Korg AW-1 Compact Clip-On Chromatic String and Wind Tuner

I think the other reviewers went way overboard in their crucifixion of this tuner. Yes, I admit the lack of the backlight is a little bothersome from time to time. However, this is overall a great tuner. I play bluegrass fiddle and this is the most convenient tuner EVER to attach to your fiddle. I use this tuner in jam sessions because when you are playing outside in South Georgia, the environment wreaks havoc on your intonation.

As you can imagine, many times these situations are poorly lit at best and I have had no trouble using this tuner. Once again, a backlight would be great, but even under very dim lighting, I have been able to read it.

I like it. It's small enough to fit in my case or my pocket. It's very accurate and easy to use. When clipped to my fiddle, it is not affected by the other instrument noise at all. I can be sitting next to a banjo picker on one side and a stand up bass on the other and still tune-up without any problem. Once...Read more

I first used this tuner in Seattle at Joe Vinicoe's archtop.com home store. I bought two, one for home and one for work (for a student that has to tune 40 acoustic guitars twice a week for class guitar courses at The University of British Columbia). It works equally well for acoustic and electric guitars. Quick and easy. I experience few problems with the lighting on the control panel that others have expressed; then again, I don't use it in dark settings. I have a Roland digital tuner as well, but stopped using it because the Korg is such a dream to pop on a headstock and tweak any fretted instrument. I highly recommend it--it's a great little tuner.

I've used my Korg for a couple of months now on my oboe, and I think it's great. It does have to be positioned somewhat carefully, but that's not diffult to do and is a very small price to pay for what it does. I always have it on my instrument in rehearsal (I play in the university bands at Idaho State) and now when there is a difference of opinion about pitch, I am no longer the automatic first suspect. Only once has the director called me out about pitch and that was when I had the third of the chord and didn't realize it.

I also practice with the tuner on the instrument, and it has substantially improved my playing and control of the instrument, because I now know what to aim for and how to get there. This tuner should have an "indispensable" rating, especially for intermediate level students.

The people who panned the tuner for lack of a back-light need to think a little more carefully. Battery life isn't all that long as it is, and those...Read more