The HT-6’s rugged casing seems capable of standing up to the roughest gig conditions, but despite its workhorse exterior, it also has a few bells and whistles inside.
The HT-6’s rugged casing seems capable of standing up to the roughest gig conditions, but despite its workhorse exterior, it also has a few bells and whistles inside.
We all remember the first time we strapped on a guitar and strummed what we thought would be the chord that would lead us to fame and fortune. If you were like me, it probably didn’t sound that great due to both nonexistent technique and not understanding what “playing in tune” meant. Looking back, I spent quite a few hours bashing away on my blue-green Ibanez before truly understanding how I should be using those shiny tuning pegs on the headstock. Of course, since then I embraced sonority and became a stickler for playing (and staying) in tune.
At this past NAMM show, HardWire introduced the HT-6 Polyphonic Tuner. The basic idea behind a polyphonic tuner is that it enables you to strum all your guitar’s strings at once and tune the ones that need it without pushing any buttons. The HT-6’s rugged casing seems capable of standing up to the roughest gig conditions, but despite its workhorse exterior, it also has a few bells and whistles inside.
Bright Lights, Big Display
Like most pedals, the HT-6 can run either on a 9-volt battery or with an optional AC power supply. And as with many of the more competitive pedal tuners on the market, the HT-6 can provide up to 1000 mA of power to other pedals in your signal path. Two thoughtful inclusions for players who gig a lot are the glow-in-the-dark sticker for the footswitch and the hook-and-loop pad for easily adding the HT-6 to your pedalboard. You can tell the engineers at HardWire took a lot of time to think about the design of the HT-6’s display. As soon as you fire it up, you’re greeted with a cavalcade of LEDs bright enough to catch your eye on most stages—and I was able to read it better in sunlight than other LED-equipped tuners I’ve used.
HardWire’s designers also clearly took time to make the display more intuitive than other tuners by using a vertical readout. Similar to what you’d find in tablature, standard tuning (E–A–D–G–B–E) is displayed bottom to top. Besides featuring multiple tunings for guitar, the HT-6 also works with 4-, 5-, or 6-string basses (with B–E–A–D–G–C being the default tuning for the latter). Below the string grid, an LED display shows the note being played.
The string grid can be operated in two modes, which are easily selected with the small Mode button to the right of the note readout. In Standard mode, the LEDs function like a typical tuner—with the string being in tune when the lights move to the center of the display. There’s also a Strobe mode for players who prefer that type of readout. On the other side of the note readout, a Tuning button accesses five preset tunings: Guitar Standard, Guitar Drop-D, 4-String Bass, 5-String Bass, and 6-String Bass. To help you keep track of when you’re in Guitar Drop-D mode, an LED next to the Custom label lights. A USB port on the front panel facilitates quick and easy firmware updates, presumably for future software versions that may facilitate use of custom tunings.
G-String Gyrations
To put the HT-6 through its paces, I randomly turned my tuning pegs, plugged in, and strummed all the strings. I was really impressed with how well the HT-6 tracked—all six rows lit up and it immediately told me my third string needed tweaking. When I plucked the G string alone, the HT-6 moved instantly to single-note mode—which was convenient because it allowed me to tune without distraction from the other lights.
Another great feature is the Fret Offset mode, which helps when you’re using a capo or are tuned down up to three whole steps from standard tuning. To access this handy mode, simply hold down the footswitch and the Tuning and Mode buttons become + and – increment buttons, respectively, allowing you to adjust the offset in half-step increments up to three whole steps below (-6) or three whole steps above (+6) standard tuning. This changes the baseline for the polyphonic setting while still retaining the true pitch of the note being displayed. If your guitar is relatively in tune and you’re using a capo, you can set Fret Offset automatically by simply holding down the footswitch and strumming the open strings. It will quickly detect where the capo is and adjust accordingly.
The Verdict
For some, a tuner is just a tuner, but the HT-6 is a great all-around addition to any gigging guitarist’s or bassist’s pedalboard. Although it’s a bit disappointing that the HT-6 doesn’t enable you to program custom tunings, its exceptionally accurate response, ease of use, and smart, practical extras—like Fret Offset mode—make it a front-runner if you’re in the market for a pedal tuner.
Video Review - Hardwire HT-6 Tuner
Buy if...
you need a rugged, versatile, easy-to-read polyphonic tuner.
Skip if...
you’re holding out for a polyphonic tuner with custom tuning capabilities.
Rating...




Street $99 - HardWire
Lutefish, the real-time music collaboration device and platform, is excited to announce a suite of new features designed to simplify setup, streamline collaboration, and offer more flexible subscription options for Lutefish Stream users. These latest updates, Audio Presets, Automatic Session Recall, Improved Scheduling with Contact Visibility, and a new Yearly Subscription Plan, are all about making it easier than ever for musicians to jam together, no matter where they’re based.
