With all of the choices out there when it comes to clip-on guitar tuners, there’s no excuse to be out of tune! Headstock tuners have brought a convenience and ease to tuning our guitars. Today, we’re looking at one of those choices: the Boss TU-02 Tuner.
BOSS TU-02 Tuner Specifications
The TU-2 is a compact headstock tuner.
| Specification | ||
| Type | Chromatic | |
| Format | Clip-on Headstock | |
| Display | Backlit LCD | |
| Tuning Accuracy | +/- 1 cent | |
| Battery | CR2032 LIthium (1) | |
| Dimensions | 2″H x 1.1″W x 1.5″D |
BOSS TU-02 Features
The TU-02 is housed in a compact package that is smaller physically than some other popular tuners on the market. The 1.1″ width gives the TU-02 a slender profile that stays out of the way when it’s clipped to your instrument. The case seems reasonably well-built, and the rubber surfaces on the clips are attached securely.
Controls
The TU-02 has three buttons. The On/Off switch is on the left side. This button doubles as the control to toggle the tuning modes. There are two buttons on the right side. The top button controls the reference pitch if you want to change it from A Standard 440Hz. The adjustment range is 430-450Hz. The lower button is the flat tuning control. This allows you to perform drop tunings and tune the guitar as if you are tuning in standard tuning. Very helpful for those of you who frequently use drop tunings.
Tuning Modes
The Boss TU-02 has 4 tuning modes optimized for specific applications. These are selectable by pressing the On/Off button on the left side of the tuner, and a letter appears on the screen to indicate which mode is active. The modes are: chromatic (C), guitar (G), bass (B), and ukulele (U). Boss claims tuner accuracy to +/- 1 cent.
The display is a backlit LCD. There is a padded clip that attaches securely; there is a reassuring amount of tension when squeezing it to open, which is a sign that Boss spec’d a clip with sufficient strength to last for years. The TU-02 has an auto-off feature to preserve battery life when not in use.
BOSS TU-02 Performance
When I first removed the TU-02 from its box and affixed it to the headstock of my guitar, I noted how much smaller it seemed than my Snark ST-8 Super Tight Chromatic Tuner. In reality, it isn’t really that much smaller; it’s more that the rectangular shape appears more compact than the Snark’s rounded display.
One big difference with the BOSS TU-02 and some other tuners is that the TU-02 isn’t able to rotate horizontally. The screen moves vertically only. Personally, I didn’t find this problematic at all, but it’s something to be aware of if you are in the habit of rotating your tuner that way.
The TU-02 is activated by holding the On/Off switch on the right side of the tuner for about a second. The tuning modes are toggled by the pressing the On/Off button while the tuner is active. I’ll admit that I initially didn’t know about the tuning modes. The TU-02 defaulted to the C-Mode (Chromatic), and I tuned my guitar with that. To be honest, it worked perfectly fine. That said, for maximum tuning accuracy I would recommend using the G-Mode when tuning for guitar.
TU-2 Screen
The TU-02 LCD screen is nice and bright. The left side of the dial is displays yellow for the “flat” reading of the note, while the right side is red for “sharp.” When the note is in tune, the color is blue at 12:00 on the tuner display.
Tuning accuracy was good overall. Tuning response was crisp. I read a few online reviews that complained about slightly laggy response registering the note, but I didn’t notice this.
TU-2 Cons
There’s only one thing I can bring up for a criticism, and it’s a small one at that. The On/Off button is a tiny bit more inconvenient to push after you clip it on. Of course, this could simply be that I’m used to the button being smack in the middle of the tuner, as on Snark models. That said, this is a minor niggle, and will likely be a non-issue for most users.
Conclusion
The BOSS TU-2 is a good value in a compact guitar tuner. For the price, the tuning quality is commendable. The fact that a sub-$20 tuner offers features like specialized tuning modes and flat tuning make it a great choice in this price range. I also like the compact shape of the TU-02. If you are in the market for a well equipped, easy-to-use guitar tuner, I recommend you check out the BOSS TU-02.
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