Best Acoustic Guitar Tuners (2024 Update)

Bought the Polytune 3 to replace the Polytune 2 on my board because I wanted the buffer without having to use a separate buffer pedal. First thing I noticed out of the box was that the Polytune 3's screen is only 60-70% as bright as the Polytune 2. Returned it and got a replacement; same thing. I spoke to TC Electronic and they confirmed that this is indeed a design change in the Polytune 3 because some people were complaining that the 2 was too bright (wow, I guess a lot of complaining people don't do outdoor gigs). Go figure. At all levels of the built in light sensor, the 3 is dimmer than the 2, including outside full brightness. Boo. This is a deal breaker for me as the Polytune 2's screen & brightness were perfect. The new one is too dim and hard to see from eye level, and other LED's on my board are actually brighter than the Polytune 3's display, which is distracting. So so disappointing as this could have been perfect. Such a puzzling decision on the part of TC Electronic. A much better solution would have been to make the brightness switchable between two modes if that really was an issue. I mean really: who wants a dimmer, harder to see screen? Especially outside in sunlight. They took one of the industry standard tuners and upgraded it with a switchable buffer, but downgraded it because the screen is dim. Going back to my Polytune 2 with separate buffer pedal.Tommy

Don't know how well it works yet. This is not ready to use out of the box unless you happen to already have a 9v DC power supply. Not sure if it will take a 9v battery because a specific hex wrench is necessary to open the unit. It would be helpful to have this information on a retailer's website to alert potential buyers.Steve

Does everything it says it does. I only have two complaints and two suggestion: 1) Tuning in poly mode seems to have you tune everything slightly sharp. I tuned all strings in poly first and then when switching to a single string to fine tune, ever single was string was just a hair sharp. I don't know if poly mode is accurate and single string mode is flat or vice versa, but that's a minor gripe. You can use poly mode to get close and single string mode to get every string perfect. 2) There is no way to "lock" the pedal in one mode or the other. You strum all strings for poly mode or one string for the other mode and the pedal automatically switches between modes. The problem is that you have to be sure ALL of the other strings are muted/completely silent to keep the pedal in single string mode. If you even accidentally bump another string while trying to tune a single string, the pedal will switch back to poly mode. It would be nice if there was a way to keep the pedal in one mode or the other to avoid inadvertently switching back and forth. Second suggestion, I wish there was a way to dim the display. When they say this pedal has an ultra-bright LED display, they mean it has an ULTRA-bright LED display. You could probably tune your guitar in low earth orbit with this pedal. That's fine in bright lighting or daylight, but at night or on a darkened stage, something that bright tends to affect my vision for a few minutes. Other than that, I found the pedal intuitive and easy to use. The only thing I had to refer to the manual for was to find out how to switch between alternate tunings. There is a TINY little button near the input jack and I missed it when just holding the pedal and giving it a quick once over. The pedal does not affect your tone in any noticeable way, even when you have your volume way up. The footswitch is smooth and there's no audible pop (either on the pedal or through your amp) when switching the tuner on and off.Heavyarms

I run quite a few pedals and had reached the point where it was clear I needed a buffer at the front and end of my pedal board. Didn’t want to use up too much space and another slot on my powered supply by just adding a buffer so after a bit of research decided I would try a buffered tuner for the front end. Having used the same Boss TU12 tuner for the best part of 30 years I decided to change it for the TU3. Happy that it has solved the problem at the front end and combined with a buffered ABY switch at the back end before my amps, it has done as intended. Tuner functionality is pretty standard and a good replacement for my trusty TU12. Accurate and stable enough for normal use plus setting intonation precisely, tho I use multiple tuners when doing that. I’d recommend the TU3. Good solid product, effective buffer.Derek I.

