A good velcro trick for the boss enclosures is to remove the back panel and flip it. Put the screws back in and you have a perfectly smooth surface. Game changer.
The Peterson bypass lag is there because the tuner is both 'true bypass' and claims no bypass switch thump. Peterson use two relays, the first drains any charge on the pedals coupling capacitors then the second switches the signal after a delay. So Peterson put quite a lot of effort into doing it that way. Also I believe you can select to have the Peterson constantly monitor tuning and I guess then you could use a volume pedal to quickly mute the signal as an alternative way of 'quick' tuning.
Terry Relph-Knight Good info, thanks for the comment. I guess my point is; Boss achieved the same result (pop free switching with true bypass or buffered options) with zero switching lag. Regardless of how hard Peterson worked on the design, it still falls short. Unfortunately, I don’t have room on my board for a dedicated volume pedal to rectify the HD’s lag. I just live with it. Thanks for watching, and for the good info.
@@fiveightandten I don't have have a circuit for the Boss Wazacraft tuner and the Boss web site doesn't give a lot of information. Traditionally Boss pedals have used FET bypass switching and I believe are always buffered. I have to wonder just how 'true bypass' the bypass is in the Boss, they have to be using relays since I'm pretty sure they still use the same mechanically decoupled keyboard type switch under the hinged part of the case. Does the Boss pass signal when power is removed? I should say I'm no great fan of Peterson products, I have always found the strobe readout hard to follow and the company has not responded well in the past when I have tried to discuss what I felt to be flaws in their products. And while I'm here - none of the pedals I have ever had that have rubber pads on the bottom will stick well to Velcro. The pads have to go. You are right about this trend to supper bright LEDs on pedals, you can't see the knobs or the knob labels on some of them, the LEDs are so bright.
I own both. The last Peterson firmware update (December 2023) finally improved the lag time on the Strobostomp HD, to the point where it's now noticeably shorter. That said, I prefer the Boss TU-3W because it's more intuitive, less clumsy in design, and like all Boss pedals, is easy to install on a pedalboard. I never use the sweeteners on the Peterson, nor do I need the extra tuning accuracy on a pedal. There are smartphone apps out there that get just as accurate as a strobe when you need to setup/intonate. Both pedals are great, you can't go wrong with either one. But I prefer the TU-3W.
I tend to agree with a lot of the comments. Boss does make some very great pedals but they don't really touch the Peterson. Peterson is world renowned for extremely accurate tuning more so than boss.
Props for an honest review from a working musician who like myself has to fill in the lack of information provided by these companies who put out products and then market the positives while supressing transparent discussion of their shortcomings.Thanks again!
Good advice for applying Velcro is to heat up the sticky part with a hair drier before putting it on. Makes it bond much stronger. Loved the review and going over the pros and cons of each.
Thanks for the review! I first owned a Boss TU-2 years and years ago because it was really the only one out there. Then Korg came out with the DT-10 and Peterson came out with the Strobostomp V1 (Blue racecar). The TU-2, always had to retune by ear; everything was a bit off. I love Boss pedals - to me there is nothing cooler than using a simple pedestrian Boss pedal and sounding like a million bucks (yes, it's possible). I also own various other pedals and have owned weird off-beat Boutique pedals (my favorite is my 2005 Catalinbread SCP). So I really wanted to keep the Boss TU-2 as the more compact Boss pedals I can use, the better. But the Strobostomp killed it. I put it on my board and used it for a few years live (also for intonation). The first time I tuned with it, I played a G-chord and my guitar was so in tune, it sounded like I was playing octaves pure octaves. I had never realized how in tune a guitar can sound. I don't need a Strobostomp HD; I still have my old board but it hasn't been plugged in in over a decade (additionally, I have been tearing pedals off it to use in my bedroom). If I ever play live now, I use floor modellers (my old board was big and friggin heavy!). I also own an old Planet Waves Tru-Strobe which has specs identical to the Peterson. But I want a Strobostomp HD. And you know what else I want? A TU-3. A Boss floor tuner that I don't have to retune by ear? Yes please! But I don't NEED either. You need a strobe tuner for intonation; that's it. For live use, it's good but not mandatory. Agh, the choices! Btw, your explanation of the GTR sweetened tuning was very good. I just wish you had demonstrated what it sounds like after tuning with it (like you did with EQU temperament). Nice video!
I imagine one of the biggest advantages of the accuracy of the Peterson is when it comes to setting intonation. I've owned a Peterson clip on for 10 years or more and looking at buying one for new pedal board. Great tips on serial number and screen protectors. Thanks for those. Also looking at using it as an 'always on' tuner with send from Fender Level set buffer. Though there is a delay due to relays, in my experience, this would be more than compensated by the speed with which I can tune once active. Given use as 'always on', I would be looking at tuning for single held notes. Especially with fretted notes. Even as an indicator for note bends.
IMO, accuracy is of little importance when comparing modern pedal tuners. They're ALL extremely accurate. I've found that Intonation discrepancies due to the inherent inaccuracies of a fretted instrument, or playing technique, or fret wear easily outweigh a little (imperceptible) extra accuracy that one tuner has over another. In short, they're ALL great tuners! Pick based on features.
@@fiveightandten my point entirely. Using the tuner as a way of adjusting string pressure, bends etc to gauge accuracy when playing. Biggest feature I'd seek would be speed of response. I was talking about the accuracy of my playing rather than that of the tuner.
9:30 The reason those LEDs might in general be brighter is because LEDs 'age'. They keep getting dimmer and dimmer. This is a chemical process that happens over the natural life of an LED, powered or not.
