David Looking at Things: TC Electronic Polytune
In this series, I take a look at things that usually get hardly any attention. Today’s edition: a small but impressive guitar tuner.
I’m reluctant to put it into writing, but I’m pretty sure it’s true. The Polytune is perfect. No idea how long I’ve had it, but it’s been ages. This guitar and bass tuner is simple, accurate, reliable and lasts practically forever. It doesn’t really get any better than this.
You clamp it to the guitar’s head, push the button at the top and pluck a string. Or pluck them all at once. The device will show you if the string(s) are tuned too high or low. This is measured by the vibrations of the string. The tuner doesn’t need a cable and also works well in very noisy conditions.
Source: David Lee
The screen folds out and you can tilt it toward yourself at an angle that allows you to read the pitch as you play. The hinge isn’t too stiff nor too loose. The clamp’s spring seems to be built for eternity. The button cell battery lasts for years, because the Polytune switches itself off when I forget to.
Sadly, Digitec Galaxus AG doesn’t have the Polytune in its range. In terms of how it works, this tuner is probably similar.
My interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.