Leaving The Clip On Tuner On The Guitar During A Gig ? Do Ya ?

[EllenGtrGrl]

Nope. I can't stand the way headtock tuners look on a guitar headstock. My guitars usually stay in tune pretty well (I've never really been much into string bending), so once I'm tuned up, with the Korg chromatic tuner, I'm good to go.

[Nymuso]

Sure, I leave it there, why not? It looks goofy?! Yeah, so . . . ?

[Gordon Currie]

For many years I found tuners (especially bulkier ones) distracting when left on guitars.

These days I have found that I'm leaving my Unitunes clipped on. They fold down flat when not in use. The black ones are the best for being stealthy.

With age comes laziness!

[jseth]

Perhaps because of the quality of my instruments and/or the style of my playing and attack, my guitars hold tune really well - extraneous circumstances notwithstanding.

So, I tune up before the start of a set and take the tuner off the headstock... repeat at the start of the next set... and so on, and son, and scooby-dooby-do-be!!!

If I'm playing with someone else and doing a lot of "lead" guitar work where I'm bending strings more than usual, I'll tune more frequently, because it needs it!

I do not like the look or functionality of having a tuner on my headstock during a gig, so I don't... it may only be "in my mind", but I know what I like and what feels best to me!

LOVE my Peterson Strobo-Clip, by the way... anyone need a couple Snarks?

[Jerry D]

Originally Posted by L20A

I'm one that doesn't like the look of a tuner or a capo clamped on the headstock of my guitars.

Amen to this.

[J Buck]

I typically leave the Snark on my headstock on the Guild. Some of the songs for worship require me to use a capo and the stage we play on is fairly lively with wood flooring and paneling. A/C ducts blow air down onto the stage and that seems to mess with the tuning on my acoustics. My Sheraton doesn't seem to be affected as much. We play a short song list and move on, but those strings go a little sharp and that messes with me.....

[Tahitijack]

I use a peddle tuner. First when I tap it with my foot it silences the guitar so you don't have to change the volume settings. There is nothing more annoying to an audience than the sound of a guitar being tuned. The reading is at my feet so it is bright and easy to see.

[Andromeda]

Originally Posted by L20A

I'm one that doesn't like the look of a tuner or a capo clamped on the headstock of my guitars.

I second this! It's one of my little bugaboos!

[redir]

I use a pedal so I don't have that problem but I do use a clip on for my shop repairs and those Peterson's are the bomb. Best clip on tuner that I have ever used.

[Driftless]

I do not leave it on.
Any time I perform I try to present the material, myself, and my instruments as well as I can. It's a small detail, but I think headstocks look better without a light up tumor on them, and it's very easy to remove.

[Robin, Wales]

I always kept one clipped to the headstock of my dobro during gigs. Now, my dobro tuning was steady as a rock. The tuner was there so that I could unclip it and hand it to other band members!!! It became a bit of a running joke. But if you have ever played dobro (which is pitched entirely by ear) you'd know what a PITAs it is to stand between a guitarist and banjo player who are just a little out from each other!!!

[jseth]

As an addendum to my original reply, I would say that, were I doing a concert with a duo or larger group, in front of a large audience for top dollar, I'd probably leave one on my guitars, just in case...

But for my normal coffeehouse/restaurant/bar gigs, nope!

[6L6]

Originally Posted by EllenGtrGrl

Nope. I can't stand the way headtock tuners look on a guitar headstock. My guitars usually stay in tune pretty well (I've never really been much into string bending), so once I'm tuned up, with the Korg chromatic tuner, I'm good to go.

THIS ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

[Coler]

I leave mine on and I tend to have a good feel for any adjustment/micro tuning needed. I also go between tunings but quickly. I'm fairly happy my tuning doesn't hold up the show.

It's all down to practice, and people should practice tuning. I don't understand why you wouldn't ensure your tuning is just right playing out.

[Wade Hampton]

These days I’m using TC PolyTune and UniTune tuners on my instruments. I leave them on until I’m done playing.

Truthfully, I don’t care much about what audience members think about the appearance of my headstocks. I seriously doubt many of them care.

On Saturday I was playing my Kopp mini jumbo and got asked about it - the guy who asked is himself a guitar player. Even if I had left the headstock unobscured he would have asked about it, because Kevin Kopp is not a household name among most of those who own Taylors and Martins, which the guy who asked does.

Anyway, leaving a tuner on the headstock when I perform is highly functional and quick to operate. That’s why I do it.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller