The unsung heroes of a guitarist’s pedalboard are the tuner pedals. Tuner options serve the vital purpose of keeping your guitar in tune whether you play live in standard tuning or in between takes of recordings. All guitarists would benefit from learning to tune by ear, but it is impractical in situations where you need to tune your strings rapidly or where there is a lot of ambient noise to contend with.
Although it might seem reasonable to assume that all tuner pedals operate in the same way, there are actually many differences between each types of guitar tuners. While some require intricate electronics and circuitry to provide exact tuning, others are less precise but also less expensive and easier to use. A tuner is the one pedal that most guitarists who perform live, if not all of them, would probably use, according to a poll of many guitarists. There is nothing more important than keeping in tune, even if it doesn’t change your tone and produce thrilling, dramatic outcomes.
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TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Polyphonic LED Guitar Tuner Pedal w/Buffer
- Ultra-compact polyphonic tuner gives you fast, accurate tuning and a...
- Quickly get in tune with polyphonic, chromatic and strobe tuning modes
- Built-in all-analog BONAFIDE BUFFER circuitry preserves your tone through...
Since its launch, TC Electronic’s PolyTune has revolutionised tuning, and the entire spectrum of models has been superb. This is true for the third incarnation as well. Because of its polyphonic tuning capabilities, all you need is a fast strum to check the integrity of your intonation. The TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Polyphonic tuner has the same incomprehensible versatility as the previous model, with multiple tuning possibilities. This Pedal, on the other hand, has a true buffer built in, which keeps tone better than placing it at the beginning of your chain.
This pedal is True Bypass, which means it has no effect on your tone when it’s turned off. Two DIP-switches beneath the bottom plate can also be used to set the pedal to Buffered Bypass (might be necessary if you have a super long cable between your guitar and first pedal, or you have a tonne of pedals on your board). The output is muffled while the PolyTune 3 is turned on, so you can tune up discreetly. The left and right input/output jacks are on the front, while the back has a 9V DC power input (power source not included) and a power output, allowing you to daisy-chain and power other pedals (current draw of other pedals not to exceed 2000 mA).
The tuner responds the entire time you play in buffer mode, giving you a steady visual of your intonation. This is perfect if you’re a player who switches tunings frequently. The TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Polyphonic tuner is also a certain way to catch strings that aren’t keeping intonation throughout your set before they fall so far out of tune that they interfere with play. It is both ultra-compact and ultra-precise.
Polyphonic, chromatic, and strobe tuning modes are all available on the TC Electronic PolyTune 3. Depending on the number of vibrating strings, the pedal will automatically switch between polyphonic and monophonic tuning modes. You can toggle the Display Mode switch between Needle and Strobe tuning modes (B). The ultra-precise strobe tuner has a 0.5 cent precision, while the lightning-fast chromatic tuner has a 0.5 cent accuracy.
The TC Polytune 3 features a super-bright 109-LED display and an ambient light detection that ensures legible readouts in any light. With a press of the footswitch, the tuner is turned on and off. Toggle the pedal between standard and drop-D tuning by holding the footswitch. You can also switch between regular tuning and one of the dropped tuning or capo modes using the aforementioned Tuning Mode. To cycle through 13 distinct tuning range, repeatedly press the Tuning Mode button.
Every now and then, a pedal arrives that completely raises the bar for the effect in question. With its straightforward strum-and-tune operation and wide range of choices and bypass mode. This pedal has nailed polyphonic tuning, which is unquestionably the quickest and most efficient way to tune your instrument without background noise. This is the Best Tuner Pedal for Guitar 2023.
BOSS TU-3 Chromatic Tuner
- Guitar Bass Tuner Pedal with High-Brightness Mode f Outdo Visibility
- 21-segment LED Meter
- Drop Tuning Suppt
A fantastic stomp-box type tuning pedal from BOSS, a renowned pedal maker known for tuner accuracy. The BOSS TU3 is a chromatic tuner pedal that is essentially an update over the TU2, which is the best-selling pedal tuner in the world.
Boss released the TU-2 tuner in 1998, and it became the best-selling tuner of all time. The Boss TU-3 accomplishes everything the TU-2 did, but somewhat better, with famous Boss durability and multiple distinct tuning modes for guitar and bass.