No, not modern ones. At least you’ll not notice it. Modern, HQLEDs will keep in spec 30,000-50,000 h of „on time“ without any noticeable change in brightness or power consumption.
Thanks for the honest review. I'm setting up a small board and was looking at the mini as it's available and affordable here in Australia. My main board has the Sonic Research ST200 and it's awesome. Fast, reliable. I may end up having to get their ST300 mini sent over, seeings they don't use retailers anymore. 👍
You make very good points from a stage musician perspective. I think they both have their place. A professional touring musician probably wants the rugged and performant boss pedal tried & true on stage, but with the tech station using the strobe. Peterson is also going to be good for studio and amateur/bedroom players that may need to do setups and may want to experiment with tuning and just overall have an accurate and feature rich tuner.
Holy Crap! Thanks for roasting these things! This is the most in depth, honest review I've ever seen in a sea of total BS reviews done by people who get free gear and suck up to the manufacturers. You should be hired as a product tester to roast all the crap out of gear before it hits the market. I wish you could review the WAZA Tube Amp Expander vs the new Torpedo Captor X with the built in attenuator. I'm just not going to get the truth from another reviewer. Expensive devices though.. I know.
Try a Sonic Research Turbo Tuner. It's a very fast strobe tuner. Also try putting some window tint on the blue part of your waza. Or cover the blue part with some silicone to dull it down.
That's because it's an analog LED array based strobe tuner. There's no point in comparing digital tuners with analog tuners. Analog tuners track in real-time because no analog to digital conversion takes place. Boss TU-3 is still fastest by digital tuner standards.
This is a very thoughtful review. You critiqued the stuff that actually might matter to some players, and you downplayed stuff that probably won't matter to an actual guitar performer who doesn't have their own tech who is tuning the bridge and intonation of their guitar between gigs. If you don't have your dedicated tech and perfect fretting, on a guitar, I agree that the difference between open strings being out of tune by 0.1 cents vs 0.5 cents won't really matter once you start playing higher on the neck.
...., I own the StroboStrompo HD and Yes!!... it could be a Big Issue for any guitarist on live gigs ,...the 1+ Sec ON/OFF Sucks....is something that Peterson Ingeniers missed out?... or maybe they will “Fix it”for the next Strompo HD.2.....🤔?. I just used it at home and I really like it. But this is something you must consider before you buy it! .....Excellent Review!! (Purchased on Sweetwater .2019/7/22.)
BOSS tuners are great! but they are not good options if you need to tune in other frequencies such as 432hz or 450hz since they have a limited range of 436 to 445hz compared to the Peterson tuner which covers almost 100hz of range. However, they are very good, resistant and of high quality.
Been playing for 30 years have used a Peterson or conn tuner for the entire time. sorry folks but the boss is not as accurate and the sweetend tunings make the pettersson indispensable. Weekend Warriors will be fine with the boss but if you're a professional use the professional product which is the pettersson. The pettersson also works exceedingly well for setting up your intonation.
Joel Gold - While the Peterson Strobostomp HD is a fantastic product, I’ve seen more Boss TU-3 tuners on professional musicians pedalboards than ANY Peterson product and that’s a fact. I personally don’t like the TU-3 but to insinuate that only “professionals” use Peterson products and those who don’t are “weekend warriors” is just a load of elitist bullshit. 🤨
Chuck, you don’t see many Petersons on stage probably because the guitar techs are using them behind the back line. The Strobotuner HD is one of the few Peterson units that can fit on smaller boards. I suspect you’ll be seeing them more going forward. If you still don’t care for it (for whatever reason) that’s cool. There’s something out there for everyone. Cheers!
Fred Abatelli - I actually just bought a Peterson Strobostomp HD today. I am aware of Peterson’s legacy and know full well that thousands of guitar technicians, professional musicians and studios ALL use Peterson products. My point is that saying anyone who uses an alternative product is only a weekend warrior is elitist BS. Cheers! 🍻 🇺🇸🗽🦅🇺🇸
The LED brightness being adjustable on Boss Waza isn't sufficient enough when moving to different environments? The low mode is still too bright in the dark? I feel like all pedal LED's are too bright in the darkness.
Christopher Blyth The brightness on the TU-3 has 2 settings (low and high). But the intensity difference between the Blue and yellow LEDs is always there. You’re always looking at blue ones, with a center yellow one that’s 3 or 4 times brighter. I may try and dab some nail polish over the yellow one. But the display is plastic, so anything that would remove the nail polish would likely cloud it. I’ll only get one try. Haha.
Thanks for video! I think you've done a GREAT job demoing the plus and minuses of these tuners. I subscribed after watching this video. I have the older Strobostomp model made...ah...around 15? years ago, it has no delay. The main reason I bought my Strobostomp and bought the new HD model...accuracy. 1 cent vs 1/10 cent really makes a HUGE difference when you use these tuners for intonation. Use the Strobostomp and set up your intonation using the 5th & 17th fret method and it's amazing how much better the end result is. You might not notice the better accuracy in a tune and play situation, but you will notice how much better the accuracy is doing setups with it. I prefer the side jacks if only because 90% of all my pedals have side jacks and it seems that with the "true-bypass" pedals housed in metal MXR style craze the majority of new pedal designs are also side jacks. I think that's the thinking with the jack locations, the older model had top mounted jacks. The older model has a LCD display that worked well, except...in bright sunlight and if powered by battery the display dimmed as the battery died. I love the ability to pick color and adjust brightness on the HD. The biggest drawback of both makes is lack of microphone...yeah I know it's for a pedalboard. Peterson does have the tuner and all the options in an app...and it's WAY cheaper than the pedal and just as good. I think I paid $15? for the app. Works great at home with an acoustic, amp...anything that generates a note and can be tuned.
