The new NS Micro Tuner is so small and lightweight, it is nearly invisible when clipped on the back of my Fender Strat’s headstock. Even when turned on and tucked out of view from everyone, its presence becomes immediately known by its brilliant color display.
Planet Waves improved the ratchet clip-on design so the NS Micro tuner now looks like part of the guitar and can stay attached when you place the instrument in a travel case.
Other improvements and updates include the tuning software, which now has faster note recognition and accuracy by way of an ultra-sensitive piezoelectric sensor system. I like the vibration pickup of this tuner—it makes tuning easy on loud and dark stages and the simple multi-color, backlit display shows the note name in red to indicate when it is out of tune and turns green when in tune.
The NS Micro Tuner has an expanded calibration range from A=410 to 480Hz and there is a fully adjustable visual metronome for practicing. The NS Micro Tuner runs on a watch battery and automatically shuts off in a few minutes if you forget.
The D’Addario/Planet Waves NS Micro Tuner sells for $32.99 MSRP. For more information, check out http://planetwaves.com/pwnsmicrotuner.page.
By Barry Rudolph
miniBio: Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer with over 30 gold and platinum RIAA awards to his credit. He has recorded and/or mixed: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and Robbie Nevil. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and also teaches recording engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. http://www.barryrudolph.
