D'Addario NS Micro Soundhole Tuner for Acoustic Guitar

Browncoats Unite!

July 18, 2026

Works with Taylor GS Mini if you position it correctly

Wanted a dedicated tuner for my Taylor GS Mini, and considered one of the types that installs into the side of the guitar body. Not really needing a preamp, I decided to look at other options and decided to try this. Tuner is small and lightweight, but it seems to work well. At first I didn’t think it would work with my GS Mini due to the style of the bracing. After playing the location of the tuner, I found it fits well in the 2 o’clock position in the sound hole, and it’s still easy to use. Assuming it holds up over time, this is a great little tuner for my guitar.

Great little tuner, with a few caveats

I really like this little tuner. You install it in the soundhole of an acoustic guitar so it is always there when you need it. It is very discrete - only a tiny bit of it is visible to your audience, especially if you have a black pickguard. As for the tuning, it works well and reliably. I like that it auto-shuts off, saving battery.

A few downsides you might want to consider:

It is held in place with a clip. If you plan on taking it in and out of different guitars, you will risk breaking the clip. I’d recommend installing in a guitar and leaving it there. If you want a tuner to use on multiple acoustic guitars, you might be better off with a Snark-style tuner.

The clip applies pressure to hold onto the soundhole, and it can leave a little mark on the soundhole wood. Something to keep in mind if you have a really valuable guitar.

The clip on mine lost a bit of its grip over time. If it falls out, it risks breaking. I added a little Loctite mounting putty to hold it in place - it isn’t visible, and it solved the problem for me.

Excelente

Muy buena cálida y precio

Michael

April 10, 2026

Glitches and Doesn’t Fit!

Out of the box this tuner does not work. I tried installing new batteries and still the display glitches out. Would NOT buy this model again. The D’Addario model that clips behind the headstock works perfectly as I own three. Figured I would try the acoustic version. Nope, doesn’t work and doesn’t even properly clip in the sound hole on my ovation. Don’t waste your money on this one…

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Works great

The Sound hole has stronger vibrations than the headstock. Thus, the tuner can pickup notes quicker. That's especially true of the low E string. It will fall off if there's not enough room to clip onto the thin wood near the soundhole.

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Well worth it!

This is by far the most convenient and accurate tuner I’ve ever used!

Reacts with Nitro finishes! Not “non-marring” as described.

I loved these tuners until I learned the “non marring soundhole clip” will react with the nitro finish on your guitar and leave a permanent mark. I asked D’Addario support and was told there is a warning on the tiny packaging (see photo), and that the tuner should only be attached to the guitar when playing, then removed - it should not be left on. That’s not in the description, not in the instruction sheet, and clearly not practical. Those who own one can tell you that installing/uninstalling can be tricky with the strings on. It’s easy to lose the tuner in the soundhole. I don’t think many people are installing/removing every time they pick up their guitar. It’s a bummer because this is otherwise a five star product.

It’s small. Discrete and works well

Small and out of the way

I have an Ovation. No clip-on tuners seem to fit the Ovation headstock.

This model works but the bracing in the sound hole is in the way of a 6 o'clock position but fits a 7o'clock position and works just fine. D'Addario also makes another guitar tuner that is a headstock slip-on type but the best location is near the sixth string E tuner.

Fit fine

Just started using this so not sure if longevity but fits my 1951 000-18 Martin solidly. As you can see in the photo the wood is worn but tuner stays in place and works, has pads on top to protect guitar and small spring lever to hold in place from inside. Tunes great, stays in place, easy to turn off and on. Did not seem particularly flimsy, perhaps others have had trouble on thicker wood. Neat to have it always there, straight out of the case or in the stand.

Loose fit? Make a cardboard shim.

When I received this tuner about 20 minutes ago, I had the same problem others had. I would press the power button and it would slip around. The fit was not very tight. Also, my low B string (it's a baritone guitar) wouldn't register very well. I had to hit the B rather hard to get it to track. So to fix this, I tightened the fit by using the cardboard that came with the tuner to create a shim to go between the guitar body and the clip. (See pictures.) I cut it to the shape of the clip so that it's not very visible unless you really look. The tightened fit also made the low B track better thanks to better transmission of the vibration from the clip to the peizo electric sensor.

