The TC Electronic PolyTune 2 is a polyphonic pedal tuner: strum all six strings at once and its display shows every string simultaneously, with each one marked sharp, flat or in tune1. It is the followup to TC Electronic's original PolyTune, announced in August 2013, and its headline change over the first version is a much brighter display that stays readable at outdoor gigs on a sunny day12. It sold for $99 estimated street price at launch, alongside €89 SSP and £69 SSP in Europe3.
Tunes all six strings at once
The idea the original PolyTune introduced, tuning all strings simultaneously, carries straight into the PolyTune 2's PolyTune mode3. You strum the open strings and the display lays out all six at once, each showing whether it is sharp, flat or in tune, so you can see the whole picture in one glance instead of plucking string by string1.
As soon as you pluck an individual string, the pedal switches to chromatic mode, using an LED "needle" to indicate pitch5. There is also a new ultra-accurate strobe display mode that tunes to 0.1 cent accuracy, which MusicRadar's reviewer called perfect for setting your intonation1.
The controls and display
The clear, bright LED Matrix display is the big news for version 2: it is much brighter than the original's, so you can actually see what's going on at outdoor gigs in daylight1. You access the different modes and tunings via two push buttons on the top side of the pedal1.
| Control or feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Two push buttons (top side) | Access the different modes and tunings1 |
| PolyTune mode | Shows all six strings at once, sharp, flat or in tune1 |
| Chromatic mode | LED "needle" for a single plucked string5 |
| Strobe mode | Ultra-accurate tuning to 0.1 cent, for setting intonation1 |
| Memory | Remembers your configuration even when power is switched off1 |
Once set, the unit remembers your configuration, even when you switch the power off1.
Power and the 9V output
You can power the PolyTune 2 with a nine-volt battery or a power adapter, which is not included5. Beyond running itself, it has a nine-volt DC output to power other pedals1, which lets one adapter feed a small board.
The PolyTune 2's reference pitch is fixed at A-440. MusicRadar's reviewer noted that players who need to alter their reference pitch from A-440 will need to look elsewhere1.
The PolyTune 2 among the PolyTune versions
The PolyTune 2 sits in the middle of TC Electronic's tuner line, between the original PolyTune and the later PolyTune 3. It also spun off several variants of its own267:
| Version | What it is |
|---|---|
| PolyTune 2 Mini | Compact version with an upgraded display of 109 ultra-bright LEDs, chromatic mode and MonoPoly technology that detects whether you are tuning one string or several; true bypass8 |
| PolyTune 2 Noir | Black-finish version with a super-bright LED display, powered by 9V DC center negative9 |
| PolyTune 2 BlackLight | Announced June 2015, available from the end of June 2015, with a super-bright blue-and-white LED display, an ambient light sensor for easy viewing and a super sleek black enclosure; same features as the standard PolyTune 2710 |
The PolyTune 2 Mini is no longer made, as That Pedal Show noted when one appeared in a 2019 episode, though it earned a warm send-off from Premier Guitar, whose quick-hit review summed it up as "Bright, fast, accurate, small, and inexpensive" and called the tuner pedal a winner1112.
"Bright, fast, accurate, small, and inexpensive."
What reviewers said
"As long as you don't need to alter your reference pitch from A-440, this remains the best pedal tuner available."
Premier Guitar's review called it one of today's best tuner pedals, noting the battery or adapter power options and the automatic switch from polyphonic to chromatic mode when a single string is plucked5.
On the practical side, Aaron Rogers of EarthQuaker Devices, writing about pedal order for a bass rig, places his tuner last in the chain so it doubles as a kill switch: "I prefer to place my tuner last so I can use it as a total kill switch in case something goes awry earlier in the chain"13. That is a use any mute-on-engage tuner like the PolyTune 2 can serve.
For more on the category, see tuner pedals.
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Questions
Is the PolyTune 2 true bypass?
Yes. MusicRadar's review describes the PolyTune 2 as a true bypass, highly accurate tuner, so your dry signal passes through untouched when the pedal is off. The smaller PolyTune 2 Mini also uses true bypass.
Can the PolyTune 2 change the reference pitch from A440?
No. MusicRadar's reviewer found the PolyTune 2 remains the best pedal tuner available as long as you don't need to alter your reference pitch from A-440. Players who tune to a different reference pitch will want a tuner with that adjustment.
Does the PolyTune 2 run on a battery?
Yes. Premier Guitar's review notes you can power it with a nine-volt battery or a power adapter, which is not included. It also has a nine-volt DC output that can power other pedals on your board.
What is the difference between the PolyTune 2 and the PolyTune 3?
The PolyTune 3, announced in April 2017 at $99, adds an all-analog BonaFide Buffer with selectable True Bypass and True Buffer modes, chosen by internal DIP switches. The PolyTune 2 is true bypass only and has no buffer option.
Sources (13)
- TC Electronic PolyTune 2 review, MusicRadar, 2013-09-05
- TC Electronic Announces PolyTune 2 Pedal, Guitar World, 2013-08-14
- TC Electronic Announces PolyTune 2, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2013-08-14
- TC Electronic announces PolyTune 2, MusicRadar, 2013-08-13
- TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Review, Premier Guitar, 2013-10-06
- POLYTUNE 3 | TC Electronic, TC Electronic
- TC Electronic unveils PolyTune 2 BlackLight, MusicRadar, 2015-06-23
- TC Electronic announces PolyTune 2 Mini and PolyTune 2 Noir, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-09-02
- Polytune 2 Noir by TC Electronic, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- TC Electronic Introduces PolyTune 2 BlackLight, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2015-06-24
- Quick Hit: TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Mini Review, Premier Guitar, 2014-11-30
- Tape Echo: Echo Fix EF-X2 meets Vintage Roland RE-201… And Others, That Pedal Show, 2019-07-26
- Get In Line: Pedal Order 101, EarthQuaker Devices, 2017-11-30
Dave Catching
