While it's true that the best guitar tuners don't carry the same pizzazz as a ‘57 Les Paul Custom Reissue or a Fender Custom Shop ‘59 Strat, the truth is you don't need an amazing guitar to sound great. You do need a guitar tuner to sound good, though. There are very few of us who have an ear good enough to get a guitar in perfect tune, and even then, there is nothing more accurate than a proper guitar tuner. Every guitarist needs one.
I, like so many other guitar players, have been through the wringer with guitar tuners over the last two decades. From clip-on options from Snark to trusted stomp boxes like the TU-3 from Boss. I have even used my fair share of rackmount tuners like the Korg Pitchblack Pro X in the studio. Also, whilst working in a guitar store for the last 7 years, I have also helped thousands of people select the correct tuner for them, and I’m confident that I can help you with the same thing today.
Since guitar tuners come in all shapes and sizes, I have made sure to include options that I, or the Guitar Player team, have had first-hand experience with. For me, it doesn't come much better than the TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Mini. Incredibly accurate, compact enough to fit on most 'boards and reasonably priced, it's a brilliant bit of kit. If you want the most premium tuner available right now, have a look at the Peterson Strobostomp HD with its 'sweetened' tunings and myriad of options.
I’ve included a how to choose section in this guide if you're brand new to tuners and want to know more before you buy. There's also an FAQs section which answers common questions you might have, and a glossary of key terms to help you decode guitar tuner-specific terminology.
Best guitar tuners: The quick list
It's small enough to fit on any pedalboard whilst still packing in the features and functionality of a full-size tuner pedal. It just doesn't get much better than the TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Mini.
Well renowned for being amongst the most precise tuner pedals, the Peterson StroboStomp HD packs loads of features, 'sweetened tunings', and is accurate to 0.1 cents.
If you want something small and discreet, or you've already got too many pedals on your 'board, the D'Addario NS Micro Tuner will fit seamlessly into your existing setup with zero fuss.
Best overall
✅ Buy if you need a tuner with pinpoint accuracy: The Polytune 3 Mini in strobe mode is our list’s most accurate.
❌ Avoid if you have particularly big feet: Both the chassis and footswitch are particularly small and may cause issues for big feet.
Overview: If you are after a tuner pedal that is small, compact, and doesn’t take up too much valuable pedalboard real estate, then the TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Mini could be just what you need. Obviously, being small isn’t all this PolyTune 3 Mini is good for; it is super accurate, has plenty of modes, and a brilliantly bright screen.
Build Quality: Like its bigger sibling, the PolyTune 3 Mini is built to an exceptional standard. The metal chassis is solid, and the footswitch has a smooth and reassuring click. Although in the ‘affordable’ category, TC Electronic has not cut corners, and the Mini will easily stand up to the rigors of the road.
Features: One of PolyTune’s biggest selling points is its polyphonic functionality. Strum the strings, and you’ll see which are ringing true and which are out – and the rest is easy. The 109 LEDs installed into the miniature display offer a crisp, bright image, and make using this tuner a pain- and stress-free occasion.
The PT 3 Mini also has an ‘always on’ feature, which is brilliantly convenient for those who play slide or fretless guitars. If you are someone who enjoys a smooth, emotive string bend mixed into their playing, you will also love this setting, and with both buffered and true bypass modes on offer too, you are bound to find a spot for the PolyTune 3 Mini in your signal chain.
Accuray/Performance: In strobe mode, the PolyTune 3 Mini is the joint most accurate tuner on our list. If you are laying down a track in the studio or have particular bandmates, this is the tuner for you. Not only that, but this tuner tracks your note with great detail and response; it truly is a top performer in every category.
Best accuracy
✅ Buy if you have a huge guitar collection. The sweetened tunings will work great with multiple guitars for nailing the quirks.
❌ Avoid if you don’t like strobe mode: There is no alternative with this tuner; it is strobe or nothing.
Overview: Peterson tuner pedals are renowned for being some of the best in the business. They are highly famed for their accuracy, as well as virtually bulletproof build quality, with some considering the StroboStomp HD to be ‘the ultimate pedal guitar tuner’.
