For two decades running, the BOSS TU-3—along with its predecessor the TU-2—have been the stage tuners of choice for the world’s finest musicians. When you take a look at the pedal setups for nearly any touring guitarist or bassist, more often than not you’ll see a TU stomp at the head of the chain, at the ready for the essential task of instrument tuning. Read on to discover seven reasons why this legendary BOSS utility pedal has become such an industry-standard tool for players around the world.
Simple to Use
When you’re performing onstage, you need to avoid complications and distractions at all cost. That’s especially important when it comes to your tuning, since it needs to be checked and touched up constantly throughout a show. Players love using the TU-3 because it’s responsive and easy to read, allowing them to tune quickly in the flow and stay focused on to the business of making music.
When being interviewed by Premier Guitar magazine for a Rig Rundown video in 2015, super-fingerpicker Tommy Emmanuel summed up why he loves the TU-3. “This is what I use on stage: it’s a little BOSS chromatic tuner,” said Tommy. “Everybody’s got these things, and they’re as good as it gets on stage. The reason I like it is because it’s simple. When the light is red, that’s bad—I’m out of tune. When it’s green, everything’s good. I don’t need to know my G string is spinning as 432 cycles per second and all that. I don’t need to know any of that stuff. I need know I’m in tune. So, keep it simple on stage.”
"A key part of the TU-3’s simplicity is its wide, bright display that’s highly visible in most stage conditions."
Clear, Bright Display with Accu-Pitch
A key part of the TU-3’s simplicity is its wide, bright display that’s highly visible in most stage conditions, even when you’re not positioned right over the tuner. And when you need to play in direct sunlight or harsh stage lighting—which makes lesser displays on other tuners nearly invisible—you can switch the TU-3 into a high-brightness mode to keep the show rolling.
The TU-3 delivers rock-solid tuning performance with +/- one-cent accuracy, and it features numerous display and operation modes to suit your particular preference. When you activate the unique Accu-Pitch sign function, the display provides a streaming indicator to clearly show when you’ve reached the correct pitch.
Built Like a BOSS
BOSS compact pedals are renowned for being nearly indestructible, and the TU-3 is no exception. Backed by this famous pedigree of durability, a TU-3 will deliver years of trouble-free operation, even under the toughest touring conditions.
Makes You Sound Better
Even though it doesn’t make any sound on its own, the TU-3 improves your instrument’s tone when using long cables and running through a chain of true-bypass pedals. This is because its circuitry includes a high-quality signal buffer that converts the pedal’s output to low impedance. From that point on, your tone is supported by a strong, clean signal that eliminates the treble loss and overall tone dulling that occurs when no signal buffer is present.
"The TU-3 improves your instrument’s tone when using long cables and running through a chain of true-bypass pedals."
To hear the negative effects of cable capacitance and learn more about why buffering your signal is so important, check out the informative video below by guitarist Pete Thorn and guitar tech Thomas Nordegg.
Built-In Muting Functionality
When you step on the TU-3’s pedal switch to engage the tuner, the output is automatically muted, allowing you tune without your audience hearing. It also provides a convenient way to silence your rig when switching out stage guitars and taking breaks.
Distributes Power to Other Pedals
Another handy feature of the TU-3 is its DC output jack, which enables the pedal to become a power distribution center for other stomps on your board. Using a PSA-S power supply and a PCS-20A daisy-chain cable, you’re able to power a number of BOSS compact pedals.
Note: To avoid damage, refer to the TU-3 Owner’s Manual for supported PSA adaptor types and limitations when using the TU-3’s DC Output jack.
"The space-saving TU-3S eliminates the onboard footswitch, making it ideal for 'always on' setups"
Different Models for Different Rigs
In addition to the standard TU-3, the current BOSS lineup includes two TU pedal variations for different setups.
TU-3W—A member of the BOSS Waza Craft series, this black beauty offers all the tuning features of the standard TU-3, along with a premium signal buffer and the ability to bypass the buffer circuit via a rear-panel switch.
TU-3S—This space-saving version of the TU-3 eliminates the onboard footswitch, making it ideal for “always on” setups. Use it with gear that includes an independent tuner send, such ES loop switchers, FV-500H/FV-500L and FV-30H volume pedals, and others.
If you’re looking for a clip-on tuner, you can get great TU performance with a variety of BOSS models.