These tuners used to be the best. I had one for over 10 years that was totally dependable. Unfortunately, the old one got lost and I had to buy a new one. I was surprised at how fast the new one drained the battery (the same kind of 9 volt battery I always used with the old one). I had to change the battery all the time, compared to the old one that I think I changed the battery on 3 times in the entire 10+ years I used it. One day it simply died, even with a brand new battery. I did not have the receipt so I just went and purchased a new one. THIS ONE IS BRAND NEW and it already died, even with a new battery. They are clearly making these things like junk now. I did save the receipt and purchased the guarantee from Guitar Center so I'll be returning it and never buying another one again. It sucks, this is really the tuner I like best. I just wish they hadn't started making them like garbage.Von

Here's another solid Boss product that has become an industry standard. It's sturdy, effective, and simple. It does just what it advertises, without too many bells and whistles. If you're a Boss lover, then this is your pedal. I knocked off one star, because it's not quite as accurate as my TC Electronic Polytune 3, but it's still a great product, and is used by almost every pro artist out there.CoopDbomb

I bought my first tuner 40 years ago and have owned a number of tuners throughout the years. Before buying the StroboClip, my most recent tuner is the TC Polytune which I still highly recommend for accuracy and ease of use. As good as the TC tuner is, the StroboClip gives me a sweeter tuning which I fully attribute to its greater accuracy combined with the 'sweetener' tuning algorithms. The difference is really there although it sometimes takes a bit more work to get there. The StroboClip is extremely sensitive and at first tuning the strobe is kind of funky for those of us who haven't used one. Tuning gets quicker and easier with practice and greater familiarity with the process. The results are worth it and the StroboClip has become my primary tuner and the superb TC Polytune relegated to times where 'almost perfect' is close enough.Jeff

The Petersen StroboClip HD Clip-On Strobe Tuner is perfect for my 8 string Clinesmith Frypan Lap Steel guitar. It fits the thick headstock well, is easy to adjust and clamps tightly. I can also use it for my National guitars and uke. The tuning is spot on with the strobe feature and it doesn’t pick up any background sounds which so many other tuners do, causing the tuning needle to bounce all over the place. The very bright HD screen is easy to see and allows me to tune up outside in bright sunshine or in stage lighting and the raised on/off switch is very easy find allowing me to navigate the menu and select the sweeteners I use with my favorites always at the top of the list. A fantastic clip on tuner, accurate, easy to use, solid and reliable – built to last. Highly recommended!!!Phil D.

The unit functions perfectly, but the build is suspect. It took 15 minutes to to PRY the battery cover off, and insert the battery! Second, once you get it setup, you have to be REALLY careful not to change the settings you just made with the all purpose power/on/off/settings button. Third, the build quality is not great. Fourth instead of using "nitro" safe grips on the clip, they used that exact same rubber that comes on cheap tuners (which is safe for "poly" finish guitars, but I still have the "grip" marks on my Les Paul from that learning experience). Fifth, it comes with a "30 day" Factory Warranty! That pretty much tells you every thing you need to know about their build quality. The previous version of this tuner was STAINLESS STEEL and built like a tank in the USA.Tim

I have previously used TC Electronics tuners with which I have had no complaints. I was looking for a cheap alternative to prevent me from having to carry my usual rack of pedals for my acoustic guitar when I was only going to play bass at a gig. The Behringer fits the bill admirably. I've not experienced some of the difficulties some hard-to-please people have posted on Youtube – crikey some people are petty – and would have no hesitancy in recommending the tuner to anybody else. And the price makes it a winner. N.B. I've been a pro/semi-pro musician for over 50 years.Stephen W.

This tuner pedal works almost same like Boss TU-3 tuner pedal. I bought it based on YouTube reviews, found it really good. The review says it has got very bright power indicator LED which blinds to see the tuner LED's. But the pedal I received didn't have this problem, I think Behringer guys rectified this in the new production batches. This pedal is bit slow in responding (which I can live with) but gives accurate tuning. I took this pedal to quite a few gigs, it has never failed me (I bought it in Jan-15). Now this sits on my Bass guitarist's pedal-board, and he takes it to every gig we go, has never failed him too (he has got a 4-string Ibanez SR-300 bass). Overall nice tuner pedal for the bucks I paid. Pros- Accurate tuning Bright LED for better visibility Cons- Plastic casing (if you want to use it roughly..) Works only with external power supply.Abhijit D.