Thanks for the comment and the insight! You're spot on in mentioning the accuracy of the Peterson for intonation. I tend to intonate by ear and use the tuner as a guide, but the Strobostomp is indeed very good at that task. I don't have the Peterson app, but I'll definitely have to look into it.
4:32 now this comes with NOTHING on the back. They give you two options of what to stick there. They supply you with a custom sized velcro, and a custom sized rubber backing. With 3M adhesive.
I just purchased Peterson Stroboclip HD (Jan 2020) and did a side-by-side comparison with my older Snark SN-8. My Snark was Brighter, Easier to Read, Tuned just as Accurate & Held the Display Longer - (without having to re-pluck the strings). I wanted to love this product, but was very Disappointed & UnImpressed. Also love my TC Polytune 3. The poly-tune-mode works great with my Suhr Strat & my Ovation Acoustic.
I'm searching for a floor tuner myself and was about to buy the Strobostomp, but I stumbled across the TU-3W today. I read the LEDs on the TU-3w are dimmable? Is it possible that the High Brightness Mode is on? It can be activated/deactivated by pressing the STREAM/CENT Button for at least 2 seconds - according to the manual. But it also says that when turning on, always "normal" mode is on - which would burn your eyes out if that's normal mode here and you can turn it brighter. :-D
Saint Jabroni The TU-3 has a “sweep” display option. It looks like a strobe tuner in that mode, but it’s not actually tuning with strobe function from a reference pitch. It’s just an aesthetic thing on the display. Some people like that display mode on the TU-3. I prefer “needle” mode.
Got the Waza today. The Peterson just seems overkill and a tool to make one feel better about being a bad player and it's web based. When I think of how the greatest music in history was made in the 60s 70s and 80s without Strobostomps, I think the dependability, looks and quiet switching etc. on the Waza will do me just fine.
A lot of that 60s, 70s, and 80s music was recorded in studios that used Peterson strobe tuners to set up and tune the guitars, which were much more complex and expensive than the Sterobostomp (though there are also plenty of examples of out of tune guitars in older recordings). I'm not quite clear on how a tuner would make a bad player "feel better", and I'll brush that off as a dig at me for buying it. But I hope this helped you make an informed decision that you're happy with.
@@fiveightandten Nah, your review seems a little biased in the psychy world of gear name brand bias. I've A and B'd my new WAZA today with my old VSAM and they both hit the same level of performance in accuracy, although my VSAM with built in mic will also do acoustic without pickups and instrument mic. The added features of the WAZA make it better than the VSAM as far as electric guitar performance. I will always keep my VSAM though for the acoustic and for when my gear snob friends come over so I can tell them the electric guitars are tuned with the VSAM even I used the WAZA. 😀
Yes, the Peterson has "sweetened" tuning presets for a number of different instruments. You can store presets for different tunings, capo positions, or different instruments. This isn't as seamless to use as just known the notes you're tuning to and using in straight chromatic mode. But some people like the sweetened tunings.
The Polytune is very nice. To me the "needle" behavior has an unnatural response to it due to the algorithm they use to keep it from wavering around. Coming from something like the Boss, I couldn't adjust. But people who start with the Polytune tend to prefer the smoother behavior that it yields. It all comes down to personal preference.
Yes you can. The Peterson has a monitoring mode that allows for this. The Boss tuners have a separate jack labelled "bypass", which will not mute the signal when the tuner function is engaged.
Very good review here. I just ordered my StroboStomp, waiting for Amazon to deliver it. Wished I'd have watched your vid first, mighta rethought my choice for tuning only my basses, fretted, fretless, 4-5 strings, standard tuning only. Really doubt I will ever utilize all its' features but mainly wanted it for the large readout that my other tuners don't give me. I like my clip on tuners but no mute function. So hope I can make good use of the StroboStomp tuner pedal. Some Amazon discount pricing and no interest payments helped make my choice too. ;>) peace, e.
Thanks for the comment. I think you'll like the Strobostomp. It has a few annoyances, but is a nice tuner overall and it's the one to buy if you want a big readable display. Enjoy!
I've always used a true bypass tuner at the end of the chain to be able to shut everything down. I still do, but I've also added a Polytune 3, always on and buffered at the front. I had a big noise problem with the Robo doing the same thing, but the "sweetened" tuning was fantastic! What a shame. Works great. The T.C. and the Peterson have a better buffers than Boss.
@@fiveightandten - I cut out the label and reglued it in the middle, (it also bears the bypass/buffer/monitor switching markings, of course). I don't need full coverage of velcro. It is quite ridiculous though.
Forgot to mention...getting the Velcro to stick. Same problem, couldn't get it to stick. I took some sandpaper and roughed up the surface of the rubber and sprayed some Scotch 77 aerosol adhesive on the back of the Velcro. It's an adhesive used to glue foam together. So far it's working, I rarely take my pedals off the board so I don't know how well it would stand up to repeated removal from the board.
Thanks, that's good info. Taking the rubber off wasn't a deal breaker for me. I just wish they didn't put the serial number on that pad! The spray adhesive method will be good for people to know. Cheers.
I hate blue leds on anything. They are too bright. Even on bypass indicators. If I don't want to get blinded, I have to paint them with a permanent black marker.
Adrian Gutierrez Unfortunately, it does not. The lag is due to the bypass switching, and not related to the display. However, Peterson just released a firmware update that supposedly reduces the switching lag (for monitoring and buffer bypass modes only). I plan on downloading it soon.
