9 essential guitar accessories.

[surfergirl]

I saw this list a few days ago and decided to see what I had.

Tuner: Several including apps

Strap: Duh, several including my Lakota leathers.

Picks: dozens.

Stand: Yes

Case/gig bag: Both.

Strap locks: Yes, rubber washer,

Pedal board: Sorta, a piece of 2 by 4 with 2 sided tape.

Slide: Yes, but I don't use it.

Capo: No.

[desertbluesman]

Got'em all, don't use the slide anymore nor the capo.

[Sharkman]

I have all except the pedal board.  Although my Digitech multi-effects pedals act as pedal boards when I am using them.

[Larryz]

@surfergirl,  I'm a sit-down player these days so I don't need straps or strap locks, but I do need my chair and a guitar stand now and then.  I always transport my guitars in their cases.  I don't use a slide or a capo anymore, but I do need my snap-on tuner. Picks are a necessity for me.  My amp, mic stand, amp stand, mic and guitar cords and a backpack. No pedal board but maybe a wart and one pedal.  A strip and an extension cord.  No Lakota leathers LoL!  Beer and small cooler with blue ice and maybe a song list.  If outdoors, I'll need a hat, sunblock and sunglasses...and one more thing, a GUITAR LOL!!! 😎👍

[RABid]

I have them all but never made use of the capo or slide. I would add a headphone amp simulator and maybe a trainer, or what ever the device is called that slows down songs but keeps them in key.

[o0Ampy0o]

Always have extra strings and a string winder around.

[Winston Psmith]

10 hours ago, o0Ampy0o said:

Always have extra strings and a string winder around.

 

STRING WINDER!!!

 

The guy who sold me my first String Winder, back in the 80's, told me, "This will save you hours of useful life!" He wasn't exaggerating. I have one in every Guitar case, another in my Guitar toolbox, and at least one spare in a drawer somewhere.

 

One other thing I'd add to that list would be some kind of in-case Humidifier, maybe more than one per case, depending on what it's like where you live.

 

For our live shows, I carry a small gear bag, with the following -

 

Extra cables, in several lengths (3 foot, 6 foot, 10-15 foot braided cable)

Power Strip & extension cord

*Cable tester (FWIW, I test all of my cables the night before a show, but "One Never Knows, Do One?")

Small tool kit (Wire Cutters, Pliers, Philips & Flat-head screwdrivers, Hex/Allen Wrenches as needed, Flashlight)

Extra batteries, depending on what your gear may use.

 

*I'm often surprised by how few of my Musician friends have any kind of Cable tester, considering how dependent we are on our various cable connections?!?

[surfergirl]

String winder for sure. After using one of those cheap plastic ones that don't work any better than winding by hand, I bought a new one. It's so much better I actually want to change strings.

I don't even want to think about Batteries, our Boss Street Cube ll's eat Batteries like I eat Hershey chocolate bars. We're going to get rechargeables for the amps. 

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

Excellent post topic, surfergirl!

 

Tuner: Peterson StroboStomp HD; I love it!

Strap: Quite a few, actually, but all are the woven jacquard material with comfy shoulder-pads that the strap slides back and forth through as I move around, rather than catching and pulling on my clothes. One is made of automotive seat-belt material, and it's going to get an old GM seat-belt buckle like the ones that were in my Dad's Buick muscle-car when I was little...

Picks: None. Well, maybe a few- somewhere- though I think I gave the last of 'em to the Grrrlfriend (aka Caevs Grrrl here on these Forums) for her Ukulele. Or, I do also have a rather complex kit of special fingernail-picks and their warming chamber (they have reusable medical grade adhesive in them), that I really, REALLY should get out and continue using and experimenting with. Either way, I play 100% fingerstyle all the time, using my nails and fingertips whether acoustic, electric, clean, dirty, gonzo...

Stand: I have several, all the same- On-Stage A-Frame Stands- the type that the guitar sits cradled in, with zero contact with the neck.

