7 Best Guitar Tuners of 2024

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It may sound obvious, but one of the most important parts of any musical performance is staying in tune. Whether you're learning riffs at home, or rocking out on stage, you want to make sure you're accurately in tune with yourself and your bandmates.

There are seemingly countless options available for musicians today, so how do you know the right way to go? Don't worry, we've got you covered!

We've rounded up seven of the best guitar tuners on the market today. Whether you're looking for polyphonic or chromatic tuners to clip on your guitar or bass, or a stompbox to add to your pedalboard, you'll be in good hands with industry leaders like TC Electronic, Boss, Snark, Peterson, and more.

So let's find the right fit for you.

Best Guitar Tuners

1. Best Overall Guitar Tuner – TC Electronic PolyTune 3

SPECS

• Type: chromatic, polyphonic
• Display: LED, Strobe
• Power: 9V battery or DC power supply (sold separately)

The TC Electronic Polytune 3 takes our top spot, as the best guitar tuner on the market due to its versatility, accuracy, functionality, and design. You can choose between two different tuning modes: chromatic mode or polyphonic.

Polyphonic mode offers guitar players the unique option to strum all the strings at once and find which are in need of a tune-up, making this the best guitar tuner and a must-have for any pedalboard builders.

Boasting staggering tuning accuracy (within 0.1 cents in strobe mode), the Polytune 3 is a reliable and accurate tuner pedal fit for both students and rockstars alike.

The bright LED screen ensures visibility even under the sunniest of skies. Sure it weighs under a pound, but this offering is pound for pound the best on the market today.

Also available in a mini pedal.

2. Best Clip On Tuner – TC Electronic UniTune Clip-on Chromatic Tuner

SPECS

• Type: Chromatic tuner
• Display: LED
• Power: CR2032 battery (included)

Taking the top spot for clip on tuners is the TC Electronic UniTune Clip on chromatic tuner. This is an ideal tuner for a variety of stringed instruments including guitar, bass guitar, or ukulele.

The ultra-bright LED screen display automatically flips so you can clip on the tuner to either the front or back of your guitar's headstock, on right or left-handed instruments.

Between the durable construction, 18-hour battery life, and accurate tuning, this is a fantastic clip on tuner that you can use for a variety of instruments.

3. Best Bass Tuner – Peterson StroboStomp HD Pedal Tuner

SPECS

• Type: Chromatic tuner
• Display: LCD
• Power: 9V Battery (included), 9V DC power supply (sold separately)

Peterson strobe tuners have long been an industry standard, and the StroboStomp HD Pedal Strobe Tuner may be their most versatile offering yet.

This pedal is an ideal option for bass tuning, with its super low tuning range - fit for four, five, or six string bass guitars.

This is also the ultimate pedal guitar tuner for steel players, as its Concert A range of 391Hz to 490Hz supports 8, 10, or 12 stringed steels. For more traditional guitarists, this pedal also includes preset settings for capo/drop tuning, as well as a variety of alternate tuning modes.

The StroboStomp full-color display allows you to save your favorite tunings with color-coded presets, and the high-definition LCD screen ensures visibility under sunlight or the spotlight.

4. Best Budget Guitar Tuner – Snark ST-8 Super Tight Chromatic Tuner

SPECS

• Type: Chromatic tuner
• Display: 360 degree LCD
• Power: CR2032 battery (included)

If you've been to a coffeehouse to catch a local singer-songwriter, you've probably seen this tuner. The Snark ST has become one of the more popular headstock tuners for musicians who want reliable and precise tuning without breaking the bank.

The Snark ST-8 features a high-sensitivity vibration sensor, and boasts a more powerful chip than its predecessors, ensuring fast and accurate tuning. It's an especially great option for use with acoustic guitars, and its 360 display allows for easy viewing from all angles.

For the price point, you simply can't beat it.

If you're looking for a rechargeable option, Snark has you covered.

5. Best Pedal Tuner – Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner Pedal

SPECS

• Type: Chromatic tuner
• Display: LED
• Power: 9v Battery (included), 9V DC Power Supply (sold separately)

A classic for a reason, Boss TU pedal tuners have been seen on stages worldwide for decades. Its ultra-durable stompbox design will hold up to any test the road can throw at it.

For beginners, this chromatic tuner has a unique "guitar/bass mode" which allows you to tune by string number, and its "Accu-Pitch" function provides visual confirmation when tuning is complete.

This pedal offers a bypass output, which allows you to tune your instrument without muting your signal - unless of course you want to, which you can do by using the regular output jack. Powering the Boss TU-3 with a 9v power supply allows you to also supply power for up to seven other Boss effects pedals.

6. Best Electric Guitar Tuner – D'Addario PW-CT-12 Micro Headstock Tuner

SPECS

• Type: Chromatic tuner
• Display: Multi-color LCD
• Power: CR2032 battery (included)

For all of its reliability and precision, the best feature of the D'Addario PW-CT-12 Micro Headstock Tuner may be its discrete design. Unlike other clip on tuners on the market today, audiences will hardly be able to notice you're using this micro tuner.

