point LED indicators and new "stream" meter display tuning discrepancy via speed and direction of LEDs (speed of LED movement gets slower as pitch becomes more accurate) That isn’t the case with a mute/bypass pedal like this. You can easily change the sound of your signal without hearing any audible indicator that it’s happening, even when you hit the pedal. Powerhouse Guitar Flat mode specifically allows you to flat tune, so you can drop your tunings up to six semitones. This can be great for creating unique sounds. Seven easy tuning modes include Chromatic, Guitar Regular, Guitar Flat, Guitar Double Flat, Bass Regular, Bass Flat, Bass Double Flat

When a tuner pedal works as a powerhouse, it supplies power to other pedals in your setup. Only the Boss TU-3 has this feature, but it allows the pedal to power up to seven additional effect pedals so you won’t have to have separate power cords or batteries for those pedals. Dimensions

Support

Which buttons on the pedal can help you tune your notes and change sound? While both the TU-2 and the TU-3 have ‘Mode’ and ‘Stream/Cent’ buttons, only the TU-3 has a footswitch thrown into the mix. This means you have more control, and you can do much more than just activate the pedal with the footswitch. Reference Pitch How does the pedal get its power? Here, you will find the difference in the type of battery that each pedal takes. The TU-3 gives you more options, but this is mostly down to personal preference. Modes Sometimes, you want a specific sound with your music. Using a tuning pedal with different modes allows you to find a different sound without switching to a different instrument. Where the TU-2 had a series of lights to indicate your note, the TU-3 has a labeled scale of multiple lights, each with much smaller increments between them. This allows you to be more precise while using the pedal. The Boss TU-3 takes many of the features of the TU-2 and improves upon them. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the light display that indicates where your guitar is tuned.

Part of the reason the Boss TU-2 (and its successor the TU-3) appear on nearly every pedalboard you'll see is that it is reliable, accurate and has just enough capability without overcomplicating things. The LEDs oscillate at a rate indicating how close you are to the note, while a clear green light in the center tells you when your job is done for that string. The TU-2 has an eight octave range and seven modes, for standard guitar and bass frequencies and de-tuned setups down to a whole step below standard. There is even an option to set a difference reference pitch above or below A 440 (438 - 445 Hz). Beyond this, anything else is just unnecessary in a tuning pedal. Anything less than this leaves you somewhat confined in the way tune your guitar. More Than Just A Tuner

The weight can also give you some indication of how portable the pedal is. The Boss TU-2 is a bit heavier at 15oz, while the Boss TU-3 is 14oz. The difference is small but may matter to you. Expected Battery Life One of the most noticeable updates on the TU3 was the display. Boss increased the number of LED indicators on the tuning scale to 21 from the original TU2’s 11. This change makes it much easier to see when a note is approaching pitch. The small LCD screen on each of the pedals shows your current string and note names while you play. The TU-2 has a 7-segment display, whereas the TU-3 includes 21 segments for a more versatile display. Boss’s chromatic tuner TU-2 is a true classic from a trusted, well-renown company. The features still hold up today, even after we’ve gotten an upgraded version. Let’s take a look at the specifications that set the Boss TU-2 apart. As far as tuning modes go, both the older TU2 and TU3 feature chromatic, chromatic flat, standard guitar, flat guitar, standard bass, and flat bass tuning options, all accessible by cycling through the mode button. With this variety of settings, both options will effectively allow a player to tune to any pitch they want to play in.

BOSS tuners are beloved by musicians around the world for their reliability, accuracy, and user friendliness. Since 1983, the TU-12 has been an industry standard. Today’s family of BOSS tuners melds the essence of the TU-12 with modern technology in a wide variety of models. A wider tuning range (in the case of both pedals, C0 to C8) means that you can tune your guitar notes in any direction you like. Since both pedals are chromatic tuners, it’s a given that these higher ranges will be available. While the TU-2 and the TU-3 look to be essentially the same, they have some key differences that set them apart. Let’s take a look at what these differences are and what they mean for you. Both the Boss TU-2 and the Boss TU-3 pedal have mute/bypass capabilities. When you use the pedal to bypass the signal (changing it in some way), there is usually an audible sound as you change. Also, the new modes (10 of them) allow you to tune by string number, so you can tune more precisely. There are settings for 7-string guitars and 6-string bases, making it the perfect tuner for any of your guitars.Though it may take a moment to catch up to you, the TU-2 can do a great deal to change your sound. With 7 modes (including bass and standard guitar options), everything comes together much smoother. While some pedal manufacturers automatically assume your pedal will be in a board, and thus leave the base with a bare plastic finish, both the Boss TU2 and TU3 have a rubber bottom pad, which will go a long way toward prevent the pedal from slipping around onstage should you choose to keep it separate from a pedal board. Display The TU-2 has a tuning accuracy of +/- 3 cents, which can be detectable if you have a good ear for it. The TU-3 improved on this with its tuning accuracy of +/- 1 cent, which is imperceptible to the human ear. Power Supply The TU3 display on its standard setting is just a touch brighter than the original TU2, but the TU3 now has controls, allowing the user to adjust brightness as necessary. This is a welcome feature for anyone who plays outdoors in bright sunlight. Both units have their center LED light up green when you are at pitch, but the TU3 ramps this up with red confirmation lights on either side of the green when it’s satisfied that tuning is correct and stable. Accuracy

There are several modes within both the TU-2 and the TU-3 which allow them to tune to other guitar sounds (guitar, guitar flat, bass, and bass flat). The TU-3 has 10 different modes available, where the TU has 7 different modes. Control Buttons For power, the TU2 can run on a dry battery or a 9V AC supply, whereas the TU2 can run on either a 9V carbon zinc or a standard 9V alkaline battery, as well as an 9V AC adapter. The Boss TU-3 retains most of the features of the TU-2, while also working to correct some design mistakes and add additional functionality. This updated version is much more versatile. The TU-3’s every feature works to streamline the classic functionality of the Boss TU-2. How large is the pedal? This can help you choose where you’re going to put the pedal on your pedalboard and can tell you how portable the pedal is. The Boss TU-2 and TU-3 are the same sizes. Both are incredibly small so they will fit well on your pedalboard. WeightThe high brightness mode on the TU-3 allows you to see the display panel easier. Since the low brightness on the TU-2 sometimes required you to bend down to read it, the TU-3 includes this mode to make it easier to see from a distance. Mute/Bypass As with the overall form factor and design, Boss didn’t really change anything between the TU2 and the TU3. As far as ease of use goes, both work in an almost identical fashion. Modes are selected through the mode button and display type is changed with the stream/cent button.