In this article, we’re going to be discussing the 10 best guitar tuner pedals that you can purchase in 2023.
Although usually overshadowed by effect pedals, a tuner remains one of the most essential pieces of guitar equipment for every guitar player. Simply, we can’t imagine a guitarist on the stage without a tuner. Even if you have a perfect pitch, it won’t help in situations where there is a lot of side noise. Those are situations where tuner pedals really shine.
What Is A Tuner Pedal?
As you probably know, each note has a certain frequency. So, what every guitar tuner does is picking and measuring a frequency that is produced when you pick a string. That’s a pretty quick process and once you’ve picked a string, a tuner will process the signal and show what’s happening on a display. If the frequency of string vibration is aligned with the frequency of a certain note, you will see a clear indicator on a display that shows that you’re in tune. Otherwise it will indicate that you’re too low or too hight.
Essentially, there are three different types of guitar tuners. The first one is a so-called clip-on tuner, which is usually attached to a headstock. Such a tuner has a sensor that picks vibrations from the wood and measures frequency. On the other side, tuner pedals receive an audio signal through a cable. Finally, there are app-based tuners, which work on smartphones, tablets and similar devices. These are microphone-based tuners.
In this article, we will stick to tuner pedals, as they are the most common among electric and acoustic-electric guitars, mostly because of excellent accuracy and resistance to side noise.
Guitar Tuner Pedals
Boss TU-3 Tuner
Available On Amazon – Check Current Price
When someone mentions Boss, the first things that come to mind are reliability and durability. Of course, we need a tuner that is precise enough, but we also need a pedal that’s never going to let us down. That’s why the previous generation of this pedal, known as TU-2, was the world’s best-selling tuner pedal. The Boss TU-3 keeps the same level of dependability but brings some novelties as well, for a more convenient use.
When it comes to key features, one of the things we like most about this pedal is its LED screen, which offers a hi-brightness mode. Therefore, you may count on excellent, glare-free visibility – always, everywhere. Of course, everything is muted once the pedal is turned on, while a true bypass means your perfect tone will remain untouched. Another convenient thing about this pedal is that it also offers power supply to other compact units on the pedalboard.
When it comes to tuning, there is a variety of modes. First of all, there is a typical chromatic tuner, so you can tune by note name. Also, there is a Guitar/Bass mode that allows you to tune by a string number. A great thing is that you can choose between different types of instruments, including 7-string guitars and 6-string basses. Finally, there is Flat Mode, which is designed for drop tunings.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
Anyone who is looking for great accuracy and unparalleled reliability. This is a perfect stage tool that won’t let you down in any situation. It is fast and extremely durable, while a variety of different modes helps this pedal to meet everyone’s demands. Finally, the price seems pretty fair.
Read the full review here for the Boss TU-3
TC Electronic Polytune 3
Available On Amazon – Check Current Price
At the time the original Polytune pedal arrived, it was a real revolution in the world of tuner pedals. The third generation of this impressive unit comes with additional features and makes everything even more convenient. Of course, we particularly like this tuner for impressive precision, but there are many other things that make this unit so great.
The biggest change compared to Polytune 2 is the addition of BonaFide buffer. The famous buffer pedal proved itself as one of the best solutions for long cables and now comes as a part of this tuner. Practically, you get two pedals packed into a single, pretty compact housing. Therefore, you can easily switch between a buffer and a true bypass. Also, we really like the auto-dimming LED screen, which isn’t just visible and transparent but also gives a perfect amount of brightness, depending on the environment.
All these things are great, but the TC Electronic Polytune 3’s strongest point is tuning accuracy and a variety of tuning modes. As the name says, this is a polyphonic tuner, so when you use the polyphonic mode, all you need to do is to strum all strings at once and the display will indicate which strings are okay and which are out of tune. In this mode, the accuracy is around 1 cent. If you use a classic chromatic mode, the accuracy goes around 0.5 cents. Finally, there is a so-called strobe mode, which offers spectacular 0.1-cent accuracy. Of course, you may also count on all kinds of alternate tunings.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
In terms of accuracy and overall convenience, this is probably the finest tuner pedal on the market. Thanks to a variety of different modes, everyone will find the pedal easy and convenient to use. We see this tuner as a perfect choice for professions, not just because of the excellent precision, but also because of the integrated buffer. Still, the price tag makes this tuner approachable to everyone.
D’Addario Accessories Chromatic Tuner
Available On Amazon – Check Current Price
Who knows strings better than a string maker? That why D’Addario Accessories Chromatic Tuner is such a great unit. With this unit, it is all about the easiness of use and functionality. Other pedals offer more modes and additional features, this one stays focused on essentials. It is just a simple chromatic tuner, which makes the tuning process super convenient, thanks to a nice display design, small size, fast processing, and many other great things.
Without any doubt, the first thing you’ll notice on this pedal is an amazing full-color display, which looks great and works even better. The design is great and offers perfect visibility, while fast 32-bit processing makes the tuning process smooth as butter.
The D’Addario Accessories Chromatic Tuner is much more than an excellent full-color LED display. It is a very practical and functional unit. One of the things you will definitely like is a super compact size, which saves a lot of space on a pedalboard. Despite the small size, it features a full-size footswitch, so you can use the pedal with ease. Speaking of the footswitch, the pedal features a true bypass, so your tone will remain perfect when the pedal is not in use.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
The D’Addario Accessories Chromatic Tuner is simple and easy to use, and that is one of its main advantages. A great-designed LED display doesn’t make it only functional, this is also one of the best-looking tuner pedals around. Therefore, it’s a perfect choice for those who care not just about sound but also about the look of their pedalboard. However, keep in mind that this isn’t the most affordable tuner pedal around and that there is a lot of products that offer more in return.