Build Quality: Firstly, when you take the Stomp out of its packaging, you will realize its heft. The stainless steel construction is reassuringly rugged, and Peterson has designed this pedal with heavy stomps in mind. Although it doesn’t bother me, I know that some don’t appreciate side-mounted jacks, which this tuner utilizes.
Features: With a set of features that far outweigh those of its rivals, you will find vast swathes of different tuning modes, ‘sweetened’ tunings, and presets that make tuning changes at shows much easier. Although ‘sweetened’ tunings aren’t a common occurrence when it comes to other tuners, this functionality allows for micro-adjusted reference points that are optimized for a variety of stringed instruments. The ability to save presets is another great selling point of the StroboStomp HD, helping to make this tuner pedal one of our all-time favorites.
Accuracy/Performance: The level of tweaking that the StroboStomp HD allows is best suited to those like us who appreciate the nerdiest, most in-depth levels of tweaking, and for that, we’re truly grateful. The StroboStomp HD is accurate to 0.1 cents, too, which is plenty accurate for even the most sensitive of ears.
Best compact tuner
✅ Buy if you want your clip-on tuner to be discreet: D’Addario has made this small and compact so it goes undetected.
❌ Avoid if you easily misplace things: This tuner is tiny. If you are prone to losing guitar accessories, maybe this isn’t for you.
Overview: Headstock tuners rarely get smaller than the NS Micro Tuner by D’Addario. As the name suggests, it is very small, but it is a powerful little thing, nonetheless. If you don’t want anybody to detect your clip-on tuner, then this is the perfect choice for you.
Build Quality: Let’s start with the build quality. The all-plastic casing is not the most durable on our list. Dropping it from a height should not cause too many breakages, but you will certainly not want to stand on it whilst on stage. However, the clamp has a reassuring strength and is unlikely to come off whilst playing, so there is that.
Features: Then, onto features, and the NS Micro doesn’t sacrifice usability for its smaller footprint. It has got a bright, easy-to-read and easily adjustable screen which will shine in even the most intrusive of stage lights. It’s easy to attach to either the front or back of your headstock and is so discreet that nobody will even know it’s there. With a visual metronome onboard, too, the NS Micro Tuner is a lot more than it seems.
Accuracy/Performance: Although a more personal reason to love the NS Micro, we also found the color separation on the LED screen to be bold and bright, and as someone with red/green colorblindness, this was a huge selling point. When green means you are in tune, and red means you’re out, it’s nice to know that you can rely on the visual guide as much as the aural one. Lastly, at 0.3 cents accuracy, it is not the most pinpoint, but it is more than capable enough for 99% of ears out there.
Best clip-on tuner
✅ Buy if you want pedal accuracy in a clip-on: 0.02 cents is wildly accurate for a clip-on, and there aren’t many rack units or stompboxes that can rival this.
❌ Avoid if you have nitrocellulose finish guitars: The rubber clamps on this tuner may react with sensitive nitrocellulose lacquer on expensive guitars.
Overview: We'll make no bones about it – we're big fans of the TC Electronic PolyTune Clip. The pedal version of the PolyTune is a staple choice on just about every top ten list on the internet, so a clip-on version? Well – we're all ears.
Build Quality: As far as clip-on tuners go, the PolyTune Clip is built to last. TC Electronic has opted for a high-quality stainless steel clip that clamps down very reassuringly. The clip is also very wide, meaning you can use this on different styles of headstocks with ease. Although it utilizes rubber clamps, which can react with nitrocellulose lacquer, so be wary if you have expensive guitars in your collection.
Features: As the name suggests, it's a polyphonic tuner first and foremost – but with chromatic and strobe modes onboard as well, it's suitable for just about anybody. In one-note 'needle' mode, it'll even tune a bass guitar, as well as nearly every other string instrument.
Accuracy/Performance: While most clip-on tuners present a slightly looser approach to tuning accuracy, the PolyTune Clip proves that this doesn't always have to be the case. Boasting a staggering tuning accuracy of +/- 0.02 cents in strobe mode and 0.5 cents in chromatic mode, we can't help but want to buy one ourselves.
