Finding the best guitar tuner so you can tune your guitar on the fly isn’t that easy. There are a bunch of different styles clip-on guitar tuners and guitar tuner pedals, so how are you supposed to find the right one?
First, you need to look at what you want to do with your tuner. Do you want something for playing live shows or do you something that can easily be transferred from one guitar to the next? That makes a big difference. The best guitar tuner pedals are awesome for leaving plugged into your pedalboard and amp. Clip-ons, on the other hand, can easily be thrown in your guitar case and go. If you are anything like me, you will probably want both eventually. 🙂
Let’s compare the best clip on guitar tuners that will help you easily tune your guitar without missing a beat.
Compare the Top Clip-on Guitar Tuners & Guitar Tuner Pedals in 2020
Contents
- 1 Compare the Top Clip-on Guitar Tuners & Guitar Tuner Pedals in 2020
- 1.1 Boss TU3 Chromatic Guitar Tuner Pedal
- 1.2 TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Guitar Tuner Pedal
- 1.3 Donner Dt-1 Chromatic Guitar Pedal Tuner
- 1.4 Korg PitchHawk G2 Guitar Clip-On Tuner
- 1.5 KLIQ UberTuner Clip-On Guitar Tuner
- 1.6 Snark SN5X Clip-On Tuner for Guitar
- 1.7 KLIQ MetroPitch Guitar Metronome Tuner
- 1.8 Korg GA1 Guitar and Bass Tuner
- 2 What We Recommend?
Here’s a list of the best guitar tuners that can clip-on your guitar or put in your pedal board to keep your guitar in tune anywhere you play.
- Boss TU3 Chromatic Guitar Tuner Pedal
- TC Electronic PolyTune 3
- Donner Dt-1 Chromatic
- Korg PitchHawk G2 Guitar Clip-On Tuner
- KLIQ UberTuner Clip-On Guitar Tuner
- Snark SN5X Tuner
- KLIQ MetroPitch Metronome Tuner
- Korg GA1 Guitar and Bass Tuner
Boss TU3 Chromatic Guitar Tuner Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
TU3 model from Boss is an excellent guitar and bass tuner pedal with all the most important features. You can adjust the brightness to be higher, for instance, if you are using the device outside your home. That way, you can always see what’s on the display, without any troubles.
Along with that comes the LED meter with a total of 21 segments and complete control over the level of brightness. It supports drop tuning as well as the ability to choose between guitar and bass mode, in order to completely customize your experience.
Apart from guitar and bass mode, you can also choose the chromatic mode. Also, guitar and bass modes are supported on guitar with 7 strings and bass with 6 strings. Another very useful feature is flat tuning, which can be used with guitar flat mode. It allows you to drop tunings by a maximum of six semitones below the regular, standard pitch.
As for its design, TU3 has pretty common stompbox-style, making it look elegant and very easy to use, with all labels marking features that can be used.
Pros and Highlights
- High-brightness mode, to help you adjust the brightness level for specific situations or places. Really useful if you are working outside.
- Great design, with labeled features, making it much easier to use the device, without having to look for the right hole for input or output cables.
- Supports chromatic and guitar/bass modes, allowing you to customize your guitar work to the full extent.
- Includes guitar flat mode, which you can use to drop your tunings below the normal pitch.
- It can power up to 7 pedals.
- It comes with a 5-year warranty.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Battery consumption is a bit high, meaning that you will have to always carry reserve batteries with you, just in case.
- It may be considered a bit expensive by some people.
Bottom line
Even though TU3 has some flaws, it is still a very good choice to consider if you want to get high-quality guitar tuner. It has everything you may need, so there is no need to hesitate much.
TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Guitar Tuner Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
No matter if you are just a beginner or a seasoned professional, this guitar tuner will make your job or hobby easier and more enjoyable. Your tunes and sounds would be more efficient and accurate, without too many interruptions and the need to tweak the device every few seconds.