It’s difficult to deny that this is one of the most reliable, tour-worthy pedals available. To turn it on or off, press down on the black rubber section, just like any other Boss stompbox. The instrument input is on the right, and the OUTPUT and BYPASS outputs are on the left. The OUTPUT is muted when you switch on the TU-3, so you may tune without disturbing others. The BYPASS output is not muted, and you can use it as a splitter to deliver your signal to two distinct destinations (two amps for instance).
You may power it by plugging a 9V DC power supply into the back connector, and the TU-3 can also daisy-chain power to other pedals (maximum current draw being 200 mA or 500 mA, depending on which adaptor you use). The BOSS TU3 Chromatic tuner offers a glare-free, high brightness option to compensate for reduced visibility, which is designed exclusively for outdoor use. In each mode, the Accu-Pitch function provides visual confirmation.
It has a switchable electric Guitar/Bass mode, because standard tuners don’t always cope well with lower frequencies, if they register at all. 7 string guitars and 6 string basses are included in the modes. The BOSS TU3 Chromatic tuner also has a drop tuning option that allows you to tune down to 6 semitones below normal pitch. This is the Best Tuner Pedals for Guitar 2023.
Korg Pitchblack Advance Guitar Tuner
- Compact Chromatic Tuner Pedal with 4 Display Modes
- Noise-canceling Circuitry
- LED Meters - Black
The Advance pedal, which is an evolution of Korg’s well-selling Pitchblack tuner, is exceedingly easy to operate, making it the finest guitar tuner for beginners. Connect it, select your preferred display mode, and you’re ready to go. This is the greatest guitar tuner if all you need is the fundamentals in a sturdy and trustworthy packaging.
That isn’t to imply that there aren’t a few extras. The calibrate button on the Advance makes it simple to set the reference tuning pitch between 436 and 445 hertz. The show button alternates between four different visuals, all of which are simple and easy to understand. There’s also a power output. You can use this pedal to daisy chain other pedals to its own power supply, reducing the amount of wall warts you require. This is a fantastic pedal.
The Pitchblack Chromatic tuner from Korg pretty much sets the standard for basic chromatic pedal tuners; in fact, most clip-on tuners are modelled after the Pitchblack. This one has been well-thought out and hasn’t altered much since its initial release, since its tuning precision and ease of usage are both excellent.
With real bypass switching, you can rest assured that the Pitchblack will not degrade your high-end clarity, as some tuner pedals do. The 9-volt DC output may be used to power other pedals in your rig, and there are four different display modes to choose from, including full strobe, half strobe, metre, and mirror, so there’s something for everyone.
It has a tiny footprint and a strong aluminium die-cast casing. Despite its diminutive size, the screen is big and easy to read. The Pitchblack Chromatic tuner’s black surface helps to better contrast the light emitted from its screen, making it more visible, especially when performing on stage.
The LED metre has four different settings to choose from: full strobe, half strobe, mirror, and ordinary metre. This gives a variety of graphic aids for the various ways in which our brains interpret information. The note is also clearly displayed on Korg’s Pitchblack Chromatic tuner, which runs from an E0 to a C8. True Bypass maintains tone and allows for muffled input signals, allowing you to tune quietly.
It’s simple to see why the Korg Pitchblack is one of the most popular tuner pedals ever made. It blends simplicity, elegance, and precision while staying flexible enough to be adjusted to a musician’s specific needs.
Peterson StroboStomp HD Guitar Tuner
The Strobostomp has Peterson Tuners’ largest tuning display ever placed in any of their well-respected pedals. With a high-definition LCD panel with a colour LED backlight that can be changed for increased visibility. The backlit LED’s colour scheme can be changed to suit your particular preferences. Switch to one of the easy-on-the-eye ambient lighting settings if you’re playing in a relaxing atmosphere. For an outdoor performance, you could opt for a stronger, harsher light.
The Peterson StroboStomp will appeal to tone purists. Even if you have a packed pedalboard, it features genuine bypass circuitry to ensure 100 percent silent operation. The StroboStomp avoids the dreaded “pop” noise that plagues many tuner pedals by incorporating a set of specially built time relays into its inner circuitry.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of the Peterson Strobostomp is its selection of tuning presets. Over 100 “Sweetened Tunings” are incorporated into the internal memory of the pedal, making it a rarity among tuner pedals. This allows you to experiment with different ways or find the ones that best suit your style as a musician. You may tune a variety of instruments with the pedal, and there are even numerically represented scales to help you increase your theoretical knowledge.