I was adding a 2nd tuner to my gear. This is a good tuner, but it defaults back to 440 Hz with every power down. I tune to 415, half step down and leave it there. My D'Addario tuner maintains whatever Hz adjustment was made prior to power down. I made the bad assumption that others of a quality brand would support this too. Plan to return to get this feature with another productDR

I bought a Snark tuner YEARS ago. I thought this one must be better (it's been years). Frankly it isn't (it's been years). It's OK. I don't mind it. I prefer my old one. That said, I bought two of these and will use use them all the time. When you're told that a product has been improved and the supposed improvements are are not only not perceptible but the product seems to be inferior then … what? YAY gold button! The gold button makes me SOOOO happy! I lurves me some gold button! Meh. Who needs a gold button?Rory

This tuner appears to be a decent quality item. The most important thin, of course is it works! Follow the colour indicator to the correct colour and your guitar is in tune. A neat touch is because of the ball joints, the tuner can be mounted on the back side of the headstock, out of view of an audience but still fully visible to the user. The other point is. It's simple. Turn it on, tune up, turn it off. Great little unit. Slightly more expensive but in my opinion, worth it.alsanjak

I have previously used TC Electronics tuners with which I have had no complaints. I was looking for a cheap alternative to prevent me from having to carry my usual rack of pedals for my acoustic guitar when I was only going to play bass at a gig. The Behringer fits the bill admirably. I've not experienced some of the difficulties some hard-to-please people have posted on Youtube – crikey some people are petty – and would have no hesitancy in recommending the tuner to anybody else. And the price makes it a winner. N.B. I've been a pro/semi-pro musician for over 50 years.Stephen W.

This tuner pedal works almost same like Boss TU-3 tuner pedal. I bought it based on YouTube reviews, found it really good. The review says it has got very bright power indicator LED which blinds to see the tuner LED's. But the pedal I received didn't have this problem, I think Behringer guys rectified this in the new production batches. This pedal is bit slow in responding (which I can live with) but gives accurate tuning. I took this pedal to quite a few gigs, it has never failed me (I bought it in Jan-15). Now this sits on my Bass guitarist's pedal-board, and he takes it to every gig we go, has never failed him too (he has got a 4-string Ibanez SR-300 bass). Overall nice tuner pedal for the bucks I paid. Pros- Accurate tuning Bright LED for better visibility Cons- Plastic casing (if you want to use it roughly..) Works only with external power supply.Abhijit D.

A lot more tuner than I know how to use right now I'm ashamed to say. The instructions are a bit complicated for me but the tuner (which is why I bought the thing) is excellent. This is the fourth tuner that I have bought trying to find accuracy. All were close but this Strob Plus is right on the money the best that I can tell. I dial up Perfect Guitar Tuner on the internet and cut the Strobe Plus on and it doesn't move when the notes are sounded. That's what I've been looking for. Highly recommend it.rc-oval

Keeping guitars in tune is so easy with this tuner, extremely accurate and the difficult task of intonation becomes a breeze. Finally I can setup my guitars quickly and with excellent results. It may look a bit pricey compared to clip-on or pedal tuners, but the features, easiness to use and results pay for themselves. It is a great and worthy tool to have.j.a.

Best tuner ever! Clear display, extremely accurate tuning and easy to use. Long battery life means it can be used for several gigs between charges. I use it as an in-line tuner and mute the sound using another pedal. The only slight irritation is that it auto-powers off after 10 minutes inactivity. This means that it needs to be turned back on before starting a gig, and after the break. It would be great if I could disable this function but there is no way to do it. Otherwise, perfect!Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Wasn't the item ordered, ordered the older style Taylor guitar tuner that automatically switches itself off, saving button cell battery life. Received the newer model Taylor tuner that doesn't automatically switch off, so, less reliable for our live performances were stuff just needs to work without battery issues.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

The desirable features of the GT-CTN tuner are its relatively unobtrusive size, sturdy construction, a display which can be rotated 360 degrees and tilted more than 90 degrees, very legible display characters, and a great price. However, the first unit which I purchased had a nearly imperceptible white display until it detected a tone which was nearly on pitch, at which point the white lettering became visible on a green background. Though that first unit was hardly usable, the Parts Express Technical Support Team promptly sent me a replacement unit. After carefully testing the unit on multiple guitars, I note that it gives a very clear display while tuning toward the target note and then displays very clearly and accurately against a green background when proper pitch is reached. While the unit performed well on my Martin D-28, its clamp jaws did not open wide enough to make the best fit on my Godin Multiac Nylon SA. The unit was also fussy about where it was clamped on the Godin, particularly having a bit of trouble tuning the G string while the display was upright and easily viewable, until the right position was found. Since that trouble was not apparent when the display was tilted horizontal to the headstock surface, I am guessing that it results from damping caused by the generous rubber cushions on the clamp. While this tuner will not be assigned to my Godin guitar, it will find good use with one of my several steel strung guitars.Write your review here. It must be at least 50 characters long. Consider whether you would recommend this product and what you like or dislike about it.Nels

