences before where a clip-on tuner is showing in tune, but my ears have disagreed – this would have come in handy then!

The display is nice and bright too. It’s easy to read in the dark and on a bright stage, or say if you’re playing outside during the day. You do have the ability to change the background colour as well. It’s not crucial for everyone, but these touches do mean that you can make the pedal work exactly how you want it to. I also really like how, even though it’s a compact pedal, the display is still a good size.  

A really useful feature of this tuner is the ability to account for downtuned or capo’d guitars. You can select by how many semitones you’re adjusting you’re detuning – or placing your capo – and the tuner will still show EADGBE. This means you don’t have to remember every note in every position. Again, it’s about saving time and making things easier. 

You’re able to select the bypass of the pedal as well. If you want a true bypass, you can have that. However, you’ve also got the option of a buffered bypass. With the latter, you can choose whether the pedal switches off when your signal is muted or whether it continues to monitor your tuning while unmuted.

Another unique thing about the Peterson StroboStomp is ‘sweetener tunings.’ Without going into too much detail about equal temperament and intervals, sweetened tunings are slightly altered tunings that can help particular instruments sound fractionally better.

If you’re playing particular notes together in a song, you might find that everything sounds a little bit more in tune or sweeter; if you ever so slightly sharpen or flatten one of the strings – it sounds counterintuitive, but it works. An example of this is Eddie Van Halen slightly flattening his B string so that certain riffs sound better. This pedal allows you to choose from 80 preset sweetened tunings so you can quickly unlock these mystical combinations.

There are generic ones for electric guitars, acoustics, 12-string, bass, plus the aforementioned EVH tuning and loads more. You can also download more and program them in certain orders for quick access live by plugging the pedal via USB into a computer. 

Many people have been using these tunings for years; some can do it by ear, and others use particular frets on certain strings. What this lets you do, however, is tune quickly and silently when you’re playing live. It’s also a very handy tool to have in the studio. 

Sweetener tunings and all the other features are accessible via two pairs of buttons on either side of the pedal. It’s not the easiest thing to navigate around, but it does do quite a lot with a relatively small and neat interface. Also, chances are, you’ll find the parts you need to access and then you’ll be able to do so easily from then on. 

Another thing that might take some getting used to is how the footswitch mutes the signal. It’s not like most other tuners which mutes it instantly. You depress the switch and then there’s a very slight, split-second delay. Not a deal-breaker, but worth mentioning. 

Conclusion

This is an excellent, compact pedal that helps you tune accurately and quickly. Should you want to play around with sweetened tunings, then this is a must-have piece of gear. However, even if you don’t, the strobe display and accuracy mean you can lock your tuning in better than ever. 

Specifications

• Price: £109/$119
• Connections: Input, Output, 9VDC, USB-C
• Power Supply: 9VDC/USB-C
• Power: 86mA
• Bypass: True or buffered
• Features: LCD display with LED backlight, 0.1 cents accuracy, 80+ sweetened tunings, C0 - A#8 note range
• Contact: Peterson Strobe Tuners

When I was asked to review a clip-on tuner I couldn’t help but feel a little bemusement. A tuner is a tuner, right? There’s a million of them out there and they all do a very simple task. Well, it turns out not all guitar tuners are created equal, as we’ll find out with Peterson Stroboclip HDC.

Clip-on tuners have risen in popularity of late as the technology to create them has gotten better and more affordable. Why take a slot on your precious pedalboard when you can just attach one to your headstock? 

Worrying about batteries is a thing of the past thanks to USB charging, and clip-on tuners now feature plenty of deeper options that allow you to tweak them to your personal preference.

Peterson Stroboclip HDC review: Features

The Peterson Stroboclip HDC promises a tuning accuracy of 0.1 cents which is impressive for a clip-on tuner and amongst the smallest increments you’ll find without plugging in directly. It’ll also track down to 16Hz, so you shouldn’t have any problems tuning the low B on a 5-string bass guitar.

It’s powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that promises 6 hours of continuous use, depending on the color of screen that you use. The LCD screen is plenty bright to be seen in any light condition, and you can also customize certain tunings by color, giving you a quick reference depending on what tuning you’re going for.

The Stroboclip also features something unique called ‘sweetened’ tunings. Instead of using traditional tuning where each note is the same distance from one another, known as ‘equal temperament’, ‘sweetened’ tunings are designed to make chords sound better by tuning certain strings slightly flat or sharp in varying degrees, depending on which instrument is selected.

Peterson Stroboclip HDC: Performance

The Stroboclip HDC is controlled via three small buttons on the top or side depending on how you look at it. The center button is ridged to make it easier to pick out from the others on a dark stage, and you hold and press to turn the tuner on.

Once it’s on you can use the center button to cycle through the various modes, with the two buttons on either side being used for adjusting whichever setting you’re on. It’s pretty easy to get to grips with, and I didn’t need the manual or a YouTube video to start exploring every nook and cranny of the Stroboclip’s impressive amount of features.

I don’t use clip-on tuners very often, nor do I use a strobe tuner so attaching the Stroboclip to my electric guitar and turning it on was initially baffling. Rather than presenting an up or down arrow to indicate whether you’re flat or sharp, instead, you get moving sets of blocks of cascading sizes that change their direction depending on whether you need to tune down or up.

The aim is to get them to stop moving, and though I consider myself a pretty experienced guitarist, it took me a good while to get used to it. The idea is that it’ll provide more accurate tuning. Did I notice a difference versus my regular Korg Pitchblack pedal tuner? Not really, but for those who want the reassurance that their guitar is as absolutely in tune as it can be, I can see the lure of a strobe tuner versus a regular one.

For a tuner, there’s a lot of depth on offer here too. Not least of which are the ‘sweetened’ tunings. You’ve got a huge selection of these tunings to accommodate electric guitar, acoustic guitar, four and five-string bass, lap steel, dobro, and many more. There are over 50 different tunings to play with, going all the way to specific tunings for orchestral instruments.

Trying out the electric and acoustic guitar tunings, again I can’t objectively say that they’re better than my regular tuner. They certainly sound good though. I tried various chord shapes across the neck of my Taylor, as well as single-note playing, and couldn’t find anything to fault with the sound. Ultimately though I value simplicity from my tuner, so I ended up reverting to the regular mode during my time with it.

The ability to change colors is actually really handy too. I tried all of the instances available, ending up settling for green which looked the clearest to my eye. For any colorblind players out there this will be an absolute godsend, and you can assign certain sweetened tunings to a particular color to make things easier to identify.

Peterson Stroboclip HDC: Final verdict

Is any tuner worth $80? Well, I guess it all depends on what you demand from your gear. For those who want the best of the best, then there’s no doubt that Peterson tuners are the pinnacle of that most utilitarian of accessories. No matter how high-end your guitar or how vintage your tube amp is, if you’re not in tune you’re going to sound bad.

Ultimately you’re paying a premium for that accuracy and with anything, once you get to that level of depth the gains become more and more marginal. It means that for a beginner guitar player, the difference between this and a cheaper tuner is going to be impossible to discern. But for the player who’s got a lot of experience, the Peterson Stroboclip HDC could make a big difference.

The Stroboclip is without a doubt the most fully featured clip-on tuner I’ve ever used, and the addition of those ‘sweetened’ tunings offers something different from anything else on the market.

Peterson Stoboclip HDC review: Specs

• Price: $79 / £79 / €89
• Type: Strobe
• Format: Clip-on
• Display type: Strobe, HD backlit LCD
• Reference pitch: Concert A = 390Hz-490Hz
• Tuning range: C0-B6 (16-1975Hz)
• Accuracy: 0.1 cent
• Tuning modes: 50+
• Inputs: Piezo sensor pickup
• Contact: Peterson Tuners

For their fifth studio album, TANGK, IDLES went down a slightly different sonic route, enlisting Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich's expertise to shape their record. One of Godrich's recommendations? Not tuning their guitars.

“On this album, we didn’t really tune our guitars. We’d tune to the track,” reveals guitarist Mark Bowen in the new issue of Total Guitar. “Nigel wouldn’t allow us to use tuners. We’d go, ‘I’ll just tune that.’ And he’s like, ‘No, listen to what you’re playing.’ So it wouldn’t be like a strict 440hz across the across the strings.” 

Nick Cave’s Jubilee Street and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Scar Tissue are two classic recordings that served as inspiration, as they both used the approach of tuning by ear to compensate for the guitar's infamously approximate intonation. 

Elsewhere in the same interview, Bowen and fellow guitarist Lee Kiernan explain how Godrich was also responsible for encouraging the band to build TANGK around tape loops. 