Great catch on the bypass lag! What Firmware version were you on with the StroboStomp HD for this review? It looks like they updated FW on December 11 a few days after you posted this review and I wonder if the latest version has fixed that issue? Unfortunately the release notes just say "Bug fixes". ;-( - I'm still going to buy one but clearly Peterson should have beta tested with working guitarists a bit more. I suppose the lag could have even been introduced by one of the first few updates as well.
I was on 1.0.24 at the time of the review, and still am. Thanks for the reminder! I will update and see if the current firmware has any affect on the switching lag. It's probably not likely, but worth a try for sure. Thanks for watching and for the comment.
Th laag isnt important on peterson...2 sec when you play live isnt important...i have boss TUI-2 and it sucks...it dont put the guitar in tune correctly...l
Fuck that Peterson tuner. The fact that the configuration tool is a webpage somewhere that relies on a serial number on a sticker a lot of people are gonna remove is a total deal-breaker for me. Fuck that shit. 2 years down the line, they take the webpage down or it stops working because some browser update of the week decides to break it and Peterson doesn't fix it. Now you have a fancy tuner pedal with a shitty and wrong configuration you drunkenly loaded in the night before the site goes down. The build quality and engineering looks flat out DUMB on that pedal. It's very easy to break the display by stepping on it in the dark. Oof, there goes your fancy tuner. What's that? LCD replacement is a bitch because no spare parts? What's that? Gear guys can't even fix your tuner WITH spare parts because interfacing replacement displays is impossible without PCB rework skills? Yeah nah, fuck that. I'll stick with 'dumb' tuners that have some $0.60 PIC microcontroller instead of an entire $5 ARM processors. I am so done with 'smart' stuff, it ain't even funny. It's the same with modeling amps! They have entire computers in them and there's no way you can fix that unless you're a computer guy like I am and want to reverse engineer an entire operating system for 3 weeks just to get your gear back. God knows those expensive processors are made with even tinier transistors that are ever more vulnerable to even the most trivial levels of ESD! Repeat after me: Good equipment is high quality and simple, recessed controls are part of that. Why do you need a switch on the inside to switch between buffered/true-bypass? Why can't you just have two outputs like the other pedals? Or a $1 switch on the top/outside? It's all because businesses rather save money when building the unit than deal with labor costs of wiring switches. Microcontrollers and displays are cheaper. And when buyers don't see this? The market breaks because manufacturers can keep getting away with it and EVERYONE ends up with shitty gear. Do yourself a favor: Buy simple and high-quality hardware. It'll last a lifetime.
I agree 100%. This is the classic case of form over function. Hide all the switches so that the unit looks stylish. The heck with that! The person that ok'ed the release of this product should be fired immediately and never to touch any design in his life because clearly he failed usability class in college. You know what else bothers me? The stupid boss encoder dial they put on br-80 multieffect unit and I can't even tell you how many times I had the unit opened up and cleaned. Then it breaks down couple days later again. I heard the same is happening with fender's lt25 digital amp. In the case of the boss br80, the unit is unusable with the problematic encoder because there is no other way to set the parameter values. It would be nice if they gave you other option to change the params but they don't. I agree with what you said about the web interfaces as well. I too try to stay away from digital disposable products as much as possible. People playing keyboards can tell you all about burnt out lcd displays and can't find replacement. The sounds are in the box, you just can't access them.
Alembicguy Rides Again Thanks for the comment. As this is a review, the purpose is to pick out faults that I notice and point out the the strengths as well. I did that, and you now get to take that info and decide what parts are important to you. If the gripes I pointed out are not concerning to you, it looks like you’ve found 2 tuners you would be happy with. I can recommend either one.
100% accurate comment. My futuristic, super customizable Peterson pedal strobo tuner with a large LCD screen has a slight lag too. But I never noticed until I watched this video.
A good velcro trick for the boss enclosures is to remove the back panel and flip it. Put the screws back in and you have a perfectly smooth surface. Game changer.
Yes that's the only way it works for me with several pedals, later Digitech stuff too..
Every boss pedal I've tried this with, the rubber back presses against the circuit board too hard. I'm too afraid to tighten the screws all the way.
The Peterson bypass lag is there because the tuner is both 'true bypass' and claims no bypass switch thump. Peterson use two relays, the first drains any charge on the pedals coupling capacitors then the second switches the signal after a delay. So Peterson put quite a lot of effort into doing it that way. Also I believe you can select to have the Peterson constantly monitor tuning and I guess then you could use a volume pedal to quickly mute the signal as an alternative way of 'quick' tuning.
Terry Relph-Knight Good info, thanks for the comment. I guess my point is; Boss achieved the same result (pop free switching with true bypass or buffered options) with zero switching lag. Regardless of how hard Peterson worked on the design, it still falls short.
Unfortunately, I don’t have room on my board for a dedicated volume pedal to rectify the HD’s lag. I just live with it.
Thanks for watching, and for the good info.
@@fiveightandten I don't have have a circuit for the Boss Wazacraft tuner and the Boss web site doesn't give a lot of information. Traditionally Boss pedals have used FET bypass switching and I believe are always buffered. I have to wonder just how 'true bypass' the bypass is in the Boss, they have to be using relays since I'm pretty sure they still use the same mechanically decoupled keyboard type switch under the hinged part of the case. Does the Boss pass signal when power is removed? I should say I'm no great fan of Peterson products, I have always found the strobe readout hard to follow and the company has not responded well in the past when I have tried to discuss what I felt to be flaws in their products. And while I'm here - none of the pedals I have ever had that have rubber pads on the bottom will stick well to Velcro. The pads have to go.
You are right about this trend to supper bright LEDs on pedals, you can't see the knobs or the knob labels on some of them, the LEDs are so bright.
