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Peterson StroboClip HDTM High Definition Clip-On Strobe Tuner
Summary: Peterson is the pioneer in strobe tuning and this new version of the highly-acclaimed StroboClip is a huge improvement over the original StroboClip which, in my opinion, just couldn’t be beaten. But add to that a larger, high-definition, and a high-contrast screen, then throw in a high degree of accuracy, then add Peterson’s unrivaled “Sweeteners,” what’s not to like? Pros: I said pretty much everything in the summary. This thing just works and it’s accurate – very accurate. But it’s really the Sweeteners that have always sealed the deal for me. Cons: None for me as I used the original for a long time (until some a-hole stole it at a gig), but using a strobe tuner will take a newbie a bit of time to get used to. But that shouldn’t discourage anyone. Price: $59.99 street Features:
Tone Bone Rating: 5.00 ~ After my original StroboClip got stolen last year, I went with a cheap Snark tuner. It did the job okay, but there was always something special about the sound of a guitar tuned with my StroboClip. It just sounded better. And with this updated, upgraded version, I’m a very happy camper! |
What could be so special about a tuner?
Believe me, not all tuners are made the same. An accurately tuned guitar can make the difference between sounding just okay and sounding incredible. So it stands to reason that the more accurate your tuning, the better you’ll sound. So tuner manufacturers have strived to get as accurate as possible, getting into the tenths of a cent (or even the hundredths of a cent). The StroboClip is super-accurate at 0.1 cent, which is pretty incredible. And that’s great – you might be thinking that at this point, there might be a “but” in there… Yes, there is…
As James Taylor puts it, because of how guitars are constructed, and how the strings vibrate, the actual sound that they produce when plucked is not actually in tune if you tune the strings to their exact tuning. According to JT, strings will ring a little sharp, so he actually tunes each string down a few cents per string – not evenly – as each different string requires a different adjustment.
And this is where Peterson tuners have always stood out. They’ve gone to great lengths studying the actual sounds that come off a stringed instrument and have come up with special tuning algorithms for different types of instruments that they call “Sweeteners.” A Peterson rep shared with me that for their acoustic Sweetener, JT’s tuning influenced their algorithm. Hey! If it’s good enough for JT…
In any case, the Sweeteners are extremely subtle, but the first time I used a sweetener for a recording, I noticed that my guitar just sounded better. The difference is like wearing a nicely shined pair of shoes. People don’t necessarily know that you’ve shined your shoes, but they notice that you look a bit sharper. That’s the best analogy I can come up with for Peterson’s Sweeteners.
I noticed it especially with recording my acoustic guitar. With standard, equivalent tuning, it sounded okay but tuned with the ACU (acoustic) Sweetener, it just seemed to ring so much better. That said, you have to get used to the sound because up close, it might sound a little off. But when I listened to the recording, wow! It was truly a revelation.
Fit and Finish
All Peterson products are built rock-solid. And even though they’ve gone with a plastic body, it doesn’t feel at all cheap.
The kicker for me is the comparatively large screen to other tuners. Damn! That thing is readable! And with the higher number of pixels, the readout is super smooth. And for my aging eyes, I love it!
The clip’s springs are pretty tight, but not so much that you can’t squeeze the clip open, and combined with the silicon pads will ensure that the clip stays put on your headstock.
Ease of Use Tuning with a Strobe Tuner
It has three buttons. The middle turns on the unit and acts as the menu selector. The + and – buttons scroll through choices. Doesn’t get much easier than this.
Tuning with a Strobe Tuner
I have to admit that the first time I used a strobe tuner, it was a little weird. I was so used to seeing a needle sweep over a gauge. With a strobe tuner, what you get is a checkerboard pattern that sweeps left and right to indicate the sharpness or flatness of your string. If it moves clockwise, the string is sharp and vice-versa if the string is flat. When the string is in tune, the checkerboard stops moving. The bigger screen really helps.
But there is a bit of a trick to tuning. You have to get used to moving in much smaller increments than what you might be used to. Also, the tuner is so sensitive that once you make an adjustment, you have to remove your hand from the tuning knob because the slightest pressure will affect the tuning. But believe me, once you get used to tuning this way, it’ll become second-nature.