It's not a completely perfect tuner, though, if we're honest. It's big – much bigger than other clip-on tuners - and sometimes polyphonic mode can be a little buggy in loud environments. For home or solo playing, however? It's pretty spot on.
Best rack mount tuner
✅ Buy if you have a dedicated rack setup: This rackmount unit is ideal for a home studio, rehearsal space, or live rig where it can stay put and do its thing.
❌ Avoid if you need portability: It won’t squeeze onto your pedalboard or travel light, so look elsewhere if you’re after a compact, grab-and-go solution.
Overview: If you’ve been looking for a rack-mount tuner for your home studio or live setup, then look no further than the Korg Pitchblack X Pro. Like most Korg products, it’s incredibly sturdy, well-made, and, most importantly, incredibly accurate.
Build Quality: The Pitchblack X Pro is built with function and durability in mind, though it’s not the most premium-feeling rack gear on the market. The chassis is solid and well-assembled, but unlike some high-end rackmount units, it doesn’t feature an aluminum enclosure. That said, it still holds up well in the studio or live environments, with firm-feeling buttons and a display that remains visible from most angles. Whether mounted or sat on a desktop with the included feet, it feels stable and ready for serious use.
Features: Strobe mode can be quite divisive, so if it’s not your thing, there are also regular, mirror, and half-strobe modes. Although not the most portable on our list, the Pitchblack X Pro is battery-powered, so if your gigging rig is professional enough to feature rack-mounted effects, you can slot this in without taking up a plug space.
Accuracy/Performance: When in strobe mode, the Pitchblack X Pro is accurate to 0.1 cents, ideal if you’re about to lay down a track. More than any other tuner on our list, the Pitchblack X Pro’s display is massive, and the current version has more LEDs than the previous generation. Korg has designed this tuner with multiple situations in mind, as there are two levels of brightness. Whether you're on a dimly lit stage, in a studio, or performing at an outdoor gig, you’ll see your tuning with no issue.
Best budget option
✅ Buy if you want cheap and cheerful: The ST-2 isn’t flashy or the most accurate, but it does the job well enough to get you up and running.
❌ Avoid if you are going into the studio or gigging: You are better placed to go for a more accurate stompbox or rackmount tuner if you are laying down a track or playing shows.
Overview: A clip-on tuner is, in our opinion, a must-have for every traveling guitarist, beginner, or guitar teacher. Even if it never leaves your gig bag, an inexpensive tuner can provide you with some extra peace of mind, and this clip-on tuner – the Snark ST-2 Super Tight – is perhaps the perfect backup option.
Build Quality: The ST-2 Super Tight has, surprisingly, a super-tight grip that fits onto the headstock of virtually any stringed instrument. The bright and bold screen is very easy to read, and it sits on a rotational bearing that allows you to have it on the front and back of your headstock.
Features: Snark has decided to keep things simple with the ST-2, opting for a chromatic mode only. This is ideal for beginners, as the chromatic mode is what most people start with, thanks to its ease of understanding. Also ideal for beginners is the built-in tap-tempo metronome. Simply tap the BPM you need to practice, and it will spring into life, a neat feature on an otherwise simple tuner.
Accuracy/Performance: Using the vibration sensor or the microphone, it can pick up pretty much any signal you desire and help you tune quickly. While the vibration sensor can act in some pretty loud settings, the mic mode does require some peace and quiet for tuning acoustic instruments. Although Snark doesn’t specify the accuracy, I have used the ST-2 countless times, and it has always worked well for keeping me in tune to a reasonable degree. All in all, the ST-2 is a great all-rounder, and for the money? We can't complain at all.
Also consider
My six top picks should have most guitarists covered, but if you didn't find what you were looking for above, here are some more great options you can have a look at.
How to choose
No matter how seasoned or new you are to the guitar, staying in tune is essential. It is not optional, it is imperative. A high-quality tuner is not a flashy addition to your setup, but it is arguably the most important one. And with so many options on the market, it is worth understanding what makes a tuner reliable, accurate, and right for your playing context.
