The EHX-2020 Chromatic Tuner Pedal is a compact chromatic tuner from Electro-Harmonix, announced in December 2019 and notable as the company's first-ever pedal tuner1. It was priced at $39 at launch1, and Electro-Harmonix pitched it at players with tight pedalboards who wanted a convenient tuning solution in a small footprint2.
Electro-Harmonix lists the EHX-2020 Chromatic Tuner Pedal as now available, at a list price of $3921.
What it does for a player
The EHX-2020 is a dedicated pedal tuner: it does one job, showing the pitch of a single note so the player can tune string by string. Guitar.com described it as Electro-Harmonix adding a dedicated pedal tuner to its extensive range of effects pedals1. The tuning range runs from B0 to B7, which covers the lowest notes of a five-string bass up to the highest fretted notes on a guitar3.
Its headline features, as listed in the launch coverage:
Two of these shape how it works on a board. Engaging the pedal mutes the guitar's signal, allowing silent tuning, which Guitar.com flagged as aimed at live performances1. And the true bypass switching means zero colouration of the guitar's tone when the pedal is bypassed, in Guitar.com's words1; Bass Gear Magazine's announcement likewise listed true bypass as a feature2.
Display and flat tunings
The pedal uses a large, color LED display2. Guitar.com reported that the large, easy-to-read LED displays give the EHX-2020 at-a-glance legibility, even in low-light situations1, which matters on a dark stage.
For players who tune down, the pedal offers three flat tuning modes13:
| Flat mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Half step down | Reads the fretted pitch as if the guitar were in standard tuning, one semitone lower |
| Full step down | Same, two semitones lower |
| Minor third down | Same, three semitones lower |
In these modes the player tunes each string normally while the whole guitar sits lower134.
Calibration and accuracy
The calibration range is 436 to 445 Hz in one-hertz steps1, a figure Guitar World also reported as calibration from 436Hz to 445Hz4. The range lets a player match an ensemble tuned to a slightly different reference pitch. Accuracy is plus or minus one cent1; a cent is one hundredth of a semitone, so this is fine enough for precise tuning by ear against the display.
Where it came from
Electro-Harmonix released the EHX-2020 Chromatic Tuner Pedal at a U.S. list price of $39, and the maker lists it as now available21.
The EHX-2020 launched at a list price of $3921, sitting alongside dedicated tuner pedals from makers like Boss and TC Electronic.
Questions
Is the Electro-Harmonix EHX-2020 true bypass?
Yes. The EHX-2020 uses true bypass switching, so when it is bypassed the guitar's signal passes through without going through the tuning circuit. Guitar.com's report described this as zero colouration of the guitar's tone when the pedal is bypassed, and Bass Gear Magazine's announcement listed true bypass among the pedal's features.
Does the EHX-2020 mute the signal while tuning?
Yes. Engaging the EHX-2020 mutes the guitar's signal, which allows for silent tuning. Guitar.com noted this as a feature aimed at live performances, where the audience does not hear the player tuning between songs.
What calibration range does the EHX-2020 cover?
The EHX-2020 has a calibration range of 436 to 445 Hz, adjustable in one-hertz steps. That covers reference pitches from slightly below to slightly above the usual standard, which is useful when playing along with instruments tuned to a different reference.
How accurate is the EHX-2020 tuner?
Guitar.com reported an accuracy of plus or minus one cent. A cent is one hundredth of a semitone, so an accuracy of one cent means the display registers pitch differences far finer than most players can hear.
Can the EHX-2020 tune to flat tunings?
Yes. The pedal offers three flat tuning modes: down a half step, down a whole step, and down a minor third. In these modes the tuner reads the fretted pitch as if the guitar were in standard tuning, so the player tunes normally while the strings are actually lower.
Has the EHX-2020 been discontinued?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix discontinued the 2020 pedal tuner in 2024 and released the 2020 v2 the same year, a mini pedal tuner with switchable true or buffered bypass. The original EHX-2020 remains available secondhand and from remaining stock.
Sources (4)
- Electro-Harmonix introduces its first-ever pedal tuner, the EHX-2020, Guitar.com, 2019-12-23
- New Compact Tuner Pedal Introduced By Electro-Harmonix, Bass Gear Magazine, 2019-12-20
- Electro Harmonix EHX-2020, a compact and flexible new chromatic tuner pedal, gearnews.com, 2019-12-23
- NAMM 2020: Electro-Harmonix debuts ludicrously affordable mini tuner pedal, Guitar World, 2019-12-23