One feature that I didn’t mention is the Drop/Capo setting. If you drop your tuning or use a capo, you can get into the Drop/Capo mode, set the number of semitones you’re going up or down, and then tune accordingly. That’s a really powerful feature, and as I often use a capo, knowing that my strings are all in tune with the right compensations for each string is comforting.
Overall Impression
You can probably tell based on the rating I gave and the review, I love this tuner! I know that Peterson’s marketing push is for the HD screen, but to me, this tuner has always been about the underlying technology. It’s second to none. But I do have to say that the larger screen is simply awesome!
At $59.99, it’s not a cheap tuner, especially compared to something like a Snark 2 that you can get for under $25 (I got mine for $21 on sale). And you know me, I’m not one to say that just because you pay more for something, it’s better. But in this case, it’s totally worth the extra money.
You might be wondering why I might be so excited about this. After all, it’s only a tuner. But once you tune with a Peterson tuner and hear the difference in your sound, you’ll become a believer.
What About Other Strobe Tuners?
The only one I can think of is the Turbo Tuner with an amazing .02 cent accuracy; yes, you read that right. But as I said before, while extreme accuracy is great, what makes the Peterson technology stand out to me are the Sweeteners. They really make a difference. And at some point, I’m wondering if our ears can actually hear the difference between 0.1 and .02 cent. I’m not so sure. It’s almost like a tube amp. The more gain you throw at a tube, the less effect it’ll have on volume. But to each their own. If extreme accuracy is your thing, that’s awesome. And that’s the beauty of having so many choices out in gear land. There’s bound to be something to please any taste.
For me, that taste is the Peterson Sweeteners!
Guitar Gear 
You say that the new version is a huge improvement over the original which just couldn’t be beaten. Just let me take a moment to try to get my head around that logic (if indeed there is any).
And your point other than to be snarky? The larger, higher definition screen is WAY better than the original. But if you didn’t have an original, you’d never know.
I have been messing around with guitars for a long time. A wax/wane relationship for sure. My most recent period of wane has led me to investigate why my guitars sound like crap, talking Fender and Gibson as well as other brands. The number one issue turns out to be tuning problems rooted to the intonation of the guitars. I have had the worst luck selecting a guitar, it just seems they are all off just a little. Well you are either in tune or out of tune. A guitar just a little out of tune sounds out of tune, bad really. I bought a well known high rated tuner and struggled to set the intonation on a guitar. I actually had to remove the low E saddle and shorten it about 1/8th of an inch in order to set the intonation. Wow’ that’s all I can say, except why had no one been able to point this out to me years ago? Anyway I am ordering a Peterson strobe tuner as soon as I decide which one I want. The price compared to the years of wasted effort and expense I have wasted being out of tune is nothing. My point to all of this. It is important to have your guitar properly tuned. This is an area to not take for granted. Just a little out of tune is out of tune, don’t go there. Buy a quality strobe tuner, learn how to use it, enjoy. This is so important for your success, it all hinges on this one point. You are either in tune or out of tune. The only options. Have you ever heard the story of the guitar player who played for some time. One day he picks up a guitar and it instantly becomes the number 1 guitar. It’s possible that after several years of playing, finally and for the first time a guitar that is correctly tuned has fallen into the players hands. No one seems to really know this. I have a brother who has been playing guitar and bass guitar for forty years and he did not know. None of my guitar teachers knew. I had to take my many years of experience and study why my guitars did not sound good to figure this out. I gain nothing but satisfaction in passing this along. I hope your current guitar/guitars become your number 1 after you tune them correctly, and you save thousands of dollars from not needing to buy twenty or thirty guitars like I did to find number 1. Buying guitars is fun until you realize the let down of the latest buy does not sound any better than your others. Just saying. Tune up!!! or give up.
Wow! What a search! I have over 20 guitars but tuning has never been an issue for me. I’ve always made sure that the intonation was good or fixable before I’d buy one. I’ve passed on some real beauties because the intonation was so off and not recoverable. To me, intonation is ground-zero. Otherwise, no amount of super-accurate tuning technology will save you. As for tuners I use the StroboClip for my acoustics and I recently purchased a StroboStomp for my board. I couldn’t live without tuners like this.