D'Addario Eclipse Head Stock Tuner Review

When I bought my latest multi-effects pedal there were things I liked and things I disliked. One of those dislikes was the built-in tuner. It didn't feel modern and I couldn't tune my guitar as fast as I would have liked. I also didn't feel the sense of accuracy that I felt with the built-in tuner on my previous multi-effects pedal. So, I decided to get a separate tuner. At first, I considered getting a typical standard size tuner. But, I later decided that it might be best to get a headstock tuner.

My first thought was to get a Snark tuner like the ones that I would see in YouTube videos. But, I changed my mind when I discovered that it wasn't constructed well. I found that it is one of the best tuners available with good electronics. But, users have often complained about the durability of these tuners. They have complained about pieces breaking off when these tuners were swiveled or moved too many times.

This is what can happen to a Snark Tuner over time.

Having decided that I would skip the Snark tuner I had a better idea of what I wanted. I wanted something that had the electronics of a Snark tuner with the bonus of having better durability. I also wanted something that had the speed and accuracy of my previous multi-effects pedal the Zoom G1.

After searching for a while I selected a tuner that I believed had these characteristics. I selected the D'Addario/Planet Waves Eclipse headstock tuner.

Characteristics

The D'Addario tuner is two inches long and about one inch wide. It comes with a button style CR2032 battery and has a full-color display. It can be calibrated from 430 to 450Hz. It can be swiveled multiple angles and can be mounted on the front or back of the headstock. It also has a feature designed to save battery life. It will turn off automatically after 10 minutes of inactivity. It comes in black, blue, green, purple, red, and yellow.

My Experience with the D'Addario/Planet Waves Tuner

When I bought this tuner I was concerned that the grip area wouldn't be rubberized enough. In photos, it looked like other brands had better guitar protection in the grip area than this tuner. But, my mind was put at ease once it arrived and I opened the package. After inspecting it I could see that it was rubberized enough and that my guitar wouldn't be damaged. It seems that the rubberized area was designed to blend in with the rest of the tuner.

Once I examined the tuner and installed the battery I was ready to clip it on to my guitar. Most people will usually clip these types of tuners in the front area of the headstock. I decided that I wanted to make mine less visible and I installed it on the back of my headstock. After that, I adjusted it to get just the right angle.

After adjusting the angle I was ready to test out this tuner. Once I pressed the power button I found that visibility was good. The display and the results were easy to see and I could have even tuned my guitar in the dark if I had to. Nothing seemed to affect visibility. I didn't notice any dimness or glare when I tested this under normal household lighting conditions.

Once I started the tuning process I realized I made a wise decision. One of my goals was to get the speed and accuracy that I had with the tuner on my Zoom G1. With this tuner, I was able to accomplish this goal. It functions just as well and is slightly better than the tuner on my Zoom G1. It has similar electronics to the Snark tuner and I feel confident that I have something with more durability. It's also an easy to understand tuner and it can tune very quickly. It didn't come with instructions like my previous tuners but I didn't feel like it was needed.

Durability

After examining it online, I chose this tuner over the Snark tuner because it seemed like it was made better. So far, this seems to be true. After examining it and seeing it in person I felt confident (as I mentioned earlier) that it will be more durable. The moving parts seem stronger and more secure than the moving parts on the Snark tuner.

Overall

This is a tuner for those who are looking for a color display and simplicity. It's accurate and will allow you to tune quickly. So far, I am glad I bought it. I would even buy it again if I needed to. It is a very valuable tool that is worth adding to your arsenal.

The rubberized area won't cause damage

Low E sharp

Low E flat

Low E in tune

In total darkness.

Low Tension Tremolo Springs

After buying a guitar some guitarists will leave the tremolo arm in the box and never use the tremolo system. But, when I bought my latest guitar I decided to do the opposite. I decided to give my tremolo system a try. I also decided that I would evaluate my tremolo system over time and decide if it was worth using.

Currently, I am still evaluating. But, there was something that I noticed when I begin this process. I noticed that when I saw others use their tremolo systems it always looked effortless. Like there was little to no resistance. I saw this with Floyd Rose and vintage style tremolos. During that time I wondered how this was being accomplished. I tried adjusting the screws on the claw. But, I couldn't seem to get the effortless movement that I saw others achieve. Plus I was limited by how far I could loosen the screws on the claw. I didn't want to risk the screws coming out when I used the tremolo.

So, I had the idea that springs with lower tension might be available. When I begin my search I found that there were generic, black, red, and noiseless tremolo springs available. A few of them hinted at having lower tension in their descriptions but there was no way to be sure. So, I continued to research.

After some time I discovered a set of springs that gave a stronger hint that they might have less tension. I discovered Raw Vintage tremolo springs. After this discovery and researching a little more I decided to take a chance.

My Experience With Raw Vintage Tremolo Springs

Within minutes of getting the springs, I begin the process of installing them. So, I got my screwdriver, opened the back panel, and removed the old springs with my pliers. Then I opened the package containing the new springs.

Once the springs were out of the package I begin installing them. When I begin to install the first spring I noticed something. I notice that I was able to install the spring without my pliers. So, I finished installing the rest in the same way. I decided to install all five springs. I wanted to try five first to see how my tremolo would perform and then I would remove one or two if needed.

After all five springs were installed I got a second indicator that these springs had lower tension. With all springs installed I found that my bridge was raised. Not slightly but enough to where I had to tighten the screws on the claw. I only had three springs installed before these and my bridge rested on the body of the guitar with no gap.

With all the new springs in place and the screws on the claw tightened I begin to test out my tremolo. After pushing down on the tremolo arm I noticed a difference right away. But, I felt that I had to adjust the screws on the claw again. So, I loosened them a little. After making the adjustment I felt satisfied. My tremolo arm was even easier to push down and it felt more responsive and flexible. I also found that I was able to get the sounds that I wanted with a smaller range of motion. With the old springs, I had to push down further to get the same effect.

I wasn't able to quite get the effortless movement that saw others achieve. But, this was by choice. To achieve and even lighter feel I have found that I would have had to do more than just remove a spring. I would have also had to adjust the screws on the claw until my bridge was lifted off the body so that it was in what some call the floating position. Doing these things would have required me to adjust my action. Originally, before I knew my action would be effected I was willing to make any adjustments necessary. But, I felt that my action was just right and I didn't want to adjust it again. But, I am still satisfied. My tremolo arm is much easier to push down and it's more responsive.

New Raw Vintage Springs

Is There And Improvement In Sound Too?

Some have said that these springs improved certain elements of their sound but I haven't noticed a change in my guitar. My Jackson JS22 sounds just as good as it did when I had my original springs installed. It hasn't decreased or increased the quality of sound.

Overall

If you are looking for low tension tremolo springs Raw Vintage springs would be a good choice. They were never advertised as having lower tension but it's noticeable almost right away. I have no regrets and I am glad I bought them.