TC Polytune - Massivly overrated?

[ECWeagles]

I was having some issues tuning up between songs, so thought the Polytune might help me out a bit, what with its telling you where all strings were etc.

I found it almost useless.

Poly tuning never worked. It would tell you all strings (apart from the low e) were in tune, even though when you switched to individual string modes they were still well off.

The Poly mode would also tell me my low E string was flat, but then in single mode would tell me it was in tune.

I then could not tune each individual string easily without it flipping back and forth into poly mode (particularly the case with the acoustic).

And in single string mode, it was still no where near the accuracy of my Turbo Tuner (not a fair comparison I know).


I'm just baffled as to how it gets such a good rap.

An unweildy and inaccurate tuner in my book.

Thoughts? Or was that just a rant?

[OU818]

My Mini works fine most of the time. Have you updated the firmware?

[Jondog]

Mine works great. Have you got it first in line, before any other effects? Also with the acoustic I could see it picking up other frequencies. I've even got the iphone app that works great too.

[irish_admiral]

You need firmware for a tuner?

There's your problem right there.

[OU818]

You need firmware for a tuner?

There's your problem right there.

[Thinline_slim]

You need firmware for a tuner?

There's your problem right there.

At one point there was a huge group of musicians that thought plugging into a box to tune was unnecessary too.


I have a Polytune. The poly mode is only really useful if you're mid song honestly. It will get you tuned closer faster. Past that I use the strobe style on it which is pretty accurate. There are better tuners out there but at that price point I would say it's at the top of those tuners. Aren't all the high end strobe tuners $150+?

[bclaire]

I find the single-note tuning excellent and the polytune always off. It looks like a good idea in print but they definitely haven't perfected it by a long shot. I would never trust it in polytune. Single notes, yes.

[Jondog]

Yes I only use the polytune function as a quick reference. Other then that it works great. Easy because it automatically switches into each function.

[danbond]

Some people find that with the weight of their hand on the headstock waiting to tune in single string mode this changes the pitch of the guitar.

Yet when they polytune, they don't have their hand on the headstock and thus the pitch of the guitar changes.

So user-error to a degree.

But does anyone tune their guitar with the polytune mode? No. Thats not what its for. It's for checking quickly to see if you are more-or-less in tune mid-song.

I could not get along with any other tuner now.

[danbond]

The Poly mode would also tell me my low E string was flat, but then in single mode would tell me it was in tune.

This sounds exactly like what I was describing above. Try doing polytuning and single-string tuning without touching the guitar with your left hand.

[irish_admiral]

I think my point was that I can generally hear if something's out of tune! If I can't hear anything out of tune, then on we go... so the whole strumming it open mid-song to check is sort of redundant, at least for me.

It might be a perfectly decent single string tuner mode and if that's all you need, go for it.

The hand on guitar neck is more a problem of force. People tend to grip the neck when the play and pull it back very slightly, so making the notes a shade sharper. Only you know how much you do this, so you've got to tweak your tuning to match if it's a problem.

Similar thing... if you're a rhythm player, most people hit the bottom E a bit harder, and so it's not uncommon to have it very very slightly flat given that when the string takes the brunt of the pick attack, it rings a touch sharp.

And one final retort... my HD500 (which needs firmware) has a tuner built in. It is - without doubt - the worst tuner I have ever owned. Nominally, it's supposed to be reasonably accurate. Anyway... YMMV.

[Gray]

I have a Korg DT-10. It dosen't need firmware and is bright enough on stage from 20 feet away. Tunes to perfection every time.

Just sayin.

[irish_admiral]

Korg's good. Won't go wrong with any Korg tuner. I used to have a DT10...

[Jondog]

I like mine, it works good. It's true bypass, and is a nice kill switch too.

[Randy Bass]

You need firmware for a tuner?

There's your problem right there.

+1