There are both true and buffered bypass modes, as well as 135 ‘sweetened’ tunings — micro-adjusted reference pitch points optimised for a range of instrument types and altered tunings – giving it a feature set much beyond most of its competitors. It’s even possible to save your own presets.
Of course, only the most exact tuners can handle this amount of nerdy tinkering, and the StroboStomp HD boasts 0.1 cent precision. For the most discerning of ears, that’s more than enough.
The StroboStomp from Peterson Tuners is an excellent tuner pedal with a plethora of helpful parameters and user-customizable features. There’s nothing this tuner pedal can’t accomplish, including genuine bypass circuitry, a buffered output, configurable colour schemes, and over 100 tuning options.
TC Electronic PolyTune Clip
- Poly tune technology - tune all 6 strings simultaneously
- Chromatic (/- 0.5 cent) and extra accurate strobe (/- 0.02 cent) modes
- Ultra-bright and easy to read adaptive display - ensures a perfect readout...
If you prefer a clip-on guitar tuner and are willing to pay a little more, the TC Electronic PolyTune Clip is an excellent choice. Every feature from TC’s excellent pedal tuners has been crammed into this tiny device, and it works flawlessly.
The PolyTune Clip is attractive in appearance. It’s about the size of your thumb, and it’s all a display. The clip is metal and feels quite robust, despite the fact that it has a plastic shell. You can see the display since it pivots back and forth. The larger top button turns it on and off (it automatically goes off after 3 minutes to save battery life, which lasts about 18 hours). The Tuning Mode button alternates between all of the tuning modes (same ones as the PolyTune 3 pedal).
The Display Mode button toggles between Needle and Strobe, which works similarly to the pedal. This button toggles between Guitar and Bass modes when pressed and held. TC Electronic’s little clip-on has been available since 2015, but it’s still a worthy offering, with outstanding precision of +/- 0.02-cent strobe-mode accuracy (that’s one 5,000th of a semitone!) and 0.5 cents in chromatic mode.
The PolyTune Clip is polyphonic, as its name implies, but it also has a one-note ‘needle’ mode for players who find a six-string display too much of a light show. PolyTune Clip can also be used on bass guitars, but only in needle mode. Regardless, this is a sleek and functional tuner.
Despite being one of the more expensive clip-on tuners on the market, the PolyTune has unsurpassed build quality and its characteristic polyphonic tuning mode. You can play all of your open strings, and the tuner will tell you which ones are out of tune.
Snark ST-2 Multi-Instrument Chromatic Tuner
- Clip-on tuner that utilizes a high-sensitivity vibration sensor or an...
- High definition, full-color display that rotates 360°
- Boasts a faster and more accurate tuning chip
When you need to tune more than just guitar and bass, the Snark ST-2 chromatic tuner is ideal. This handy tuner is also compatible with mandolins, banjos, violas, ukuleles, flugelhorns, and more. The ST-2’s built-in microphone allows you to tune from afar.
The Snark ST-2 is a clip-on chromatic tuner for acoustic instruments, the acoustic guitar being the most common. It has a compact profile that has made the Snark brand popular among players, as well as a quicker chip that enhances tuning speed and accuracy. It has a built-in microphone that allows it to tune other instruments that it can’t clip on to, in addition to its vibration sensor.
The ST-2’s improved high-definition display is simple to read even if it’s fastened to your music stand a few feet away. The ST-2 is one of the most versatile small tuners available. Most chromatic tuners don’t have flat tuning, transpose features, or quick pitch calibration, therefore this one does. The Snark ST-2 metronome is more accurate than ever before, and it also functions as a tap tempo metronome.
Even if you merely put it in a gigbag, an ST-2 is worth having around at this low price. The greatest guitar tuner for people on a tight budget. Despite the fact that there are other more expensive and fully equipped guitar tuners on the market, Snark’s ST-2 is designed for the musician who only needs the minimal essentials.
First and foremost, the attachment method is sturdy, and the screen can be freely slanted – an unexpectedly essential feature considering that these tuners must fit around tuning machines on six-string guitars, 12-string guitars, mandolins, basses, and so on.
Second, the ST-2 is a rapid tracker. It’ll function perfectly in all but the loudest gigs if you set it to the vibration sensor. Of course, the microphone is for acoustic instruments, so you’ll need some silence.