Buy the TU-3 if you tune with your foot on a pedalboard; buy the TU-3S only if a loop switcher's tuner out does the switching, because it has no footswitch and cannot mute by foot; buy the TU-3W over the TU-3 for the switch on its back that turns the buffer off for true bypass. All three are on our wall as of September 25, 2026, at $109.99, $109.99 and $169.99, beside three clip-ons from $24.99 to $34.99, and a clip-on is enough for anyone who doesn't play through a board.
- What the three Boss tuners share
- All six tuners and prices
- TU-3, TU-3S and TU-3W, side by side
- Boss TU-3
- Boss TU-3S
- Boss TU-3W Waza Craft
- When a clip-on is enough
- Which one is yours
- Questions about the Boss TU-3 family
- The other kind of tuner
What the Three Boss Tuners Share
Boss introduced the TU-2 in 1998, which it calls the world's first pedal-based chromatic tuner, and the TU-3 followed in 2009. The TU-3 is still the platform: the TU-3S and the TU-3W are the same tuner in two other packages. On our wall the Boss TU-3 is the stage standard, the TU-3S is the same tuner without the footswitch for a board where it stays on, and the TU-3W is the Waza Craft version with a switch for buffered or true bypass.
Paul's line on the brand: "Boss is the most consequential pedal brand ever. Elegant, legendary design and reliability." We buy direct from Boss, and there's a shelf of them on the wall instead of one or two.
Paul's own board: "I used the same TU-2 for 20 years. A TU-3 now."
Shared across the three
- 21-segment LED meter, plus a High Brightness mode for sunlit outdoor stages
- Rated by Boss at plus or minus one cent; tuning range C0 (16.35 Hz) to C8 (4,186 Hz)
- Reference pitch A4 = 436 to 445 Hz, in 1 Hz steps
- Cent and strobe-style Stream display modes; an Accu-Pitch Sign lights when the note lands
- Chromatic, Guitar and Bass modes, 7-string guitars and 6-string basses covered; Guitar Flat mode reaches six semitones below standard
- A DC out jack that feeds other pedals through the PSA adapter and optional PCS-20A cable, both sold separately
- Boss's five-year warranty; a Boss compact bought here carries Roland's five-year pedal warranty for the first buyer
The full spec sheets are on Boss's TU-3, TU-3S and TU-3W pages.
All Six Tuners and Prices
| Model | Where it lives | What sets it apart | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boss TU-3 | Pedalboard | Footswitch mutes the output; 9V battery or PSA adapter | $109.99 |
| Boss TU-3S | Switcher's tuner out | No footswitch, always on; adapter only | $109.99 |
| Boss TU-3W Waza Craft | Pedalboard | Rear switch, buffered or true bypass; made in Japan | $169.99 |
| Fender FT-1 Pro | Headstock | Needle turns green in tune; CR2032 coin cell | $24.99 |
| D'Addario Eclipse PW-CT-27 | Headstock | USB-C rechargeable, up to 24 hours per charge | $24.99 |
| Fender Flash 2.0 | Headstock | Micro USB rechargeable, about 20 hours; flat and open tunings | $34.99 |
All six are on the wall. If one sells first, we can order it: when the maker has it available, it usually arrives in 1–2 weeks, and special orders are final sale. Call or text (518) 217-8695.
TU-3, TU-3S and TU-3W, Side by Side
The differences that decide it: footswitch, bypass, power, depth.
