Guitar Blues Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) Hi fellows, I just purchased a new Gibson ES-335 DOT in cherry red and it is very beautiful 😁. I made the mistake of buying a Silver Snark clipon tuner; the paper instructions that come with the Snark state the clipon device will damage the head coating of Gibson guitars, so I cannot use it! Is there a high-quality clipon tuner I can use for my Gibson? If not, I will have to acquire a floor model. Thank you in advance, GB Edited January 20, 2023 by Guitar Blues Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Not sure if there is a nitro-safe clip on tuner. I've used them in the past though with no ill effects, but I never left them on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) When I had Gibson electrics I left my Snarks on all the the time as my electrics were always out in stands. I never had an issue, but many have said they left tuners on for 5 mins and it left a mark. Best bet is if you use a clip on, cut up an old t-shirt and put a small piece under the foot pads. Edited January 20, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 1 minute ago, Sgt. Pepper said: When I had Gibson electrics I left my Snarks on all the the time as my electrics were always out in stands. I never had an issue, but many have said they left tuners on for 5 mins and it left a mark. Best bet is if you use a clip on, cut up an old t-shirt and put a small piece under the foot pads. I was gonna suggest that, but wouldn't the accuracy be off then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Pinch said: I was gonna suggest that, but wouldn't the accuracy be off then? I don't think so. The t-shirt material is thin, and I doubt it will affect it. I'll give it a try in bit when I get motivated, and take one of my guitars out of a case. I'll put a old peice of t-shirt under my Snark and have the super accurate Peterson on at the same time. In case you haven't seen, you can tell when someone is typing. Like RBS is typing right now. Edited January 20, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 One known nitro safe one is the Peterson Stroboclip plus it's a dam good tuner too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) 1 minute ago, kidblast said: One known nitro safe one is the Peterson Stroboclip plus it's a dam good tuner too. Yes it is accurate. I didn't know it is supposedly nitro safe, cause it seems nothing is, especially cheap jeans. Edited January 20, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) Guitar Blues, Clip it on, tune, and immediately remove the tuner, and you'll be fine. I have used a Snark for the last eight years on a Martin D-28, and a Gibson j-45, both with nitro finishes, and employing this method, haven't got any marks on the headstocks. Sgt. Pepper's suggestion is also a good one. And you can test if putting anything between the jaws of the tuner and the headstock affects the Snarks accuracy, by first tuning without the "insulation", and then by plucking each string again after mounting the "insulated " tuner. If the strings now appear to be out of tune, you'll know the "insulation" causes an accuracy problem. RBSinTo Edited January 20, 2023 by RBSinTo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 1 minute ago, RBSinTo said: Guitar Blues, Clip it on, tune, and immediately remove the tuner, and you'll be fine. I have used a Snark for the last eight years on a Martin D-28, and a Gibson j-45, both with nitro finishes, and employing this method, haven't got any marks on the headstocks. Sgt. Pepper's suggestion is also a good one. And you can test if putting anything between the jaws of the tuner and the headstock affects the Snarks accuracy, by first tuning without the "insulation", and then by plucking each string again after mounting the "insulated " tuner. If the strings now appear to be out of tuner, you'll know the "insulation" causes an accuracy problem. RBSinTo Outstanding troubleshooting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 2 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Yes it is accurate. I didn't know it is supposedly nitro safe, cause it seems nothing is, especially cheap jeans. If you ask peterson, they will suggest the pads will not harm a nitro finished head stock Besides, most of us remove them when the job is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) 3 minutes ago, kidblast said: If you ask peterson, they will suggest the pads will not harm a nitro finished head stock Besides, most of us remove them when the job is done. Sure, but I have walked out of the room, and left it on with the intent of coming back to take it off, and the wife started having me do 5 things I never intended to do and forgot about it, and it was on for hours. No mark. Edited January 20, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Sure, but I have walked out of the room and left it on with the intent of coming back to take it off, and the wife started having me do 5 things I never intended to do and forgot about it, and it was on for hours. No mark. usually hours isn't going