Ernie Ball VPJR

The Ernie Ball VPJR Tuner is a volume pedal with a digital chromatic tuner built into the footboard, made by Ernie Ball. Ernie Ball describes it as combining "Ernie Ball's world-renowned volume pedal with an enhanced definition digital guitar tuner," in the same rugged housing as the company's traditional volume pedal¹. Where a normal board needs a volume pedal and a separate tuner pedal side by side, the VPJR Tuner puts both functions under one foot, with a touchscreen in the treadle showing either the tuner or a graphic volume readout.

Premier Guitar's reviewer framed the design as "using their industry-standard, rock-solid VPJR volume pedal as a template"², and gearnews.com noted at launch that "it has a touch screen tuner built into the top of the main foot pedal" and that it "will look and feel just like a regular Ernie Ball volume pedal"³. The case is made from aircraft-grade aluminum⁴.

A volume pedal with a touchscreen tuner

The core idea is that the tuner lives where your foot already rests. In the heel-down position, the touchscreen automatically enters tuner mode, allowing silent tuning between songs; sweep the pedal forward and the screen switches to a graphic display of the volume level, with 10 shown at toe fully up¹⁹. Guitar World's Paul Riario described this "combo mode" behavior: the pedal "activates the tuner at no signal or minimal volume (heel down) and switches to a graphic volume readout once a signal is detected"⁶. The signal level that triggers the switch is adjustable and presettable on the touchscreen³.

The tuner itself is chromatic and tunes one string at a time. guitar.com's review noted it "offers simple and precise tuning for each string individually, with both colour- (green for in tune, blue for out) and needle-based readouts"¹⁰. The large display is designed to be readable under low-light stage conditions and in direct sunlight⁵.

Screen controls

The chosen display mode stays put: MusicPlayers.com's reviewer confirmed the selected mode "remains even after the tuner is turned off until changed again"⁷. The screen can also be locked so a stray foot does not change settings mid-gig. Ernie Ball says holding the lock icon for three seconds locks or unlocks it¹; MusicPlayers.com's reviewer found the virtual button at the bottom left of the screen needed five full seconds⁷, so expect a deliberate press either way.

The treadle can be routed as a gain control or as a master volume control, which decides whether the pedal shapes how hard you drive the front of your amp or simply sets overall output level⁵.

Power and connections: 9 to 18 volts

The VPJR Tuner is an active pedal, so it needs external power for both the volume and tuner functions. Ernie Ball says it "is compatible with almost any 9 to 18 volt power adaptor on the market"¹, and MusicPlayers.com confirmed any DC supply in the 9-to-18 volt range works⁷. Guitar World lists power usage at 150mA minimum⁶, which is worth noting if you run a compact power supply: that is more current than many small analog pedals draw. There is no battery option⁷.

Connections are 2 x 1/4" TS inputs (instrument, effects return) and 2 x 1/4" TS outputs (main out, effects send)⁹. The mono input jack accepts both passive and active mono audio signals, with 9 to 18 volts of headroom depending on the power supply¹, so guitars with active pickups are supported. The pedal ships with a simple manual in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese, also downloadable from Ernie Ball's website⁷.

Is it buffered?

Yes. The VPJR Tuner is an active pedal with a discrete buffer circuit that Ernie Ball describes as having "no tone loss through any signal chain"⁵⁴. This is a real difference from the passive VPJR volume pedals: Griffin Effects sells buffer retrofit kits for the passive VPJR versions 6180 and 6181, adding an input buffer plus output buffers on the main and tuner outputs¹¹, which is the kind of modification passive VPJR owners make to protect their high-impedance signal on long cable runs. The VPJR Tuner has that covered from the factory.

History and versions

Ernie Ball's volume pedal line goes back decades. JHS Pedals' buying guide calls the original VP, released in the seventies, "the perfect volume pedal"¹². The VPJR Tuner arrived much later: it was first shown as a prototype at the Ernie Ball booth at NAMM 2019 in January 2019³⁵, with Ernie Ball introducing it at the show in Anaheim on January 26, 2019 as a combined chromatic tuner and active volume pedal, pricing and availability still to be announced⁵. Guitar.com reported that Ernie Ball had "reimagined and reengineered" their popular volume pedal for it¹³.

At launch it was offered in four finishes: Gold, Black, Red, and White⁵⁴, and Ernie Ball's product page currently lists the Black version at $249.99¹. When MusicPlayers.com reviewed it in March 2020, it sold for $199 MSRP and was shipping that spring⁷; the current list price is higher.

The pedal also reflects a mechanical change across the line: from 2016, the VP and VPJR series replaced the traditional Vectran string with a PVC-coated Kevlar cord and spring linkage¹⁴.

What reviewers said

Published reviews were positive. Guitar World's Paul Riario called it "a clever, space-saving pedalboard idea brilliantly executed"⁶. MusicPlayers.com's Matt Abrams found "the tuner was spot on and made for quick tuning," while noting that "some players prefer a strobe-style tuner"⁷. Guitar World's volume pedal buying guide credits Ernie Ball with "making some of the most durable, best-selling volume pedals longer than most guitarists reading this have been alive"⁹, and the VPJR's touchscreen and tuner earn its place there as a space saver with a rugged build and a range of colors¹⁵.

For players comparing options, the VPJR Tuner's pitch is combining two pedals in one. If you already own a passive Ernie Ball VP Jr 250K or a Dunlop Mini Volume + Tuner covers similar ground in a smaller format, while the Walrus Audio Canvas Volume is a modern active alternative.

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