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Five of the best guitar pedal tuners in a range of budgets
I personally think pedal tuners are the best way to stay in tune, whether at a practice or a gig. Having said that – within the scope of pedal tuners, there is a wide array of prices, options and choices.
We looked at twenty different pedal tuners – features, prices, reputation, stability, durability, etc., and came up with 5 of the best, arranged by price.
For pricing, we’re going from less than $50 all the way up to $249 for the folks who want to say they have the coolest pedal tuner on the market. We got you here, regardless of your budget.
On-Stage GTP7000 Mini Guitar Pedal Tuner
Less Than $50
You’ve probably used On Stage Products before.
They make all kinds of guitar accessories, and they’re probably laying around amongst your stuff right now.
They also have a guitar tuner, and the price is right.
It doesn’t take up much space on your pedal board, and it’s got a range between 430 – 450 hz, as well as +/- .5 cent, a four color display that you’ll be sure to see in any situation, and it’s true bypass, which is a requirement for this list.
Korg Pitchblack Mini Chromatic Guitar Tuner Pedal
$60-$80 Range
The Korg Pitchblack (first as the full size, then as the mini) has been on this list for years. And there is a good reason. It’s super accurate, tough, and has an excellent price / quality value.
Accuracy is great on this one, at (+/- .01 cent ).
The only drawback would be the lack of features, but not a big deal if you just need something to keep you in tune for that gig or recording session!
Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner Pedal
$100-$115 Range
Another legend. Its tough. Its accurate. Its the worlds best selling guitar tuner. That says a lot right there. But I’ll say more.
Its got support for 7 string guitars, and 6 string basses.
Its way easy to see in any (bright and low light) conditions.
Flat mode for drop tunings makes it super valuable to the hard rock / metal folks. That’s up to six half steps.
It’s just the Boss of guitar tuners. Everyone’s got one and it consistenly rates in the top 5 of tuners, no matter how long this line has been around. It’s just one of those no-brainers.
Boss TU-3S Chromatic Tuner Pedal
Around $100
Let’s face it, not everyone has a pedalboard the size of texas. And you shouldn’t have to. You can get all the features of the TU-3 in this cute, tiny little package.
BUT:
This one is pretty much the same as the one above, only it’s way smaller. If you want all the features of the TU-3 without the size, this is the one for you.
Ernie Ball P06204 Super Bee LE VPJR Guitar Tuner Volume Pedal
Less than $250
Waitaminute guys – they’re only making 500 of these puppies – ever. You need one. However, its about the most you can pay for a pedal tuner.
I actually thought a good long while before I included this one on the list. Its not just a pedal tuner. But it is a pedal tuner. And we’re rating on features – and a volume pedal is a feature, not to mention space on your pedal board is saved by not having another pedal for volume .
So we’re including it at the top of the price spectrum.
It has a touch screen. And inside that touchscreen, you’ve got features.
You’ve got three modes: Volume, Tuning, or Volume + Tuning.
Then there is a pitch menu where you can set exactly how you want your guitar tuned.
Good list. The last one is crazy. Never thought I’d consider buying a tuner pedal that expensive, but here I am.
You and me both! It’s tempting, isn’t it?
Why would you claim a pedal as one of the 5 best, and then say the fender pedal is better, and then not even list the better one?
We’ve been maintaining this list for almost 10 years! Things have changed plenty. You probably caught an error that we eventually fixed.