I own both. The last Peterson firmware update (December 2023) finally improved the lag time on the Strobostomp HD, to the point where it's now noticeably shorter. That said, I prefer the Boss TU-3W because it's more intuitive, less clumsy in design, and like all Boss pedals, is easy to install on a pedalboard. I never use the sweeteners on the Peterson, nor do I need the extra tuning accuracy on a pedal. There are smartphone apps out there that get just as accurate as a strobe when you need to setup/intonate. Both pedals are great, you can't go wrong with either one. But I prefer the TU-3W.
I tend to agree with a lot of the comments. Boss does make some very great pedals but they don't really touch the Peterson. Peterson is world renowned for extremely accurate tuning more so than boss.
The delay isnt a factor if you use a switcher with a tuner out.
Props for an honest review from a working musician who like myself has to fill in the lack of information provided by these companies who put out products and then market the positives while supressing transparent discussion of their shortcomings.Thanks again!
Good advice for applying Velcro is to heat up the sticky part with a hair drier before putting it on. Makes it bond much stronger. Loved the review and going over the pros and cons of each.
Thanks for the review!
I first owned a Boss TU-2 years and years ago because it was really the only one out there. Then Korg came out with the DT-10 and Peterson came out with the Strobostomp V1 (Blue racecar).
The TU-2, always had to retune by ear; everything was a bit off. I love Boss pedals - to me there is nothing cooler than using a simple pedestrian Boss pedal and sounding like a million bucks (yes, it's possible). I also own various other pedals and have owned weird off-beat Boutique pedals (my favorite is my 2005 Catalinbread SCP). So I really wanted to keep the Boss TU-2 as the more compact Boss pedals I can use, the better.
But the Strobostomp killed it. I put it on my board and used it for a few years live (also for intonation). The first time I tuned with it, I played a G-chord and my guitar was so in tune, it sounded like I was playing octaves pure octaves. I had never realized how in tune a guitar can sound.
I don't need a Strobostomp HD; I still have my old board but it hasn't been plugged in in over a decade (additionally, I have been tearing pedals off it to use in my bedroom). If I ever play live now, I use floor modellers (my old board was big and friggin heavy!). I also own an old Planet Waves Tru-Strobe which has specs identical to the Peterson.
But I want a Strobostomp HD. And you know what else I want? A TU-3. A Boss floor tuner that I don't have to retune by ear? Yes please!
But I don't NEED either. You need a strobe tuner for intonation; that's it. For live use, it's good but not mandatory.
Agh, the choices!
Btw, your explanation of the GTR sweetened tuning was very good. I just wish you had demonstrated what it sounds like after tuning with it (like you did with EQU temperament). Nice video!
The Peterson is an easy choice for me. It's an awesome tuner pedal.
Here here, top notch tuner!
I watch too many reviews on TH-cam, but this is one of the best. I'm subscribing. Great job.
Thanks, glad it was helpful for you.
Peterson. Keep it in MONITOR MODE- no delay. Serial number is likely inside too. I can enter MONITOR MODE via screen/menu- 2023 model.
For a while I thought you were just hating... I'm going for the Peterson!
I imagine one of the biggest advantages of the accuracy of the Peterson is when it comes to setting intonation. I've owned a Peterson clip on for 10 years or more and looking at buying one for new pedal board. Great tips on serial number and screen protectors. Thanks for those. Also looking at using it as an 'always on' tuner with send from Fender Level set buffer. Though there is a delay due to relays, in my experience, this would be more than compensated by the speed with which I can tune once active. Given use as 'always on', I would be looking at tuning for single held notes. Especially with fretted notes. Even as an indicator for note bends.
IMO, accuracy is of little importance when comparing modern pedal tuners. They're ALL extremely accurate. I've found that Intonation discrepancies due to the inherent inaccuracies of a fretted instrument, or playing technique, or fret wear easily outweigh a little (imperceptible) extra accuracy that one tuner has over another. In short, they're ALL great tuners! Pick based on features.
@@fiveightandten my point entirely. Using the tuner as a way of adjusting string pressure, bends etc to gauge accuracy when playing. Biggest feature I'd seek would be speed of response. I was talking about the accuracy of my playing rather than that of the tuner.
9:30 The reason those LEDs might in general be brighter is because LEDs 'age'. They keep getting dimmer and dimmer. This is a chemical process that happens over the natural life of an LED, powered or not.
No, not modern ones. At least you’ll not notice it. Modern, HQLEDs will keep in spec 30,000-50,000 h of „on time“ without any noticeable change in brightness or power consumption.
Thanks for the honest review. I'm setting up a small board and was looking at the mini as it's available and affordable here in Australia. My main board has the Sonic Research ST200 and it's awesome. Fast, reliable. I may end up having to get their ST300 mini sent over, seeings they don't use retailers anymore. 👍
You make very good points from a stage musician perspective. I think they both have their place. A professional touring musician probably wants the rugged and performant boss pedal tried & true on stage, but with the tech station using the strobe. Peterson is also going to be good for studio and amateur/bedroom players that may need to do setups and may want to experiment with tuning and just overall have an accurate and feature rich tuner.
Holy Crap! Thanks for roasting these things! This is the most in depth, honest review I've ever seen in a sea of total BS reviews done by people who get free gear and suck up to the manufacturers.
You should be hired as a product tester to roast all the crap out of gear before it hits the market.
I wish you could review the WAZA Tube Amp Expander vs the new Torpedo Captor X with the built in attenuator.
I'm just not going to get the truth from another reviewer. Expensive devices though.. I know.
best review I've seen...
