Not sure where to put this

[Gdjjr]

Not sure where to put this- a clip on tuner comaparison video

A DeltaLab CT10 I got from GC in early 2020
and the Unitune clip on I got today

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB1vlxzLLeA

[Brucebubs]

Interesting clip - not sure I'd like the Unitune switching itself off like that especially when re-stringing a 12-string.

[Brent Hutto]

Gadgets that power off in the middle of something (or phones that lock the screen in the middle of something) are a pet peeve of mine.

Ignoring that (if we can!) it looks like overall the Unitune will show a slight off-tune indication more sensitively than your other device. Just a touch more precise or maybe it's just more finicky.

It is kind of worrying that the two devices can't quite agree with what "in tune" is on every string. I had that trouble comparing two iPad/iPhone apps (Airyware and iStrobosoft) where on certain strings they seemed to want "in tune" to be a couple cents different between them.

[Gdjjr]

Originally Posted by Brent Hutto

Gadgets that power off in the middle of something (or phones that lock the screen in the middle of something) are a pet peeve of mine.

Ignoring that (if we can!) it looks like overall the Unitune will show a slight off-tune indication more sensitively than your other device. Just a touch more precise or maybe it's just more finicky.

It is kind of worrying that the two devices can't quite agree with what "in tune" is on every string. I had that trouble comparing two iPad/iPhone apps (Airyware and iStrobosoft) where on certain strings they seemed to want "in tune" to be a couple cents different between them.

Yes, I do wonder about the in tune disagreements-

As far as powering off, I'm not sure what to make of that- if it does all the time, I'll just return it- and I will be using it enough to stay in the return window.

[Bob Womack]

A man with one tuner always knows whether or not he is in tune. A man with two tuners is never sure.

Bob

[Purfle Haze]

Originally Posted by Gdjjr

As far as powering off, I'm not sure what to make of that- if it does all the time, I'll just return it- and I will be using it enough to stay in the return window.

GD, the Unitune powers off after 3 minutes, presumably as a battery-saving device for those who might forget to shut it off. But I wish it were 4 or 5 minutes, sometimes it shuts down when I'm still tuning. Not a deal breaker for me.

Thanks for the video, you've got a great baritone there!

[tadol]

So it’s not 3 minutes without receiving a signal? Its good to save power if you take it off and put it in the case, or on a side table, but as long as its clipped on, and getting vibrations, I’d hope it’d stay active -

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

A man with one tuner always knows whether or not he is in tune. A man with two tuners is never sure.

Bob

Ah, one of the great AGF proverbs. Well done, well done

[rllink]

Originally Posted by tadol

So it’s not 3 minutes without receiving a signal? Its good to save power if you take it off and put it in the case, or on a side table, but as long as its clipped on, and getting vibrations, I’d hope it’d stay active -

My cheapie shuts itself down after three minutes if it isn't receiving any signal. Which saves on batteries for sure. But sometimes I just leave it on the headstock and I'll realize forty five minutes later that it is still on because I haven't stopped playing long enough for it to turn itself off. Anyway, maybe that's the deal with the Unitune, it is for the player who wants to leave it clipped to the headstock while they play.

My stupid spell check is making me do tricks in order to type in headstock. It keeps changing it to breadsticks. I should have left it.

[Purfle Haze]

Originally Posted by tadol

So it’s not 3 minutes without receiving a signal? Its good to save power if you take it off and put it in the case, or on a side table, but as long as its clipped on, and getting vibrations, I’d hope it’d stay active -

Nope. Three minutes, active or not.

[Graylocks]

Originally Posted by tadol

So it’s not 3 minutes without receiving a signal? Its good to save power if you take it off and put it in the case, or on a side table, but as long as its clipped on, and getting vibrations, I’d hope it’d stay active -

This shut off is my pet peeve with the Unitune and why it's not useful for me during a show. It shuts off regardless of signal or not. A slight annoyance when I'm home. A big inconvenience during a set. I keep thinking there must be a setting I'm missing to adjust this.

[Bain]

In my opinion if you can’t tune a six string guitar in 3 minutes there. is something wrong somewhere but if it does take that long then press the button easy Peasy , as they say ..........

[Gdjjr]

Originally Posted by Bain

In my opinion if you can’t tune a six string guitar in 3 minutes there. is something wrong somewhere but if it does take that long then press the button easy Peasy , as they say ..........

Well, in this instance, I was playing with it and figuring out whether I liked it or not- oh, and the power button is very small (as is the entire case) and flush with the case, so turning it on, (or off) is a PITA and I have smallish hands-

other tuners (including the one I used in the video for comparison) shuts down if there is no signal- and other tuners also swivel, this one doesn't- I do like the aluminum clamp though -

[stormin1155]

I'm a tech, and I have a BUNCH of tuners, ranging from a vintage tube-driven Conn StrobeTuner, to various hand-held, to a bunch of different clip-on's, and several phone apps. While my Unitune clip-on is easy to use, and accurate enough to use for intonation, I seldom use it because the auto-turn-off is so annoying AND the thing eats batteries EVEN WHEN TURNED OFF!

[Purfle Haze]

Originally Posted by stormin1155

I seldom use it because the auto-turn-off is so annoying AND the thing eats batteries EVEN WHEN TURNED OFF!

Stormin', my experience is the opposite. The Unitune uses a CR2032 battery and I get 10 or more months out of it, tuning once or twice a day with it. Usually, but not always, I am tuned before it turns off, so sometimes I have to turn it on again, which is a button-press and is not a burden to me. Maybe, as a tech, you are using the tuner much more per day than I do. Or maybe you're using off-brand batteries? I find Energizer batteries to be worth the cash, about a buck-and-a-quarter each.

So which tuner do you prefer over the Unitune?