“The first thing Nigel wanted us to get into was understanding tape loops,” says Bowen. “He just gets you to play, and he’ll take bits and bobs and snapshots. Sometimes that’s a means to create texture that then you can write a song based off. 

“Sometimes, as with the track Gratitude, it’s the basis for the whole song. Jon [Beavis, drummer] played this 6/8 pattern. Then, I played this riff that was like three fives and then a three, so it joined up with him every 18 beats. 

“Dev [bassist Adam Devonshire] plays in 4/4. Basically, every 18 beats it kind of lines up and then falls out and lines up. That was something I was interested in with the tape. It sparks creativity.”

In a recent interview with Guitarist, Bowen confirmed this album was all about pure experimentation. “I felt like I had reached the limitations of what a guitar band is. Our goal has always been to expand what guitars can do, rather than disregard them completely.”

IDLES have a busy festival season coming right up, followed by an extensive UK tour in November.

For more IDLES, plus new interviews with Joe Perry, The Last Dinner Party, and Mdou Moctar, pick up issue 385 of Total Guitar at Magazines Direct.

Taylor is looking to take the headstock crown with its new Beacon. More than just a guitar tuner, this little multi-mode device has got a metronome, countdown timer, stopwatch and flashlight built in, as well as an internal rechargeable battery and a full-colour LCD display. At just shy of $/£50, it’s up there with TC Electronic’s PolyTune Clip price-wise, but with an entirely different approach.

Getting started needs no explanation. The sprung clip and multi-axis, rotatable screen angle means you clip it on, angle it how you like and you’re ready. There are multiple buttons on the Beacon – on the side there’s the home button, which also fires it up; on the other side there’s a ‘Confirm’ switch, while on the top we have up and down cursors and a Select button. 

First thing’s first: we have to comment on that screen. Visually, it’s like having the sharp display of a smartwatch strapped to your headstock: crisp, bright and very easy to read. 

You cycle through each of the Beacon’s modes using the Home, Select and Confirm button, which takes a bit of getting used to as you might want to use the arrows to move up and down through the list of options, but you can’t! The tuner has chromatic, guitar, bass, ukulele and violin modes, and it’s a doddle to use once you’ve got your button-pressing sequence in order.

Everything reacts at speed to the pitch of your notes and the colour display really makes a difference. The metronome can pulse at tempos between 30-208 BPM, in 11 different time signatures, and you get an audible ‘bleep’ with a visual representation, too.

The bleep can be set to three volume increments, but there are no selectable sounds, so you’ll have to stick with the bleep. Likewise, it will only produce a quarter-note pulse with no facility for subdivisions. 

The timer modes will come in handy if you’re timing a song, set or practice session, and the flashlight is engaged by pressing the two cursor arrows. The resulting light is similar to the flash on your phone, only less bright.

So, a bit of a jack-of-all-trades? We’d certainly recommend the tuner and metronome modes. The others are useful, but ultimately already taken care of by the phones we carry everywhere, so we’d see them as bonus features rather than reasons to buy. Overall, it’s all about the tuning, display and time-keeping.

Specs

• PRICE: $49 / £47
• FEATURES: Headstock tuner, metronome, countdown/stopwatch timer (90 mins), flashlight
• TUNING MODES: Chromatic, Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Violin
• METRONOME: 30-208 BPM; one tone, three volume levels
• DISPLAY: Colour LCD
• POWER: USB-rechargeable battery
• CONTACT: Taylor Guitars

PRS is well-known for the sheer scope of its electric guitar engineering efforts, but its latest innovation – a new approach to tuning machines – might just be its most intriguing yet.

The latest development ushers in the Maryland brand’s new ‘Wing button’ tuner shape, which has sought to completely re-define and re-engineer the performance of the humble tuner, both aesthetically and tonally.

Notably, the Wing buttons have been in the works for a long time: before PRS was even a thing, in fact. According to the brand itself, the arrival of the new-look tuners finally sees the realization of “Paul Reed Smith’s original vision from around 1980, years before the company itself existed”.

Specifically, they featured on Smith’s sketch for the “Sorcerer's Apprentice” guitar blueprint – one of the guitar mastermind’s first original designs prior to PRS’ formation in ‘85.

So, what’s so innovative about these tuners? Well, cosmetically they're designed to echo the 12th fret bird wingspan design, but the change isn’t just ergonomic. Instead, they were “first and foremost” designed to increase the tonality of the guitars that feature them.

That’s because, as Paul Reed Smith himself has put it in the past, “anything that touches the string is God”, and as such plays a key part in the overall six-string sound equation. That includes the tuners themselves, which see their posts wrapped in surplus string to hold them in place. 

In practice, the Wing buttons reduce the overall weight on the headstock in an attempt to make the guitar sound more musical – in other words, the neck and headstock are under less pressure, which supposedly “rounds out” the upper level of the instrument’s tone.

This is in comparison to conventional metal tuners that are much heavier, and that can lead to a duller tone with more dead spots.

“These new buttons help to open up the vowel sound of the guitar. By having less weight on the headstock, the whole guitar sounds more musical,” Smith said. “As one of the few parts of a guitar to physically touch the guitar string, the tuners can either enhance or dampen the frequency of string vibration. 

“Strings are the only part of the guitar itself that produces sound, you don’t want anything to dampen or flatten that sound before it can even register with the pickups.”

The Wing button tuners will be rolled out across PRS’ Core Series, and will be attached to both locking and non-locking tuner formats.

In the age of modern guitar design, it really is the marginal gains that set great guitars apart from exceptional ones. Will we be looking back at this release in years to come as a turning point in the development of the modern guitar, and can we expect to see other brands follow the PRS precedent? Only time will tell.

To find out more, head over to PRS.

As well as taking the time to debut a new tuner design, PRS has also unveiled two new finishes for John Mayer's Silver Sky signature guitar – and one of them is a long-awaited fan favorite.

Graph Tech has seemingly ushered in the next evolution in guitar tuning, unveiling an all-new electric guitar nut that it promises “revolutionizes tuning”.

Called the Un-Lock Nut, the new innovation looks to completely remove the need for fiddly traditional locking nuts and Allen keys, and instead offers in its place something far more straightforward, and immensely more intuitive.

In practice, the Un-Lock Nut looks like your average TUSQ XL nut but with a slightly expanded face and intriguingly fanned string slots, and has been optimized to work seamlessly with Floyd Rose-style bridges and locking tuners.

In what will come as pleasant news for tremolo loyalists, no substantial guitar modification is required to fit the Un-Lock Nut (just simply use some white wood glue and file it to size) and tuning is easy as “turning the machine heads” – no unlocking or loosening required.

Some specific specs include an advanced slot design, which works to accommodate string behavior associated with Floyd Rose-style systems “ensuring precision and stability”, as well as “precise radius matching” that is said to be another benefit over conventional locking nuts: here, the nut can be matched specifically to the radius of your guitar.

Graph Tech is also keen to note the fact the Un-Lock Nut has customizable string heights for each string, and an Enhanced String Stress Distribution design that is delivered via the extended string ramps for “friction-free glide without affecting the nut slot integrity”.

“Locking nuts have always been a necessary evil for guitarists with a locking tremolo system. Love them or hate them, they're essential – until now,” says Graph Tech.

 “Embrace the future of guitar tuning and performance with Graph Tech's Un-Lock Nut – a game changer in the realm of tremolo systems.”

All-in-all, it’s a lot of buzz [hopefully not - Ed] and anticipation from a humble piece of TUSQ, but if it’s even half as effective as Graph Tech says it is, then we imagine fans of the Floyd Rose – and those frustrated with locking nuts – will most definitely take interest.

It’s also affordable, weighing in at only $29.95. An innovative answer to all your tremolo troubles that will rid you of any and all issues you may have with your current Floyd Rose setup? For just shy of $30? It might be one of Graph Tech’s most important releases in recent memory.

The Un-Lock nut is currently available in FR Original #2 and FR Original #3/4 sizes, with 12" and 16" options on the way.

Head over to Graph Tech to find out more.

After recently making some adjustments to my pedalboard, I have come into this Black Friday with one goal in mind: to find the cheapest, smallest and best guitar tuner deal out there. As usual, there are a boatload of Black Friday guitar deals to get lost in, so I’ve tracked down the key products that meet this specific criteria.

There are plenty of them out there, but key highlights I’ve spotted so far include 60% off the Fender FT-1 on Amazon, 50% off the Super Snark and Super Snark Air on Guitar Center, and $20 off the Peterson StroboStomp Mini Pedal. 

Why am I doing this? Well, I recently took delivery of a new overdrive pedal, and space isn’t exactly a luxury on my Pedaltrain Nano pedalboard, so I need to make room for it. My Line 6 HX Stomp multi-effects pedal, Xotic SP compressor pedal, Mad Professor Royal Blue and Boss CE-2W chorus pedal are untouchable, so I’m afraid it’s my chunky Boss TU-3 that has to make way.

I’m looking for either a mini pedal to squeeze in its place or, if that’s not possible, a clip-on tuner that will do the job. I am not compromising on quality or accuracy, and they have to be easy to operate, visible on stages, and reliable. 

Even if you don’t find yourself in a similar predicament to me, it’s never a bad time to reappraise your tuner situation, especially when prices are as low as they are now. It goes without saying that a tuner is an absolute essential for all guitarists, be it a clip-on tuner for first-time players looking to keep their kit bag to a minimum, or a tuner pedal for those piecing together their pedalboard.

As well as keeping your guitar in tune when practicing or performing – whether that be standard, drop or open tunings – these handy gadgets are also key in helping with setups, for example aiding with intonation tweaks.

Clip-on tuners are, by their very nature, easier to carry around, and can be popped into a pocket or a gig bag to carry around, and help free up space on pedalboards – you just need to remember to key them charged or powered with fresh batteries. 

Pedal alternatives, meanwhile, keep your rig sleek (not everyone would appreciate strapping a tuner to the headstock of their prized guitar) and have the added bonus of having a sound-muting bypass function that you don’t get with clip-ons.

When buying a tuner, the main things you want to look for are cent accuracy, usability and tuning modes. Basically, you want something that will offer a range of tunings and deliver them at a high standard. All of the above will help you do that.

For more deals, head over to our guide to the best Black Friday guitar deals.

Taylor has reinvented its standard digital clip-on tuner in the form of the Beacon – a surprisingly stacked gadget that might just be the most versatile clip-on tuner on the market.

Just how versatile can a headstock-equippable tuner be, you ask? Well, as evidenced by the Beacon, the answer is ‘very’. Sure, it helps you keep your guitar in tune via its precise tuning calibration, but it also does so much more.

For one, it’s also a metronome, making it on paper a nifty practice companion as well as a humble tuning utility tool. 12 pre-set time signatures can be navigated, with a selectable bpm range of 30 to 208.

While on the subject of counting, the Beacon also has Timer and Countdown functions. These don’t need to be explained, and on the surface might seem surplus to requirements, but the live implications of these added abilities are actually quite nifty.

For example, Timer – which can be set for up to 99 minutes and 59 seconds – can be used to keep an eye on set times, either on stage or in the rehearsal room. The Countdown mode (with the same time range) could be used for the same purpose.

You want more? Well, the final trick up the Beacon's sleeve is a Flashlight mode, which, again, could have genuine positive uses for players. Reading from sheet music, or having some mid-gig pedalboard problems that you’re struggling to solve on a dark stage? The Beacon’s torch (not to mention its TFT color LCD screen) could be a savior.

All these additional bells and whistles aside, the Beacon doesn’t lose sight of its main objective: namely, to help keep guitars in tune. To that end, it offers Chromatic, Guitar, Bass, Violin and Ukulele modes, dot or strobe displays, and reference pitch Hz values selectable from 430-450Hz.

Gone are the days where tuners can just be tuners. In today’s concentrated tuner market, it seems brands are looking for new ways to make their products stand out from its competitors.

The Beacon is one such example of this phenomenon. Another would be Walrus Audio’s Canvas guitar tuner, which lets players upload their own photos for ultimate personalization.

Taylor is obviously confident that its own Beacon will tempt players, labeling it “the ultimate multi-tool for guitar players”.

The Beacon – which is USB rechargeable – is available now for $50.

Head over to Taylor to find out more.

As someone who hates restringing guitars, let me go on record and say that locking tuners are one of the greatest inventions in the history of mankind.

No wrapping, no tucking the string under, no confusion: just stick the string through the hole of the relevant machinehead, tighten that thumbwheel, tune up, job done.

Over the past two decades, I’ve fitted locking tuners to pretty much all my guitars. I’ve used Sperzels on a Cort G Series, Fenders on a baritone Telecaster and even budget Amazon offerings on my go-to Fernandes offset. All of them have six-a-side headstocks, and I’ve always restrung with the same boneheaded attitude: turn them all roughly straight so the hole lines up with the bridge, jam the string in and tighten. But it turns out I’ve been doing it all wrong.

I recently picked up a Japanese-built Fender Elemental Jazzmaster (for more on that, read my column on whether Fender Japan’s crazy-limited electric guitars live up to the hype), which I immediately got fitted with locking tuners.

It’s my first guitar to pair lockers with a top-loading tailpiece (as opposed to the string-through Strat-style design that features on my other locking tuner-ready guitars). I swapped out the factory strings for a set of D’Addarios, adopted my usual half-assed method of getting the tuners in line, and went on with the business of actually playing.

Later that day, I was soundchecking the guitar for its first gig – it sounded killer and the tuning stability was on-point. But when it came to showtime, I turned on my PolyTune Mini and struck what should have been the high E string. It was feeling mighty loose and registering as a G. That’s a new one.

So I did what any guitarist would do in my situation: I tuned up and prayed it would return to pitch… No dice. The string popped right out of the tuner, fully intact.

Thankfully I had a backup to get through the gig, but my mind was fixated on the problem that prevented what should have been my new squeeze’s triumphant first show: how the heck did that high E string slip so badly out of tune?

Maybe I accidentally loosened the locking mechanism. But I had experienced a similar slip when I dropped a Beat It-worthy whole-tone bend at the 22nd fret in rehearsal the previous day. That time, it did tune back up, but this was quickly becoming a pattern.

Like the guitar hypochondriac I am, I googled my very specific problem. And I was reassured – and, it has to be said, somewhat ashamed – to learn that I had been using locking tuners wrong all this time.

After scanning far more Reddit and forum threads than I care to admit, my travels took me to a video from reliably tasteful YouTuber Jay Leonard J, helpfully entitled ‘How To Properly Re-String Your Locking Tuners’.

In the clip, Jay described the very problem I was experiencing: string slippage on the high E. The solution? The 123345 method.

This isn’t some sort of Fibonacci sequence conspiracy. If you think of the guitar’s headstock as a clock face, the numbers refer to the angle at which the tuners’ openings should be facing when you insert the string (you can see what this looks like in Jay Leonard J’s video thumbnail above).

So, the high E string hole is set at 1:00, the B at 2:00, the G and D at 3:00, the A at 4:00, and the low E at 5:00. For Les Paul players, Jay recommends 5:00 (low E), 4:00 (A), 3:00 (D), 9:00 (G), 10:00 (B), 11:00 (high E).

By stringing up this way, you give the top three strings extra winds, ensuring any increased tension that comes about from bending strings won’t yank the string out of the tuning peg hole.

Now, that’s unlikely to happen with the higher-gauge strings in a set, but as I can attest, it can most definitely happen with a 0.010 on a top-loading guitar – I can only assume there was something about my through-body-stringing setups on other guitars that had saved me from this particular calamity in the past. Maybe it was the height of the string trees or the angle of the headstocks. Or perhaps it was just dumb luck.

Still, given how many locking tuners I’ve owned over the years, I was surprised to find I’d never come across this method before, especially given it’s now official Fender setup advice.

So consider this a public service announcement of sorts, and make the 123345 method your new restringing ritual.

All credit to Jay Leonard J for his advice, which – touch tonewood – has saved me a rather embarrassing call to Fender’s customer service team, and means I can get gigging my new offset prize with confidence. You never stop learning, folks…

Snark is a name that is pretty synonymous with the clip-on guitar tuner. The firm has sold some 25 million clip-ons since its launch and its latest effort is the Snark Air.

While you’d be forgiven for thinking that there’s only so much innovation left to be had in the clip-on tuner space, the Air brings us a new concept: an even smaller, button-less design that can be hidden on the back of the headstock.

The cylindrical display can be rotated 360 degrees to ensure that you can adjust it to view from a variety of playing positions, or mounted on various different instruments. This is handy as Snark says it will work with electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass, banjos and ukuleles, among other instruments.

Operating the unit requires no physical buttons or switches and Snarks promises that even changing the display orientation requires nothing more than a tap of the plane icon on the top of the tuner.

Like its bulkier (but still handy) predecessor, the Snark Rechargeable, which debuted in 2021, the Air is also rechargeable via USB connection and takes single charge on the battery should last players “weeks to months”.

Amusingly, Snark notes the tiny tuner comes complete with a “travel bag”, which conjures visions of check-in clerks apologetically telling guitarists they’ll have to stow the keyring-sized package in the hold.

The Snark Air is available for preorder at a price of $29.99. For more information, head to the dedicated (airline-themed) Snark Air site.

