TC Electronics Poly Tune

JKA · #1 05-31-2019, 08:27 AM

For anybody procrastinating over purchasing a Poly Tune...just get one!

I've just come back home from purchasing a very nice National Estrallita Deluxe and after tuning it up my Poly Tune popped off the headstock straight into a hot cup of coffee and died instantly. A quick blast with the wife's hairdryer and hey presto, back to life and functioning perfectly.

The National is a delightful addition to my modest collection. Looks fantastic and plays like a dream. Set up for fingerstyle (I have a National Style O for slide) it has a warm ethereal quality to it. Looking forward to seeing how it fits into the band mix.

jaymarsch · #2 05-31-2019, 08:37 AM

Wow! I have never had mine pop off a head stock before. Great thinking to try the hair dryer and glad it is back up and running. The TC Polytune is my favorite tuner and I have heard that the Unitunes are very nice as well. Oh, and sounds like a nice guitar, too!

I like that the TC's clamp folds down, it does not eat batteries (at least mine don't) and I have never had a problem with the power button though I know some folks have in the past. The display is easy to read (though sunlight and your eyes' needs may differ) and I do not have a problem with it not swiveling but some folks prefer one that swivels. I tune with my ears, check with the Polytune and re-tweak with my ears. That is about as good as it gets when you have sensitive hearing.

Best,
Jayne

ljguitar · #3 05-31-2019, 08:45 AM

Hi JKA

Perhaps it's related to Timex - "Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin' "

I'm not going to repeat your experiment to verify the resilience of the PolyTunes…

hairpuller · #4 05-31-2019, 08:46 AM

Love my TC tuner!! I could picture the coffee the episode though, and am happy to hear you were able to bring it back to life. If you own a Snark, you really should try the TC.
scott

JKA · #5 05-31-2019, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

Wow! I have never had mine pop off a head stock before. Great thinking to try the hair dryer and glad it is back up and running. The TC Polytune is my favorite tuner and I have heard that the Unitunes are very nice as well. Oh, and sounds like a nice guitar, too!

I like that the TC's clamp folds down, it does not eat batteries (at least mine don't) and I have never had a problem with the power button though I know some folks have in the past. The display is easy to read (though sunlight and your eyes' needs may differ) and I do not have a problem with it not swiveling but some folks prefer one that swivels. I tune with my ears, check with the Polytune and re-tweak with my ears. That is about as good as it gets when you have sensitive hearing.

Best,
Jayne

Jayne, I live in the U.K. (Northumberland) so never have to worry about the sunshine!

I think it popped of the headstock because it seems a little thicker than a standard guitar...and the mother of toilet seat doesn't really afford a decent grip.

JKA · #6 05-31-2019, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi JKA

Perhaps it's related to Timex - "Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin' "

I'm not going to repeat your experiment to verify the resilience of the PolyTunes…

Hi Larry. No, I wouldn't recommend you try it either.

Sax Player Guy · #7 05-31-2019, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hairpuller

Love my TC tuner!! I could picture the coffee the episode though, and am happy to hear you were able to bring it back to life. If you own a Snark, you really should try the TC.
scott

I have a Snark, which seems fine. I have not tried a TC tuner, though. What do you like about them that gives them the edge over the Snarks?

ljguitar · #8 05-31-2019, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sax Player Guy

I have a Snark, which seems fine. I have not tried a TC tuner, though. What do you like about them that gives them the edge over the Snarks?

Hi SPG

Higher resolution/far more accuracy. The TC Electronics can tune within +/- 1/1000 of a half step, and the Snark within +/- 2-3 cents (each cent is ¹⁄₁₀₀ half step).

Despite that, the Snark indicator shows shadings of how far off you are from pitch if you are sweetening a tuning (deliberately shading a tiny amount of out-of-tuneness on a specific string).

