The TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Noir is a mini tuner pedal from TC Electronic, announced in April 2019 alongside the PolyTune 3 Mini1. It is a dark-themed version of the Mini: the same compact polyphonic tuner in a midnight black powder coating, aimed at players building a darker, more monochromatic pedalboard23. Like the rest of the 3 series, it offers a choice of polyphonic, chromatic or strobe tuning modes, a bright LED display, a switchable Bonafide Buffer and an always-on mode1.
The polyphonic mode is the feature the PolyTune line is known for: strum all your open strings at once and the display shows which of them are out of tune, instead of checking one string at a time. Chromatic and strobe modes are there when you want single-string precision1.
A dark-finish PolyTune 3 Mini
Functionally, the Noir is the PolyTune 3 Mini in a different finish. Guitar.com described the pair as two compact variants of TC Electronic's Polytune tuners, with the 3 Noir being "a dark-themed version" of the 3 Mini3. Both carry the feature set of the larger 3 series pedals in a smaller footprint3, and both were announced together in April 2019 as updates to two of the company's classic tuning pedals1.
The difference is cosmetic. TC Electronic says the midnight black powder coating "compliments the stylistically oriented pedalboard"2. If you want the same pedal in the standard finish, the PolyTune 3 Mini page covers it; the Noir also follows an earlier dark model in the line, the Polytune 2 Noir.
The Mini's build got a positive reception from reviewers. Guitar World's review of the PolyTune 3 Mini noted "the casing is a solid-metal affair"5, and MusicRadar's review listed "highly accurate tuning" among its plus points6.
Bonafide Buffer and bypass
The headline feature the 3 series added over earlier PolyTunes is the built-in Bonafide Buffer. The original PolyTune 3, announced in April 2017 and available from that May, was the third entry in the PolyTune line and the first to boast a built-in BonaFide Buffer78. TC Electronic says the buffer keeps your tone crisp through long cables and large pedalboards1, and gearnews reported TC's claim that it "allows you to keep the pedal engaged all the time when you" play.
The buffer is switchable, which is what sets the pedal apart from tuners that are hard-wired one way or the other. Aclam Guitars' technical analysis of buffered versus true bypass designs singled the Polytune 3 out on exactly this point: it "will let you choose between these systems depending on what your needs are" in your rig9. Switch the buffer off and, in TC Electronic's words, "you're instantly back in true-bypass mode"2.
Two small DIP switches mounted on the side of the pedal handle the switching24:
| DIP switch | What it selects |
|---|---|
| Bypass | Buffered bypass or true bypass24 |
| Screen | Always on, or only on when the pedal is active410 |
MusicRadar's review of the 3 Mini described the same arrangement: "a pair of external DIP switches onboard to offer variations on the in-built BonaFide buffer" covering true bypass, buffered and buffered "screen always on" settings6. Guitar World's review likewise listed "switchable true and buffered bypass" among the Mini's features5.
Always-on mode
The second DIP switch controls the always-on mode. In buffer mode, the tuner display stays on and actively tracks your tuning even when the pedal is not muted, as Premier Guitar's launch coverage of the PolyTune 3 explained11. TC Electronic pitches it for tuning "without missing a beat"2, and Guitar.com described it as leaving "the pedals' screen on for quick tuning even while you're playing"3.
For a player, this means you can glance down mid-song and see where your pitch sits, without muting your signal or stepping on a switch. If you would rather have a dark screen between songs, the other DIP-switch position lights the display only when the pedal is active410.
The display
TC Electronic says the Noir's display uses 109 LEDs running at full blast, so it "remains clear and readable in direct sunlight or under a light rig"2. The same 109-LED screen earned the PolyTune 3 a strong readability verdict from MusicRadar's reviewer, who wrote that it "helps it take the title in the 'readability' category"12.
Where it sits in the PolyTune line
The Noir is one of the later entries in a line that began with the original PolyTune, continued through the PolyTune 2 and its Mini and Noir variants, and reached its third generation in 2017 with the PolyTune 3's built-in buffer7. The 3 Mini and 3 Noir, announced in April 2019, brought that third-generation feature set down to a compact footprint43. Guitar Pedal X's buying guide of mini and micro tuner pedals lists the 3 Mini's controls as a mode button on the right side and the two DIP switches on the left10, matching the Noir's layout.
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Questions
Is the TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Noir true bypass?
Yes, when the buffer is switched off. Two DIP switches on the side of the pedal let you choose between buffered bypass and true bypass, so the pedal can run either way depending on what your setup needs. Switch the buffer off and the pedal is back in true-bypass mode.
What is the difference between the PolyTune 3 Noir and the PolyTune 3 Mini?
The two pedals share the same feature set: polyphonic, chromatic and strobe tuning modes, a bright display, a switchable Bonafide Buffer and an always-on mode. The Noir is the dark-themed version, finished in a midnight black powder coating aimed at players building a darker, monochromatic pedalboard.
What does the always-on mode do on the PolyTune 3 Noir?
Always-on mode leaves the tuner display on and actively tracking your tuning even while you play, so you can check pitch quickly without stepping on anything. It works alongside the buffer mode, and a DIP switch toggles between the screen being always on and only on when the pedal is active.
Can I see the PolyTune 3 Noir display in direct sunlight?
TC Electronic says the display uses 109 LEDs running at full blast, so it stays clear and readable in direct sunlight or under stage lighting. Reviewers of the PolyTune 3's 109-LED screen rated it highly for readability, and the Noir shares that display.
Does the PolyTune 3 Noir have a built-in buffer?
Yes. The pedal has a built-in Bonafide Buffer, which TC Electronic says keeps your tone crisp through long cables and large pedalboards. It is switchable, so you can run the pedal in true-bypass mode instead if your rig calls for it.
Sources (12)
- TC Electronic Announces New PolyTune 3 Mini and 3 Noir Tuning Pedals, Guitar World, 2019-04-17
- POLYTUNE 3 NOIR, TC Electronic
- TC Electronic adds Polytune 3 Mini and 3 Noir to its tuner range, Guitar.com, 2019-05-01
- TC Electronic unveils PolyTune 3 Mini & Noir, MusicRadar, 2019-04-17
- TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Mini review, Guitar World, 2021-12-14
- TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Mini review, MusicRadar, 2022-01-06
- TC Electronic unveils PolyTune 3 polyphonic tuner pedal with built-in buffer, MusicRadar, 2017-04-24
- TC Electronic introduce PolyTune 3, Guitar.com, 2017-04-21
- Buffered vs True Bypass, Aclam Guitars, 2018-12-01
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-06-16
- TC Electronic Unveils the PolyTune 3, Premier Guitar, 2017-04-21
- TC Electronic PolyTune 3 review, MusicRadar, 2021-12-14
