Few guitar accessories factor into my daily playing rituals like the humble clip-on tuner. There’s always one around my place, and they’re integral to my practicing and writing. But for my pedalboard, I’ve come to love TC Electronic’s PolyTune tuners. Their easy-to-read displays and polyphonic functionality always provide tuning peace of mind. So there’s something doubly reassuring about having the same power perched, plain to see, right at the end of your headstock.
Like other PolyTune models, the Clip lets you strum all six strings and see which are sharp or flat—a fast polyphonic twist that eases onstage panic when you can’t immediately identify an offending out-of-tune string. The Clip is fast and accurate for both polyphonic and single-string tuning.
While the Clip’s tuning performance is impressive, it does add 1 ¼" to the length of your guitar if placed at the end of your headstock—a slightly less obtrusive design would be nice. Also, a swiveling—rather than swinging—joint would make it easier to align the readout with your line of sight. Those quibbles aside, the Clip is ace, and given TC’s track record of product evolution, we can expect to see even more refined versions before long.
Test Gear: Gibson J-45, Squier Jazzmaster
Ratings
Pros:
Polyphonic functionality. Fast and accurate. Bright, bold readout.
Cons:
Lack of swivel joint can make adjustment awkward.
Street:
$49.99
TC Electronic PolyTune Clip
tcelectronic.com
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