Tuner recommendations

[gwEm]

My Korg Pitchblack has failed again.. for the last time I can tell you.  :minigun:

What are people's recommendations for something highly rugged and reliable, and with good tone (true bypass or a good buffer).

I'm looking at the Boss TU3, but wonder about its buffer. Boss pedals are known for reliability, but not always the bypass quality.

[Plenum n Heather]

BOSS is still my go-to, and I am rocking an ANCIENT MIJ TU2. I have my signal split, however, so the tuner is not in the signal path. That can be done very cheaply with something like a Road Rage looper.

How about one of those headstock clampy jobs?

[Lew]

Depends on your budget but everytime this question pops up my answer is the same. Sonic Research Turbo Tuner  8)

[Dave Sloven]

I have a TC Electronics Polytune, which is true bypass and has had no problems so far.

It doesn't have the dual outputs like the Boss though.  Most people I know who use the Boss either don't know or any others or specifically buy it to do the Mob 47 splitter thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7oDQAyig4Y

[gwEm]

thanks for the thoughts gents.

its cool Ben's ancient TU2 is still doing the business. i realise Boss isn't always the best tonewise, but the reliability is such an important thing on the road - that is why i am sniffing around the TU3.

when i first got the pitchblack i thought it was absolutely brilliant - accurate, clear, true bypass, and it seemed to be sturdy. i even got one as a gift for a friend of mine. since then the jacks have fallen apart twice, and now the DC output broke which meant i couldn't power a bunch of pedals on a show over the weekend.

korg also do Vox stuff, and to be honest i also had problems with a Vox ToneLab, and also my ex-girlfriend's Vox valvetronix combo plays up sometimes.

i will not buy any korg/vox guitar products again.

the TC Electronic polytune 2 does look good. i have a hall of fame which seems nicely well made, but its quite early to say. i wonder if the polytune stuff will get in the way. i think i'll prefer single note tuning.

[bucketshred]

Boss, all the way.

Mine is coming up for 10 years old now and its been battered about and gigged no end, never had a problem! I even threw up on it once!

Paddy

[PhilKing]

You might want to look at a Snark headstock tuner - if you don't mind the look of it sitting there, it is really easy to see!  If you want a floor pedal, get the Boss unless you think you will be setting up guitars a lot, then the Peterson Strobo tuners are great.  The Stomp Classic lets you have preset tunings too.

[littleredguitars2]

+1 for the snark headstock tuner. its very good

[Dmoney]

I still use a sonic research turbo tuner.
Still going strong. Never had an issue. Really fast & accurate. Battery lasts ages. True Bypass.
I got mine when the exchange rate was a bit better.

[gwEm]

I do like the idea of a headstock tuner, but the Steinbergers I sometimes play don't have headstocks :?

Boss, all the way.
... I even threw up on it once!

Thats the type of reliability endorsement I like to hear  :D

[CommonCourtesy]

I've got the TU-2 as well, still going strong after 6 years of relentless gigs and touring! Never fails on me and is the one pedal that is a must have in my board!

If you're gigging a lot then get this cos dark stage lights and stuff make it harder to see if you're using handheld ones, or just for convenience as you can mute your signal and tune silently.

The Polytune one is also quite good by TC Electronics I think, you can strum an entire chord and it'll tell you which strings are in tune or not, and its a good compact size. The other guitarist in my band has one.

[HTH AMPS]

I've been gigging a Polytune for around two years now (gets used most weekends) and its been spot on - true bypass as well.

When I've tried other people's tuners (Pitch Black and Boss) they seem to track slower and the note wanders all over the place.

From the three I've mentioned, the Polytune is WAY better - fast and accurate, which is what you want at gigs.

[38thBeatle]

I like the Snarks though they can be a bit vulnerable in that the ball joint flange things can break. Having said that they are cheap enough to replace. Must admit. though, that a floor unit is what i will get and I too like the look of the polytune for the way it gives you the whole situation in the tuning type arena interface  kinda thing*


*apologies, have caught verbal diarrhea from work and I cannot evade the consequncies of the aforementioned malady at this moment in time.

[FELINEGUITARS]

i have the boss tu2, polytune and peterson stomp classic and a polytune mini

for a gig i'd use the boss or the polytune - both solid tuners

[d1dsj]

Got a Snark, original Polytune and a Turbo Tuner and all 3 are good. The TT tracks the quickest and seems the most accurate but the Poly is pretty good but in single note mode, I don't find the Poly mode very consistent. I had a Strobo stomp for quite a while and loved it until the switch started popping, I got real used to the display and liked it a lot but the pedal size was a little big. I gave it to a mate a couple of years ago and whilst it still pops, it's still going strong. These days it's the TT all the way, small and compact, very well built and robust, excellent display under the lights and in daylight and damn accurate, one thing though.... no power out to connect more pedals, you'll need another power source for those!