I recently got both the D'Addario Micro banjo tuner and Micro guitar tuner. They're called Micro Tuners and I'm calling this a Mini review since I don't think it qualifies as a full blown review. I don't have any affiliation with D'Addario, but I do love these tuners; at least enough to share this opinion.
daddario.com/products/accessor...jo-tuner/
daddario.com/products/accessor...le-tuner/
The banjo tuner's hoop mounting bracket had to be trimmed a little bit in order to fit the hooks nearest the neck so that the tuner part wouldn't be in the way when placing the banjo in the case. It trimmed easily with heavy scissors. The tuner part pivots and there's a little screw that determines how easily the tuner pivots. You do need to pivot the tuner down to put the banjo in the case and pivot it up in order to see it when tuning, but it's a small price to pay for its ACCURACY.
The tuner appears to be insanely accurate. I put the D'Addario micro tuner on the hooks and a Polytune clip-on tuner on the headstock. The Polytune and the D'Addario were spot-on identical detecting notes. The D'Addario has a bright display and good use of color to help dial in the note. Also, while you're tuning, the tuner display doesn't flail all over the place when reading the note, making it easier to find the note.
The D'Addario guitar Micro Tuner is largely the same, except it "clips" onto the edge of the soundhole. I say "clips" because the thing that holds it on is really just a piece of spring steel on the inside of the tuner that provides enough pressure to keep the tuner in place, but not so tight that it can dent the wood. On the outside, there's a plastic tab with a piece of foam to prevent the plastic from scratching the finish. The tab isn't invisible, but it's not that noticeable although I imagine it will eventually leave a tan line.
I did the same test comparing it to the Polytune and got the same results.
I hope this is useful; I know I wish I'd found them sooner.
My Micro Tuner is so-so. Sometimes it grabs a note quickly. Sometimes it doesn't get it. Eventually it gets me in tune. I didn't think of trimming one of the bands to help the fit. Might do that. I've only tried it on one banjo. Maybe it will behave differently on others.
My Snark on the peghead is quicker and seems more accurate. On a hook-mount bracket, the Snark is slower and more iffy than when it's on the peghead.
My Micro guitar tuner is a pain, it stays in the case as an emergency back up. It is difficult to put into the sound hole and then all occasions it falls inside the guitar. I have to take it off with in the case or just moving around causes it to fall inside I can tighten the little clip but that just makes it harder to manipulate.
I do however like the Banjo to her with his placement on the hooks makes it easier to just look down with the look up at the headstock.
I found these tuners, the guts are same in all of them, to make the 6th string on a guitar sharp and not always dead on the banjo. A lot is lost with that funky plastic strap between the brackets. They also eat batteries and are hard to see in bright light, but then I'm older than the dickens.
Edited by - R Buck on 01/21/2021 05:40:03
I have had no success positioning the bracket-mounted tuner in a position where it points up to me so I don't have to crane my neck to read it.
quote:
Originally posted by Ira GitlinI have had no success positioning the bracket-mounted tuner in a position where it points up to me so I don't have to crane my neck to read it.
I also had that problem, so I fashioned my own mounting devices for an Apex AP9M and a Snark [made a longer "peg"] out of HDPE/puck board/??? that I had laying around.
...... but, otoh, I'm an inveterate putterer so it wasn't an unpleasant task.
quote:
Originally posted by Ira GitlinI have had no success positioning the bracket-mounted tuner in a position where it points up to me so I don't have to crane my neck to read it.
Interesting; mine is staring right up at me. Maybe they made a change.
quote:
Originally posted by Quickstep192quote:
Originally posted by Ira GitlinI have had no success positioning the bracket-mounted tuner in a position where it points up to me so I don't have to crane my neck to read it.
Interesting; mine is staring right up at me. Maybe they made a change.
That only works if you put it as close to the neck, as you did. I don't like it there, and the actual tuner unit won't swivel the way I want it to.
