Tuner Talk - CAUTION: POSSIBLY CONTROVERSIAL OPINION - I hate the clip on tuner.

[Xtradust]

Well, "tunertard" ain't exactly PC, but it sure is funny.

I'm the same way. I throw a tuner into my pocket and then I start patting all of my pockets looking for it and thinking it's lost. Cargo shorts don't help the situation.

A friend of mine always looks over and says, "Whaddya lose now?"

 

[Ukuleleblues]

Well, "tunertard" ain't exactly PC, but it sure is funny.

I'm the same way. I throw a tuner into my pocket and then I start patting all of my pockets looking for it and thinking it's lost. Cargo shorts don't help the situation.

A friend of mine always looks over and says, "Whaddya lose now?"

Cargo shorts, I love em and hate them, Makes you looks like you are doing the hambone when looking for a tuner.

 

[sukie]

The only problem I have with tuning without a tuner (tuning against a certain string) is that, yes, your strings are in tune with each other, but it may not be in tune with anybody else.

 

[Ukejenny]

I say, to each his own. It is your uke, so do what you want with it. I clip on and tune, then clip off. I agree with sukie, when in a group, tuners are necessary. Tuning the instrument to itself only works when you're alone, unless you have perfect pitch.

 

[buddhuu]

It's always good to train one's ear. Tuning from a reference pitch by knowing the sounds of intervals, or by fretting notes or using harmonics is, IMO, an important skill. That said, clip-on tuners are a real benefit in a jam or band situation. The tuner is an impartial arbiter of whose instrument is in tune - they ALL should be! Furthermore, ever tried getting a dozen jam players to shut up for a minute so you can tune by ear?

I use a tuner all the time. I tend to do the stick-to-back-of-headstock thing (or use a floor tuner on my pedalboard when playing electric guitar in the band) so I don't generally have a tuner poking up from my instrument, but I don't give a hoot if my fellow players use visible clip-ons. So long as we're all in tune (at least until we start playing) I'm good.

 

[Sporin]

This is one of those subjects that I'm always surprised to find that anyone has a genuinely strong opinion about either way.

I tend to leave my Snark clipped on—to each their own.

 

[PhilUSAFRet]

This is an opinion piece and I sincerely do not want to offend anyone. I came across a post on using tuner apps and clip ons so that made me want to post this info that I believe is helpful. I understand that some of the purpose of this post is to pat myself on the back but I truly hope it can help out a lot of players.

This is all just my opinion but I don't think this is subjective. A uke with a tuner clipped to the headstock is silly looking, ugly, and it looks ridiculous. No? For the most part ukes are beautiful instruments. Having a clip on tuner, literally every model I've ever seen, hanging off the end of a uke disrupts the design and I believe it is possible that it can have a negative effect on playing. This even applies to the Planet Waves NS Micro Tuner.

The solution to this isn't so dificult or expensive. You can have a highly functional "on board" tuner that isn't permanently cut into your uke and mounted inside like an eq housing. But the solution actually does involve the Planet Waves NS Micro Tuner, modified.

Take the clip off the back of the Micro Tuner and file down the piece of plastic that remains on the back of the actual tuner unit. I am no craftsman or handyman but this was easy to do. Then continue filing the back of the tuner unit until it is completely flat. Use a piece of double sided tape, foam or rubber not double sided scotch tape, and mount the tuner onto the back of your headstock (pics below!) so you will be able to see it easily but it also remains completely out of the way and hidden unless you are looking to tune.

This works very well and I've been using this for my ukes for a while.

Of course it's subjective!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Canada Jim]

These instructions come with the Snark and similar ones with other clip on tuners. Of course no one seems to ever read these instructions. They're like the instructions on your shampoo bottle; nobody reads them either.

My clip-ons come off and are clipped to the mic stand as soon as my instrument is tuned. Like Pukin' Ukin', Ithink a tuner (or capo or cigarette. . .) stuck on the head of an instrument is ugly.

 

[Canada Jim]

 

[Kenn2018]

Old thread, but still relevant.
I tune and usually take the tuner off once in-tune. Mainly because I've occasionally had Snark tuners buzz whilst sitting in place on the headstock.

I use an D'Addario mini that mounts inside the sound hole on two of my tenors that have oddly shaped headstocks that prevents clipping a tuner to them. I also have a large Peterson "tabletop" tuner that uses a microphone, or if my uke has a pickup, I can plug into it between the uke and the amp.

Lots of options these days, but the Snark is ubiquitous. (He's everywhere, he's everywhere!)

 

[PTRarch.]

Same here: tuner's off as soon as job is done. And no Snark. They're too hideous, even for those 2 minutes of tuning up.
My regular players "with an attitude" (i.e. the tendency to not stay in tune) have the D'Addario micro in the soundhole, and if the uke has a pickup, I usually take an in-line tuner (Boss or Korg) that sits on the amp.

If you really want a tuner on all times: there are options available that are way less of an eyesore than those Snarks. Or other clip-ons for that matter...

 

[MichaelW]

At home I use a Korg CA50 that lives on my music stand.
Away from home and with other players I use a clip on.
Only problem I found with the Korg was one day it was all over the place then realised my neighbour was mowing his lawn.

 

[Eggs_n_Ham]

My fave tuner is a foss android app eponymously named "tuner". Otherwise I use a Peterson and as others have stated, tune, then it goes back into it's box.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

I have a different reason (actually 2, counting the fact that, like @Canada Jim, I think a tuner left in place whilst playing is unsightly):

All spring- loaded jaw- type attachment devices have a mechanical life span. IMHO, it makes no sense to shorten the life of the jaws by leaving the tuner clipped to the headstock.

 

[chris667]

I still use one of these, for two reasons:

1. The batteries last forever
2. when you get home from the pub you can use it to eat spaghetti
   

 

[kkimura]

I like that leaving the tuner clipped on the headstock obscures the ukes logo.

 

[ukudancer]

I'm always plugged into my tuner pedal, which is always on.

No clip ons for me!