I got the Peterson app - and I use an iRig to plug into my iPad/iPhone. But what I find challenging about the strobe tuning is that it’s constantly moving…and that happens over the sustain too. Like it doesn’t settle into a tone. I find the Unitune was at the same ballpark as the Peterson app, but with less noise - and easier for me to use. Though the guitar tech that was setting up my bass used a Peterson pedal and had no issues with the strobe (that’s where I saw - oh, they can really settle down). Is there some technique trick I’m missing or other advice/tips anyone has? Or should I just accept that I’m a Unitune simpleton…
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I struggled with the Peterson app (used it when traveling) and finally gave up on it. I tuned things with it and checked it against my Peterson pedal and it was way way off.
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I found this video useful for the strobostomp. I tend to pluck more when using the Peterson to get into tune.
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I guess I’m wondering if the stroboclip will just be as frustrating a strobe tuning experience as the app…I guess a guitar center 45 day return policy is the best way to find that out for myself.
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I have the clip in as well and it is fabulous ans dead on. Easy.
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I’ve heard good things about the app from people that use it, but I am an Android user and haven’t tried it. Rumor has it the Polytune and Peterson are the best clip-ons in the market. I have the Petersen pedal and the Polytune clipon, and have had great results with both.
More importantly they corroborate each other.
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Cool. I’m gonna figure I’m in tune enough with the Unitune and I should spend more time playing than reading/watching about tuners on the internet. Thanks!
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Great tuners are really needed for setup/intonation work.
The better the tuner, the better the intonation results, IMO.
For regular playing…well, like everything, it depends.
I play sax, which is generally slightly out of tune always and viewed as a postive.
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The Petersen app is great.
I’m going to differ a bit from the advice that you need a perfectly accurate tuner for tuning or intonation though. Being several cents out of tune is bad, but anything in the ballpark of a cent or so is fine, and depending on the harmonization, may work in your favor anyway. There’s a reason “sweetened” tunings exist, and very slight detuning just makes everything sound bigger. It’s one way numerous effects work as well.
The advantage of tuners like the Petersen isn’t their absolute accuracy IMO - it’s their responsiveness combined with their massive ease of use, due both to their excellent display and the fact that the strobe UI just makes for fast and easy tuning.
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Oh heck last night I tried using clip on from Daddario before going on stage.
It went nuts honestly, dunno if it was picking up PA vibrations or what.
Good thing I carried Korgs cabled chromatic tuner, saved my night.
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I also have a Korg plugin tuner and also the Peterson app that I use with my android phone. Never had an issue with them.
Too many issues for clip ons for bass in the past for my liking…
Clip ons work fine for my acoustic, electric guitar, ukulele, and banjo so at least they are not a dead loss. YMMV
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Check the response difference in the Peterson to Turbo tuner clips on youtube. My experience is identical.
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I do get this, but…the better the intonation is set the better it will “hold” as you tweak your truss rod etc. and the better you will sound when attempting to do cover type stuff here. Live - another story. From the ground up covers like you do - another story.
For me, what I’ve found is a spot on setup takes you far in the realm I live in, but I’m generally trying to match tone spot on, so I guess my advise is in that context, but totally get where you are coming from. Maybe it’s my sax playing that’s always slightly out of tune that makes me want to be spot on on bass (to make up for it, lol)
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Thank you kindly, Sir.
Stick around me long enough and you’ll have a whole new vocabulary (most of which will get you into trouble, but that’s another story) 
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So, I received my Peterson clip-on strobe tuner. It didn’t have any instructions or anything. I’ve given it a shot a couple of times.
Um.
The note is in tune when the wacky 8-bit pixels along the top aren’t moving, or are moving as little as possible, right? Like, they don’t have to line up or anything?
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Yeah, and if you go online, you will be able to see how to use “Sweetened” tunings for whatever instrument. I used those tunings for bass and it put’s my intonation spot on perfect.
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When both rows of strobe-o-stuff stop moving you are in tune.
I don’t bother with the sweetened tunings, I like things natural, but they are there if you want them.
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Please tell me that’s a John-ism and not a Peterson-ism. 
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all me brother
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