The Walrus Audio Canvas Tuner is a chromatic tuner pedal from Walrus Audio, launched in November 2023 as part of the company's Canvas range of pedalboard utility tools1. Its defining feature is a bright 2.8-inch TFT LCD display that Walrus says can be viewed under just about any stage lighting conditions, with adjustable brightness and a screen you can reorient to suit where the pedal sits on your board23.
Tuning accuracy is ±0.1 cent, the same class of precision as dedicated strobe tuners, and the pedal offers six selectable tuning modes including Strobe and Needle, plus a monitor mode for checking every note you play and a mute function for silent tuning between songs23.
The display, modes and controls
The Canvas Tuner's screen is its main selling point. Walrus describes it as a bright 2.8-inch TFT LCD display that can be viewed under just about any stage lighting conditions, with adjustable brightness to match the room23. On the right side of the enclosure sit a USB input plus Menu select, Up and Down buttons; the input, outputs and power input are top-placed on the left5.
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Six tuning modes | Includes Strobe and Needle displays2 |
| Monitor mode | Checks that every note you play is in tune4 |
| Mute | Silent tuning; the bypass switch toggles mute on and off in monitor mode23 |
| Four tuning presets | Store your preferred setups5 |
| Reference pitch | 390Hz to 490Hz5 |
| Built-in tunings | Chromatic, Guitar Std, Drop D, Bass Std3 |
| Standby screens | Canvas badge, Screensaver, Picture Mode3 |
| Color themes | Eight themes1 |
Picture Mode lets you upload your own image as a standby screen, and Guitar World notes the pedal also has eight color themes and built-in screensavers if you are not fussed about uploading your own1. Firmware is updatable over USB-C via walrusaudio.io7.
Buffered or true bypass
The Canvas Tuner offers both bypass options: true bypass via a small signal relay, or buffered bypass employing what Walrus calls a high quality op amp based buffer2. In buffered mode the audio routes through Walrus's clean, low-noise, high headroom buffer, with a Total Harmonic Distortion ratio of 0.001% at 20Hz and at 1kHz, a noise floor of -112dBu, a signal to noise ratio of 98dB at 1kHz, a 1M Ohm input impedance and a roughly 400 Ohm output impedance2.
That buffer, and the pedal's flat 20Hz to 20kHz frequency response, are what make it suitable for acoustic and bass guitars. Guitar World reported that even bassists needing that low B rumble can tune with confidence1.
Power: 9V, 300mA
The Canvas Tuner runs on 9V DC, center negative, with a 300mA power requirement, and Walrus Audio specifies a 9 volt DC, center negative, 300mA supply for the pedal2. MusicRadar's review confirms the 300mA power draw5.
Walrus Audio recommends an isolated power supply for all of its pedals and does not recommend daisy chain power supplies2. At 300mA the Canvas Tuner is also a hungrier pedal than most compact tuners, so check your power supply's per-output capacity.
Where it came from and what it costs
The list price is $148.994. At launch, Guitar World noted this made it slightly more expensive than the industry-standard PolyTune and Boss TU-31. Walrus has also sold blemished units at $126.64, with cosmetic damage only, and a "minor screen issue" variant, now sold out, in which a portion of the screen is either not properly set, causing a slightly skewed image, or has missing pixels24.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's Rob Laing found the vivid display and customized picture options nice to have, but judged the screen orientation flexibility the most useful feature for some pedalboards5. gearnews took a measured view at launch:
"This Canvas Tuner is never going to set the world alight, but it should make staying in tune a lot easier for many players"
For players comparing options, the Canvas Tuner sits among a wide field of pedal tuners, from the TC Electronic PolyTune and Boss TU3 that Guitar World called the industry standards, to strobe-class units like the Peterson StroboStomp HD and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-300 Mini1.
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Questions
Can the Walrus Canvas Tuner screen be rotated?
Yes. The screen orientation can be changed, and the compact enclosure itself can be rotated into any orientation to fit a crowded pedalboard. Reviewers describe the rotation differently: MusicRadar says the orientation changes up to 270 degrees, while gearnews reported it turns a full 360 degrees in 90-degree increments.
Can you upload your own picture to the Canvas Tuner?
Yes. Picture Mode is one of three standby screen modes, alongside a Canvas badge screen and a screensaver, so you can show your own image when the tuner is idle. Guitar World also notes eight color themes and built-in screensavers if you would rather not upload your own.
Does the Canvas Tuner work for bass and low B?
Yes. Its flat frequency response runs from 20Hz to 20kHz, and Guitar World reports it is suitable for acoustic and bass guitars, with bassists able to tune a low B with confidence. Built-in tunings include Bass Std alongside Chromatic, Guitar Std and Drop D.
What reference pitch range does the Canvas Tuner have?
The reference pitch is adjustable from 390Hz to 490Hz, per MusicRadar's review. That range covers the common A440 standard plus lower and higher concert pitches used by some bands and orchestral settings.
How do you update the Canvas Tuner firmware?
The firmware is updatable over USB-C via walrusaudio.io, as reported in Premier Guitar's launch coverage. The USB port sits on the right side of the enclosure alongside the Menu select, Up and Down buttons.
Is the Canvas Tuner made in the USA?
Yes. MusicRadar's review lists its origin as the USA, and it is built in the same tour-ready enclosure as other Walrus Audio pedals. All Walrus Audio products carry a limited lifetime warranty.
Sources (7)
- Walrus Audio's Canvas Tuner lets you upload your own photos, Guitar World, 2023-11-01
- Canvas Tuner, Walrus Audio
- Walrus Audio Canvas Tuner, gearnews.com, 2023-11-01
- Canvas Tuner, Walrus Audio
- Walrus Audio Canvas Tuner review, MusicRadar, 2024-01-11
- Canvas Tuner, Walrus Audio
- Walrus Audio Announces Canvas Tuner, Premier Guitar, 2023-11-01