Try a Sonic Research Turbo Tuner. It's a very fast strobe tuner. Also try putting some window tint on the blue part of your waza. Or cover the blue part with some silicone to dull it down.
That's because it's an analog LED array based strobe tuner. There's no point in comparing digital tuners with analog tuners. Analog tuners track in real-time because no analog to digital conversion takes place.
Boss TU-3 is still fastest by digital tuner standards.
The light on the dark glass b7k is comically bright as well haha
This is a very thoughtful review. You critiqued the stuff that actually might matter to some players, and you downplayed stuff that probably won't matter to an actual guitar performer who doesn't have their own tech who is tuning the bridge and intonation of their guitar between gigs. If you don't have your dedicated tech and perfect fretting, on a guitar, I agree that the difference between open strings being out of tune by 0.1 cents vs 0.5 cents won't really matter once you start playing higher on the neck.
...., I own the StroboStrompo HD and Yes!!... it could be a Big Issue for any guitarist on live gigs ,...the 1+ Sec ON/OFF Sucks....is something that Peterson Ingeniers missed out?... or maybe they will “Fix it”for the next Strompo HD.2.....🤔?.
I just used it at home and I really like it. But this is something you must consider
before you buy it!
.....Excellent Review!!
(Purchased on Sweetwater .2019/7/22.)
I was just checking out the Boss Waza and I think I can get past the Blue LEDs. Awesome review though. Thanks
Peterson has a clarity to them
12:09 but this kind of tuning is also available in the TU-3 under one of the modes.
BOSS tuners are great! but they are not good options if you need to tune in other frequencies such as 432hz or 450hz since they have a limited range of 436 to 445hz compared to the Peterson tuner which covers almost 100hz of range. However, they are very good, resistant and of high quality.
As soon as I heard "web based" I was out.
If it is still relevant, look at the Canvas Tuner from Walrus Audio, real time tune tracking.
Been playing for 30 years have used a Peterson or conn tuner for the entire time. sorry folks but the boss is not as accurate and the sweetend tunings make the pettersson indispensable. Weekend Warriors will be fine with the boss but if you're a professional use the professional product which is the pettersson. The pettersson also works exceedingly well for setting up your intonation.
Joel Gold - While the Peterson Strobostomp HD is a fantastic product, I’ve seen more Boss TU-3 tuners on professional musicians pedalboards than ANY Peterson product and that’s a fact. I personally don’t like the TU-3 but to insinuate that only “professionals” use Peterson products and those who don’t are “weekend warriors” is just a load of elitist bullshit. 🤨
Chuck, you don’t see many Petersons on stage probably because the guitar techs are using them behind the back line. The Strobotuner HD is one of the few Peterson units that can fit on smaller boards. I suspect you’ll be seeing them more going forward. If you still don’t care for it (for whatever reason) that’s cool. There’s something out there for everyone. Cheers!
Fred Abatelli - I actually just bought a Peterson Strobostomp HD today. I am aware of Peterson’s legacy and know full well that thousands of guitar technicians, professional musicians and studios ALL use Peterson products. My point is that saying anyone who uses an alternative product is only a weekend warrior is elitist BS. Cheers! 🍻 🇺🇸🗽🦅🇺🇸
Don't care who uses what, the Peterson is exactly what I needed. I can't even imagine what will be able to surpass it.
Bottom line is that fancy strobo is good for the desktop, not for the floor. Ultra precision tuning is very overkill even for the recording.
i tune between songs, that’s it, or while playing if it’s off, or keep it on at all time
The LED brightness being adjustable on Boss Waza isn't sufficient enough when moving to different environments? The low mode is still too bright in the dark? I feel like all pedal LED's are too bright in the darkness.
Christopher Blyth The brightness on the TU-3 has 2 settings (low and high). But the intensity difference between the Blue and yellow LEDs is always there. You’re always looking at blue ones, with a center yellow one that’s 3 or 4 times brighter.
I may try and dab some nail polish over the yellow one. But the display is plastic, so anything that would remove the nail polish would likely cloud it. I’ll only get one try. Haha.
Thanks for video! I think you've done a GREAT job demoing the plus and minuses of these tuners. I subscribed after watching this video.
I have the older Strobostomp model made...ah...around 15? years ago, it has no delay. The main reason I bought my Strobostomp and bought the new HD model...accuracy. 1 cent vs 1/10 cent really makes a HUGE difference when you use these tuners for intonation. Use the Strobostomp and set up your intonation using the 5th & 17th fret method and it's amazing how much better the end result is. You might not notice the better accuracy in a tune and play situation, but you will notice how much better the accuracy is doing setups with it.
I prefer the side jacks if only because 90% of all my pedals have side jacks and it seems that with the "true-bypass" pedals housed in metal MXR style craze the majority of new pedal designs are also side jacks. I think that's the thinking with the jack locations, the older model had top mounted jacks.
The older model has a LCD display that worked well, except...in bright sunlight and if powered by battery the display dimmed as the battery died. I love the ability to pick color and adjust brightness on the HD.
The biggest drawback of both makes is lack of microphone...yeah I know it's for a pedalboard. Peterson does have the tuner and all the options in an app...and it's WAY cheaper than the pedal and just as good. I think I paid $15? for the app. Works great at home with an acoustic, amp...anything that generates a note and can be tuned.
Thanks for the comment and the insight! You're spot on in mentioning the accuracy of the Peterson for intonation. I tend to intonate by ear and use the tuner as a guide, but the Strobostomp is indeed very good at that task. I don't have the Peterson app, but I'll definitely have to look into it.
4:32 now this comes with NOTHING on the back. They give you two options of what to stick there. They supply you with a custom sized velcro, and a custom sized rubber backing. With 3M adhesive.
what about the polytune?