Case/Gig-Bag: Mostly hard-shell cases, but also a few gig-bags. My Tele-styled 12-String 'Twelviecaster' has only a gig-bag, though if I ever start taking it places, I'll likely get a decent hard-shell case for it, too.

Strap Locks: Some sets of Dunlop StrapLoks; "Flush Mount" on the tail-end, "Original" standing-tall on the upper/bass-bout. Oversized black rubber washer style on the Twelviecaster. 

Pedal-Board: Yhup. A great big Pedaltrain PT PRO-SC Pedalboard with a Soft Case; I wish I'd also gotten the Hard Case for it, too. Sometimes I wish I'd instead gotten two slightly smaller 'boards- one for stomps 'up front', the other for those 'in the 'loop'. Voodoo Lab Pedal Power "DIGITAL" high-current Power Supply underneath, augmented by an old Visual Sound 1 SPOT Deluxe Combo Pack daisy-chain. More big isolated PS's to follow, to pretty much replace the 1 Spot and numerous individual Power Supplies...

Slide: I have quite a few! A small collection of various designs and materials. Favorites are a flared, concave bell-brass Harris Slide, and a proprietary ceramic-material Moonshine Slide that has a glazed exterior and a rough bisque interior. Also an unusual Crelicam Ebony Slide that has a somewhat muted tone and a short, fading sustain. I have been neglecting my slide playing for quite a while, though!

Capo: Several really nice Thalia capos, beginning with a beautiful one that Elizabeth, aka "Caevs Grrrl", gave me for Christmas a few years ago, that matches my Les Paul. I have several different Thalia capos so that I can keep each with a fretpad with a radius that matches each respective guitar. (Thalia capos have interchangeable Fretpads in different radii and materials, including slippery Teflon that is more forgiving of string-bends, and a special, proprietary squishy "OctaveTouch" for 12-Strings).


I'll add:

Guitar-Related Tools:  Such as the Stewart-MacDonald Guitar Tech Screwdriver and Wrench Set, a Bullet Guitar Jack Tightener, a variety of truss-rod wrenches (hex, socket), a digital multi-meter (Fluke), English/Standard and Metric dial-calipers...

Balanced XLR Direct Box:  ART DUALZDirect 2-channel Passive Direct Box, that converts Unbalanced 1/4" plugs to Balanced female XLR jacks, via transformer-couplers.

 

9 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

 

STRING WINDER!!!

 

The guy who sold me my first String Winder, back in the 80's, told me, "This will save you hours of useful life!" He wasn't exaggerating. I have one in every Guitar case, another in my Guitar toolbox, and at least one spare in a drawer somewhere.

I've long loved the String Winder, big fan. I've even used 'em, gripped up close, not by the crank-handle, to get more leverage to carefully fine-tune stubborn, stiff old tuners (that really needed to be REPLACED).

HOWEVER, I really have no use for one with the wonderful Locking-Tuners that I put on my Les Paul this past year. They're such an improvement in several ways, that I wonder what the Hell took me so long, and why don't I put similar ones on every guitar from now on? LOVE 'em!! My Les Paul is much easier to fine-tune, much quicker to string, stays in tune much better, and even sounds better! The ones I bought and installed look pretty sharp, too- even within a 'vintage' sort of sensibilities...

 

9 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

For our live shows, I carry a small gear bag, with the following -

 

Extra cables, in several lengths (3 foot, 6 foot, 10-15 foot braided cable)

Power Strip & extension cord

*Cable tester (FWIW, I test all of my cables the night before a show, but "One Never Knows, Do One?")

Small tool kit (Wire Cutters, Pliers, Philips & Flat-head screwdrivers, Hex/Allen Wrenches as needed, Flashlight)

Extra batteries, depending on what your gear may use.

Extra Cables: Check, in numerous lengths and types. And a variety of adapters, including those for PS connections...

Power Strip & Extension Cord: Check.

Cable Tester: Check- well, a Digital Multi-Meter. There was a fancy multi-jack cable tester in the band's gear-bag when I was last in a covers-and-originals band.

Small Tool Kit: Check- and sometimes, not so small...