| TU-3 | TU-3S | TU-3W | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Footswitch | Yes; output mutes when engaged | None; always on | Yes; output mutes when engaged |
| Bypass | Buffered | Buffered | Buffered or true, rear switch |
| Power | 9V battery or PSA adapter | PSA adapter only | 9V battery or PSA adapter |
| Current draw | 20 mA; 80 mA in High Brightness | 30 mA; 85 mA in High Brightness | 50 mA; 110 mA in High Brightness |
| Battery life, Boss's figures | Approx. 21 hours alkaline, 5 hours carbon-zinc | No battery | Approx. 5.5 hours alkaline, 0.5 hours carbon-zinc |
| Size | 2-7/8 x 5-1/8 x 2-3/8 in | 2-7/8 x 3-5/16 x 2-1/4 in | 2-7/8 x 5-1/8 x 2-3/8 in |
| Price | $109.99 | $109.99 | $169.99 |
| Pick it for | Tuning in silence with your foot | A loop switcher's tuner out, or a board with no room | A wah or fuzz that's sensitive to a buffer |
Boss TU-3
- Footswitch: yes; the output mutes when the tuner is engaged
- Bypass: buffered
- Power: 9V battery, carbon-zinc included, or the PSA adapter, sold separately
- Current draw: 20 mA; 80 mA in High Brightness mode
- Size and weight: 2-7/8 x 5-1/8 x 2-3/8 inches, 14 oz with the battery
The TU-3 has been the stage tuner since 2009 for reasons that are not exotic: the 21-segment meter reads from across a stage, the housing survives, and the output mutes so you tune in silence. The buffer at the front of a board is the second job it does. See the TU-3.
Boss TU-3S
- Footswitch: none; always on
- Bypass: buffered
- Power: PSA adapter only, sold separately; no battery
- Current draw: 30 mA; 85 mA in High Brightness mode
- DC out: up to seven Boss compacts through the optional PCS-20A, by Boss's rating
- Size and weight: 2-7/8 x 3-5/16 x 2-1/4 inches, 8 oz
Boss says the display and tuning functions are identical to the TU-3 and the only thing eliminated is the pedal switch. With no switch there is nothing to step on and no way to mute by foot, so this is the tuner for a board run by a loop switcher or any rig where the tuner lives in a tuner-out and never gets stepped on. It can't run on a battery, so the adapter is not optional. See the TU-3S.
Boss TU-3W Waza Craft
- Footswitch: yes; the output mutes when the tuner is engaged
- Bypass: buffered or true, on a rear-panel OUTPUT switch (BUF/THRU)
- Power: 9V battery, alkaline included, or the PSA adapter, sold separately
- Current draw: 50 mA; 110 mA in High Brightness mode
- Size and weight: 2-7/8 x 5-1/8 x 2-3/8 inches, 1 lb 1 oz with the battery
- Made in: Japan
The TU-3W is the TU-3 tuner with an output switch, and the switch is the reason to buy it over the standard one: buffer mode puts a premium buffer at the head of the board, true bypass mode takes the tuner out of the signal path entirely. Boss's page says when to flip it: wah, fuzz and other pedals that can be sensitive to signal buffering. See the TU-3W.
When a Clip-On Is Enough
Clip-on if you play acoustic, sit at home, or want one tuner for every instrument you own. Pedal if you play through a board and want to mute and tune between songs with your foot. A clip-on reads the vibration of the headstock through a sensor, not a microphone, so it works in a loud room, and it goes in the case.
| Fender FT-1 Pro | D'Addario Eclipse | Fender Flash 2.0 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | LCD needle; backlight turns green in tune | Full-color vertical LCD | Bright color LCD |
| Power | CR2032 coin cell, included | Rechargeable, USB-C cable included, up to 24 hours per charge | Rechargeable lithium-ion, micro USB cable included, about 20 hours per charge |
| Accuracy, maker's figure | Not published | Not published | Plus or minus one cent |
| Alternate tunings | None listed | None listed | Half-step and whole-step flat; open G, D and E |
| Mount | Dual hinge, either side of the headstock | Multi-swivel, in front of or behind the headstock | Two 360-degree swivels and a 120-degree hinge |
| Price | $24.99 | $24.99 | $34.99 |
| Pick it for | A needle, a coin cell, nothing else | Never buying a coin cell again | Flat and open tunings without counting semitones |
Fender FT-1 Pro
The tuner that lives on the headstock: small, out of the way, and readable on a dark stage. Fender lists a tuning range of B0 to B7 with A440 calibration. See the FT-1 Pro.
D'Addario Eclipse PW-CT-27
The Eclipse with the coin cell taken out of the equation. It clips on, reads from the headstock vibration, and charges from the same cable as a phone. See the Eclipse.
