Tim Wall - 26 / Jan / 2021
Essential Guitar Accessories For Beginners
Having the right accessories from the start can go a long way when beginning to learn the guitar. The excitement that comes from buying an instrument can quickly fade when you realize that you have forgotten to purchase necessary accessories like an instrument cable, tuner, or picks. Here’s a list of accessories we have put together to consider when making your guitar purchase.
Picks
When it comes to picks, it often comes down to the personal preference of the player. Different shapes, sizes, thicknesses, and materials can all provide a unique feel and sound. For new players, pick packs that contain a variety of picks are a great way to start. The player can then spend some time on each one and conclude which is most comfortable for them.
Tuners
A tuner is one of the most important accessories you can get for your guitar. We always make sure instruments are in tune before they leave our store. However, new players are often unaware that guitars can go out of tune quite quickly, and likely need to be tuned before each session. A clip-on tuner is one of the easiest ways to tune your instrument, it uses the vibration of the guitar so it's quick and easy to tune even in noisy environments. It can also easily be transferred from one guitar to another and can be used on many other stringed instruments.
Capos
A capo acts as a moveable nut for your guitar. It effectively shortens the length of the strings and raises the pitch. It allows players to experiment with playing in different keys while still being able to use the standard chord fingering. It’s a great inexpensive way to shake things up in your playing.
Cases & Bags
Guitar cases are important for players that do any kind of traveling with their instrument. From the beginner going to and from guitar lessons to the experienced touring artist. When paired with a guitar humidifier, they also act as a controlled environment to keep the guitar at the proper humidity to prevent cracking and other damage to solid wood acoustic guitars in the dry winter seasons.
Straps
A quality strap makes it more comfortable to play for extended periods and confidently keeps your guitar safely slung around your shoulder. With different colours, materials, and patterns available, it’s also a great way to customize your look on stage.
Instrument Cables
This cable connects your guitar to your amp, making it an essential accessory for those playing an electric guitar. The selection of inexpensive cables makes it difficult to justify spending any more than the bare minimum, but if you want something that won’t need to be replaced as quickly, consider investing in a higher quality cable. They last longer and have higher quality components, keeping out any unwanted noise in your signal.
Strings
It is always a good idea to have an extra set of strings on hand. Accidentally breaking a string while playing or tuning isn’t uncommon when learning the ins and outs of your guitar. Having that extra set allows you to swap out that string and get right back to playing!
Check out this article if you're wondering if you need to change your strings.
Stands
If you want to get in the habit of playing your guitar regularly at home, we highly recommend keeping it on a stand and out of its case. Setting your guitar on a guitar stand or hangar makes it significantly easier to pick up and play when you have a few minutes. A guitar consistently stored in a case tends to be forgotten and becomes a burden to take out and play.
Other Accessories
If you liked this article, feel free to check out our other posts in our Learn section!
