The Polytune is a little more than you need for mandolin as it will check the 6 guitar strings, The Unitune is the same without that aspect and I think works better for the mandolin. I have both and one Poly, several Uni.
The Polytune is a little more than you need for mandolin as it will check the 6 guitar strings, The Unitune is the same without that aspect and I think works better for the mandolin. I have both and one Poly, several Uni.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
I have a few different tuners for different needs.
First, all instruments have a Planet Waves NS Headstock Tuner in the pocket, placed on the headstock for gigs and casual play. Pretty good accuracy.
Next, either a Korg Sledgehammer Custom or Crescendo ZenStrobe for headstock use for more accuracy with doubled courses, or a Korg CA Custom. These have the same accuracy as the Peterson line, but react *instantly*. My friends and I noticed the speed of note recognition in various shootout videos, especially when the tuners were being used simultaneously, and that difference in speed showed up when we have tried it ourselves.
Finally, for recording or live fussiness, the Turbo Tuner wins. Fastest tuner, and more accurate than even the Peterson line.
I never have an issue with doubled strings being out from each other with any of these tuners, but all my instruments are meticulously set up.
Other than the various Turbo Tuners, I bought all the rest for less than $35 each, and the NS tuners for around $10 each.
Back in the day I had an original Intellitouch and it worked better than anything I’ve had since. Even the smaller (square) versions they made were great. Not sure what happened to the company.
Red Snarks, in my experience, work well, but break easily (the clamp). I have a black Snark that has lasted a long time but it’s a lousy tuner. I got a 2-pack of mini D’Addarios for Xmas that I’ve been using on my guitar. Even as small and inconspicuous as they are, I still take them off once tuned up (do not at all like the look of a tuner left clipped on, even when I’m playing alone).
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The thing I like most about the unitune is the long battery life. I have one I use daily many times and it has been over a year with the same battery. They are also accurate and offer strob or standard, with the strob being more accurate.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
For what little it's worth (and some will surely disagree):
In the 6 - 10 years that Snarks have been around, I've found them to be somewhat frustrating. Not sure why, as I've never used one of the super-accurate "strobo" tuners anyway; the Snarks just seem to be slow, relatively big, and wander a lot. Some have been known to fall off easily, but that may have been early on.
Plus, I dislike tuners that easily "lock on" to the desired note - that just means that they have a wider tolerance for inaccuracy. (That's not directed at Snark - not enough experience.)
The current one that I'm comfortable with is the D'Addario / Planet Waves NX-Micro. It's small (easily hides on the back of the headstock), cheap (cheaper yet in a 2-pack), battery lasts forever, and just seems to work well on mandolin, guitar, and bass guitar. Maybe part of that is just my own experience & expectations? Of course, YMMV!
- Ed
"Then one day we weren't as young as before
Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
- Ian Tyson
Ed Hanrahan: I agree with your thoughts. The Planet Waves NX-Micro has replaced the Snark and other similar tuners on my instruments. They work well on guitars and mandolins, aren't bulky, and seem to be accurate enough (on mandolin I always tune one string of the paired course to the tuner and tune the other to it's twin string). The two-fer packs are plenty cheap enough - I've given them out as Christmas presents to friends.
I do have a friend who is an older "Hootenanny" type folky who plays a 12-string. He sort of gets his guitar in relative tune to itself, then strikes all 12 strings and if the tuner registers anything just smiles and says: "it must be in tune, because the light went on!" It can be difficult playing tunes with him...
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