Thomann CTC-50 Red

The hinges are not as tough as in my Fender or Planet Waves tuners but the spring clip is. During the first couple of days something inside it made a faint buzzing sound when I played certain notes but this has stopped now.

Sometimes it hesitates for one or two seconds before registering the note but that is resolved if it's clipped somewhere else on the headstock. The on/off switch is situated at a convenient place. The screen is large and bright.

The luminous needles on the screen show the pitch with enough accuracy but not as finely as the Planet Waves (three times the price) or the Fender (twice the price). However the display is precise enough to set an intonation if I also listen carefully.

I trust my other tuners a little more but it can be done with this one, too. At times it does not display the right note, say an A instead of an E, but it indicates the right pitch anyway, I guess it mixes up some harmonics but it doesn't matter, and other tuners also do that sometimes. The letters are big and bright.

I like the satin but not toyish bright color, and the plastic is not slippery. It works with my bass, too, without having to change the mode. I keep it on my desk all the time because not all my guitars have their own tuner. For only 7 euros battery included I'm happy with it.

Edit: I pulled the battery out and rubbed both sides on rough fabric for a minute. Put it back in and the digital needle doesn't fluctuate anymore. Seems that a greasy film or some oxidation on the battery reduced the power coming out of it.

Like Ronsil this does exactly what it says on the tin. I have a silly amount of studio gear and as such I am always looking out for the bargain to be had, AND THIS IS ONE!!. I have a multitude of tuners and this one never fails. I even bought a couple and have them laying around the house and studio as when people come for a jam session they like harry Houdini seem to disappear but at the price It not so bad.

Be aware that when you buy this product you are receiving quality. I've tested this against high priced tuners and rig ones and find it to give an accurate reading. the design is robust and I have yet to have one break or fail on me. the battery seems to last forever. you will not be sad you bought one or five of these tuners and that's a promise : )

Due to the rubberizing it feels quite luxurious and is quite responsive, works well on my Strat-style guitars as well as any classic or western guitars I have tried. I like how adjustible it is, it can be clipped anywhere on the headstock and aligned so I can see it. It also takes a very standard battery, runs for a many months and if empy it is easy and cheap to replace.

What I don't like is the way that it is way too easy to switch between chromatic, guitar, ukulele etc - it is easier to switch between these modes than to switch it on and off, which leads to sometimes annoying situations until you figure out that it is in the wrong mode. This could be fixed with an additional button or make the switching between the modes require a long-press.

Apart from that, not much to fault, it's a good tool for a fair price.