New D'Addario Micro Tuner - Clip Free

lifereinspired

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Hi!

I have a quick question. I've used the D'Addario/Planet Waves Clip-On Micro Tuner as well as their soundhole tuner - both of which I really like. But the soundhole doesn't work on my current uke and I don't like having to take the clip-on off and on. Since I bring my OU with me quite a bit it would be easy for any clip-on tuner to potentially get knocked off, even one as small as the micro tuner.

I noticed that D'Addario has introduced a new "clip free"tuner just this year based upon their already established Micro Tuner mentioned above that looks like it would be perfect. Instead of clipping on, the tuner comes with a screw that replaces one of the screws that hold the headstock tuners on the uke. That way, it's always there, can't get knocked off, can't be seen from the front, basically - perfect for what I'm looking for.

Has anyone else used this yet? Being new to uke, I've never changed out geared tuner or anything so, while I'm assuming there's no reason that screw wouldn't work with my uke, I wanted to get your thoughts on it. Does anyone see a reason this shouldn't work on an Outdoor Ukulele?

Any thoughts you have would be brilliant! I'm including a link below so you can see the tuner, since, as they say, "a picture is worth a 1000 words"! Thanks so much in advance! :)

http://www.accessories.daddario.com/pwProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=4115&productid=1156

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...FgccS1PJH6vguwigGYJEAq-h6xGEpQcRoCTHsQAvD_BwE

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acc...1593313-sku^L00130000001000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA
 
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That looks like just the ticket for many applications. I have 3 or 4 of those micro tuners that clip on and I like them but this looks like a more elegant solution.
 
Two of my D’Addario tuners developed a buzz...and that would keep me from mounting it (somewhat permanently) on the headstock. I very much like the Roadie 2, which I use at school (MUCH more expensive) and I am intrigued by a similar product by JoWoon that was reviewed by Daniel Hulbert (Circuits and Strings). That said, these “gun” tuners won’t work with a friction tuner...but I’m always open to investing in more Gotoh UPTs.
 
Two of my D’Addario tuners developed a buzz...and that would keep me from mounting it (somewhat permanently) on the headstock. I very much like the Roadie 2, which I use at school (MUCH more expensive) and I am intrigued by a similar product by JoWoon that was reviewed by Daniel Hulbert (Circuits and Strings). That said, these “gun” tuners won’t work with a friction tuner...but I’m always open to investing in more Gotoh UPTs.

I have to admit that Roadie 2 looks amazing but I can't really justify the price right now. I searched for the other one that you mentioned but couldn't find it.

For now, the little D'Addario will work for me and if it's screwed on, I never have to worry about not having it with me or having it get knocked off. I do know what you mean about the buzz. Our clip on is only a month or two old and started doing that 2 days ago. I now take if off when I play. I assume it's because of the clamp mechanism.

Does anyone see a reason that the new screw on tuner wouldn't work with an Outdoor Ukulele? Obviously the tuner have screws so that shouldn't be an issue but I don't have a way of checking the threading. Do most tuners of this style all use the same type screws with the same threading?
 
Hmmm, not so good for ukes with friction or UPT tuners.
 
Two of my D’Addario tuners developed a buzz...

I had posted about the solution to this a while back when it happened to me - it seems the buttons are the culprit that is what is vibrating - you can use any kind of tape, from one side, over the top to the other side of the tuner head, and this will silence the buzz, which is usually in the buttons themselves...

Yes, the tape goes over the top and with a gentle amount of tension will prevent the buttons from vibrating.

...For now, the little D'Addario will work for me and if it's screwed on, I never have to worry about not having it with me or having it get knocked off...

See my comment here to Choriguy about the buzzing.

You can also mount your EXISTING NS-Micro tuner using either some blue FUNTACK putty or some 3M Foam Mounting Squares...I have done both with great success.

The FUNTAK comes off easy enough an does not mar the finish. The 3M foam squares have an adhesive, but the residue is easy to remove with a fingernail.

To use either, just slide the tuner head off the little clamp bracket, and then apply the fixer of your choice and then stick it on.

519h8vQF-wL._SX425_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-Fun-Tak-Mounting-2-Ounce-1087306/dp/B001F57ZPW/

817JkPgwBwL._SL1500_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/3M-311DC-Mounting-Squares-48-Squares/dp/B000KKPHZ8/
 
I had posted about the solution to this a while back when it happened to me - it seems the buttons are the culprit that is what is vibrating - you can use any kind of tape, from one side, over the top to the other side of the tuner head, and this will silence the buzz, which is usually in the buttons themselves...

Yes, the tape goes over the top and with a gentle amount of tension will prevent the buttons from vibrating.



See my comment here to Choriguy about the buzzing.

You can also mount your EXISTING NS-Micro tuner using either some blue FUNTACK putty or some 3M Foam Mounting Squares...I have done both with great success.

The FUNTAK comes off easy enough an does not mar the finish. The 3M foam squares have an adhesive, but the residue is easy to remove with a fingernail.

To use either, just slide the tuner head off the little clamp bracket, and then apply the fixer of your choice and then stick it on.