1. Type
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First, consider your environment. If you are a beginner taking guitar lessons, chances are, you are going to need a different tuner than someone touring the world in stadium rock shows. Once you consider your situation, this will inform you of the type of tuner that is best to go for.
Let us start with the most popular: pedal tuners. Chances are, most live performers and pedalboard users will be using a pedal tuner for various reasons. They are pretty affordable, built-to-last, most include useful features like a mute switch for silent tuning, bright displays and they often feature true or buffered bypass. They route your signal through a traditional jack input and offer fast, accurate tracking. If you are playing electric guitar regularly, are gigging, or just need something compact and accurate, a pedal tuner is a worthwhile investment.
Clip-on tuners remain a favorite for their convenience and ease of operation. These small tuners attach directly to your headstock and detect pitch via vibration. They are compact, battery-operated, and do not require cables, making them perfect for acoustic players or anyone practicing at home or in quieter environments. Clip-on tuners are an affordable and practical starting point for most players; thus, they are very popular with beginners.
Rackmount tuners serve a more specific purpose. Found most often in pro touring rigs, studios, or backlines, these units offer exceptional stability, detailed displays, and precision, but they also require a rack setup. Unless you are working in a studio or already running rack gear, a rackmount may be surplus to requirements.
2. Accuracy
Once you have decided on what pedal type to go for, then consider accuracy, since at the end of the day, you want your tuner to be as accurate as possible. Look at the specs: tuning accuracy is measured in cents, where 100 cents = one semitone. Higher-end pedal and strobe tuners often offer accuracy within +/- 0.1 cents or better. That level of precision is especially useful for recording, intonation, or alternate tunings. Clip-ons, while less precise, still offer enough accuracy for general use.
3. Modes
You will also notice that tuners offer different tuning modes. Chromatic tuners are the most common, detecting any of the 12 notes and supporting all tunings. Strobe tuners, considered among the most accurate, display pitch using a moving light and are favored for their sensitivity. Polyphonic tuners, like TC Electronic’s PolyTune, let you strum all six strings at once and quickly spot which strings are sharp or flat, a helpful tool on stage. Tuners like the Korg Pitchblack X Pro can offer a combination of all of these modes, whilst others will specialize in one, like the Peterson Strobostomp HD.
4. Price
The good news is that price is not a barrier to entry. Excellent clip-on tuners cost around $30, such as the PolyTune Clip, and robust pedal options can be had for under $100. Focus on reliability and format over features you might not use. The most important thing is having a tuner that fits your playing habits and keeps your tone honest.
FAQs
How do guitar tuners work?
Guitar tuners work in a similar way to guitar pickups. A tuner will measure the frequencies produced by your vibrating guitar strings. Depending on what type of tuner you are using, it will detect the vibrations with a sensor, a microphone, or through an instrument cable. Once detected, the tuner will cleverly align the vibrating measurements to notes on a chromatic scale and display whatever note you are closest to and whether you are bang on that note, too sharp, or too flat.
What guitar tuners do pros use?
Professional players typically rely on one of two types of tuners: rackmount units or pedal-based tuners. In larger touring setups, rack tuners are standard. Units like the Korg Pitchblack X Pro are commonly found in racks backstage, where techs handle all tuning duties before guitars even reach the performer. Bands such as Metallica, Iron Maiden, and AC/DC operate this way, with a full team maintaining instruments between songs.
For smaller touring acts or solo professionals without a dedicated tech, pedal tuners are often the tuner of choice. Models from Boss, TC Electronic, and Peterson are widely used on stage thanks to their precision, durability, and ability to integrate seamlessly into a pedalboard. They offer fast response, muting capabilities, and high visibility, all essential for the working musician performing night after night.
Although this is not a hard and fast rule, as I have seen both Robert Smith and Mac DeMarco use TU-3s during live sets. Ultimately, it relies on preference and whatever works best for the artist and their production.
What type of tuner is most accurate?