Its multi-color LCD display rotates in four directions, assuring you'll be able to see the screen wherever you place the tuner on your headstock. Its wide calibration range and accurate note detection make this an ideal option for more discrete players.

7. Best Acoustic Guitar Tuner – TC Electronic PolyTune Clip Clip-On Polyphonic Tuner

SPECS

• Type: Polyphonic/Chromatic
• Display: LED/Strobe
• Power: CR2032 battery (included)

Rounding out the list is the TC Electronic PolyTune Clip clip-on guitar tuner. TC Electronic is known for accurate tuners that feature chromatic and polyphonic modes, and the PolyTune is no exception.

Like its big brother we featured earlier in the list, the PolyTune is one of the more accurate tuners on the market and allows guitar players to strum all the strings at once and see which ones are out of tune.

It also offers drop tuning functionality and accuracy within +/- 1 cent, all within a compact and durable design. Its bright LED screen allows for accurate tuning on dark and bright stages alike.

Best Guitar Tuners Buyer's Guide

Finding the right tuner shouldn't be a stressful process, and you'll be confident in your investment with the help of our Buyer's Guide. The main things to consider when buying a tuner are functionality, reliability, and cost.

Cost

Like any type of musical equipment, tuners are available in a variety of price points. Clip on tuners are generally the less expensive option, with some tuners like the Stark ST-8 starting at under $20.

Generally speaking, most standard tuning pedals will fall into the $100 range, while strobe tuners will be a bit more expensive. There are, of course, exceptions to these rules.

Power

Don't want to be tethered to a power supply?

Most guitar tuner pedals can run independently on a 9V battery, but it's best to double check with whichever tuner you're interested in. Clip on tuners generally run on small batteries like the CR2032 battery, though recently we've seen an influx of tuners capable of recharging via USB.

Durability

Ready to hit the road? You'll want to make sure you have a tuner that can take a bit of a beating.

For all their convenience, clip on tuners tend to be a bit more delicate than bulletproof stompboxes. But with proper care, there's no reason that a clip on tuner shouldn't last you a long time.

Brand Reputation

The brands featured in our Best Of list are reputable and have been industry leaders for years. While there are certainly deals to be found out there, you get what you pay for, as the old saying goes.

Personal Preference

Like any element of music, there is no "one size fits all" for tuners. Some folks will prefer the convenience of clip on tuners over the bulkiness of another guitar pedal.

Others will prefer the ability to mute their signal paired with the traditional look of a pedal tuner. Some folks could prefer tuning forks! To each their own.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Clip on or pedal?

These days, tuners primarily come in two forms: clip on and pedals. Both have their benefits and their potential drawbacks.

Pedal tuners have been a long-standing mainstay on stages big and small. In order for a tuning pedal to work, you'll need an output jack on your instrument, and a cable to run from your instrument to the tuner.

Tuning pedals work just fine with electric guitars and basses, but if you're primarily playing an acoustic instrument you may want to consider a tuner of the clip on variety.

Clip on tuners offer the convenience of having a reliable tuner attached directly to the headstock of your instrument. Unlike most pedals, with clip ons you won't have to mute your signal in order to tune on-the-fly. Something else to consider is optics- clip ons have a distinctive look and can often be a bit conspicuous. But if you want to be a little more stealthy, the D'Addario PW-CT 12 Micro Headstock Tunermay be the way to go.

Chromatic or polyphonic?

There are primarily two different types of guitar tuners: chromatic and polyphonic. Simply put, chromatic tuners let you tune one note at a time, and polyphonic tuners can detect multiple notes at once- allowing guitar players to strum all the strings at once in order to see which string is out of tune.

But not all guitar players prefer polyphonic tuners, it really is a matter of personal preference.

What’s the deal with strobe tuners?

Strobe tuners use a stroboscopic effect to determine the accuracy of pitch. The basic principle behind a strobe tuner is that it uses a flashing light to create a visual representation of the frequency being played.

The tuner compares the frequency of the incoming sound to a reference frequency (standard pitch is generally A440). Strobe tuners are known for their high accuracy and precision, but are often more expensive and complex to use. If you decide a strobe tuner is right for you, look no further than the super accurate Peterson StroboStomp Strobe Tuner.

Many tuners offer both chromatic and strobe modes, such as the TC Electronic Polytune 3. Others, like Boss TU-3, offer a strobe visualization option without being a true strobe tuner.

What pitch standard do I use?

In Western music, 440 HZ is the standard tuning audio frequency, better known as A440. This is also referred to as "concert pitch." However most tuners do offer you the ability to change the pitch you're tuning to, should you find yourself in a room with an out-on-tune piano.

Verdict

From the world's largest stages to the coziest of home studios, playing in tune is an essential part of making music, and there are plenty of options to help you get in tune and stay in tune.

From the cheap but effective Stark ST-8, to the ultra-accurate Peterson StroboStomp, tuners can come at a variety of price points. The bottom line is, if you want a well-rounded tuning pedal that will last you a very long time, we highly recommend the TC Electronic Polytune 3.

Keep your guitar in check with clip-on guitar tuners! Explore our range of reliable tuners and never miss a beat.

Photo Courtesy Sweetwater