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Snark SN-1 Clip-on Chromatic Guitar Tuner ($14)
I had been using a couple tuning apps on my iPhone for the last few years, and while they’re not perfect, I found them to be WAY more precise then standard “twitchy” guitar tuners.   I generally have my iPhone with me, so gone were the days of rummaging around my office or teaching bag to find a tuner.  There were some drawbacks though — nylon strings lack the sustain and volume that steel strings have, so it was still difficult to precisely tune my classical guitars with the iPhone app.

Additionally, the iPhone microphone is so sensitive that all sounds and activity had to cease for me to accurately tune my guitar.  This was particularly annoying when I was teaching, as I usually begin my lessons by making sure that my student and I are in tune with one another.  This also happens to be the appropriate time to have general conversation, catch up, discuss the previous lesson, etc.  I literally had to request a “moment of silence” — just to tune our stupid guitars.

In one fell swoop the Snark SN-1 fixes ALL of these problems.   The “Stay put” clip-on application attaches easily and firmly to the head-stock of the guitar.  Even looking kinda cool — having the tuner attached to the guitar, within arms reach, and facing you — is amazingly convenient.

The full-color display is easy to read, very smooth, and intuitive.  There’s are no twitchy dials or misreads.  The tuner is 100% accurate every time.  The reason for the Snark’s tuning prowess is it’s high sensitivity vibration sensor.  It actually senses the vibration of the string rather than the tone of the string.  Whether you’re on stage, in a loud room, listening to music, or have another guitarist playing next to you — you can precisely tune your guitar with quite literally anything going on around you.   Even with the clip-on application, this fact alone makes the Snark SN-1 the greatest tuner ever.

Finally, the Snark’s vibration sensor totally nullifies  the volume and sustain issue with nylon string guitars.  I had actually assumed that my classical guitars had intonation problems.  It was only until I use the SN-1 when I realized that I just wasn’t precisely in tune.  Hard to believe, but true.

The only drawback with the Snark tuner has been getting my students used to speaking again when I’m tuning our guitars!

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The black Snark Sn-1 is extremely tactile.  They could’ve gotten away cheap material here (function over form) — but they use soft plastics and sturdy materials like you’d find in a high-end sports car.  Really.

The Snark SN-2  is more expensive and has a transpose feature and a tap-tempo metronome.  I think this is “overkill” and defeats the purpose of having a little clip-on tuner.  Its also pink.

The prices really vary for the SN-1.  Their own web page lists the SN-1 at $19 and the SN-2 at $29 (not worth it).  Amazon continues to have the best price at $13.60 for the black Snark Sn-1.