I purchased a few of these tuners (Talent GT-CTN) and a few of the other Talent tuners (GT01) and there are pretty big differences between the two. This tuner (GT-CTN) is a decent ballpark tuner worth the price if all you need to do is get your strings "near" being in tune. When compared to the other Talent tuner (GT01) this tuner is about +/- 6 cents off from the accuracy of the same pitch. In other words, if you count on this tuner to help you get your instrument in tune, you could easily be 14 cents off from another instrument tuned with the same tuner, which will sound terrible. However, if you are changing strings and you just need a tuner to get you "close" to pitch and you tune the rest of the way with another tuner or by ear, this will do the job "okay". I wish PE had kept the GT01 in stock and let this one go.Michael

Read out on the tuner is dim – And slow to respond. More practical and more accurate just having my phone next to my guitar as I restring.BR Lewis

Literally took this thing out of the package. Clipped it on the guitar neck and started with the 6th string. Strum the string and the Note displays. If its the wrong note, simply tighten or loosen the guitar string till the note shows and its solid blue. Color display is easy to use and shows if your going the wrong way or getting close to being on time. Buy it and stop wondering and use it.rogerpk

The tuner broke off from the clip the first time I used it. A very poor design. The tuner is extremely sensitive andcsojj my sometimes frustrating to tune with.thomas*cornelius

I tried to use this product several times for acoustic guitar tuning. It is not accurate enough for me. The display was not clear enough. I've played Fender guitars for years and have used this type of tuner for 1 year or more. I much prefer Snark tuners. The Fender tuner was not precise enough in tuning. I would have to use the Snark tuner to more finely tune my guitar. The display was also not that bright. I could not discern when proper pitch was reached.duxr9870

I tested it against my strobe tuner and was impressed how close it was, not perfect but neither is my ear. So, I used it for the first time during a recent sound check. Unaffected by background noise it performed flawlessly. My guitar was unplugged so I was dependant upon the green light. Buying a back up! Only a couple drawbacks but overall very handy.trey452

It works great at home when getting ready to record and have the time to check it afterwards. The times I've tried to use it in a live situation, it's ended up being off and more time consuming than just using my floor tuner. I was excited about the "tune up to pitch" function, which is how you should tune your guitar to keep the tension on the string, but it turns out it doesn't work good and just kinda goes back and forth wandering looking for the right pitch. I asked to return the unit after that, and the company said they knew it was wrong and they were working on a new algorithm to fix that, so just hold tight. I decided to keep it for the heck of it, but haven't heard back.itisrocks

The title says it all. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CHARGE THE UNIT BEFORE USING. SOME POINTS TO REMEMBER. 1) Get a firm grip on this tool. The torque the Roadie 2 generates is surprising, and if the unit is not firmly grasped and/or seated on the tuners it will jerk, possibly come off and you start over again. 2) Don't be surprised if, during tuning, Roadie advances to the next string without you knowing about it. That is, if at first you are a bit slow (and one will be until one gets the hang of it) and think you are tuning for a B string and the machine thinks you are ready for the high e. If at any time one hears more winding than necessary for any given string and of course the pitch goes way beyond normal, you are probably doing something similar to the B/high e scenario. Sometimes the Roadie 2 lets one know one is tuning the wrong string when a red light flashes and a "wrong string" warning appears on the string. There is more but I'm out of……MRW

I really like the Snark tuner. You can turn the head where ever you need it to see the screen clearly. The tuning graph is easy to see, read and easy to get the pitch needle to the perfect pitch stop position. Very good value. Easy use, easy read. I am very satisfied.Gwindmorriso-0

I was looking for a good tuner that would be small and not too expensive. I read many reviews and came to the conclusion that this is a very good product that offers precision and comfort with a small size. It doesn't need volume for tuning, only vibration and it is very convenient to place it on the neck of your instrument. For the price i think it does the job and it is definitely not lagging behind other more pricey tuners. The tuner is more suitable for guitarist for it has some tuning options when using capo. Overall i think this is a good product for the price. The only drawback is that it consumes a lot of battery life because of the display, so if you are using a tuner frequently, take into account that you will need many replacement batteries (but the batteries are very cheap on E-bay so not a big problem)Michael

