Peterson StroboStomp HD

this is my second StroboStomp HD. first was an early one, second one is slightly revised hardware, most notably they now include a velcro pad.

I can say that this is one of the best pedal tuners on market. when you need enough accuracy to set up your instruments, I just need a hardware strobe. Polytune, Pitchblack or anything digital is not enough accurate for this. currently two pedal tuners on the market provide a real strobe: Peterson StroboStomp HD and the Sonic Research Turbo Tuner. I chose the former, as I prefer the display.

so, what do we get:
1. a real strobe with no needle mode. it's extremely accurate and can confuse new users for a while. but you'll get used to it
2. a color display with user-changable color, visible in direct light as monochrome
3. 'sweetened tunings'. I sometimes use the GTR, but that's it (I prefer equal temperament on well set-up instruments)
4. always on mode or true/buffered bypass. I didn't have good luck with the buffer, but the true bypass is nice enough (like better than on Pitchblack Advance). true bypass is totally pop-less on engaging or disengaging
5. power doubler, so you can daisy-chain another pedal. I don't use this, but big chassis allows it. same for battery operation
6. USB connectivity: update firmware and set some custom settings I never yet used
7. want your reference A to be 432Hz? no problem, it will save it upon power off (Korg, I'm looking at you!) want it to be 400 or 490Hz? or 444.4? again no problem
8. want it to display string numbers, not notes? not a problem. want to transpose? again not a problem. want it to display Bb instead of A#? again not a problem

it might have too many features, I'm actually using very few of them, but very happy of everything I use. and let me repeat myself: if you want to set up your intonation, you need only a hardware strobe tuner, accept no substitutes!

stroboscopic tuners can be frustrating for many users - they are almost always in movement, with no reassuring green zero point. i always tune my stringed instruments slightly ahead of that zero point, so for my taste strobos are the most intuitive tools.

i already had the peterson in plugin and clip form, and a sonic research st 200 pedal, that looks and feels much more utilitarian and basic.
the strobostomp has a very elegant and classy look and feel, with lots of options (some of them are purely cosmetic, like screen colour, but there's a whole lot of "sweetened" tuning systems for all kinds of different instruments, the option to keep the stroboscopic meter always on, to mute audio, to bypass the signal and so on), all within a comfortable interface.

the only downside (but it's a very, very relative one) is that it doesn't engage instantly, like most pedals, but after a "booting time" slightly longer than half a second, like a small digital processor. that's probably why someone would prefer to leave the pedal always running.
it doesn't bother me at all, anyway.

This tuner really does offer a wast amount of options, most of us will never use 5% of them, but you can choose many tunings for different instruments, tweak them, change the colour of the display for different modes, change the way the tuner let's the signal trough, ... just amazing. The strobe style tuning and the screen (and casing) size really are very good. Built sturdy and looks good on a pedalboard, but the tuner is a second unit as I returned the first one because of a snapped power jack plug which surprised me as I really did not do that much plugging and unplugging, probably a production flaw.
So to conclude, everything is really good, tuning is really a breeze and accuracy is top notch, a pleasure to use, I would just wish for an even thicker acrylic screen (it already is very good, but it would not hurt if it were half a millimeter or a millimeter thicker, just to be tank like all around) and be careful when plugging and unplugging - therefore I gave it 4 stars for the quality. The price is also bit on the pricey side compared to other tuners, but I think it is worth it.

Easy to use, have all the functions I needed, like set tuning in either sharps or flats, you can go low and still pick up just fine, same with bass guitar, if intonation etc is right, It will display the chord root instantly, display customization ads up to the whole making it not just super-useful but also quite cool. It takes a bit to get used to the up/down motion of the tuning wheel display but it becomes really intuitive an natural once you get it, up = sharper, down = flatter, easy AF. And the display is big and visible from far, but it will disappear of your sight if there's too much of an angle, like sitting down on a sofa a few meters away, but you just need to have it lifted from the back, but if you are standing you will never encounter any angled visibility issue, specially in darker conditions.
I Just love it, best tuner I've ever tried.