Peterson Strobostomp
Available On Amazon – Check Current Price
This is arguably one of the most versatile tuners you can find on the market today. The first thing that comes to mind about this pedal is that you can tune pretty much any instrument with it, whether it is a 6-,7- or even an 8-string guitar, or any kind of bass guitar, including those with 6 strings. Moreover, this pedal also works for 12-string guitars. It offers three different modes, Silent pop-free true bypass, buffered output, and buffered monitor modes.
As the name says, the Peterson Strobostomp also includes a so-called strobe mode, which offers impressive accuracy that goes up to 0.1 cents. Those who prefer faster and more convenient tuning can even tune guitars by string numbers. This pedal offers hundreds of all kinds of alternate tunings.
Despite such an amazing number of different tuning modes and functions, the Peterson Strobostomp is actually pretty easy to use. Navigation is super easy, while the large LED screen offers perfect visibility and also features all kinds of colors. Therefore, you can assign a different color for each tuning. Moreover, the pedal is also pretty intelligent, as it automatically orders tunings and puts most frequent at the front.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
This is a professional piece of equipment, which is one of the most versatile tuners around. With this pedal, you can tune pretty much any kind of guitar or a bass, which makes it a perfect choice for multi-instrumentalists. At the same time, the pedal is easy to use, and also offers three different modes, including true bypass. If your budget isn’t tight, this one is a logical choice.
Korg PB-CS Tuner
Available On Amazon – Check Current Price
Whether it’s about tone or other aspects of guitar playing, many musicians like to keep things simple. The Korg PB-CS tuner perfectly fits this philosophy. It is small and extremely easy to use. On the other side, it is extremely accurate and offers excellent visibility.
The Korg PBCS tuner is a small but powerful unit. There are four modes in total, so you can choose between Strobe, Half Strobe, Meter, and Regular B. Of course, the strobe mode is the most accurate and offers the precision of 0.1 cents. The tuner is characterized by pretty fast processing, so everything is going very smooth and the tuning process is very convenient.
Speaking of convenience, probably the best thing about this tuner is the display. The 3D display shows exactly where you are in such a stylish way, while the level of brightness makes it easy-readable on both daylight and dark venues. The thing we particularly like is that the pedal can also power other units on the pedalboard.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
Anyone who appreciates simplicity and easiness of use will find this pedal a perfect choice. It is small and simple but also offers premium accuracy, which is something you won’t find in other pedals in this price range.
TC Electronic Polytune 2 Mini
Available On Amazon – Check Current Price
The standard Polytune is already a pretty compact unit but if your pedalboard is so small that every inch is precious, the TC Electronic Polytune 2 Mini is here to save the day. Based on the second generation of the famous tuner, this pedal comes with all familiar features but in a smaller package. Therefore, you may count familiar modes and well-known accuracy,
So, the first thing that comes to mind is the polyphonic mode. Strum all strings at once and you will know which strings are okay and which aren’t. That definitely speeds up the process, but old-school players can stick to a chromatic mode as well. Of course, there is also the famous strobe mode, which is all about precision. This is reserved for those who aren’t in such rush, but rather prefer ultimate accuracy. In numbers, this means +/- 0.1 cent, which is the highest level of precision you can get in the world of pedal tuners today.
Unlike the Polytune 3, this unit doesn’t feature integrated BonaFide buffer. On the other side, you may count on a true bypass, as well as on the excellent LED screen that characterizes all Polytune models. This screen offers perfect visibility, no matter if you play on daylight or in a dark venue.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
This is a downsized version of the famous tuner. Besides the smaller size, you won’t find any particular difference between the two products. Therefore, the TC Electronic Polytune 2 Mini is primarily designed for those who appreciate every square millimeter on their pedalboard. Otherwise, the standard version would be just fine.
Our Number One Choice
Given the number of goodies this unit offers, the choice seems pretty easy. First of all, the TC Electronic Polytune 3 comes with the revolutionary polyphonic mode, which allows you to check all strings at once. Also, you may count on a super-accurate strobe mode. The last but not least, it comes with an integrated BonaFide buffer, so you actually get two amazing pedals in a single package.
Buy On AmazonOur Premium Choice
There is no thing this tuner can’t do. Tons of modes and presets, adjustable display and impressive precision are some of the things that make this tuner our premium choice. The thing that impresses most is the fact that you can tune pretty much anything with this unit, whether it’s about different guitar or bass types, or it’s about some of the most exotic alternate tunings. The unit is extremely versatile, but super-easy to use at the same time, while the full-color display makes everything more convenient.
Best Value For The Money
If you look at the price tag and the number of goodies you get in return, the Korg PB-CS Tuner is an obvious choice. This small unit is super easy to use. On the other side, it offers premium accuracy, thanks to a strobe mode, which goes all-away up to +/- 0.1 cents. The pedal also features one of the best displays around, while many guitar players will definitely appreciate the fact that this pedal can also supply other units on the pedalboard with power.
Buy On Amazon
That concludes this full buyers guide on the best guitar tuner pedals. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions regarding the products you have seen in this article. Check out our other buyers guide for reverb pedals and overdrive pedals.
Here at Guitar Effects Pedalz we also provide full reviews of the best online guitar services so you can learn guitar online
Last update on 2023-10-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API