This little gadget is a definite must have for amateur and professional guitarist alike. A cousin of mine showed me his and I knew that I just had to have one. Very simple to use: Just clip it on to your guitar and tune. I especially like that it enables you to tune quickly and also that the display is large and bright, so it is easy to see. It also seems to be very accurate. Another feature of this model is enabling you to tune sharp or flat in half step increments. So, for example, if you wanted to tune to a keyboard that was tuned 1/2 step or a step sharp or flat, you could tune to the keyboard. This feature also enables you to tune with a capo on for more accurate tuning. If I lost it, I would purchase another one…….QUICKLY! Also purchased one for a friend. She is loving hers, as well.Myrna M.

I usually use the Gotoh vintage style, but they were out of stock. Decided to give these a shot and was pleased. 18:1 Ratio and very smooth. They feel like sealed tuners.UJM

I have purchased this only for the engraved Kluson Delux on the back. and noticed the quality is worse than Wilkinson which made in Korea and Goto which made in Japan and Taiwan. even the price is not good as the competitors on the market. do not buy Kluson again. it's my advice to myself51nocaster

I MUCH prefer these over the stock ping tuners that came with my classic series 60's strat…unfortunately I didn't read the fine print that said "uhhh btw, you have to buy our adapter's SEPARATELY in order to fit modern guitars"….So I just spent probably 4 hours trying to make these things work before reading that….Wasted so much time, why the h3ll didn't they just include the freaking adapters! Ugh!!!! Other than that….they're great, but I highly recommend checking your guitar, or just buying the adapters just in case.Nathan

Excellent and versatile product that we've probably all been waiting for without realising it; freedom from those annoying button batteries that fail when you least expect it and can't be found when needed.ALAN F.

Does the job! Good quality and I like the fact that it’s rechargeable. The interface is different from what I’m used to but hardly an issue.Sam W.

I've got a tuner built in to my amp, and an inline tuner. I got this one because it's easy to see on the head stock, and I'm working on songs with different tunings so I'm going back and forth in the same practice session.Michael

I was adding a 2nd tuner to my gear. This is a good tuner, but it defaults back to 440 Hz with every power down. I tune to 415, half step down and leave it there. My D'Addario tuner maintains whatever Hz adjustment was made prior to power down. I made the bad assumption that others of a quality brand would support this too. Plan to return to get this feature with another productDR

I bought a Snark tuner YEARS ago. I thought this one must be better (it's been years). Frankly it isn't (it's been years). It's OK. I don't mind it. I prefer my old one. That said, I bought two of these and will use use them all the time. When you're told that a product has been improved and the supposed improvements are are not only not perceptible but the product seems to be inferior then … what? YAY gold button! The gold button makes me SOOOO happy! I lurves me some gold button! Meh. Who needs a gold button?Rory

This tuner appears to be a decent quality item. The most important thin, of course is it works! Follow the colour indicator to the correct colour and your guitar is in tune. A neat touch is because of the ball joints, the tuner can be mounted on the back side of the headstock, out of view of an audience but still fully visible to the user. The other point is. It's simple. Turn it on, tune up, turn it off. Great little unit. Slightly more expensive but in my opinion, worth it.alsanjak

Good built quality and necessary functions both as Tuner or Metronome. The good thing about tuner is it shows the number next to the notes like G4 which is a great option and helps a lot. A backlit screen and better microphone for faster recognition will be amazing updates for next gen.Essi D.

I pluck hard, so it takes a second for the harmonics to settle down, but then it is fast and accurate. Sweet feeling when the two lights kiss! I have only used it a few times, so I am going to do the obvious and learn to pluck lighter when tuning. The key signature letters are bold and easy to read, but my tired old eyes have trouble with the flat & Sharp symbols. Packaging and action is standard Boss excellence. I had to laugh at the "Is it enjoyable?" question. Yes, we just live to tune up the old axe!danjammen

Great Boss quality, seems to be solid as usual, easy to use, probably has some features I won't use but glad they are there. My only complaint is that the # sharp led is TINY … actually fairly hard to see compared to all the other lights on the pedal… if that light was double the size or even triple it would be in a good proportion. Otherwise it is good and hope it lasts as long as my TU-12telecastermasters