Cyber Monday brings with it a flurry of price cuts on a range of high-ticket guitar gear, but that's not to say the more affordable accessories don't see their tags reduced, too.

While hardly the most glamorous musical purchase you'll ever make, you'll soon find yourself in a bit of pickle without a reliable guitar tuner. Yep, it's easy to turn to a new overdrive pedal or guitar amp if you're looking to improve your sound, but these more expensive items will do little to help if your guitar's not in tune.

Fortunately, as we say, there are plenty of Cyber Monday bargains to be snapped up on a range of clip-on tuners – whose already wallet-friendly price tags have been further slashed.

So don't delay – these deals won't be around for long, unlike your eternal need to stay in tune. Happy bargain hunting!

There’s no point forking out on an expensive electric guitar or acoustic guitar if you don’t have a reliable guitar tuner to keep it in working order, and while there are multiple tuner pedals on the market, clip-on tuners often provide the easiest and most convenient solution to such problems.

The all-new Flow Tune Clip from Cherub – a brand that has been producing high quality musical accessories since 1998 – is one such example, providing a handful of features that will ensure your guitar is sounding as tuneful as possible.

It’s the latest offering from Cherub, one of the largest tuner designer and manufacturers in the world, which is owned by the same company behind Nux – a musical equipment brand that produces amps, effects, wireless systems and more.

Check out the video, which sees Colin Scott take a deep-dive into the Cherub Flow Tune Clip and the realm of compensated tuning.

Not only is the Flow Tune Clip modest in size, the clip-on tuner is also mighty powerful, providing four distinct display modes depending on your preference, a high-sensitivity sensor for pinpoint accuracy and a USB-C port for recharging the lithium battery.

With all that time you will save replacing disposable batteries, you will be able to make the most of Cherub Technology’s tuning functions. 

In operation, the Flow Tune Clip has a strong metal spring with thick rubber feet, meaning it can be securely fastened to your guitar without damaging the finish. The extendable arm also lets you position the tuner how you see fit, and can be maneuvered on the rear and the front of the headstock.

Once turned on, it gives users access to four display modes: two Strobo and two Arrow, all of which help you tune your guitar to within one cent of accuracy thanks to the built-in piezo sensor.

The Flow Tune Clip goes beyond standard chromatic tuning, and offers specially tailored ukulele and bass tunings as well. In addition, it has also been optimized for six-string basses.

What’s more, Cherub has also loaded its rechargeable unit with Guitar Standard and Guitar Compensated modes, the latter of which was inspired by Grammy Award winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor.

The aim of compensated tuning is simple: to get each string sounding perfectly in tune with each other, no matter the gauge, tension or environment. Owing to these factors – along with different fretting intensities – it's easy for guitars to sound out of tune, even if each individual string is accurately tuned.

The Flow Tune Clip gives you the chance to correct this. When in the Compensated Tuning mode, each string will be tuned slightly flat relative to each other to compensate for unwanted sharpness, meaning they will ultimately sound better and sweeter when chords are fretted.

“Cherub’s Flow Tune Clip has the cents displayed on screen, making it definitively accurate to one cent,” said Scott. “Having a couple of strobe-style modes makes it faster to use for those of us who adopted strobe-style tuning as our savior, and the compensated tuning mode takes much of the frustration out of getting chords to play in tune.”

The Cherub Flow Tune Clip is available now via Amazon for $24.99.

Find out more on Cherub’s website.

Whatever type of music you play, whatever kind of guitar you dig, there’s one piece of gear that’s an absolute essential: a guitar tuner. And one of this year’s best Black Friday guitar deals was on one of the best clip-on guitar tuners on the market, TC Electronic’s superb UniTune Clip. 

Over at Sweetwater, you’ll find $19 has disappeared from the UniTune Clip’s price tag, taking it down from $29 to just $9.99. Best part is, even though it's not technically Black Friday anymore, the discount will stand through Cyber Weekend and Cyber Monday.

When you’re picking a clip-on tuner, there are two considerations that should be top of your agenda: accuracy and visibility – and the UniTune Clip delivers on both.

Based on TC Electronic’s class-leading tuning technology, the UniTune Clip boasts 105 – yep, 105 – high-powered LEDs that form an adaptive display, easily viewable in any lighting condition. From daytime festival slots to dingy bar stages, you’ll be able to see exactly how far you need to twist that tuning peg.

It’s packing some serious specs under the hood, too, with ±0.5-cent accuracy in the chromatic mode, and ±0.02-cent accuracy in strobe mode – that’s accurate enough to set your intonation to. What’s more, it works with any guitar, bass or ukulele – electric, acoustic or otherwise.

A stainless steel clip means you’ll have no problem clipping this bad boy onto whatever headstock you desire, and you’ll get 18 hours of battery life from one of those teeny round CR2032 batteries.

Basically, the UniTune Clip is an awesome clip-on tuner, and this is a knockout deal. Hit up Sweetwater to grab it, and pay a visit to our guide to the best Sweetwater Black Friday deals for killer bargains that've outlived the day they're named for.

Sure, there are all sorts of guitar tuners out there – from big, small and mini, to chromatic, polyphonic and strobe, to pedal, headstock, and app.

But when you get down to brass tacks, what guitarists want most from their tuner, no matter the design, is something compact, reliable, easy to use and always there when you need it. 

And it’s quite possible no guitar tuner fits this bill better than D’Addario’s new Nexxus 360 rechargeable headstock tuner.

The clip-on design sports a host of features intended to make tuning easier than ever, including a 360 rotating screen so that players can see the tuner at any angle on any instrument, and a super-bright, full-color LED display for clarity in any lighting situation – in direct sunlight or on the darkest, smokiest stages. 

But without a doubt, the coolest feature of the new Nexxus 360 is that it’s a USB rechargeable tuner, with a rechargeable lithium battery that holds 24 hours of tuning power via a single charge. 

Which basically means that you never have to worry about rummaging through your gig bag to dig up that extra coin cell battery mid-show. Or, even worse, having your tuner go dead at an inopportune moment and leaving you out of pitch just before you hit the big solo. 

Just charge the Nexxus 360 beforehand and you – and the Nexxus – will be ready to rock, in tune, all night.

Compact, reliable, easy to use and always there when you need it. What more could you ask for in a tuner? 

For more information on the Nexxus 360, head to D’Addario.

Snark has sold an astounding 25 million clip-on guitar tuners since 2010, and now the company says it’s overhauling its Silver Snark design to make it faster, more precise and extend its battery life.

The Silver Snark 2 features the firm’s excellently titled ‘Hyper-Snark’ software, alongside a new rubber coating that reportedly better isolates the tuner from unwanted vibrations and interference, making for a faster, more accurate reading. 

Snark promise a fully chromatic pitch calibration between 415-466Hz, meaning the tuner will jump on identifying even the lower frequencies of baritone and bass instruments.

Emphasis is also being placed on the build quality of the new tuners, with the firm saying the vulcanised rubber collar joints make them “virtually indestructible” (which sounds like an invitation to YouTube’s guitar channels to prove otherwise).

The Silver Snark 2 tuners are available now for a street price of around $20. Head to the Snark Tuners site for more information.

If you dug through my music drawers for a tuning device, you’ll find I have it all: tuning forks and pitch pipes, and every conceivable rack, pedal and headstock tuner under the sun. But if you ask me, the best tuner I own has always been my ears. 

Still, that doesn’t stop me from sniffing out the latest and greatest tuning gadgetry out there, and every so often, I’ll stumble upon a new tuner that I feel is a must-have – whether I need it or not. 

So, imagine my existential angst after familiarizing myself with the Roadie 3 – not because it’s the most thrilling technological tuning tool I’ve come across, but more that I’m going to have to try and convince why you might need this innovatively handy automatic guitar tuner despite its hefty price tag.

What makes it so impressive? With a motor speed of 110 RPM, which is twice as fast as their other Roadie tuners, the Roadie 3 is their most advanced version yet. It features improved tuning accuracy (27.5 Hz to 668.84 Hz) to tune a slew of multi-stringed instruments with geared tuning pegs in seconds (except for bass) and also allows for tuning in a noisy environment with its next-gen vibration detection. 

The Roadie 3 is about the size of a small bar of soap and snuggly fits in the palm of your hand with a grippy-material covering, and it’s rechargeable via its USB-C port. Its controls include a power button and a 4-way D-pad to navigate with your thumb to access more than 150 built-in tunings (as well as create and store your own custom and alternate tunings) from its full-color hi-resolution LCD display screen. 

Roadie 3 also incorporates a built-in metronome and string winder for restringing your guitar. The Roadie 3 has a free companion app for downloads and updates, and it offers more versatility to create, manage and store your customizations. 

