Big thanks for this one! I've wrestled with bass tuners for a long time, especially clip-ons. I'd love to see you expand on this topic with other tuners
@jonathanwong458music Best brands/models in clip-ons for bass. I've got the D'Addario bookmarked and waiting for a sale. I've had the same frustration in finding something that works best and have tried many. Best so far for me is a Fender, also rechargeable (no model number easily visible). I'd like to know what other choices are out there.
There are tons. Many knock offs, unfortunately. I spent more for the TC electronic one but not convinced it was worth the premium. I really liked the rectangular D’addario but it stopped working after a few years. Nothing to complain about there, just dropped too many times on stage. I’m not sponsored, but I would say the D’Addario offerings are generally pretty solid. Not convinced you’d get more by spending more. They’ll get you close enough, accuracy wise. A few cents in either direction people in the audience won’t likely hear live. Recording or intonating is a different story and I would suggest using more accurate devices in that setting.
The one time I showed up on stage with a clip on, the B/L put out a tip jar saying "Bass player needs a real tuner". It was the highlight of the show 😂😂😂 Another great review Jonathan!
I’ve had similar experiences. Historically, clip on tuners were not very good for bass….and the older ones were big and clunky or had plastic necks that stuck out - generally didn’t look very nice on an expensive instrument. Looked like a toy. The current models are much more discreet and more accurate. It’s not unlike when you’d show up with anything other than an SVT. You’d get laughed at for little class D heads or modellers. I know I did! Now, it’s the norm! Different times.
Thank you for this timely video! I've been wondering whether to go with a headstock tuner or a pedal tuner like the Boss. It was good to see that I won't go wrong either way, but I think the Boss pedal will last longer than I will ever live! It looks indestructible.
Thanks for watching!! The boss TU-2 in the video is from 1998, so they really are tanks. The buffer didn’t agree with my upright though. Impedance mismatch. The TU-3 is perhaps a bit more accurate than the 2. I found the black waza version harder to see in the dark as the LEDs were blue. But it’s a boss! Tough as nails.
It might just be my eyes too! But I found the blue LED harder to see in some stage lighting (eg purple), whereas the 2 and 3 were red LEDs. But the Waza had a switch to turn the buffer off (true bypass), which can be beneficial in some cases!
9:52 while I totaly agree with you on that particularity of short scale bass tuning, I noticed when tuning my L-2000 tribute series that the spot I chose to stick my clip tuner to, makes a difference. At the end, after the last tuning peg, it gets jumpy. But when I attach it on that bulge, at the beginning of the headstock(across the tuners) things get easier. I wondered if maybe the vibrations are having a hard time going all the way, when the wood grain is interupted by the holes for the tuning pegs. If only I had more basses to test it...😅 Anyways cool video, as always! 👍
Good observation and cool hypothesis! You’re probably right - anything that gets in the way of vibration transmission will affect these tuners. Be it shape, wood grain, presence of metal tuners, wood knots. Just have to experiment with finding the sweet spot on a particular instrument. Not that long ago, clip on tuners would barely register a bass note, so they’ve come a long way in terms of accuracy. Thanks for watching!
As a classically trained musician, I do to! On a bass gig though, if I can’t tune silently in between songs or if the artist is talking, I’d get the stink eye!! Thanks for watching!
@@jonathanwong458musichah hah. Yes of course. So, with my electric Telecaster bass, I turn down the volume so nobody can hear it on stage. But the Snark hears the vibration. And I find that the tuner works much better with harmonics than with open strings.
Right on! Thanks for sharing! I managed to break the neck of a snark tuner once…probably took an impact inside a gigbag, unfortunately…the 360 folds pretty flat.
Great video brother. I am a beginner bass player and purchased this product. Blessings.
I hope it works well for you! Thanks for watching!
Big thanks for this one! I've wrestled with bass tuners for a long time, especially clip-ons. I'd love to see you expand on this topic with other tuners
Thanks for watching! Which aspect would you like expanded on?