Along with that comes the ability to use three types of tuning. If you need to tune all strings on your guitar at the same time, you can use polyphonic tuning. In case you need more precise tunes while you write songs, you can use chromatic tuning and if you want to have completely precise when playing your tracks, you can choose strobe tuning.
Apart from that, you have the option to swap between two tuning modes: true bypass and buffer, depending on your needs at the given time. With that option, you can keep your tuner in ‘always on’ mode, making sure it works at its full capacity at all times.
PolyTune 3 comes with an excellent display, allowing you to work in all types of environment, no matter if it is outside on the light or inside the studio. Apart from you being able to manually adjust the brightness level, PolyTune 3 has a built-in ambient light detector, which is capable of detecting the amount of light in the environment and adjust the brightness level automatically.
Another very useful feature is the Bonafide buffer that makes sure your tunes are kept clean and strong, without you having to worry about the cables.
Pros and Highlights
- It gives you the option to use polyphonic, chromatic and strobe tuning, depending on your needs.
- Comes with true bypass and buffer modes, allowing you to use ‘always on’ feature.
- Great design, making it easier to be used by anyone.
- Excellent LED display, with auto-adjustable brightness, thanks to the ambient light detector.
- Bonafide buffer, so you don’t have to worry about worsening your tunes if you tighten cables too much.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Price is a bit high. It is possible to find tuners with most of these features at a more affordable price.
Bottom line
PolyTune 3 model is an excellent guitar tuner, which is capable of helping you deliver high-quality tunes. With a wide range of available features, this tuner is a perfect choice for people who have a taste for good quality and excellent performance.
Donner Dt-1 Chromatic Guitar Pedal Tuner
Specs, features, and benefits
Donner Dt-1 chromatic guitar tuner is simply beautiful. Everything, from design to functionality is absolutely amazing.
It has a classic design, very small build, and beautiful coloring, which would probably be appreciated by people with style. Even though it is tiny, this tuner is also very durable, making it a perfect choice for people who have to travel a lot.
It comes with a true bypass option that is capable of delivering clean tunes and consistent volume levels without any problems.
Dt-1 should be primarily used for wide range tuning since it works the best in chromatic mode. The range of tuning is A0 (27.5 Hz) to approximately C8 (4186 Hz). Along with that comes the option to be completely accurate by using quick strobe mode.
Dt-1 has nice LED indicators, showing the state of the device, whether it is on, off or in working mode. Along with that comes excellent LCD display that shows everything clearly, whether you are working in or outside, so you will have no problems reading the frequency and numbers no matter what.
Dt-1 is powered by 9V DC, with negative being in the center, ensuring you will have enough time to do everything you intended to do. Apart from that, the device comes with two jacks, one for input and one for output. Both jacks are analog 0.25’’ mono-audio jacks.
Pros and Highlights
- Excellent design, made of classic aluminum-alloy material, making the device very durable.
- True bypass feature, ensuring there is no tone coloration.
- It has chromatic and fast strobe mode, for more precise tunes.
- The excellent LCD display and LED indicators, capable of being seen even in direct sunlight.
- Price is very affordable.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- It can be a bit difficult to set up the right precise mode
Bottom line
Despite being very small, this durable aluminum tuner has everything you may need to give special tunes to your songs. So, whether you are a beginner or professional, you will most likely not regret getting this guitar tuner.
Korg PitchHawk G2 Guitar Clip-On Tuner
Specs, features, and benefits
PitchHawk G2 is an improvement of very popular PitchHawk. It comes with some upgrades, such as new and improved LCD display with high-brightness and high-contrast colors, capable of adjusting the visibility according to the light of the surrounding environment.
Apart from that, one more thing that is different than with the original PitchHawk is its body. G2’s body is slightly slimmer and has improved functionality, making the device easier to be used, which is especially important if you are a beginner.
It has two modes, guitar, and bass mode, depending on your needs. One useful feature guitar mode has is the indicator that shows if the first string is over-winding. This is really helpful if you are just learning how to play and use tuners.
