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I recently purchased a used Taylor 214ce-SB DLX. Since Taylor guitars do not come with an on-board tuner, I’m looking for a way to discreetly place a tuner somewhere on the guitar, and a potential solution is inside the soundhole, using something such as the Korg RP-C1 Rimpitch Chromatic Acoustic Guitar Tuner. The problem is that I’d rather not have the clip showing on the front of the guitar’s body.

So, I’m wondering if it would be safe to attach the tuner to the inside of the body near the soundhole using Command Picture Hanging Strips (or something similar, preferably with velcro).

Is there any chance of a Command strip damaging the wood? Considering that I’d be using it on a guitar and not a wall, would using the proper removal method be safe if I’d end up needing to completely remove the tuner? (Also, is there any chance of installing a tuner in the way that I’ve described having a negative effect on the guitar’s tone?)

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Based on a long history of using industrial-grade self-adhesive velcro [I kid you not] & comparing that to 'what is needed so you can remove an adhesive without damaging wallpaper'

It will fall off in the first 5 minutes of use.

Avoid.

To better explain...
The 'no damage wallpaper' system relies on the force being vertical to a long strip of very poor adhesive - no movement, no off-axis force.
First time you pull in the 'wrong' direction, it will come unstuck... intentionally.
Good for wallpaper, not good for your performance.

Trying to fish your rattling tuner out of the guitar mid-gig is not going to be amusing for anyone except the audience ;-)

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  • In that case, is there any type of adhesive that you might recommend that would work better?
    – 1dareu2mov3
    Commented Apr 11, 2018 at 17:23
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    You changed the ref tuner in your question, but I'd say 'just use the clip mechanism it was designed with'.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Apr 11, 2018 at 17:32
  • What do you think about installing the D’Addario Clip-Free Tuner (amzn.to/2qp35Oi) using a velcro Command strip instead of a screw (I think that my Taylor’s tuning machines don’t have screws in the rear, so I wouldn’t be able to install it the normal way)? That way, I wouldn’t have to worry about putting something inside the soundhole, and it would be potentially easy to remove the tuner (because Command strips are removable) if I ever needed to. I also think that that tuner would be light enough (it’s just 1.28oz) to not come unstuck eventually.
    – 1dareu2mov3
    Commented Apr 12, 2018 at 0:02
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Do NOT put any velcro strips on the sound board or you risk darkening the sound and reducing your sustain.

If I were you, I'd just get a snark tuner and clip it on the head stock. They're great. Highly visible, responsive, and you don't have to mar your guitar. Also, you can keep the tuner if you ever sell the guitar.

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  • It’s interesting that you say that. I ended up ordering the Shadow Sonic Tuner (amzn.to/2qpp4o5), which mounts using velcro. In various places online, people have given it good reviews, with no mentions (that I’ve seen) of it affecting the sound or sustain at all. Plus, Epiphone has a special offering that tuner for free during its ”Epiphone Acoustic Month” (bit.ly/2Ht8VoY), so it seems like whoever made the decision to introduce that special doesn’t share your concerns. Could you explain more about how mounting a tuner with velcro would have any actually noticeable effects?
    – 1dareu2mov3
    Commented Apr 11, 2018 at 23:00
  • I just found a post on Acoustic Guitar Fourm that specifically mentions how mounting with velcro ”has negligible effect on top vibration” (bit.ly/2JBchaa). Obviously, the poster is just a random guitar player posting in an online forum. Still, I’m intrigued that the claim basically directly contradicts what you said. I’ll be quite interested to hear what you have to say in terms of how the velcro would be detrimental! (I’ll also be asking a guitar technician about this when I go in for a setup once the guitar arrives in the mail.)
    – 1dareu2mov3
    Commented Apr 11, 2018 at 23:10
  • Operative words are noticeable and negligible. I cannot imagine defiling my Martin w/velcro or tape on the soundboard. But I'm just a random guitar player posting in an online forum too. The sound of an acoustic guitar comes primarily from the vibration of the soundboard and attaching anything weighing 2.4 ounces seems like it'll dampen the vibrations. That shadow tuner is WAY over priced IMHO and it seems silly to put it in that awkward spot. What happens when it falls off inside? Or you need to put in a pickup.
    – S. Imp
    Commented Apr 11, 2018 at 23:19
  • @1dareu2mov3 Also note that the snark is lighter (just weighed mine at 1.2 ounces) and only costs $10 -- free delivery with amazon prime.
    – S. Imp
    Commented Apr 11, 2018 at 23:23
  • Yeah, that’s why I’ll definitely ask about it when I go in for the setup. If the guitar tech mentions anything at all negative about the tuner, I’ll return it right away! Your concerns do seem potentially warranted, so I’ll let you know what I learn. As for the price - yeah, it’s probably more expensive than it should be, but other than the similarly-priced Wittman MiniTurner (bit.ly/2v5MwLW) and the D’Addario Clip-Free Tuner (amzn.to/2qp35Oi), which won’t work with my headstock, it’s the only tuner I’ve found that’s completely hidden from a front-on view of the guitar.
    – 1dareu2mov3
    Commented Apr 11, 2018 at 23:35

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