Snark makes some of the most popular tuners out there when it comes to stringed instruments like guitars, basses, etc. But are snark tuners any good? I have owned several for a few years now, and offer my personal thoughts on snark tuners below.
Keep reading to discover how good snark tuners are, whether they’re accurate, which snark tuner is best, and much more.
Are Snark Tuners Good?
So, let’s cut to the chase – are snark tuners any good?
Snark tuners offer a great bang for your buck. They’re extremely beginner-friendly, easy-to-use, and easy to read.
The Super Snark (on Amazon) is particularly nice because it attaches directly to the headstock of your guitar or stringed instrument of choice. This makes it very difficult to lose, easy to see, and is especially handy for both live performances and practicing at home.
The one thing about the Super Snark that does confuse some people is that it must be attached to the instrument in order to work properly. However, to me this is a small price to pay for the overall convenience of this tuner.
What I like about my Snark tuner:
- Accurate enough for 99% of guitarists
- Works for multiple different instruments (guitar, bass, etc)
- Built-in metronome and other features
- Easily attaches to your headstock so you don’t lose it
- Very visual with large lettering, easy to read from a distance
- Bright enough to read outdoors
My concerns:
- Doesn’t tune if not attached to instrument
- Requires a battery replacement if battery runs out
How Do Snark Tuners Work?
To use a snark tuner, you simply press the silver button to turn it on, and attach it to the headstock of your stringed instrument. The Super Snark even works with brass instruments like trumpets – you simply clip it onto the edge of the instrument.
Once it’s clipped on, play a note on your instrument and the Snark tuner will display the note and tell you whether you are sharp or flat.
To see how the Super Snark works in action, here’s a video demonstrating how to use a snark tuner for guitar:
You can also find Snark tuner instructions on Snark’s official website, where they have a full PDF instruction manual available for download.
Which Snark Tuner is Best?
I personally love the convenience of the Super Snark. The fact that it attaches to the headstock annoys some people, but for me, it’s more convenient than the other options out there. With pedal tuners, for example, you need to have a cable and plug everything in. I find the Super Snark much more convenient.
The Super Snark also has some features that you just don’t find on other tuners. For example, there is a built-in metronome button on the side of the tuner, which really comes in handy for practice sessions:
In my opinion, the Super Snark is even more convenient than built-in guitar tuners because you can adjust the snark to be able to see/read it at whatever angle you want while tuning.
How Accurate are Snark Tuners?
I use my Super Snark all the time, and overall find it to be quite accurate. It contains both a microphone and a highly sensitive vibrational sensor and can use either method to deliver lightning-fast, accurate tuning status read-outs to help the user tune virtually any musical instrument.
In fact, the Snark tuner was even praised by Guitarist Magazine who wrote: ” … it’s the fast recognition in both mic and vibration sensing modes that makes it a little special.”
Snark Tuner Battery Life & Replacements
The only downside with the Snark tuner is that it’s easy to leave it on, and this can drain the battery. Once the battery in the snark tuner runs out, it will need to be replaced in order for the tuner to continue to work.
Luckily, the batteries are cheap and easy to find.
I personally just keep a pack of these lithium coin batteries around the house as a replacement battery for my Super Snark tuner:
Who Makes Snark Tuners? Where Are They Made?
Snark tuners are made by Snark. They are made in California, USA.
You can pick up the Super Snark on Amazon here:
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