Tuning your 12 strings guitar could pose a little challenging, especially if you are only used to tuning a six strings guitar. However if you can tune a six strings guitar, then be rest assured you can do the same for a 12 strings guitar. All you need is a perfect tuner.
It is often mistaken that all six strings guitar tuners can also work perfectly on a 12 strings guitar. Well, this is not always the case for all of them as some lack the level of tension a 12 strings guitar would require. Therefore, we have carefully selected the best tuner for 12 string guitar to help you in arriving at a decision.
Tuning a 12 Strings Guitar
Fortunately, keeping your 12 strings guitar in tune can be made easily. There are several ways you can tune your guitar depending on your choice of a guitar tuner. They all serve the same purpose and your choice depends only on your preference and what you intend to achieve. Some of the common ones are the chromatic tuners, roadie automatic tuners, clip-ons, and capo tuners.
Good Read – Best 12 String Acoustic Guitar Under 1000
Best Eight Tuners for a 12 Strings Guitar
If you are having difficulties making a perfect choice for your 12 strings guitar. Here is a detailed guide to help.
ROADIE 3 | Smart Automatic Guitar Tuner, Metronome & String Winder | For Electric Guitars, Acoustic Guitars, 12-String Guitars, Ukulele, Banjo, Mandolin | 100+ Alternate Tunings
Details
- Item Weight 0.008 ounces
- Product Dimensions 3.5 x 2 x 1 inches
- ASIN B08N325W3L
- Batteries 1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included)
- Color Name Black
- Battery type Lithium Ion
Description
Roadie 3 is the latest automatic instrument tuner from Roadie Music. It is compatible with almost any 12 string guitar as it helps you find your sound quickly and accurately.
Built with advanced vibration-detection technology, Roadie 3 can get you in tune even in noisy backgrounds. It also features over 150+ built-in alternate tunings to help you explore musical possibilities.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Firmware update
- Varieties of alternate tunings
- Good battery span
- Accuracy in tuning
Cons
- It may be sensitive
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KLIQ UberTuner – Professional Clip-On Tuner for All Instruments (multi-key modes) – with Guitar, Ukulele, Violin, Bass & Chromatic Tuning Modes (also for Mandolin and Banjo)
Details
- Item Weight 1.41 ounces
- Product Dimensions 1.6 x 0.5 x 1.6 inches
- ASIN B00O4L3F9E
- Item model number UberTuner
- Batteries 1 Lithium Metal batteries are required. (included)
- Battery type Lithium Polymer
Description
KLIQ UberTuner is a clip-on tuner that offers blazing fast and accurate tuning. It has a full-color display to ease usage, especially outdoors. The screen is made in a way that enables you to be able to read clearly what your tuner is displaying.
It also has a multi-point screen adjustability for the best viewing angle. This clip-on has a full hold on your instrument and it is dedicated to giving your 12 string guitar a nice tuning experience.
Pros
- Brighter screen display
- Accuracy in tuning
- Convenient to use
- Reliable
Cons
- You might need a little more time to identify the on/off switch.
Kyser Quick-Change Capo for 12-string guitars, Black, KG12B
Details
- BrandKyser
- ColorBlack
- Style12 String
- Item Weight0.15 Pounds
- Item Dimensions LxWxH6.8 x 4.5 x 0.7 inches
Description
With more strings, you need more tension and a larger body than the original Kyser Quick-Change capo. This Kyser Quick-Change capo is specifically designed for your 12 strings guitar and is built to last.
It is reliable and clearly raises the pitch of the 12 strings guitar so you can play in a different key without returning or changing fingering. Seasoned professionals and beginning players alike appreciate how the Kyser Quick-Change capo helps them transpose their 12 strings guitar in seconds, with only one hand. The beauty of the Kyser Quick-Change capo is in its simplicity.
Pros
- No Buzzing
- It has all the 12 strings covered
- Capo works perfectly
- It gives enough tension for your 12 string guitar
Cons
- You may need to learn how to open it with ease
GUITARX X5 – Clip On Tuner for All Instruments – Guitar, Violin, Chromatic, Ukulele, and Bass Tuner Modes – #1 Among Guitar Tuners – Most Advanced High-Sensitivity Sensor in The Market
Details
- Item Weight 0.8 ounces
- Product Dimensions 3.1 x 1.2 x 1.3 inches
- ASIN B00OJX7UCA
- Item model number x5
- Batteries 1 CR2 batteries required.
- Hardware Interface USB
Description
GUITARX X5 is a clip-on tuner that offers 360° angle adjustments in 2 different points and 125° tilt adjustment. It has a large full color digital display that provides excellent visibility from any angle. It works in seconds, all you need to do is to clamp the device on the headstock, and you are ready to go. No unnecessary information on the electronic screen. It works perfectly as a 12 string guitar tuner clip on.
Pros
- Ease of use
- Portable
- Switches to green when in tune
- Works greatly
Cons
- Instructions are in tiny fonts
FENXIXI Precision Tuner Guitar Effect Pedal Mini Stompbox for 6 Strings Bass 12 Strings Guitar Accessories
Details
Brand FENXIXI
Model Number Precision Tuner
Color Green
Power Supply DC adapter 9v(not included)
Detection range 12Hz to 4186Hz
INPUT 1/4 monaural jack(impedance:470）
Suit for Guitar/Bass
Dimensions 90mm(D) x 40mm(W) x 49.5mm(H)
Color: Black
Description
FENXIXI is a pedal tuner that has a wide range frequency design of being suitable for 6 strings bass and 12 strings guitar and most musical instruments. This pedal is durable, small, neat and easy to carry around. This product features a metal shell with Chromatic LED display, TRUE BYPASS footswitch.