519h8vQF-wL._SX425_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-Fun-Tak-Mounting-2-Ounce-1087306/dp/B001F57ZPW/

817JkPgwBwL._SL1500_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/3M-311DC-Mounting-Squares-48-Squares/dp/B000KKPHZ8/

I did the same with a small piece of electrical tape. Disappears as it is black like the tuner. Works perfectly on about 8 of ours that buzzED.
 
I looked at these "screw in" tuners when they first came out a few months ago. And while I like the idea of the tuner being more secure on the headstock, I'm skeptical that you will ever have enough room on the back of a uke headstock for it to fit as well as it does in the photo below, without sticking out to the side where it will quickly get broken off.

pw_prod_pw-ct-21_detail3_1.jpg


But if anyone has mounted one on a uke with good results please do post a photo.
 
I really like that they keep coming up with inovations for the tuner. I've found a few ways to mount these tuners with double face tape, even drilled one once to mount out of the way on my pickguard. This one looks like a great possibility to do that. Just ordered 2 from gimmesomestrings.com for $15.99 each.


8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 8 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
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I LOVED the soundhole tuner when I first tried it on a wooden uke. It worked flawlessly, was easy for me to see but nearly invisible and it held on securely. The on/off button was a little tricky to get to but it wasn't enough to be a problem and certainly not a dealbreaker.

OK, as to why it won't work for the OU. They warned me that it likely wouldn't work before I bought it but suggested I check when it arrived. If you reach inside the sound hold on your OU, you'll feel braces running on all four sides of the hole, not far from the edge. There simply isn't enough room for the soundhole tuner to sit there as a result. The braces are in the way. I checked all the way around and couldn't find a spot that it would work. I could be wrong but I couldn't find a spot where it could sit that the braces weren't there. This soundhole tuner was my absolute first choice which is why I'm looking for an alternative. :)

I might consider trying sticking the tuner on but I actually don't yet have a tuner of my own (I've been using my spouse's clip on Micro Tuner). I've looked closely at my uke to see if it might actually fit (that was a good question and one worthy of investigation). I think it might. If I can confirm that it will work with the screw threading on OU, I might just give it a try. You asked for a photo. It's not one on my personal uke but here's one of the stock photos of the tuner placed on a uke (a Kala, if I can accurately make out the logo on the back of the tuners):

shopping
 
I really like that they keep coming up with invations for the tuner. I've found a few ways to mount these tuners with double face tape, even drilled one once to mount out of the way on my pickguard. This one looks like a great possibility to do that. Just ordered 2 from gimmesomestrings.com for $15.99 each.

Nice! Let us know how you like them and how the transaction goes. I'm not familiar with that shop so it'll be great to hear how they do. $15.99 is a great price. For some reason this tuner came out at $35 and is just not apparently (finally) dropping in price. That's awesome.
 
I like Booli's "stick-on" tuner mounting. No tools or clamps.
 
Musician's Friend is selling it for more than double the price, so theirs must be better. ;)

Do you have to remove the tuner to replace the battery? If so, that means removing and replacing the screw each time. Eventually, you'll have to stick a toothpick in there to repair the stripped-out hole.
 
Not to be overly skeptical, but it looks like the tuner, once screwed in place, might tend to interfere with first-position chording. Or am I seeing that incorrectly...?
 
Good idea. With that screw on, can you slide the tuner body off the mounting post to change the battery, or need to unscrew it?

One thing I've noticed with the clamp on version: the tightest setting on the clamp is still a tiny bit loose on some thin headstock sopranos, so I've taken to building up the inside jaws with some layers of electrical tape, or a 3m sticky pad.
 
I had posted about the solution to this a while back when it happened to me - it seems the buttons are the culprit that is what is vibrating - you can use any kind of tape, from one side, over the top to the other side of the tuner head, and this will silence the buzz, which is usually in the buttons themselves...

Yes, the tape goes over the top and with a gentle amount of tension will prevent the buttons from vibrating.



See my comment here to Choriguy about the buzzing.

You can also mount your EXISTING NS-Micro tuner using either some blue FUNTACK putty or some 3M Foam Mounting Squares...I have done both with great success.

The FUNTAK comes off easy enough an does not mar the finish. The 3M foam squares have an adhesive, but the residue is easy to remove with a fingernail.

To use either, just slide the tuner head off the little clamp bracket, and then apply the fixer of your choice and then stick it on.

519h8vQF-wL._SX425_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-Fun-Tak-Mounting-2-Ounce-1087306/dp/B001F57ZPW/

817JkPgwBwL._SL1500_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/3M-311DC-Mounting-Squares-48-Squares/dp/B000KKPHZ8/

Thanks for this info, Booli! I have two of the D'Addario micro tuners, and one buzzes terribly on both my ukes with a slotted headstock. On these ukes, I've been using a Spark Super Tight tuner thinking the buzz was coming from the micro tuner's clip. With your tips, I might actually be able to use the micro! :)
 
Do you have to remove the tuner to replace the battery? If so, that means removing and replacing the screw each time. Eventually, you'll have to stick a toothpick in there to repair the stripped-out hole.

Good idea. With that screw on, can you slide the tuner body off the mounting post to change the battery, or need to unscrew it?
The battery is accessed from the back curved side, which can be done while in place, but it also slips off the mount easily enough just like all the micro-tuners. I have the standard version and a violin version, it now also comes in a clip version. The designers did a great job to allow for multiple mounts.


8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 8 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
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