Fender Flash 2.0
The clip-on with the tuning modes: a player who drops to E flat or plays slide in open G gets those without counting semitones. The charging cable is micro USB, not USB-C, so it won't share the Eclipse's. See the Flash 2.0.
Bring the guitar and clip each one on. The one you can read from where you sit is the right one.
Which One Is Yours
- Pedalboard, tuning in silence between songs: the TU-3.
- Board run by a loop switcher, or no room left on it: the TU-3S. No footswitch, adapter only.
- A wah or fuzz that's sensitive to a buffer: the TU-3W, rear switch to true bypass.
- Acoustic, couch, or one tuner for every instrument in the house: a clip-on. The FT-1 Pro for a needle and a coin cell, the Eclipse for USB-C, the Flash 2.0 for the flat and open tunings.
All six are on the wall during shop hours. Call or text (518) 217-8695 and we'll hold one for you.
Questions About the Boss TU-3 Family
How much is a Boss TU-3?
$109.99 for the TU-3 and the TU-3S, $169.99 for the TU-3W, as of September 25, 2026.
What's the difference between the TU-3 and the TU-3S?
The footswitch and the size. Boss says the display and tuning functions are identical and the only thing eliminated is the pedal switch, so the TU-3S cannot mute by foot; Boss builds it for switching systems like the ES-8 and ES-5. It is 3-5/16 inches deep against 5-1/8, and runs on the PSA adapter only.
What does the TU-3W add over the TU-3?
A rear-panel switch between buffered and true bypass, refined buffer circuitry, and a build in Japan. It draws 50 mA against 20, and Boss's battery figure is about 5.5 hours on an alkaline against about 21.
Which tuner is the most accurate?
Boss rates all three at plus or minus one cent, and Fender rates the Flash 2.0 the same. Fender's FT-1 Pro page and D'Addario's Eclipse page don't publish a figure. Pick by where you'll use it: the headstock or the pedalboard.
Do you ship tuners?
Yes, within the U.S. Rates are on the shipping policy page, or pick it up at the shop, which is free.
Can I return a tuner?
Yes. Call or text within 7 days of purchase or delivery, before you bring or send it back, and it has to come back the way it left, with the original packaging. Details: return policy.
The Other Kind of Tuner
A tuner reads the note it's given and nothing else. If the guitar is in tune open but sharp up the neck, that's intonation, and the saddle is the fix: part of a $79 standard setup on an electric, strings extra, and intonation is checked on every one; the rest of that work is in what a guitar setup includes. If the guitar won't stay in tune at all, it's usually the nut or the tuning machines before it's the tuner, and why won't my guitar stay in tune gives the order to check them in: nut and strings before the machines.
When it is the machines, that's the other kind of tuner, and we install them: $29 each, $69 for a whole set, $109 when the headstock needs reaming, plugging or re-drilling to take the new set. Tuning machines not included, strings extra, and service is first come, first served; the repair side of the shop is on guitar repair in Glens Falls. Forced-air heat in a Glens Falls winter moves necks too: guitars that played fine in September come in buzzing or stiff in January because the neck moved with the dry indoor air, and intonation shifts with it.
The six are in tuners and tuner pedals, sorted high to low; the rest of the Boss shelf is in Boss pedals. The Boss drives are compared in Boss DS-1 vs SD-1, and powering a board in MXR DC Brick vs Iso-Brick. Trying one on your own guitar at the counter is on guitar tuners in Glens Falls, the whole Boss wall on Boss pedals in Glens Falls.
Three Boss tuners and three clip-ons are on the wall now.
Paul's Guitar Hideout is located at The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, NY. Use the Cooper Street entrance and take the stairs up. If stairs are difficult or you're bringing in something you don't want to carry up, call or text us and we'll arrange access.
The Shirt Factory
71 Lawrence St., Suite 201B, 2nd Floor
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Wednesday–Sunday, 12–5 PM
(518) 217-8695 · info@paulsguitarhideout.com