Remembering the Boss TU-1000 – the gigantic, pedalboard-dwarfing tuner pedal that launched a hundred memes

Boss TU-1000 Stage Tuner
(Image credit: Boss)

Forget your overdrives, your delays and your reverbs: the humble tuner pedal is the most important stompbox on your pedalboard. Nothing will improve your tone more than being in tune. Fact.

It’s why, when Boss launched the first compact pedal tuner in 1998, it quickly became a new industry standard. The TU-2 had finally satisfied guitarists’ and bassists’ need for a quick, reliable way to tune their guitars mid-show. It was a game-changer.

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Michael Astley-Brown
Editor-in-Chief, GuitarWorld.com

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.