Pros
- Clamp width can accommodate a variety of headstock width
- Improved battery
- Ease of use
Cons
- Be mindful of the nut holding the tuner to the clip.
D’Addario Guitar Capo for Acoustic and Electric Guitar – Pro Capo – Adjustable Tension – Guitar Accessories – Works for 6 String and 12 String Guitars – Metallic Grey
- Brand D’Addario Accessories
- ColorMetallic Grey
- Item Weight0.02 Kilograms
- Item Dimensions LxWxH3.75 x 0.75 x 6.93 inches
Description
The D’Addario NS Capo Pro is made from aircraft-grade aluminum for use on acoustic and electric 6 and 12 string guitars. The NS Capo Pro assures buzz-free in-tune performance at any fret.
A patented micrometer adjustment mechanism allows the player to dial in the exact tension needed for clear ringing notes without excessive force in any position on the neck.
This greatly reduces the need to retune your guitar during and after capo use. The sleek construction can withstand the toughest playing or touring schedule while adding very little additional weight or obstruction to the instrument. It is also buzz-free and available in several colors.
Pros
- Great sound
- Ease of use
- Well made
- Tension is great
Cons
- May be light weight.
Peterson StroboClip HD Clip-On Tuner | Guitar, Bass, Violin, Ukulele, Harp, Brass, Woodwind, Orchestral
Details
- Manufacturer Peterson
- Part Number 403868
- Item Weight 1.28 ounces
- Product Dimensions 2.37 x 1 x 1.75 inches
- Item model number 403868
- Batteries 1 Lithium Metal batteries required. (included)
- Color Black
- Display Style LCD
- Batteries required and included Yes
- Battery Cell Type Lithium
- Average Battery Life 24 Hours
Description
The Peterson stroboclip HD is a clip-on tuner. It is a versatile tuner that features bright high-definition screen, over 50 sweetened tunings, alternate temperaments for a vast array of string and wind instruments.
It has soft rubber-lined jaws to protect your instrument’s finish while offering a firm grip for maximum signal tracking. This updated model comes with a larger clap and raised power button.
Pros
- Speed
- Accuracy in tuning
- No lag-time in display
- Legible display
- Works greatly
Cons
- You might need to learn how to handle it
Differences Between a 6 Strings Guitar and a 12 Strings Guitar
Although the 6 and 12 string guitars are closely similar, there are some factors you can use to distinguish them.
- Number of strings: One of the major differences between these two guitars is the number of strings they possess. While the six string guitar usually has three strings on both sides, the 12 string guitar has six strings on either side.
- Tuning tension: The six string guitar needs only a moderate amount of tension to be tuned, the 12 strings, on the other hand, need more. This is one of the major reasons why not all six string guitar tuners can work on a 12 strings guitar.
- Pitch: All the strings of the six string guitar give the same level of pitch. As for the 12 strings guitar, the upper pair are higher in pitch than the lower pair. And this must be put into consideration when tuning the guitar.
Factors to Consider Before Buying a 12 Strings Guitar Tuner
Getting a tuner may appear basic, however, there are a number of things you should consider if you intend to get a perfect match.
Accuracy
This is one of the crucial things you want to consider in buying a guitar. The need for a tuner in the first place is to get your guitar in tune. Therefore, any tuner you should be considering should have the capacity to give your strings the accuracy it lacks.
Screen display brightness
You should also consider the visibility of the tuner’s screen. Without the screen display, your tuning cannot be completed. So, you should consider how bright the screen of the tuner is both indoor and outdoor.
Muting your signal
This refers to the free passage to control your guitar tuning signal. The tuner you are considering should be able to give you the freeway to mute your signal from being known to your audience.
While these are the major things you should consider, there are other things you can also look into like the ease of use, battery span, and the quality of the sound.
The Makeup of a 12 Strings Guitar
The 12 strings guitar is simply a doubled version of the six strings guitar. Every string appears in this format EE AA DD GG BB EE, with the string on top being a higher octave than the one. The 12 strings are tuned the same way as your six string guitar with each set of pairs in unison.
The lower four pairs of your 12 strings guitar play in harmony giving a chorus effect. They are slightly apart from their pair and on a different gauge. Thus, they vibrate all together melodiously.
In Which Order Should I Tune My 12 Strings Guitar?
The 12 string guitar is tuned in Ee Aa Dd Gg BB EE order. The first E A D G is tuned one octave higher while the second is tuned in a smaller gauge. You can start by first tuning your guitar to the regular E A D G B E, then from there, you can tune the lower strings.
How to Tune a 12 Strings Guitar Using a Tuner
One basic thing you need in tuning your 12 string guitar with the use of a tuner is the ability of the tuner to pick the signal of your guitar accurately. You can tune your guitar with any of the products detailed above. Whatever choice you make from the varieties does not affect the end result. Each of the tuners does the same job.
The first thing you need to do to tune your guitar with a tuner is to attach the tuner to your guitar. The clip-on tuner requires you to clip it on your guitar’s headstock, the peg tuners are attached to your guitar head pegs.
The capo is attached to the neck, and the pedal and other automatic tuners are simply attached to the guitar’s headstock. Secondly, let the tuner read the pitch of your guitar. This is done by you picking the strings one after the other to enable the tuner to pick their current pitches.
Thirdly, adjust the headstock using the tuner. And lastly, check if your guitar is in tune. The tuners often signal when tuning is completed.
Conclusion
Tuning your 12 string guitar can appear tedious at first, especially if you are trying to do it all by yourself. The fact remains that it is not as hard as it appears when you have the right tuner at hand.
All you need to do is just to get the perfect tuner for your guitar. We have however lessened your worries by detailing different brands of tuners that will get your guitar right in tune. Be sure to use any of them!
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