To me this seems like an understandable problem. They had to design the tuner to fit a wide range of guitars and some guitars have thicker tops than others. They had to accommodate the thickest possible top. If I were them, I would include some pre-made shims in the packaging for this circumstance. Then people would have nothing to complain about. But even then, it is a very easy problem to fix if you are creative and handy.

Great tuner, if only the battery stayed in….

I purchased two of these for two of my acoustic guitars and in under one year of very light home use and occasional jams with friends, the battery retaining clips broke off. I hadn’t even replaced the battery yet! I’m very disappointed because I really liked this tuner. I’m hoping I can use a rubber band to hold the battery in place, otherwise it’s junk.

Peter S. Shenkin

April 11, 2023

Love it, but doesn't fit all guitars; read this for a hack that worked for me

I got two of these for two different guitars. One has a thinner top than the other and on that one, there was not enough spring pressure to hold the tuner on. I was able to increase the spring pressure by taping a toothpick in place under the spring (see photo). It's a round toothpick, tapered toward the end, and placing the spring half-way up the taper applied just enough pressure. The tuner fits onto the guitar perfectly now and the tuning functionality is not compromised. The tape is applied so as to be invisible in use. So my 5-star rating includes the use of this hack. See photo for how I did this.

'MICRO' means 'LITTLE'

This D'Addario Micro Soundhole Tuner is exactly as described, a MICRO soundhole tuner. It's very small but it sits in the soundhole without slipping and also recognizes each note quickly. When I first opened the box I thought a piece was missing because there is no cover for the battery, but my real disadvantage is the 'micro' part; I can't read the screen without my glasses and I don't always have my glasses with me when I'm playing or noodling around. The screen on this tuner is only 1 3/4 inch x 5/16 inch (4.44 cm x 0.79 cm). I can see the screen well enough to see which note is pictured I can't see the bars that indicate if the note is flat or sharp. That is not a complaint against the operation of this tuner because it is, after all, a 'micro' tuner, so I expected it to be small and it wouldn't be fair to remove any stars because it is exactly as described. On the plus side it's nearly invisible when in the soundhole and it takes a common battery (CR2032). I can also see how it would be a great fit in a ukulele. Even though this tuner is too micro for me it does what it's supposed to do and it looks like it does it well but I take one star off due to the lack of a battery cover.

Won’t work on Taylor v-class

There’s probably nothing wrong with the operation of the tuner. The problem is anyone that owns a Taylor V class with the V bracing, it interferes with the tuner ,so the tuner will not attached to the sound hole. I have other guitars that it fits, so I will not be returning it.

The most amazing tuner for my Mitchell acoustic

This little baby is amazing! It slides on and fits my three favorite acoustic guitars perfectly. I never have to worry if I've forgotten my tuner or if it has fallen off the headstock when I travel. Those who say it doesn't fit and slides off, sorry about that, but The thickness of the wood must be the problem. There's thousands of styles, cuts, and dimensions out there, it's bound not to fit perfectly on all of em. If I had that problem, I'd find a way to make it work because the ease of use and convenience of this little tuner is worth the hassle. I have taken heed to the photos that show the tuner broken in pieces and am sure to slide the tuner on, and remove it, at a straight angle. I have dropped it inside the guitar before which is a pain, but am now just more careful how I handle it when removing it to replace the battery. I wouldn't keep removing often to switch between instruments. It's too much moving around. Get one for each guitar. Honestly, the best tuner I've ever used. Note: I've contacted the people at D'Addario when I've had problems with products in the past. They've always made it right. Wouldn't hurt to give them a call if you have an issue

NeoPrototype

April 9, 2021

Excellent Tuner Fits Perfectly

I wasn't completely sure about getting this tuner, particularly with the complaints and video someone else posted. Especially the video showing that the clip doesn't fit, if you have one of those acoustic guitars that is over-braced then you should consider that before getting it and then complaining that it doesn't fit. I use this on my Classical and it fits a bit tight which is perfect because the metal piece holding it is a bit flexible that you can re-adjust. I also use it for my Mexican instruments that have a higher action, different sized sound holes and a lot of monkey strumming; the tuner always stays in place. I like it so much that I will have to order 3 more. I still like my other D'Addario adjustable clip ones but these blend into my rosette and don't intrude on the peghead of the instrument.