@jonathanwong458music Best brands/models in clip-ons for bass. I've got the D'Addario bookmarked and waiting for a sale. I've had the same frustration in finding something that works best and have tried many. Best so far for me is a Fender, also rechargeable (no model number easily visible). I'd like to know what other choices are out there.
There are tons. Many knock offs, unfortunately. I spent more for the TC electronic one but not convinced it was worth the premium. I really liked the rectangular D’addario but it stopped working after a few years. Nothing to complain about there, just dropped too many times on stage. I’m not sponsored, but I would say the D’Addario offerings are generally pretty solid. Not convinced you’d get more by spending more. They’ll get you close enough, accuracy wise. A few cents in either direction people in the audience won’t likely hear live. Recording or intonating is a different story and I would suggest using more accurate devices in that setting.
@@jonathanwong458music Thanks!
Anytime! My pleasure to share my experiences.
The one time I showed up on stage with a clip on, the B/L put out a tip jar saying "Bass player needs a real tuner". It was the highlight of the show 😂😂😂 Another great review Jonathan!
Thanks so much for watching!
I don't understand that mindset. Isn't it a good thing to want to play in tune?
I’ve had similar experiences. Historically, clip on tuners were not very good for bass….and the older ones were big and clunky or had plastic necks that stuck out - generally didn’t look very nice on an expensive instrument. Looked like a toy. The current models are much more discreet and more accurate.
It’s not unlike when you’d show up with anything other than an SVT. You’d get laughed at for little class D heads or modellers. I know I did! Now, it’s the norm! Different times.
Thank you for this timely video! I've been wondering whether to go with a headstock tuner or a pedal tuner like the Boss. It was good to see that I won't go wrong either way, but I think the Boss pedal will last longer than I will ever live! It looks indestructible.
Thanks for watching!! The boss TU-2 in the video is from 1998, so they really are tanks. The buffer didn’t agree with my upright though. Impedance mismatch. The TU-3 is perhaps a bit more accurate than the 2. I found the black waza version harder to see in the dark as the LEDs were blue. But it’s a boss! Tough as nails.
I appreciate your comment on the Waza version because I was heavily considering it, but now I don't need to! Thank you again!
It might just be my eyes too! But I found the blue LED harder to see in some stage lighting (eg purple), whereas the 2 and 3 were red LEDs. But the Waza had a switch to turn the buffer off (true bypass), which can be beneficial in some cases!
9:52 while I totaly agree with you on that particularity of short scale bass tuning, I noticed when tuning my L-2000 tribute series that the spot I chose to stick my clip tuner to, makes a difference. At the end, after the last tuning peg, it gets jumpy. But when I attach it on that bulge, at the beginning of the headstock(across the tuners) things get easier. I wondered if maybe the vibrations are having a hard time going all the way, when the wood grain is interupted by the holes for the tuning pegs. If only I had more basses to test it...😅
Anyways cool video, as always! 👍
Good observation and cool hypothesis! You’re probably right - anything that gets in the way of vibration transmission will affect these tuners. Be it shape, wood grain, presence of metal tuners, wood knots. Just have to experiment with finding the sweet spot on a particular instrument. Not that long ago, clip on tuners would barely register a bass note, so they’ve come a long way in terms of accuracy.
Thanks for watching!
Have a Snark tuner that I have used with the original battery for over a year.
Right on! Thanks for sharing and for watching!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I tune my bass using harmonics
As a classically trained musician, I do to! On a bass gig though, if I can’t tune silently in between songs or if the artist is talking, I’d get the stink eye!!
Thanks for watching!
@@jonathanwong458musichah hah. Yes of course.
So, with my electric Telecaster bass, I turn down the volume so nobody can hear it on stage. But the Snark hears the vibration. And I find that the tuner works much better with harmonics than with open strings.
Right on! Thanks for sharing! I managed to break the neck of a snark tuner once…probably took an impact inside a gigbag, unfortunately…the 360 folds pretty flat.