Along with that comes the option to calibrate settings, to completely fit your style of playing. You can also mimic some of the concert tunings to make it easier. G2 also features Auto Power-Off function, allowing you to save battery life, as well as the memory backup function, which is used to keep your settings even after your device is turned off.
Pros and Highlights
- Accurate clip tuner, allowing you to attach it anywhere, while still keeping the tuning accuracy
- Warning indicator that prevents over-winding
- Both bass and guitar modes, depending on your needs
- Very nice design, compact and small, very easy to use
- The excellent LCD display, allowing you to see the frequency clearly in all circumstances
Cons and Potential Flaws
- The price might be a bit high
- The clip system is a bit clumsy, making clamp a bit flimsy in some situations
Bottom line
PitchHawk G2 is definitely an improvement of the original PitchHawk, which is a very popular tuner, meaning that getting G2 is simply getting an upgrade for the already excellent product. With more advanced features and additional settings, G2 is an excellent choice for people who put a high value on their work.
KLIQ UberTuner Clip-On Guitar Tuner
Specs, features, and benefits
KLIQ UberTuner is very fast and accurate tuner that is capable of working on different instruments, such as ukulele, guitar, violin, and bass.
Since it allows you to very accurately tune your instrument, by using a microprocessor and Piezo sensor that is very sensitive, you will be able to play without too many interruptions and time needed for tuning.
As for its display, it comes with an excellent display, which can work in very bright mode, allowing you to see the frequency without any issues from any position and angle. Along with that comes the option to adjust the display by using three different points. That way, you can adjust it any way you want.
Design is very good, the device is compact and very easy to use. You can clip it anywhere you want and start using it. Apart from that, the device is very durable, allowing you to use it for a prolonged period of time.
Another very useful feature is that it has a feature to detect the noise from the environment, by using your instrument’s vibrations, meaning that you won’t have any problems with noise from the background.
Pros and Highlights
- Piazo sensor of high sensitivity, allowing accurate tuning
- The LCD display with bright colors, making it possible to see the frequency in any condition
- The screen can be adjusted to the angle that would suit you the most
- Battery life is long since the device is powered by a 3V lithium battery, which can last a long time
- Supported by almost all instruments
- Very nice, compact and durable designs, perfect for both beginners and professionals
Cons and Potential Flaws
- The display doesn’t have a needle, meaning that you cannot pinpoint your accurate position, whether you are out of tune or not
Bottom line
KLIQ UberTune is an excellent tuner, with great design and ability to be used by both beginners and professionals, due to its simple build and interface, as well as all-important features every tuner should have.
Snark SN5X Clip-On Tuner for Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
Snark SN5X Clip-On tuner is a very small and compact device that is still very accurate and capable of guiding you in your search of the perfect tone.
It has a nice round display with different coloring, depending on your pitch. The display specifically shows the frequency range specially built to fit bass and guitar, meaning that you should get very accurate tuning with little or without any trouble.
Another very useful feature is that the device can be easily rotated in any direction due to its 360 degrees rotation system, allowing you to fully customize your experience. SN5X comes with an excellent clip-on system, which has very nice and durable clamps, capable of holding it steady for more precise tuning.
Pros and Highlights
- Great design, small, compact and easy to use, without complicated interface
- Completely adjustable, allowing you to rotate the head in any direction you want
- Has two modes, built for either guitar or bass
- Colored display, showing you if you have too high, too low or the right tuning level
- It is very cheap, but also high-quality device
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Clip tends to break if you are not careful
Bottom line
Coming from Snark, one can only expect a high-quality product with an excellent design and simple functions, allowing everyone, both beginners and professionals, to use it. And Snark didn’t let us down this time either since SN5X is a very simple device that does what it is supposed to do, which you can get for a very small price.
KLIQ MetroPitch Guitar Metronome Tuner
Specs, features, and benefits
KLIQ MetroPitch is a multifunctional device that can be used as three separate devices, all in one. It can work as a tuner, a tone generator, and a metronome. All that in a device that can fit in your pocket. How crazy, right?
