When you need accurate tuning in any situation, pedal tuners are the way to go. They can be used in both quiet and loud environments, and will still be able to tune your guitar with great precision.
While pedal tuners are generally more expensive than say clip-on tuners, they are well worth the price since you can silently tune your guitar in loud environments without any interference from other people that may also be tuning their instruments at the same time.
And since pedal tuners are made to keep hooked up on your pedalboard, they are also very convenient to use at a moment’s notice. Just “stomp” on the pedal like you would with any other pedal on your board and tune away.
In this article, we go over the top pedal tuners on today’s market and listed the pros, cons, and features of each one so that you can make the smartest buying decision possible when picking out a new pedal tuner.
Table of Contents
Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner
Pros
- High Brightness mode makes the display easy to see in any situation.
- Can also be used to tune 6 and 7 string bass guitars.
- Very durable (like most Boss pedals)
Cons
- Drains batteries rather quickly
- AC adapter is sold separately
TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Polyphonic Tuner
Pros
- Polyphonic, chromatic, and strobe tuning modes
- Will tune your guitar insanely fast
- Switchable bypass
- 109 LED Display (super bright)
- Simple to use
Cons
- No Cons!!!!!
Donner Dt-1 Chromatic Tuner
Pros
- Slim design allows it fit on even the most crowded pedalboards.
- Easy to read display
- Very affordable!
- It’s metal construction makes this pedal extremely durable.
- Lets you know if you’re sharp or flat and by how much
Cons
- No AC adapter included and it doesn’t use batteries.
- Tuning speed isn’t as fast as the more expensive pedal tuners.
- Red and Green LEDs might be a little too bright if you have sensitive eyes.
- Can make a little noise when turned on so it’s not for stage use.
KLIQ TinyTune Tuner Pedal
Pros
- Precise tuning within .05 cent
- Small and lightweight
- Easy to use
- Affordable
Cons
- Doesn’t use a battery, only an adapter.
- Not a true bypass pedal
- Some people have reported issues with it’s note accuracy.
Rock Stock Nano Pedal Chromatic Tuner
Pros
- Super small so fits on any pedalboard.
- Super accurate within .5 cent
- Bright LED makes it perfect for use outdoors in the sunlight.
Cons
- Basic with no special features
- Doesn’t use batteries
- A bit on the expensive side for how basic it is.
Snark SN-10S Pedal Tuner
Pros
- Notes show up nice and big
- Beautiful silver casing makes it pleasing to look at on your pedalboard.
- Extremely durable
- Chromatic tuner
- Uses batteries or an adapter
Cons
- Only shows sharps, not flats
- Batteries do not last long in this pedal.
- Not as accurate as higher priced pedals.
Korg Pitchblack Chromatic Tuner
Pros
- True Bypass feature
- Big display
- Has 4 unique tuning modes
- Great battery life
Cons
- A bit spendy for a tuner pedal
- Display a little hard to read in bright sunlight
- Can sometimes make a loud popping noise when turning off or on.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this post helped you come a little closer to making an informed decision when it comes to obtaining a new pedal tuner to add to your pedalboard.
I recommend the TC Electronic Polytune 3 Polyphonic Tuner. It has the most features and it is extremely fast and reliable at tuning your guitar or any other electrical instrument for that matter. It also has the highest rated views across all the various marketplaces so you know that pretty much everyone who has tried this pedal, absolutely loves it.