I don't have a Poly Tune. I bought one, but I didn't like it, so I returned it. A lot of people like them, but it wasn't for me.
I just purchased Peterson Stroboclip HD (Jan 2020) and did a side-by-side comparison with my older Snark SN-8. My Snark was Brighter, Easier to Read, Tuned just as Accurate & Held the Display Longer - (without having to re-pluck the strings). I wanted to love this product, but was very Disappointed & UnImpressed. Also love my TC Polytune 3. The poly-tune-mode works great with my Suhr Strat & my Ovation Acoustic.
I'm searching for a floor tuner myself and was about to buy the Strobostomp, but I stumbled across the TU-3W today. I read the LEDs on the TU-3w are dimmable? Is it possible that the High Brightness Mode is on? It can be activated/deactivated by pressing the STREAM/CENT Button for at least 2 seconds - according to the manual. But it also says that when turning on, always "normal" mode is on - which would burn your eyes out if that's normal mode here and you can turn it brighter. :-D
sorry, overheard you mentioned it on your video with the brightness modes!
So just to be clear: the TU-3[w] doesn't have a strobe function, right? Someone once said it does have a strobe function, and I'm like...wut.
Saint Jabroni The TU-3 has a “sweep” display option. It looks like a strobe tuner in that mode, but it’s not actually tuning with strobe function from a reference pitch. It’s just an aesthetic thing on the display.
Some people like that display mode on the TU-3. I prefer “needle” mode.
Got the Waza today. The Peterson just seems overkill and a tool to make one feel better about being a bad player and it's web based. When I think of how the greatest music in history was made in the 60s 70s and 80s without Strobostomps, I think the dependability, looks and quiet switching etc. on the Waza will do me just fine.
A lot of that 60s, 70s, and 80s music was recorded in studios that used Peterson strobe tuners to set up and tune the guitars, which were much more complex and expensive than the Sterobostomp (though there are also plenty of examples of out of tune guitars in older recordings). I'm not quite clear on how a tuner would make a bad player "feel better", and I'll brush that off as a dig at me for buying it. But I hope this helped you make an informed decision that you're happy with.
@@fiveightandten Nah, your review seems a little biased in the psychy world of gear name brand bias. I've A and B'd my new WAZA today with my old VSAM and they both hit the same level of performance in accuracy, although my VSAM with built in mic will also do acoustic without pickups and instrument mic. The added features of the WAZA make it better than the VSAM as far as electric guitar performance. I will always keep my VSAM though for the acoustic and for when my gear snob friends come over so I can tell them the electric guitars are tuned with the VSAM even I used the WAZA. 😀
@@CB-ul2np There's zero bias in my review, which is the point of it. Enjoy your new TU-3.
@@fiveightandten Thank you! I will enjoy my new TU-3W. You enjoy your Strobostomp HD.
I wonder if you can store tunings for a particular instrument
Yes, the Peterson has "sweetened" tuning presets for a number of different instruments. You can store presets for different tunings, capo positions, or different instruments. This isn't as seamless to use as just known the notes you're tuning to and using in straight chromatic mode. But some people like the sweetened tunings.
you can make one note ???????
Glad I went with the polytune
The Polytune is very nice. To me the "needle" behavior has an unnatural response to it due to the algorithm they use to keep it from wavering around. Coming from something like the Boss, I couldn't adjust. But people who start with the Polytune tend to prefer the smoother behavior that it yields. It all comes down to personal preference.
Can you just leave the foot pedal on the whole time you're playing ?
Yes you can. The Peterson has a monitoring mode that allows for this. The Boss tuners have a separate jack labelled "bypass", which will not mute the signal when the tuner function is engaged.
he’s just roasting the strobo. ahaha
Right? And it's the best one!
Very good review here. I just ordered my StroboStomp, waiting for Amazon to deliver it. Wished I'd have watched your vid first, mighta rethought my choice for tuning only my basses, fretted, fretless, 4-5 strings, standard tuning only.
Really doubt I will ever utilize all its' features but mainly wanted it for the large readout that my other tuners don't give me. I like my clip on tuners but no mute function. So hope I can make good use of the StroboStomp tuner pedal. Some Amazon discount pricing and no interest payments helped make my choice too. ;>) peace, e.
Thanks for the comment. I think you'll like the Strobostomp. It has a few annoyances, but is a nice tuner overall and it's the one to buy if you want a big readable display. Enjoy!
I've always used a true bypass tuner at the end of the chain to be able to shut everything down. I still do, but I've also added a Polytune 3, always on and buffered at the front. I had a big noise problem with the Robo doing the same thing, but the "sweetened" tuning was fantastic! What a shame. Works great. The T.C. and the Peterson have a better buffers than Boss.
Just write the serial number on the tuner.
Jason Lovi Thanks for the suggestion. This is what I did with mine (with a laser label maker). But it’s expecting a lot from us as musicians. Haha.
@@fiveightandten - I cut out the label and reglued it in the middle, (it also bears the bypass/buffer/monitor switching markings, of course). I don't need full coverage of velcro. It is quite ridiculous though.
Forgot to mention...getting the Velcro to stick. Same problem, couldn't get it to stick. I took some sandpaper and roughed up the surface of the rubber and sprayed some Scotch 77 aerosol adhesive on the back of the Velcro. It's an adhesive used to glue foam together. So far it's working, I rarely take my pedals off the board so I don't know how well it would stand up to repeated removal from the board.
Thanks, that's good info. Taking the rubber off wasn't a deal breaker for me. I just wish they didn't put the serial number on that pad! The spray adhesive method will be good for people to know. Cheers.