It might sound crazy, but it’s true. MetroPitch is very small, but it is also very durable, making it a good choice if you need to travel a lot. Another neat thing about its design is that there are LED indicators that show in what mode is the device being used. Along with that comes the nice LCD display, showing the tune frequency and volume.
The device itself comes with several options, making it more versatile. The range of tuner is very wide, from A0-C8. Next, to that, we have different modes for tuning your instrument, as well as settings for customizing the transposition and calibrate pitch as best as possible. All that increases the accuracy of the device, leading to cleaner tones.
MetroPitch is supported not just by guitar, but also by other instruments, such as ukulele, bass, and violin. This is a perfect choice for people who either share the tuner between themselves, or for someone who would like to have open options when it comes to having a good tuner.
As said above, MetroPitch can be used as a metronome as well. It has the ability to get you 30 to 250 beats in a minute, as well as different patterns, so you could customize your rhythm and tempo of your work or hobby.
Pros and Highlights
- The multifunctional device gives you the option to use it as a tuner, if you want to tune your instrument, like a metronome and a tone generator
- Supports multiple instruments – it can work on guitar, ukulele, bass, and violin
- Excellent design, making the device very durable and easy to use
- Wide range of features and available options to use, adding to its versatility
- Comes with a 3-year warranty, in case of any malfunction
Cons and Potential Flaws
- The battery could be better, the device drains it a bit faster than usual
- It is not very responsive, meaning that if you play really fast tunes, it will have difficulties to follow
Bottom line
With all of its features, KLIQ MetroPitch is a good choice for everyone who is in need of multipurpose device capable of delivering high-quality results without problems. At this price, you will hardly find a device with this many features and functions.
Korg GA1 Guitar and Bass Tuner
Specs, features, and benefits
Even though when you look at the price of this tuner you may think that it is nothing special, you would be very wrong. GA1 from Korg is an excellent guitar and bass tuner. It has a unique and handy tilt-slit design, which allows you to easily see what is written on display. Along with that comes the option to use the Auto Power Off feature, which would help you save some battery life.
One of the main characteristics of Korg tuners is their accuracy, which is the case with this tuner as well. It has high-precision LCD needle-type meter, which is tasked to keep the tuning at stable levels, thus, providing you with the ability to create clean tunes without trouble.
As said, this tuner can be used both for guitar and bass. When we talk about basses, this tuner shines with basses that have 5 or 6 strings. As for guitars, it works the best with guitars with 7 strings.
Another very useful feature is the Quinta Flat Tuning mode, which allows you to tune flat tones from level 1 to 5.
When it comes to power usage, GA1 has a nice battery that can last around 100 hours, even if we are talking about continuous use.
Pros and Highlights
- Great battery, with the ability to be used continuously for 100 hours
- Compact design, especially useful for people who travels a lot
- Two modes: Bass and Guitar, which can be easily changed with
- Quinta Flat Tuning mode, allowing you to tune flat semitones
- Sound Out feature, which can use the tone from the internal speaker as a reference
- Price is great, so almost everyone can afford it
Cons and Potential Flaws
- The display can sometimes show incorrect frequency
- Since there is no backlight, sometimes it is hard to see the needle
Bottom line
All in all, Korg GA1 tuner is a great choice for everyone who appreciates high-quality tuners that come from a respected company, capable of delivering excellent results. And with this price, it’s a steal.
What We Recommend?
Now that we’ve seen the list of the best acoustic guitar tuners on the market at the moment, we decided to pick our favorite and recommend something that everyone should add to their guitar accessory collection.
We decided to pick KLIQ UberTuner as our winner, simply because it very simple device to use, with all necessary features, as well as the ability to use it on other instruments, which could save you some money if you are someone who plays multiple instruments.
Apart from that, it does certain things better than its competitors, so it was only fair to select it as today’s winner.