10 Guitar Accessories Every Guitarist Needs
From tuners to pedals, there are many guitar accessories that every guitarist needs. This article covers all essential accessories that can bring your guitar-playing to the next level.
Is a guitar on its own enough?
That depends on your guitar type, what you intend to do with it, and where you want to play.
There are tons of guitar accessories. Some are essential, while others enhance your playing experience or enable you to maintain your instrument better.
Here’s a list of all guitar accessories that every guitarist needs.
1. Guitar pick
Guitar picks are small pieces of plastic with a semi-pointed end. Picks allow you to be more agile with your instrument. They make going after a single note or playing a melody far easier.
Some picks have more flexibility, while others are thicker.
Thin picks are better for acoustic strumming. They create brighter tones and have a tighter dynamic range. Thick picks are preferable for lead guitarists. They’re better for creating mellower tones and heavily distorted sounds.
While you don’t necessarily need a guitar pick, playing without one is more challenging. A pick is recommended for a beginner, especially if you have a guitar with steel strings. Playing without one can leave your fingers feeling sore.
2. Strap
Another essential accessory is a guitar strap. Let’s face it. Unless you’re strictly playing an acoustic guitar sitting down, you need one.
Guitar straps keep your instrument secure around your body. Because they’re adjustable, they also help you hold your guitar properly–making it more comfortable to play.
Additionally, many guitar straps come with cool designs, providing extra style points.
3. Strings
Every guitar has a full set of strings (often in Tunt). However, with time and use, strings need replacing.
As you play your guitar, the strings become dull and difficult to play. That’s because they accumulate dirt, dead skin, sweat, and oils that our fingers release. So, your guitar strings break.
This is why having a set of strings can be a lifesaver! However, strings alone may not be enough. Learning how to replace your strings is an integral skill for a guitarist.
If you’re unsure how—check out our blog, How to Tune a Guitar, and do it right!
With new strings, you also need to tune them, which brings us to the next accessory.
4. Tuner
As you play your guitar, the strings gradually loosen. When that happens, the reverberations from your instrument will sound off–which can seriously kill your vibe.
While you can always tune your guitar by ear, knowing the correct tones takes time to learn.
That’s where a tuner comes in. Guitar tuners come in a couple of formats. You can buy a handheld tuner, clip-on tuner, pedal tuner, polyphonic tuner, sound hole tuner, or download an app (either works just fine).
If you’re looking for a tuning app that’s effective, free, and has no ads, check out Simply Tune.
5. Musician’s tool kit
Part of owning an instrument is maintaining it. Your guitar needs some love from time to time to stay in good shape. Whether you’re just cleaning it or taking it apart to replace a piece, a tool kit comes in handy.
Ideally, your tool kit has some Allen wrenches, various screwdriver bits, hex wrenches, and some sockets.
Many tool kits are compact, making them easy to store and travel-friendly. There are tons of options out there for affordable prices.
6. Amp
If you have an acoustic guitar, an amp likely won’t be very useful. However, for electric guitars they’re vital. Without an amp, making some noise is impossible.
Amps come in sizes, sound quality, and volume potential. Additionally, they offer users various sound options, expanding their playing experience.
“As a beginner, you ought to start with something cheaper to see if you like it.” However, it may be better to buy a decent one when it comes to amps. The point of a guitar is to create pleasant sounds. While settling for a cheaper one is better for your wallet, creating nice pleasant reverberations is much more inspiring and will inspire you to play more.
7. Headphone amp
Sometimes, louder isn’t better. Whether you have roommates or want some privacy, headphone amps are game-changers.
Headphone amps plug directly into your output jack and have a standard headphone output for your headphones. So you can shred your guitar to your heart’s content in private while your roommates, neighbors, and whoever else can enjoy some peace and quiet.
8. Cables
The next accessory on the list is a cable. They’re the bridge between guitar and amp. Within a cable is copper wires wrapped in a dielectric insulator and plastic coating that carry the sound signal from your instrument to the amplifier.
Cables come in various lengths and qualities. The length of the cable lowers the quality of your sound. That’s because the signal weakens farther traveling. Some materials are better conductors.
So, finding a quality cable can positively impact the sounds you make.
9. Pedal
Guitar pedals add several new layers of creative potential to your music. By plugging your guitar into your pedal, and your pedal into an amp, you can create various effects that alter the sound and volume of your instrument.
With guitar pedals, the sky is the limit. At the touch of a button, you can completely change the sound of your instrument. For instance, overdrive gives your guitar a crunchier sound and adds sustain.
Pedals are a must-have for a creative electric guitarist looking to create unique music.
10. Guitar stand
While most guitars come with a case, you may want to consider getting a guitar stand. One of the challenges, when you’re just starting, is sitting and playing your instrument.
With a stand, not only will your guitar be easily accessible, it will be staring you in the face every time you walk by.
Additionally, a guitar stand provides your instrument with a measure of protection. Leaning your guitar against the wall can result in it falling over and breaking. Your instrument’s risk of falling over with a stand is virtually nonexistent (provided you don’t knock the entire stand over).
With these ten guitar accessories, you have all the tools you need to maintain and protect your instrument and take your playing experience to the next level.
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