What I love most about the Roadie 3 is that you’ll never need to do all the up-and-down winding work as you fine-tune your instrument because the Roadie 3 spins its magic in one fluid motion until it stops and responds with a quick vibration (or beep) to indicate a string is perfectly in tune. 

Tuning is razor-sharp accurate, and you won’t need to fine-tune it a second time around. Also, if you have more than one 12-string guitar (guilty!), I’d get it just for its efficiency in how quickly it gets the tuning job done. 

The built-in winder is great for restringing and rapidly tuning to pitch without removing the Roadie 3 from your tuning gear, but you’ll have to switch from “Winder” to the “Tuner” function with your thumb to finish the task. 

It’s pricey, but I find it essential as a maintenance tool if you have a growing collection of instruments, or even a bunch of guitars you keep in different tunings. Even more importantly, the Roadie 3 saves you time by its swift motorized spin when you need to be firmly in tune for a performance. 

Sometimes your ears don’t always cut it, which is why I wholeheartedly recommend having the Roadie 3 at your disposal as a portable no-nonsense tuner to consistently keep your guitars pitch-perfect. It’s that great.

• STREET PRICE: $129
• FEATURES: Guitar tuner, metronome, string winder, LCD display, USB-C
• CONTACT: Roadie Music

Snark has launched its latest accessory, a rechargeable clip-on guitar tuner.

Chargeable via any standard USB port, the Snark Rechargeable Clip-On Tuner is able to deliver “weeks to months of regular use” at full charge, the company says.

Powered by Snark's proprietary tuning software, the tuner offers a “lightning speed response”, which the company says stays accurate even when tuning lower register instruments like baritone guitars and extended-range basses. It also features fully chromatic pitch calibration between 415-466Hz.

The tuner also boasts a newly developed rubber coating – which Snark says helps isolate and dampen microphonic vibrations in noisy environments – and a fully rotatable display with an easy-to-read, high-resolution LCD screen.

Additionally, it features vulcanized rubber collar joints – made of the same material used in car tires – designed to withstand “all the rigors of hard touring”.

The Rechargeable Clip-On Tuner is available now for $20. For more information, head to Snark.

Google has added a new built-in guitar tuner to its search page. Players who need to find a tuner quickly can now simply enter the term ‘google tuner’ to access the tool.

Android Police reports that the feature was launched on Wednesday and, along with several other gadget sites, issues the caveat that users will experience differing results across devices.

Guitar World has given it a go and can report that, for a freebie, it’s decent. We tested it on an unplugged Strat through an iPhone SE just to see how it would get on with a lower volume and – although we had to hit the strings fairly hard to register – it still produced a solid standard tuning, no problem.

We then compared it against the tuning from a Korg chromatic tuner and TC Electronic’s PolyTune app and found it to be consistent.

There’s a clean, colorful interface and a clear display indicating whether you should ‘tune up’ or ‘tune down’. We also enjoyed the way the little green triangle glows and pulses when you hit the sweet spot.

You can’t tweak any settings, so you can forget about adjusting the calibration – and, as we say, it’s dependent on your device’s hardware – but it’s a welcome addition nonetheless, and we suspect it’s going to get a lot of use from guitarists.

It’s not the first bone the tech giant has thrown to musicians: back in 2018, it launched its own built-in metronome. You can find that linked below the tuner or by searching ‘Google metronome’. 

Peterson has revealed it’s now shipping its new StroboPLUS HDC handheld guitar tuner, which offers a colorful update on the prior HD model.

The new model makes a good case for the functionality of a handheld or desktop tuner, incorporating Peterson’s highly accurate (to ±0.1 cent) stroboscopic tuner, alongside a tone generator, metronome, a stop-watch and a timer into one USB-powered rechargeable package. 

The ‘C’ in the HDC stands for ‘color’ and the HD display offers an array of adjustable color settings to help it stand out on stage sides, as well as darkened studios and desktop spaces. 

The StroboPLUS HDC will also come pre-loaded with more than 200 of Peterson’s Sweetened Tunings presets, for a huge range of instruments and styles.

Meanwhile, the metronome also looks to be genuinely useful, with a wide range of tempo settings, patterns and polyrhythms on offer. 

It can even be connected via an optional Peterson BodyBeat Pulse Solo or BodyBeat Vibe Clip, which help you learn patterns via pulse or vibrations, which will help any player who feels the curse of the click track.

Finally, it can all be connected to a computer (Mac and Windows) via USB for configuration and (quite literal) fine tuning, using Peterson’s Connect software. 

The Peterson StroboPLUS HDC ($179 / £165) is shipping now across the US and Europe. Head to Peterson Tuner's official site for more information.

PRS has released its Spring collection of merchandise and guitar-related accessories, headlined by an all-new clip-on guitar tuner.

Promising stunning accuracy and an easy-to-operate user experience, the rechargeable guitar tuner flashes the Cooper Hawk bird inlay design – as found on the 12th fret of the brand’s electric guitars – on its LCD screen, which promises visibility in any lighting environment.

More specifically, the tuner is said to achieve 0.5 cent accuracy, and sports a series of other rig-friendly appointments, such as a proprietary PRS no-slip rubber clip and four individual tuning modes, including two needle and two strobe.

The PRS clip-on tuner supports electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass guitars, ukuleles and chromatic tuning, and comes with a USB cable for charging purposes.

Elsewhere in the merch drop, PRS announced its entry into the bandana market with the release of its “Traditional” and “Bird Swarm” bandanas, each providing unique colorways and patterns, ranging from the brand’s bird inlay design to geometric, radial markings.

A giant PRS beach towel, boasting a “Birds of Feather” fretboard design was also released, alongside a new line of women’s apparel, which offers two new shirt designs that aim to keep players cool and comfy under stage lights or at outdoor gigs.

The PRS clip-on tuner is available now for $29, while the bandanas and t-shirts list for $9 and $27, respectively. The giant beach towel is priced at $49.

For more information, head over to PRS Accessories.

Boss has announced the latest in its line of clip-on guitar tuners, the TU-05.

Designed for use with electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitars, ukuleles and other stringed instruments, the TU-05 boasts a large color display with a super-high contrast – allowing players to see what they're doing clearly in poorly lit environments.

The unit can be securely mounted to the headstock of any instrument via its rugged clip, and its display can be swiveled for optimum viewing.

It also features four tuning modes – chromatic, guitar, bass and ukulele – and calibration can be adjusted between 431 and 449 Hz.

A built-in rechargeable battery offers up to 10 hours of continuous use, and an auto-off feature – which kicks in after 5 minutes of no activity – helps conserve battery life.

The TU-05 Clip-On Tuner is available now for $23. For more information, head over to Boss.

RockBoard has released its StageTuner ST-02, which promises to give guitarists all the features they would want from a chromatic rack guitar tuner. 

Featuring a “bright but not blinding” LED display that is easy to read from several meters away, the ST-02 offers up an impressive sonic detection range spanning from B1 (15.44 Hz) all the way up to C8 (4,186.6 Hz), as well as a calibration range of 432Hz to 445Hz. 

When paired with its precision rate of +/– one cent, the ST-02 seeks to provide an accurate tuning experience for guitarists who utilize both standard and lower tunings. 

Elsewhere, the appointment of a true bypass circuit means the unit will not interfere with the sonic harmony of your existing setup, with the addition of two input jacks increasing the ST-02's flexibility.

During operation, the ST-02 offers up two different tuning modes, including Standard and Strobe. While the Standard utilizes left and right-pointing arrows to highlight whether your string is flat or sharp, the Strobe mode enlists the help of flashing LEDs to point you in the right direction. 

In terms of integrating it into your rig, the 19” unit can be fitted into any suitably sized stage or studio rack, and can be fixed into any RockBoard pedalboard using the company’s QuickMount fittings. 

RockBoard dubs the ST-02 as the "perfect choice for the stage, studios, rehearsal rooms and basically any other conceivable application" due to its expansive sonic detection range and rig compatability.

The RockBoard StageTuner ST-02 is available now for $108.

Head over to Warwick for more info.

Guitarists spend a lot of time acquiring the right gear – from instruments to amps to effect pedals – in order to obtain their ideal sound.

But it’s all worthless if your guitar won’t stay in tune.

And when it comes to tuning machines, there’s no brand more esteemed than Grover, which is known throughout the industry for its legendary and instantly recognizable products, found on some of the most popular guitars and basses.

Grover has a wide range of replacement tuners to choose from, so we had Guitar World Tech Editor Paul Riario focus in on four locking tuner designs to help get you familiar with the many options on hand, as well as demonstrate how easy they are to use.

First up is Grover’s Original Locking Rotomatics (the company's 106 Series), which are standard-size tuning machines that automatically lock once you begin tuning.