I find the TC Electronics better if I need to tune my acoustic in the middle of a band in the middle of a song, and it's more durable than the Snark. That said I always have a couple Snarks in my pick drawer to pass out during jam sessions, and I give Snarks away as gifts.

tadol · #9 05-31-2019, 10:19 AM

I have a Snark and a polytune, and they are both very good - I don’t have much use for the “poly” aspect, and imagine the Unitune would do me as well, if not better.

Just for fun, I just bought a cheap clip on tuner from Monoprice that is the first I’ve seen that has a rechargeable battery. Thats always been my biggest gripe with most tuners - the battery seems to fail at the worst possible time, and I have to pull my phone out to quickly tune. Wouldn’t it be nice if they included a holder for a second battery, so you could change it quickly when needed?

Anyway - once this new one has a chance to charge fully, I’ll test it for battery life and ease of use. Between wireless units, tablets for music, and now tuners, I’m thinking a combo 9v /USB power supply may become a gig necessity -

jaymarsch · #10 05-31-2019, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sax Player Guy

I have a Snark, which seems fine. I have not tried a TC tuner, though. What do you like about them that gives them the edge over the Snarks?

I love that the clamp folds down so it is flatter and easier to store in my accessory pouch than a Snark, which I find bulky and oddly shaped so takes up more space. I can more easily slide a TC in my pocket. I also prefer the display, and the TC is more accurate to my ears than the Snark.

Best,
Jayne

Purfle Haze · #11 05-31-2019, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JKA

I've just come back home from purchasing a very nice National Estrallita Deluxe and after tuning it up my Poly Tune popped off the headstock straight into a hot cup of coffee and died instantly. A quick blast with the wife's hairdryer and hey presto, back to life and functioning perfectly.

Can a Peterson StroboClip HD go sub-marine and survive? I would assume the Peterson goes well with coffee, because it has Sweetened Tunings™!

redir · #12 05-31-2019, 12:47 PM

I have the on the floor pedal version of this tuner and while it works fine to tune string by string I never found the polytune part of it to work well at all.

Tico · #13 05-31-2019, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tadol

... the battery seems to fail at the worst possible time, and I have to pull my phone out to quickly tune. Wouldn’t it be nice if they included a holder for a second battery, so you could change it quickly when needed? ...

I tape a new battery to the back with that blue painter's tape.

jaymarsch · #14 05-31-2019, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redir

I have the on the floor pedal version of this tuner and while it works fine to tune string by string I never found the polytune part of it to work well at all.

That feature works well on two of my guitars but not so much on my parlor. I have to confess that I do not really use that feature much anyway. I know that they have the Unitunes now but I already have a Polytune for my two best guitars so no need to buy another. I have yet to hear from anyone who finds the Polytune feature useful but maybe someone is out there who uses it.

Best,
Jayne

raysachs · #15 05-31-2019, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

That feature works well on two of my guitars but not so much on my parlor. I have to confess that I do not really use that feature much anyway. I know that they have the Unitunes now but I already have a Polytune for my two best guitars so no need to buy another. I have yet to hear from anyone who finds the Polytune feature useful but maybe someone is out there who uses it.

Best,
Jayne

I find the polytune function useful. Just for a quick-check, not for fine tuning. When I first sit down or maybe if I've been doing a lot of bending on my electrics, I'll just sometimes do a quick strum. If it shows everything in tune or if it shows everything but the low E in tune, I'm good to go. If not, I check string by string. The only thing I've ever had the Polytune part trip over is the low E, but I've checked it a number of times, and if that's the only string that appears to be out, it's not, so I just look at the other five and if they're good, I'm in tune.

I'm mostly using the polytune 3 pedal on my electric board. I rarely use a polytune with my acoustic since I rarely plug it in. And when I'm not plugged in, I like the little D-Addario I've attached to the soundhole so much for convenience that I just use that. Although if I'm checking intonation or something, I'll stick the polytune up on the headstock, because it is more accurate than the one I have in my soundhole.

-Ray