effects · tuner
TU-3 Chromatic Tuner
| Maker | BOSS |
|---|---|
| Origin | Japan |
| Type | effects · tuner |
| Introduced | 2010 |
| Price | USD 109 (2026-09) |
| Maker founded | 2014 (Katana) |
| Status | current |
BOSS's stage tuner, accurate to plus or minus one cent, with a tone-saving buffer and a DC output that powers up to seven further pedals.
Watch
The clip titled "What You Need to Know About the BOSS TU-3 Tuner" is a plain walkthrough of the pedal's functions, which suits a tuner better than a tone demo.
Why it matters
It replaced the TU-2 when it was announced in January 2010 and shipped that April, and it is still the tuner most pedalboards are built around. The 21-segment LED meter has a brightness control for dark stages, and the Accu-Pitch Sign confirms when you are in tune. The DC output removes a separate power brick from your board.
Note
BOSS's flagship stage tuner and the successor to the TU-2, announced January 2010 and shipped April 2010. Still the default pedalboard tuner, with a high-visibility 21-segment meter and a buffer plus power-distribution jack.
Specifications
- chromatic tuner, accurate to +/-1 cent
- 21-segment LED meter with brightness control
- Accu-Pitch Sign
- tone-saving buffer
- mutes output for silent tuning
- DC output powers up to 7 further pedals
Before you buy
- it mutes your output while tuning, so it doubles as a kill switch
- the DC output powers up to seven more pedals — check their combined current draw
- it is a buffer, so some players place it first in the chain deliberately