Some guitars utilize smaller-sized tuners, which, Paul explains, is where Grover’s Mini Locking Rotomatics (406 Series) – which feature the same design as the original Rotomatics but with smaller buttons for more space – come in.

The next to be introduced are Grover’s Roto-Grip Locking Rotomatics (502 Series), which are standard-size and feature a thumbscrew wheel locking mechanism found on the back of the tuner.

Finally, we have Grover's Mini Roto-Grip Locking Rotomatics (505 Series), a smaller version of the regular Roto-Grips designed for six-in-line and smaller headstocks.

“All these tuners are an ideal replacement for most standard guitar tuning machines and all feature 18:1 gear ratios for precise tuning,” Paul says. What’s more, they come complete with all necessary mounting hardware.

The tuners are available in 3x3 configuration, while the Mini versions are also offered for six-in-line headstock guitars.

“Hopefully one of these will suit your locking tuner needs,” Paul says. "And keep in mind Grover makes a whole bunch of world-class tuning machines in a variety of modern and classic styles.” 

To check them all out, head to Grover.

Because you should always tune in style, TC Electronic has unveiled the UniTune Clip Noir, a limited-edition version of its UniTune Clip clip-on guitar tuner in a sleek black finish with red buttons.

The new tuner features a bright LED display and multiple modes – its “light-speed” chromatic tuning has an instant readout that boasts a bright needle display to an accuracy of ± 0.05 cent, while strobe tuning displays to an incredible ± 0.02 cent of tuning accuracy.

The UniTune Clip Noir features a sturdy stainless-steel clip with a tight industrial-grade spring and extra-grippy rubber pads for no-slip placement on the guitar’s headstock.

And did we mention it comes in beautiful black?

For more information, head over to TC Electronic.

Back in 2010, Danelectro released the Snark clip-on tuner, which to date has sold over 25 million units. You might wonder how such a commercially successful tool could be improved. The company believes it has the answer – enter the Silver Snark.

Featuring newly designed – yes – Hyper Snark tuning software technology, the Silver Snark delivers "spot-on, pin-point, precision accuracy at super-fast, lightning speed". It's designed with ultra-sensitivity, enabling it to detect even minor changes in pitch on lower-register instruments like baritone guitars or multi-string basses.

The Silver Snark is lightweight yet robust, with hard vulcanized rubber collar joints – the same material used in car tires.

Danelectro also claims the tuner is resistant to solvents and impervious to moderate heat and cold. Its LCD screen is designed to be seen in low light settings and stage scenarios, as well as in the glare of bright lights.

The Silver Snark is available now for $16.99. For more information, head to Silver Snark.

Band Industries has announced a Kickstarter campaign for its latest automatic guitar tuner, the Roadie 3.

The new tuner follows the 2017 release of Roadie 2, which was, according to the company, the most funded music accessory in the history of crowdfunding.

The updated Roadie 3 features a motor twice as fast as its predecessor, reaching a speed of 120 RPM.

It’s built on next-generation vibration detection and, according to Band Industries,  “delivers improved tuning accuracy and enhanced noise immunity”.

Additionally, Roadie 3 allows musicians to tune almost any instrument with geared pegs in seconds (electric basses can be tuned using Roadie Bass).

The unit also comes with as many as 100 built-in tunings and the ability to create your own alternate tunings.

String changes have also been upgraded, with Roadie 3 able to wind new strings to tension and tune them in one step.

Other new features include a more compact design, a larger, full-color high-resolution display screen with a 135 x 240 pixel matrix, increased visibility and dynamic display of the strings’ frequency, and a vibrating metronome.

Band Industries is offering Roadie 3 at a “super early bird” discounted price of $89, available only to those who pledge their support through the Kickstarter campaign in the first few hours.

For more information on the Roadie 3, which has already surpassed its pledge goal, head over to Band Industries’ official Kickstarter page.

Your beloved bass may have a flawlessly intonated bridge strung with a brand-new pack of the best, sturdiest strings on the market. Maybe you even just got a fire-breathing new amp, or a funky new pedal, that you’re absolutely dying to try out. If you have shoddy tuners though, you might as well toss all that other fancy gear down the toilet, because none of it will come close to compensating for being out of tune.

Now, ‘you won’t sound good if you don’t stay in tune’ isn’t exactly the world’s most controversial opinion, but staying in tune is often considerably more difficult than it sounds. 

Imagine, if you will, that you’re walking up or down a flight of stairs. Now picture doing that, but the stairs are all different sizes and are built at different distances from one another. 

Because each string on your bass has its own distinct core diameter, tension is inherently different for each one. Some strings are more sensitive, while others require quite a bit more twisting and turning to get properly in tune. When your strings are being particularly temperamental, tuning can really feel like walking down that uneven set of stairs. 

And that, my friends, is where GraphTech’s Ratio machine heads for bass come in. 

Ratio machine heads: re-defining your tuning experience

Though each string is different, your typical set of machine heads features gears that are all the same size, almost as if you asked your whole family to all wear the same size shoe. Ratio machine heads though, take the core thickness of each string into account, and tailor the size of the gear in each tuner to be the perfect fit.

With Ratio machine heads, the size of the gear in each tuner is calibrated to the core diameter of the string being spun on it, balancing the response so that every string responds the same to tuning adjustment. A 360 degree turn of the button produces one tone of pitch change. A half turn changes the pitch by a semitone.

The consistency is unprecedented. The fine tuning capability is unsurpassed. 

A sleek, elegant and analog fix to your tuning issues, Ratio machine heads are the next step in the evolution of string revolution. 

GraphTech's Ratio machine heads for Bass are available for 4, 5 and 6 string basses of all alignments - 2+2, 4 inline, 2+3, 3+2 and 3+3. They come in two housing/button styles: a small, enclosed housing with a Y button, and a larger, open backed housing with classic Cloverleaf buttons. 

They are available now, in Chrome and Black finishes, from graphtech.com. Order yours now!

NAMM 2020: Electro-Harmonix has unveiled the first of its offerings for the new year with the EHX-2020, a crazy-cheap mini guitar tuner pedal that’s still stacked with features.

Its features include a large-for-its-chassis color LED display, tuning range from ultra-low B0 to B7, calibration from 436Hz to 445Hz, three flat tuning modes and true bypass switching.

To top it all off, the mini tuner ships with a 9V power supply, and boasts a price tag of just $39. While it doesn’t offer polyphonic tuning (and there’s no accuracy stat listed), that comprehensively undercuts much of the big-brand competition.

This isn’t EHX’s first foray into tuning this year; the 2020 follows the legendary New York company’s Clip On Tuner, which was unveiled back at Summer NAMM 2019.

The EHX-2020 Pedal Tuner is available now - see EHX for more info.

Italian pedal maker Foxgear has introduced the Multitune compact effect pedal, which the company touts as the only stompbox capable of tuning a guitar polyphonically in open tunings.

At the core of the Multitune is an AnalogDevices DSP, which Foxgear uses to run its note detection software, and a digital compressor that allows players to tune each note by gently striking the strings of the guitar only one at a time.

Of course, the Multitune also has a chromatic tuning function, and also boasts relay assisted, true-bypass circuitry, top-loading jacks and a super-bright and large display that spans roughly the entire top half of the enclosure.

The pedal operates on 9-12V and is available for just $89. For more information, head over to Foxgear. 

In a tie-in absolutely no-one saw coming, Korg has released an official line of Pokémon clip-on guitar tuners and metronomes into the wild.

For a limited time only, the Pitchclip 2 is available in Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle and Pikachu variations, with colors to match, while Pokéballs illuminate to show if you’re sharp, flat or on-point.

The tuners have a 24-hour battery life, +/-1 cent tuning accuracy, and they’re compatible with electric and acoustic guitars, basses and ukuleles, for when you really gotta tune ’em all (yes, the gag in the header was, in fact, factually sound). If you ask us, Korg did miss a trick by not calling one the Pika-tune, though.

What’s more, the look of the company’s MA-2 metronome has also evolved to feature Pikachu and Eevee finishes, as well as packing its usual handy array of beats and rhythm patterns.

If you’re looking to expand your Pokédex, Korg’s Pokémon accessories are available from October for $25.99 apiece. Check out Korg for more info.

Summer NAMM 2019: Electro-Harmonix has introduced its new clip-on guitar tuner, which offers a range of tuning modes, including Chromatic, Guitar, Bass, Violin and Ukulele C and D.

Other features include a tuning range of A0 to C8, A4 calibration, an LCD display, flat and double-flat modes and No-mar pads.

The Electro-Harmonix Clip On Tuner is available now for $15. 

For more information, head to EHX.com.