Out of all the tuner types, strobe tuners are generally considered the most accurate. TC Electronic produces some of the best in the game, with both the PolyTune 3 Mini and PolyTune Clip capable of 0.02-cent accuracy. Strobe tuners work by using a stroboscopic effect to display pitch, allowing for extremely precise tuning. This visual method highlights even the smallest pitch changes, making strobe tuners the best choice for players who demand maximum accuracy.
Can you tune a guitar with your phone?
Absolutely. Much like physical tuners that detect string vibrations via a microphone, app-based tuners use your phone’s built-in mic to do the same job. The microphone that usually picks up your voice can detect the pitch of your guitar strings and display the closest note. A tried-and-tested app I personally use is Fender Tune; it is great to have in your pocket and super convenient if you are caught without a physical tuner. That said, tuning apps aren’t the most accurate or professional tools out there, but they’ll definitely get you in the right ballpark.
Can a guitar ever be perfectly in tune?
In short, no, a guitar can never be perfectly in tune in the mathematical sense. Don’t get us wrong, you can get very close with an ultra-accurate tuner and a proper setup, but there are a few inherent limitations that make absolute precision impossible.
For starters, guitars use equal temperament tuning, a system that divides the octave into 12 equal semitones. It is a compromise that allows us to play in any key, but no interval is perfectly in tune. Then there is fret placement. Even with precision engineering, tiny variances in fret height can cause subtle pitch shifts. Plus, if your guitar is hand-built, no human is perfect and even the tiniest differences in construction will affect tuning.
Intonation adjustments help balance these discrepancies, but getting every single note perfectly in tune across the fretboard just is not possible. And that is before you factor in external influences like humidity, temperature, or even how hard you are pressing the string.
Still, none of this should discourage you. It is just the nature of the instrument. After all, we never listen ‘mathematically’ to music and with a well-set-up guitar and a reliable tuner, you will always be close enough for even the most discerning ear.
Key terms
If you're struggling to understand some of the technical terms related to guitar tuners, then I've curated this glossary of key terms just for you. Here you'll find all the commonly used terms with clear descriptions of what they mean.
- 440Hz: This is the frequency that represents the international standard for tuning. Also known as A4, it refers to the A note above middle C.
- Calibration: On each tuner, you can set the calibration to recognize a particular frequency. The Standard is 440Hz, but tuners can be calibrated to others like 432Hz or 447Hz
- Chromatic tuner: The most popular type, a chromatic tuner can detect all 12 notes in the chromatic scale, allowing tuning for any pitch.
- Flat & sharp: Simply put, if your pitch is flat, it is lower than the desired note. If it is sharp, then it is too high in pitch.
- Pedal tuner: This type of tuner is a floor-based unit that is activated by a footswitch. They typically have bright displays and are very accurate.
- Polyphonic tuner: A polyphonic tuner is one that allows you to strum all six strings at once and it will show you a visual representation of whether you are in tune or not.
- Strobe tuner: This type of tuner is very accurate and uses a spinning light to show pitch changes. When the spinning strobe light stops, you will be in tune.
- True bypass: The tone purists’ favorite, this is a signal transfer that doesn’t color your guitar tone whatsoever. When your signal passes through, the sound won’t be affected.
How we test
At Guitar Player, our team of seasoned writers comprises devoted musicians deeply entrenched in the wide world of music. With years of playing and rigorous product testing, we bring a wealth of practical knowledge derived from real-world experiences with musical equipment. Our dedication spans every chapter of life as a msucian, from early rehearsals to full-on tours, forming the foundation for our discerningly curated recommendations across various categories.
When it comes to pinpointing the best guitar tuners, our approach is thorough. We integrate practical experience, insights garnered from user reviews, and in-depth discussions within our editorial team. This meticulous process ensures a nuanced evaluation, providing a reliable guide tailored for those seeking precision tuning solutions.
As passionate guitarists ourselves, our primary mission is to guide fellow players in discovering gear that perfectly aligns with their needs. We meticulously consider factors such as accuracy, ease of use, and durability to compile a list that authentically represents the best guitar tuners in today's musical landscape.
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