It was in 1995 that the Onboard Research Corporation came out with the "Intellitouch PT1". At the time this was an innovative idea as it was the first 'clip on' tuner of its kind. This meant that it could attach to any headstock of a guitar, banjo or mandolin. The type of sound conduction meant that you could tune while others tuned or even tune in between songs as it was perched on your headstock. This particular device is not commonly sold today as there has been so many advancements on this concept. It outdated itself on price, clasp difficulty and display inaccuracy with certain frequencies.
Today we have many companies that have improved upon the technology of the 'clip on' tuner. The "Korg" company most notably has come out with a family of 'clip ons' that contain different features for different instruments, environments and budgets. The "Korg PC1 Pitchclip Tuner" for example, is designed mainly for guitars and basses. It has an L.E.D display for easy viewing. The battery has seventeen hours of use, it has an auto shut off and is within the twenty dollar price range. On the other side of the spectrum we have the "Korg AW-2" which is a tuner designed to tune for any instrument at any key with its transpose feature. It easily mountable on brass and woodwind instruments and has a proprietary clip design. The display is easy to rotate for any visual or instrument need and the screen itself is easily seen with its back light and L.E.D and L.C.D. type meter display. It also has both a piezo mic and an internal mic. This is not your basic clasp on tuner and the price will reflect such. However, if you perform out or desire absolute accuracy this might be a tuner to consider.
Other companies have come out also with their style and brand. For a cheaper price but a fun look and style the company Snark Tuners have come out with their brand of 'clip on' tuners. These tuners are advertised as sturdy, have a solid clasp to the headstock and have an easy to read display. The advantage to this bright color is that it is harder to leave behind. It is also less expensive than other tuners. At below twenty-five dollars this tuner will outperform the original "Intellitouch" but will not out perform the more expensive tuners.
There are some pro's and con's to consider when buying the 'clip on' tuner as opposed to the standard or console tuner.The 'clip on' by nature is going to be more fragile that your basic console style tuner. I have dropped my console tuner many times. It might split apart but it never breaks.This is because of the design of the 'clip on' is more complicated and intricate in nature. The price is going to be higher. Batteries are often going to be hard to find. Console, or standard tuners often take batteries that are easy to find. However 'clip on's' solve many tuning problems- loud tuning environments, dark stages, playing outside where your instrument might change pitch, and tuning while others are tuning. It is important to consider all these situations when you are considering your next tuner.
For considering the best guitar tuner for you check out "The Guitar Tuner Shop". Here you can find a wide variety of guitar tuners, including 'clip ons' for different skill levels, budgets and tuning environments. Also there are more great articles on tuning.
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