The ever-innovative folks at Ernie Ball have teased a new pedal, the VP JR Tuner, which is set to be unveiled at the upcoming NAMM Show. You can watch the video above. 

"Yep. We did it…we reengineered and reimagined our iconic volume pedal with an integrated high resolution tuner, graphic volume display, ultra durable Kevlar coated cord, and more," the company said on social media. 

Other than that, Ernie Ball is mum on any further details. A full announcement is expected at the NAMM Show on January 24. 

For more on Ernie Ball, head over to ernieball.com. 

Grover has announced its new Roto-Grip 505F series tuners.

The 505F series design allows users to upgrade vintage Fender tuners to a more modern style locking tuner without making any modifications to their guitar. The overlapping ear design allows users to utilize the existing screw holes and the use of push-in bushings, rather than screw-in, meaning no modifications have to be made to the post holes. 

The 505F series is available now in Gold, Chrome and Nickel finishes.

For more info, head on over to groto.com.

Korg has unveiled its new Rimpitch-C2 acoustic guitar tuner, the successor to the Rimpitch, a tuner with the ability to fit into an acoustic’s soundhole.

Unlike the original, the Rimpitch-C2 is fully chromatic, so it supports alternate tunings and reference pitches from 438 to 445Hz.

The tuner is designed with a rubber-cushioned chassis that mounts on to 100mm-diameter soundholes, and uses a piezo pickup to detect pitch. The tuner's tuning precision is +/- 1 cent, and the battery life is 36 hours. The CR1620 lithium batteries needed to refuel it are not included.

The Korg Rimpitch-C2 is available now for ~$30.

For more info on the tuner, head on over to korg.com.

Korg has debuted its new Pitchclip 2 clip-on guitar tuner. The sequel to the Korg Pitchclip promises improved detection and 24-hour battery life.

The Korg Pitchclip 2 features a thinner, larger display, improved low-frequency detection accuracy, a 140% improvement in clip holding power and 24-hour battery life.

Just as with the original Pitchlip, detection accuracy is +/- 1 cent, as before, and the tuner works with electric and acoustic guitars, basses and ukuleles.

The Korg Pitchlip 2 will be available July 2018 for $17.

For more info, head on over to korg.com.

Boss has announced its new TU-03 clip-on guitar tuner & Metronome. Ideal for guitar, bass, ukulele and other stringed instruments, the TU-03 combines a high-performance chromatic tuner and metronome in one clip-on unit.

Users of the TU-03 can switch between standard chromatic mode and dedicated guitar, bass, ukulele, and violin modes. The reference pitch is adjustable from 430-450 Hz, and flat and double-flat tunings are supported as well. Reference pitches can also be sounded through a built-in speaker.

With its metronome mode, the TU-03 puts an important practice tool right on the player’s instrument. The integrated speaker and metronome display in the TU-03 enables users to both hear and see the beat. There are eight different patterns and ten beat variations available, and tempo is adjustable from 30-250 BPM.

The TU-03 also features a padded clip for quick attachment and removal and a large backlit display for easy reading.

For more info on the tuner, head on over to boss.info.

Peterson Strobe Tuners has released the next generation of its clip-on guitar tuner series, the StroboClip HD. Like the previous model, the StroboClip HD will clip-on to any stringed, woodwind, or brass instrument and include Peterson's tuning resolution of .01 cent (1/1000th of a semitone).

The updated LCD technology of the StroboClip HD provides nearly twice the screen pixel resolution over its predecessor providing smooth tuning action while still maintaining its real-time response which allows users to instantly view even the smallest changes in pitch of their instrument.

The StroboClip has a "stealth" matte black design and is constructed of high-impact material for reliability on the road. Increased battery life on the StroboClip HD provides users with over 20 hours of consistent tuning time using a single, standard CR2032 battery. The custom designed clip allows quick attachment to a variety of locations on any instrument and the included 50 proprietary Sweetened Tuning presets can help correct inherent tuning issues exhibited by many instruments.

The StroboClip HD will also support Peterson's exclusive Peterson Connect online utility, where users can connect via USB to update the latest firmware or create a custom configuration if desired.The street price of StroboClip HD is $59.99 and it will begin shipping in June.

For more, visit petersontuners.com.

The popular Roadie automatic guitar tuner is getting an upgrade.

Band Industries has announced Roadie 2, which offers all the features of the original but also works as a standalone unit. The original Roadie consisted of a motorized unit that synced to your Smartphone, which stored the selected tunings. Roadie 2 stores all of its tunings within the unit itself.

In addition, whereas the original Roadie “heard” your guitar’s strings through your smartphone’s mic, Roadie 2 uses a vibration sensor that allows you to tune in noisy environments.

Like the original, Roadie 2 is fast, easy to use and three times more accurate than the human ear. It can tune all sorts of stringed instruments, including electric, acoustic, classical, and steel guitars, 7- and 12-string guitars, ukuleles, mandolins, and banjos. There’s also a Roadie for tuning bass guitars. Roadie 2 also lets you restring quickly and easily with the automatic winding feature. The motor rotates at 60 rpm.

The new model lets you choose from 12 preset alternate and open tunings or create your own custom tunings.

• And it comes with an optional and free app that acts as your upgraded control center. With it, you can:

• Create and store a profile for all of your instruments, and sync it across devices.

• Refine your advanced tuning options, such as reference pitch and capo tuning.

• Choose from a multitude of alternate tunings for your instrument, or create your own custom tunings.

• Access music news, our latest updates, and tips on how to improve your playing.

• Keep track of your tuning stats and strings' quality and know when to change them.

• Use the manual tuner included on the app as a chromatic tuner when Roadie is not with you.

• Create custom instruments such as a dulcimer or a santour or anything else with geared pegs.

• Customize the speed and accuracy of your Roadie.

Roadie 2 is estimated to ship in October 2017 and will retail for $129. Band Industries is taking pre-orders and offering discounts via Kickstarter. You can get more information at RoadieTuner.com. Check out the videos below to see it in action.

Roadie 2 Kickstarter Video

Roadie 2 Hands-on Video

Roadie 2 Teaser

Ernie Ball has introduced offers CradleTune, a powerful tool for guitarists.

CradleTune utilizes a tuner and tripod to provide an integrated, portable solution for quick and easy setups, maintenance or string changes. The tuner attaches to the tripod, acting as the fixture, which holds the guitar at the headstock. The tripod pivots for multiple angles of setup to accommodate different instrument types and sizes including electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass guitars, ukuleles and more.

The tuner also can be quickly detached from the tripod for use as a clip-on practice tuner. The tripod folds up for a compact, durable design that easily fits into a gig bag or instrument case. The unit is powered by an included 3V lithium battery.

CradleTune Features:
• Works for guitar, bass, ukulele and more
• Great for string changes and basic maintenance
• Foldable, compact design
• Removable clip-on tuner
• Powered by 3V lithium battery (included)

The Ernie Ball CradleTune is available for $32.99 SRP/MAP.

Ernie Ball has introduced its new FlexTune clip-on guitar tuner.

The Ernie Ball FlexTune is a portable tuner suitable for guitar, bass and other stringed instruments. Featuring an oversized 2-inch LCD screen, the FlexTune provides a large, vibrant display that's easy to read from any angle. This is complemented by the tuner's dual-axis 360-degree pivot arm for complete flexibility to position the display to your liking.

The FlexTune also features Chromatic, Guitar, Bass, Ukulele and Violin tuning modes as well as selectable clip and microphone sensors.

For more information, check out the video below and visit the FlexTune's page on ernieball.com.

D’Addario Accessories has announced the launch of its Eclipse Tuners, the newest set of tuners being introduced to the company’s line of tuning accessories.

From the company:

Affordable no longer means compromise with the Eclipse Tuner—the modestly-priced product offers superior tuning with unparalleled performance. A clip-on headstock tuner that offers fast, accurate chromatic tuning, the Eclipse is unobtrusive in design yet accurate in tuning both on and off the stage.

Featuring a discreet, compact design, the tuner has a full-color vertical display and automatic power-off to save battery life. It can be mounted in front of or behind the headstock on any right- and left-handed instruments, and the multi-swivel action allows for the perfect viewing at any angle.

The tuners will launch in a variety of colors—black, yellow, blue, red, purple, and green—and will be available on September 1.

For more information, visit D’Addario.com.

D’Addario Accessories is excited to launch its new Eclipse guitar tuners.

The affordable and uncompromising Eclipse tuner offers superior tuning with unparalleled performance. The clip-on headstock tuner offers fast, accurate chromatic tuning with an unobtrusive design for tuning on and off stage.

While discreet and compact, the tuner has a full-color vertical display and automatic power-off to save battery life. It can be mounted in front of or behind the headstock on any right- and left-handed instrument, and the multi-swivel action allows for perfect viewing at any angle.