Serial number is on the box.
I’ve had this problem with mine. Seems sensible to save the serial number on your phone first. Or print it off & tape it to the side of the tuner.
I hate blue leds on anything. They are too bright. Even on bypass indicators. If I don't want to get blinded, I have to paint them with a permanent black marker.
You can set the pedal to monitor mode and have the screen all the time. Doesn't that eliminate the lag?
Adrian Gutierrez Unfortunately, it does not. The lag is due to the bypass switching, and not related to the display. However, Peterson just released a firmware update that supposedly reduces the switching lag (for monitoring and buffer bypass modes only). I plan on downloading it soon.
@@fiveightandten Ah dang that blows, I was about to switch to this one from the ST-300. I'll probably just keep the one I have now.
Great catch on the bypass lag! What Firmware version were you on with the StroboStomp HD for this review? It looks like they updated FW on December 11 a few days after you posted this review and I wonder if the latest version has fixed that issue? Unfortunately the release notes just say "Bug fixes". ;-( - I'm still going to buy one but clearly Peterson should have beta tested with working guitarists a bit more. I suppose the lag could have even been introduced by one of the first few updates as well.
I was on 1.0.24 at the time of the review, and still am. Thanks for the reminder! I will update and see if the current firmware has any affect on the switching lag. It's probably not likely, but worth a try for sure. Thanks for watching and for the comment.
@@fiveightandten soo.... have you updated the firmware? did it do any good regarding those issues?
pieroog I updated the firmware. Unfortunately there was no change in the switching lag.
Can confirm, even the newest Peterson's still have that lag.
@@thomaskendrick6766 I bought a Stomp HD, exchanged it for a TC tuner and then bought another Stomp HD and sold the TC 🤪
boss pack your bags there's a new pedal in town the Peterson I like this pedal it really works
Wasa is the best !
Th laag isnt important on peterson...2 sec when you play live isnt important...i have boss TUI-2 and it sucks...it dont put the guitar in tune correctly...l
Why not just switch around the displays of the boss pedals?
Yiiho Ahrii Believe me, I’ve looked at it. The Waza is all SMD construction and it’s just not feasible.
Fuck that Peterson tuner.
The fact that the configuration tool is a webpage somewhere that relies on a serial number on a sticker a lot of people are gonna remove is a total deal-breaker for me. Fuck that shit. 2 years down the line, they take the webpage down or it stops working because some browser update of the week decides to break it and Peterson doesn't fix it. Now you have a fancy tuner pedal with a shitty and wrong configuration you drunkenly loaded in the night before the site goes down.
The build quality and engineering looks flat out DUMB on that pedal. It's very easy to break the display by stepping on it in the dark. Oof, there goes your fancy tuner. What's that? LCD replacement is a bitch because no spare parts? What's that? Gear guys can't even fix your tuner WITH spare parts because interfacing replacement displays is impossible without PCB rework skills?
Yeah nah, fuck that. I'll stick with 'dumb' tuners that have some $0.60 PIC microcontroller instead of an entire $5 ARM processors. I am so done with 'smart' stuff, it ain't even funny. It's the same with modeling amps! They have entire computers in them and there's no way you can fix that unless you're a computer guy like I am and want to reverse engineer an entire operating system for 3 weeks just to get your gear back. God knows those expensive processors are made with even tinier transistors that are ever more vulnerable to even the most trivial levels of ESD!
Repeat after me: Good equipment is high quality and simple, recessed controls are part of that.
Why do you need a switch on the inside to switch between buffered/true-bypass? Why can't you just have two outputs like the other pedals? Or a $1 switch on the top/outside? It's all because businesses rather save money when building the unit than deal with labor costs of wiring switches. Microcontrollers and displays are cheaper. And when buyers don't see this? The market breaks because manufacturers can keep getting away with it and EVERYONE ends up with shitty gear.
Do yourself a favor: Buy simple and high-quality hardware. It'll last a lifetime.
I agree 100%. This is the classic case of form over function. Hide all the switches so that the unit looks stylish. The heck with that! The person that ok'ed the release of this product should be fired immediately and never to touch any design in his life because clearly he failed usability class in college. You know what else bothers me? The stupid boss encoder dial they put on br-80 multieffect unit and I can't even tell you how many times I had the unit opened up and cleaned. Then it breaks down couple days later again. I heard the same is happening with fender's lt25 digital amp. In the case of the boss br80, the unit is unusable with the problematic encoder because there is no other way to set the parameter values. It would be nice if they gave you other option to change the params but they don't. I agree with what you said about the web interfaces as well. I too try to stay away from digital disposable products as much as possible. People playing keyboards can tell you all about burnt out lcd displays and can't find replacement. The sounds are in the box, you just can't access them.
1/2 second lag? Real world problems. Lots of your gripes are not the problem of the tuner they are problems of personal taste.
Alembicguy Rides Again Thanks for the comment. As this is a review, the purpose is to pick out faults that I notice and point out the the strengths as well. I did that, and you now get to take that info and decide what parts are important to you.
If the gripes I pointed out are not concerning to you, it looks like you’ve found 2 tuners you would be happy with. I can recommend either one.
For some styles many people use the tuner as a killswitch. Mid song tuning too.
@@Lavabug was about to say this. I used my korg pitch black for this very reason.
100% accurate comment. My futuristic, super customizable Peterson pedal strobo tuner with a large LCD screen has a slight lag too. But I never noticed until I watched this video.
I get it you don't like the Peterson
richard weidner I love the Peterson. It’s on my main board and it’s a great tuner.
@@fiveightandten oh, ok
I have an older Peterson and think it's the bomb