Save Time and Stay in the Flow with Audio Presets & Session Recall
Musicians can now save and reuse their exact audio settings, reducing setup time and ensuring every session sounds exactly as they want.
- Automatic Session Recall: When users leave a session, their current audio levels are automatically saved and restored when they rejoin.
- User-Defined Audio Presets: Each user can create and name up to five custom presets, like “Band Practice,” “Studio Mic Setup,” or “Quick Jam,” making it effortless to jump back in with the perfect sound.
“These tools are all about saving time and hassle,” said Patrick Finn, Business Manager at Lutefish. “Musicians want to make music, not spend time rebalancing levels every session. With presets and recall, we’re giving them time back and helping them sound their best, every time.”
Smarter Scheduling and Contact Visibility
The latest update to Lutefish also made it easier to find collaborators and book sessions. Users can now:- View all their contacts at a glance when scheduling a session.
- Instantly identify which contacts own a Lutefish Stream device—so they will always know who’s ready to jam.
Go Yearly and Save 20%
Lutefish now offers a Yearly Subscription Plan, providing users with the same great access as the monthly plan at a 20% discount.
This option is now available within the Lutefish app and web platform, and current monthly users are eligible for a discount with an upgrade to a yearly subscription.
Lutefish’s mission has always been to empower musicians to connect and collaborate without boundaries. With these new updates, Lutefish Stream continues to break down barriers—whether you’re jamming with a friend across town or collaborating with a bandmate 500 miles away.
For more information and to start jamming today, visitlutefish.com.
The veteran Florida-born metalcore outfit proves that you don’t need humbuckers to pull off high gain.
Last August, metalcore giants Poison the Well gave the world a gift: They announced they were working on their first studio album in 15 years. They unleashed the first taste, single “Trembling Level,” back in January, and set off on a spring North American tour during which they played their debut record, The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation, in full every night.
PG’s Perry Bean caught up with guitarists Ryan Primack and Vadim Taver, and bassist Noah Harmon, ahead of the band’s show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl for this new Rig Rundown.
Brought to you by D’Addario.Not-So-Quiet As a Mouse
Primack started his playing career on Telecasters, then switched to Les Pauls, but when his prized LPs were stolen, he jumped back to Teles, and now owns nine of them.
His No. 1 is this white one (left). Seymour Duncan made him a JB Model pickup in a single-coil size for the bridge position, while the neck is a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Staggered. He ripped out all the electronics, added a Gibson-style toggle switch, flipped the control plate orientation thanks to an obsession with Danny Gatton, and included just one steel knob to control tone. Primack also installed string trees with foam to control extra noise.
This one has Ernie Ball Papa Het’s Hardwired strings, .011–.050.
Here, Kitty, Kitty
Primack runs both a PRS Archon and a Bad Cat Lynx at the same time, covering both 6L6 and EL34 territories. The Lynx goes into a Friedman 4x12 cab that’s been rebadged in honor of its nickname, “Donkey,” while the Archon, which is like a “refined 5150,” runs through an Orange 4x12.
Ryan Primack’s Pedalboard
Primack’s board sports a Saturnworks True Bypass Multi Looper, plus two Saturnworks boost pedals. The rest includes a Boss TU-3w, DOD Bifet Boost 410, Caroline Electronics Hawaiian Pizza, Fortin ZUUL +, MXR Phase 100, JHS Series 3 Tremolo, Boss DM-2w, DOD Rubberneck, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Walrus Slo, and SolidGoldFX Surf Rider III.
Taver’s Teles
Vadim Taver’s go-to is this cherryburst Fender Telecaster, which he scored in the early 2000s and has been upgraded to Seymour Duncan pickups on Primack’s recommendation. His white Balaguer T-style has been treated to the same upgrade. The Balaguer is tuned to drop C, and the Fender stays in D standard. Both have D’Addario strings, with a slightly heavier gauge on the Balaguer.
Dual-Channel Chugger
Taver loves his 2-channel Orange Rockerverb 100s, one of which lives in a case made right in Nashville.
Vadim Taver’s Pedalboard
Taver’s board includes an MXR Joshua, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Empress Tremolo, Walrus ARP-87, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector, MXR Phase 90, Boss CE-2w, and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.
Big Duff
Harmon’s favorite these days is this Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, which he’s outfitted with a Leo Quan Badass bridge. His backup is a Mexico-made Fender Classic Series ’70s Jazz Bass. This one also sports Primack-picked pickups.
Rental Rockers
Harmon rented this Orange AD200B MK III head, which runs through a 1x15 cab on top and a 4x10 on the bottom.
Noah Harmon’s Pedalboard
Harmon’s board carries a Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp, Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra, and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus. His signal from the Vintage Ultra runs right to the front-of-house, and Harmon estimates that that signal accounts for about half of what people hear on any given night.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kiesel’s new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼” input, XLR and ¼” outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. It’s intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But don’t let that hold you back if you’re a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼” phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry – important for the instrument most responsible for the band’s groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).