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Small and out of the way but accurate!

This small little tuner is discreetly nestled in the sound hole so you can easily access it for quickly checking your tuning. Uses a small flat battery which lasts a long time. Is very accurate as well.

Coexists with Fishman Matrix-VT Enhance Electronics

Compatibility with Fishman Matrix-VT Enhance electronics: Depending on your guitar's bracing, you might not be able to fit this tuner along side the "Enhance" wheel of the Matrix-VT system. Lucky for me it just barely fits, while allowing good access to the power button. (Access to the calibration button is obscured, but I don't foresee using that button.)

The tuner itself: The tuner works fantastically well. And I like the minimalist aesthetic! Can't say, yet, about its durability. But it seems quite secure – doesn't move around when pressing the power button.

Perfect!

I read all the reviews about it not fitting snug (you can bend metal back clip to tighten grip on soundhole), breaking the clip and not fitting Taylor V braced models etc. I made the leap anyway. Installed it on my lefty Taylor 717e builders edition and haven’t had one issue. Stays put. Doesn’t damage the finish and Easy on/off power button access. Had to move it from 6 o’clock to 7-8 o’clock position due to v bracing but hasn’t fell off, or even moved and it’s been in and out of case to and from gigs. I play mostly rhythm strumming with pick and again, no issues at all with hitting it or interference with play. I recommend it. Actually bought one for my buddy’s right handed Taylor limited edition sinker redwood 914ce. Same deal with him. Can’t beat price and accuracy. If it breaks tomorrow, I’ll buy another one. Worth every cent.

Indispensable

I now have one of these on all my acoustic guitars and ukuleles, as well as on my mandolin. This tuner is very accurate and easy to use. I love the fact that the tuner is very discreet (as you can see in the photos) and stays on the instrument, as opposed to the tuners that clamp on the headstock, that you usually have to remove when putting the instrument in it's case. I'm a big fan of D'Addario products. You will feel even better about buying a D'Addario accessory if you take the time to learn about the D'Addario Foundation and the way they give back to the music community, in addition to their support for music education.

Steplander

June 11, 2019

Doesn’t stay put. Not designed correctly for sound hole

The idea is great. The price is right.

The design is wrong.

It installs in a second but if you try to turn it on , you risk having it fall out from the lightest pressures

In fact the power button is in a spot that if you press, the device will fall out of the hole before it will turn on .

Not a good design. But it was a great idea.

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mdisher

November 10, 2018

Awesome little unobtrusive Tuner.

It's smaller than I thought it would be which is GREAT. Uses a simple CR2032 battery, of which it shipped with one.

Simply sits in the sound hole, foam keeps it in place. Super nice not to have to clip it on the head stock, or have a tuner that you have to put on/take off, forget to take off, smash with your case, or leave behind somewhere.

Needs to NOT be touching any internal bracing, I didn't get good results when it was, but moving it just a bit and it works as expected. I'll add these to ALL my acoustics that don't have a tuner in them already. It's simply too convenient.

Non-marring, not permanent, easy to remove. Photos are tuner used in my Larrivee Parlor Guitar.

Love it.

The clip broke.

I bought 2 on March 15th, one of them is fine, the other put into another guitar and never taken out of that guitar broke . The tuner developed a crack and fell into the body during a performance. The tuner sometimes will not respond to the low strings (E/A), I just hit a harmonic at the 12th fret and it is fine. Love the concept, easy to see, accurate, put it in the guitar and when you need it it's there(well mostly).

Tom Dixon

October 11, 2017

Awesome little tuner!

This little tuner is perfect for anyone with an acoustic guitar without an on board tuner. I've used clip on tuners that attach to the head stock, but they look cheesy. This is barely noticeable and incredibly accurate.