to be the problem. leaving it on the headstock and putting the guitar in the case for a few days, (Who does THAT),, or leaving it attached and your axe is out on a stand or wall hanger,.?. then ya maybe you have a problem Edited January 20, 2023 by kidblast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Just now, kidblast said: usually hours isn't going to be the problem. leaving it on the headstock and putting the guitar in the case for a few days, (Who does THAT),, or leaving it attached and you're axe is out on a stand or wall hanger,.?. then ya maybe you have a problem My buddy had one of those really sweet SG Supream's with the Richlite fretboard. It looked like blue and white zebra stripes. I hate blue guitars and didn't have the balls to tell him its ugly, but he loved it. He had his Snark on for 5 mins and it burned a spot on the headstock. I saw it with my own two eyes. I saw the mark. I wasn't there when he did it though. I am sure he yelled for a while after he saw it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 yea new nitro is really soft. I have one such mark on my SG standard that happened when it was fairly new. the older Gibsons were not quite as sensitive to those rubber pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Experiment done with a Snark, with, and without a piece of t-shirt under it. Not a bit of difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 1 minute ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Experiment done with a Snark, with, and without a piece of t-shirt under it. Not a bit of difference. To more evenly distribute the force of the Snark's jaws and lessen the chance of marks, I'd suggest using pieces of thin cardboard cut from packaging material (like a cereal box, for example) and always placing them with the blank side against the headstock to ensure there is no print colour bleed into the finish. Again a "with-without" test should be done to ensure that tuner accuracy isn't affected. RBSinTo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Just now, RBSinTo said: To more evenly distribute the force of the Snark's jaws and lessen the chance of marks, I'd suggest using pieces of thin cardboard cut from packaging material (like a cereal box, for example) and always placing them with the blank side against the headstock to ensure there is no print colour bleed into the finish. Again a "with-without" test should be done to ensure that tuner accuracy isn't affected. RBSinTo I have no cereal boxes to cut up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Guitar Blues- your problem isn't the tuner per se - it is that your guitar is brand new. Conventional Wisdom says nitro takes a year to harden or cure. (Yeah, I know 'cure' isn't the scientifically correct term). So you need to be careful of anything that might put pressure on the finish - strap on top with case lid closed, etc. And, color can bleed in from unwashed Sears Garanimals jeans. Especially the red ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 39 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Sure, but I have walked out of the room, and left it on with the intent of coming back to take it off, and the wife started having me do 5 things I never intended to do and forgot about it, and it was on for hours. No mark. Chief, Your tale would indicate that softness of your head rather than of the nitro finish could be the problem. RBSinTo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 48 minutes ago, kidblast said: One known nitro safe one is the Peterson Stroboclip plus it's a dam good tuner too. this ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 or, just buy a decent pedal tuner ... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 3 minutes ago, Karloff said: or, just buy a decent pedal tuner ... Yeah the Boss TU-3, I had was solid, but it wont tune an acoustic with no pickup. Which all mine are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the other side Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) I use to clip my snark to one of the tuning keys for a while and then remove it after it was tuned up. It's the pressure of the clip that may cause a dent in the fresh nitro if it's a little heavier in that area. However, at all costs, I have never left it clipped to the headstock on my Hummingbird. Though I have never had a problem with a snark, I guess you could get some little felt pads from a craft store. That snark is a very sensitive tuner, More so now with the upgrade of the pivot joints. When I had an electric, I just had an inline tuner hooked up. Edited January 20, 2023 by the other side Added to comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 The OP buys a clip-on, then it's a t-shirt, cereal, a TU-3, and in five posts, a full equipped studio 😉 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I have no cereal boxes to cut up. And I had you pegged for a Fruity Pebbles kinda dude go figger Edited January 20, 2023 by kidblast 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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