The tuners will be available September 1 in a variety of colors in black, yellow, blue, red, purple and green.

To find out more, visit daddario.com.

Boss has announced four new models to its lineup of electronic guitar tuners.

The Waza Craft TU-3W Chromatic Tuner is a special-edition pedal tuner that offers refined performance for pro players and hard-core stompbox enthusiasts. At its core, the TU-3W provides tuning functions equivalent to the TU-3. The TU-3W features redesigned circuitry with selectable buffered or true-bypass operation and transparent audio pass-through.

The TU-3S Chromatic Tuner is also based on the TU-3, and offers the same industry-standard performance in a scaled-down size for guitar and bass pedalboards. The tuning functions are identical to the TU-3—the only thing eliminated is the pedal switch.

The TU-01 Clip-On Chromatic Tuner, the most affordable tuner in the Boss lineup, clips on an instrument’s headstock. The TU-01’s display features a digital meter and note indicator, plus two lights that show when the instrument is perfectly in tune. The tuner also adjusts for different viewing angles, and folds down for easy transport in a case or gig bag.

The new TU-30 Tuner & Metronome delivers the main features of the TU-80 in an ultra-compact package. All the basics are carried over, including the convenient Accu-Pitch function, multiple tuning modes and rhythm patterns, the ability to sound reference pitches, and more.

For more about the new Boss tuners and the entire Boss tuner lineup, visit BossUS.com.

It always starts with something small, a seemingly insignificant act that can have a huge effect on the rest of your life.

Horror stories usually begin like this.

Guitar tuners. We all use them. Clip-on. Stomp box. Software. Part of your modeler. Built in to your guitar.

I use them every day in the studio. But have you ever had to get in tune without one? No problem, right? Just do all the little tricks we do to get a guitar in tune and keep it in tune. After all, if you aren't in tune, nothing you play will sound good.

I was commenting this morning on a group page on Facebook. We were discussing robotic guitar tuners, tuning machines that tune themselves. I first saw this on a Gibson guitar. Now I saw a new one. Then I did a search. I even saw a robotic tuning tool.

It got me thinking: How may young guitarists are taught to tune the guitar by ear these days? I mean really taught, as in making it a requirement?

Back in the day, when dinosaurs walked the earth and a Strobo-Tuner cost a small fortune, we had to tune our guitars by ear. We'd tune to a pitchfork, piano or another guitar. This was an acquired and required skill. Imagine not being able to tune your own instrument! How would that affect your intonation? Your ability to bend in pitch to a half-step or whole step or more? Even pressing down too hard can alter the pitch.

Now let's take this part of our craft even further. If you don't learn how to hear pitch properly, you also will not be able to sing in tune—or listen deep for better part playing ... or hear intervallic relationships. Depending on an outside source to properly pitch your instrument is not very different than allowing Auto-Tune to pitch your voice! Or instrument! Does anybody but me see a problematic trend here?

How many of you are budding producers or engineers? Yesterday I was mixing a track that had bells on it. I felt they needed to be doubled with strings. They just didn't sound right. So I played the part and thought the string sample I was using was slightly out of tune. Then I shut off the bells and the strings sounded in tune. That meant the bells were the culprit. I had to tune the bell samples up by 10 cents. That is not a lot, but it's enough to make them uncomfortable.

I don't believe everything must be in perfect pitch. But I do require relative pitch. And being able to accurately tune slightly out of pitch and doubling to a guitar in perfect pitch gives a chorus effect a million times better than any digital emulation. Analog, baby! See? It's not only about being in tune! It is about controlling tuning. And you must be able to do this on the fly. Even locking systems go out.

I'd like you to try something. Buy a tuning fork—or use a keyboard to tune your guitar. Learn to hear and match pitches at least once a day. I agree with using a source to tune if you are onstage or in a noisy environment. And they certainly have their place in the studio or if you are recording alone. But a guitar is not a perfect instrument. String gauge, temperature fluctuations, fret height, tuning pegs, how hard you fret and pick, are the strings properly stretched, how many windings around the pole and actual quality of the construction can all have dramatic or subtle fluctuations that need to be constantly checked.

But for your practice time, try tuning by ear. Tune to a track, the radio, television or, if you are lucky enough these days, another instrument/player. This habit and skill can only improve your overall musicianship! Let's be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Be the best you can be. Start with a small, "insignificant" thing like tuning. It might be more important than you think.

I'd love to hear your comments and a raise of hands on how many tune by ear regularly or not.

Ron Zabrocki on Ron Zabrocki: I’m a session guitarist from New York, now living in Connecticut. I started playing at age 6, sight reading right off the bat. That’s how I was taught, so I just believed everyone started that way! I could pretty much sight read anything within a few years, and that aided me in becoming a session guy later in life. I took lessons from anyone I could and was fortunate enough to have some wonderful instructors, including John Scofield, Joe Pass and Alan DeMausse. I’ve played many jingle sessions, and even now I not only play them but have written a few. I’ve “ghosted” for a few people that shall remain nameless, but they get the credit and I got the money! I’ve played sessions in every style, from pop to jazz.

As always, several members of the Guitar World crew were on hand at the 2015 Summer NAMM Show in lovely and talented Nashville, Tennessee, taking pics, getting the latest gear news and shooting plenty of videos.

While we were at the show, we were able to stop by the TC Electronic booth. Our visit is chronicled in the video below.

In the clip, the TC Electronic crew demonstrates their PolyTune Clip guitar tuner while discussing its many features.

Take a look and tell us what you think in the comments below or on Facebook! For more about TC Electronic, visit tcelectronic.com.

To check out more Summer NAMM 2015 videos and news, step right this way.

An automatic tuner that connects to your smartphone might sound gimmicky. Which is why it's surprising that Roadie is such a practical tool. The Roadie automatic guitar tuner, which was created by Seattle-based startup Band Industries, interfaces with your mobile device via Bluetooth and automatically tunes your guitar by physically rotating the guitar’s tuning pegs. To tune up, you simply attach the handheld device to a single peg, select a tuning (standard, open G, etc.) on the Roadie app, pluck the string and let the handheld device do the rest of the work. Roadie is sleek, easy to use and, most importantly, extremely accurate. What really sets Roadie apart is its mobile app, which listens to a plucked note using your phone’s internal microphone before communicating with the tuning device. Despite a smartphone mic’s obvious limitations, the app is as responsive as a high-end floor tuner. Within the app, you can select alternate tunings for a number of stringed instruments, including violin, banjo or mandolin, or even create your own custom tuning. Switching between different tunings is a huge pain in the ass. For intermediate to advanced players, this is where Roadie comes in most handy. I’d been meaning to learn John Fahey’s classic rendition of “Poor Boy a Long Way From Home” for a few weeks, but the thought of getting into open-D tuning always convinced me to put it off for another day. When I got my hands on a Roadie, however, not only was I able to quickly get into tune to learn the song, I found myself jumping between open D, G and standard quickly and without any of the frustration that often accompanies alternating between tunings. Roadie could also be a hugely valuable tool for guitar techs. It’s hard to overestimate how accurate-to-the-cent Roadie really is. That, coupled with its customizable tuning presets and an automatic winder button for changing strings, makes it well worth the investment for anyone needing to maintain a number of guitars. The only real fault I could find with Roadie is that it doesn’t recognize any note lower than A1, meaning it’s not applicable for bass or many seven-plus-string guitars. It’s easy to imagine an update to the app that could make this possible in the future. $99 might be too high a price point for some, but after trying out Roadie myself, it’s hard to imagine wanting to change strings or switch tunings without it. For more information, visit roadietuner.com.

Ethan Varian is a freelance writer and guitarist based in San Francisco. He has performed with a number of rock, blues, jazz and bluegrass groups in the Bay Area and in Colorado. Follow him on Twitter.

We are thrilled to launch Acoustic Nation Players’ Pick –– a new poll series designed to let YOU decide what gear is deserving of our award.

For our first poll, it’s all about clip-on guitar tuners.

Of all the gear necessary for today’s guitarist, the tuner might be the most important.

After all, if you’re not in tune, you’re definitely not going to win over a crowd.

Clip-on tuners offer convenience and functionality that have made them wildly popular today. With that said, we’ve all had our good and bad days with these things.

For example, it can be a bummer when you’re playing outside on a sunny day and can’t see the readout. Or how about that time your tuner fell off your headstock mid-performance?

All-in-all, these handy little critters are indispensable, and a number of manufacturers offer well-designed and affordable models. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes with few or many features. Here are some of the most popular clip-on tuners available.

Pick your favorite of the bunch from the list below and help us honor them with an Acoustic Nation Players' Pick award! Voting ends October 15, 2014.