The only possible downside I could see would be if you use some kind of sound hole cover to reduce feedback. This would not work in that case.

Broken Sound Hole Tuners,

Not happy. Four out of the five broke the clip that holds it into the sound hole. The clip just bent back to far, seemed it was slightly too small or tight for the acoustic guitars. I have four units that cannot be fitted as promised. Needs to be re-designed. Waste of money the way they are. What do I do to return them and get a refund. Leo Klein.

Durability issues

This is a very nice and practical tuner, small and very easy to read. I used it with a Taylor 470 in the hole all the time. I had two issues:

1. The durability of the plastic clip is very poor. It did not last more than a month using the tuner twice a week. Now it is useless

2. It struggles capturing the low E string.

The cost to return the item is higher than the purchase price, so I guess I will look for other brand or other options

Dorayme

January 18, 2017

Great for Ukulele

This tuner is very inconspicuous in my concert ukulele. I have used two of the micro clip on NS tuner with our guitars and loved the performance for about a year. When I got a uke, I needed a dedicated tuner since I don't always play the instruments at the same time. I thought this may be better scaled with the smaller instrument and as good as the micro. I'm definitely not disappointed. It is easy for me to see, yet mostly Indetectable to others. The display is bright, which will help in low lighting. It's weight is negligible, but inside the instrument, it doesn't affect the balance as a headstock tuner might. It is easy to use, not confusing at all. I hope it holds up at the clip part and lasts.

ETA: two weeks and it's going strong. I ordered a second for a sopranino uke!

ETA2: clip still great a month in, while this tuner works well, I have noticed that if I'm percussive in my playing, or the uke gets tipped over while in it's case, that thi tuner slips off the lip of the sound hole and down into the body of my ukulele. I would not recommend for a child for this reason.

Carlo Verdi

December 14, 2016

Poorly made, NS Micro Clip-on tuners are better!

Unbelievable, the tab that holds the tuner in place broke off while I was placing it in the sound hole. This tuner is made of is extremely fragile plastic. I bought this about three weeks ago and there's no mention of a guarantee or warranty, so I guess I'm out fifteen bucks. I almost ordered two more, glad I didn't. I bought this tuner for two reasons; 1. The D'Addario brand, and 2. I really liked the idea of a tuner in the sound hole of the guitar instead of the headstock where I usually place them, also it's easier to see and practically hidden from outside view. On the other hand, I have more than six D'Addario NS Micro Clip-On Tuners which up till now have worked great. I have only had to change batteries after a lot of use on three acoustic and five electric guitars. These are much better in quality and although they cannot be installed in the sound hole of your acoustic guitar, you will not be frustrated and disappointed on making a money losing purchase on a very poorly made D'Addario NS Micro Sound Hole Tuner. For these NS Micro Clip-On Tuners I paid $23.24 for a two pack back in April of this year and later in July $19.75 for the same two pack. You cannot go wrong with these.

CJ🐬

May 8, 2016

Finally, a tuner that doesn't look like a vice grip on your headstock!

BTW - This review is listed as a review of a free product, but I've purchased two of these since first trying out the sample product... and I will be buying one for each new ukulele or guitar I buy from now on! These tuners are perfect in every way!!!

ORIGINAL REVIEW: I've been using D'Addario Micro Tuners on the headstocks of my guitars and ukes since they came out a couple of years ago, and as discreet as they are, they still look like a gadget hanging on the end of the neck. This tuner fits in the soundhole and the only thing that shows is a small piece of black plastic about the size of a dime cut in half. I was happy to discover that, not only is it very discreet, but it doesn't get in the way of my playing at all, as you can see in the video. When the Micro headstock tuner came out I ordered a case of them so I could put them on all of my instruments (I actually only have four instruments, but I knew that I would end up giving a bunch of them away to friends so I needed extras.) Now I'm going to have to replace those with this new soundhole tuner.

PS - Writing reviews has become an accidental hobby for me, and it always makes my day to know that people find my reviews helpful (and if not, why.) Also, if you have any questions, clarifications, or comments please feel free to leave a comment below. I usually respond pretty quickly and almost always within 24 hours.

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