Extra Batteries: Check- Alkaline AND "old school: Carbon-Zinc. Plus, a number of individual Power Supplies, including Pin-Positive, 18v, 15v...

[Larryz]

@surfergirl,  I'm not sure if your battery pack goes in and out easily.  I take mine out of the amp when at home and use electricity.  I have noticed the batteries last longer for some reason when not stored in the amp on my Street Cube.  It only takes a second on my amp.  Also, I run mine in the economy power mode when outdoors busking and patio parties, but I'll run it on 25 watts when I'm plugged in to AC power. +1 The rechargeable battery idea is a good one...😎👍

[Caevan O’Shite]

I should have mentioned, as others have above, that I ALWAYS, ALWAYS ALWAYS have extra strings on hand, and then some!

I even used to always bring a back-up amp and have it set-up for quick and easy switching-over in case of any issues with the amp! As well as alternatives, such as a digital-modeler/multi-effects unit that could go DI to the PA and monitors. These days, I might be more likely to use my Strymon Iridium DI, and bring an amp (most likely one of three heads) that one way or another could be connected DI if the Iridium failed (knock on wood)...

 

On 6/17/2023 at 2:12 PM, surfergirl said:

Capo: No

 

On 6/17/2023 at 2:59 PM, desertbluesman said:

Got'em all, don't use the slide anymore nor the capo.

 

On 6/17/2023 at 4:52 PM, Larryz said:

I don't use a slide or a capo anymore...

 

On 6/17/2023 at 8:59 PM, RABid said:

I have them all but never made use of the capo...

Even if you don't use a capo, it's a very good tool to have on hand for set-up work. Place one at the 1st-Fret and then fret a string at the fret closest to where the neck and body meet, to check the relief by measuring or visually inspecting the space between the bottom of a string and the top of, say, the 7th or 8th Fret or so. Similarly you can sometimes use a capo to try to diagnose string-to-fret buzzes and locate the problem area. If you need to loosen the strings temporarily, a capo placed at the 1st or 2nd Fret can keep the strings from flopping all over and coming too loose at the tuner-posts.

[surfergirl]

@Larryz, we do take the batteries out when we can, but I think rechargeable is the way for us to go. I though I read somewhere that you could charge rechargeable batteries by plugging the amp in, but the doesn't say anything about it in the manual. It's worth it to buy a charger to be safe.

@Caevan O’Shite, I ordered a capo with an order from Chicago Music Exchange that I needed to get $49. for free shipping. I canceled that and bought some patch cables that I really needed. I may pick one up eventually. 

[Caevan O’Shite]

13 hours ago, surfergirl said:

@Caevan O’Shite, I ordered a capo with an order from Chicago Music Exchange that I needed to get $49. for free shipping. I canceled that and bought some patch cables that I really needed. I may pick one up eventually. 

For use as a utility accessory for checking/adjusting relief, etc., almost any reasonably easy to use and not terribly expensive capo will work just fine.

If you'll use one a lot, and in various positions up and down the fretboard, I can highly, highly recommend the Thalia capos, with their interchangeable Fretpads that match the radius of different fretboards. They really do work the very best of any capo in the world; and their Teflon and OctaveTouch Fretpads are absolutely brilliant!

[surfergirl]

I really like this Thalia Hawaiian Koa, but I think I'll settle for a $15. D'addario until I'm sure I'll use it.

[Larryz]

@surfergirl, I would buy 2 sets of Nicad rechargeable batteries.  One freshly charged in the amp before I leave for the gig.  I would take the 2nd freshly charged set to take to the gig as a backup.  When I get home, put the ones from the amp in the charger and leave both sets out of the amp till the next gig. Just a thought.  As far as I know the amp does not charge the batteries while it's plugged in.  Mine does have a battery remaining power check light gauge, so I know when they need changing well in advance...😎

 

@Caevan O’Shite, +1 on using a capo on the 1st fret for checking neck relief.  I just don't use them for playing anymore, so the inexpensive model would be the one I would buy.  Another cool trick for acoustic pin-bridge guitars, is to loosen the strings but before pulling the pins put a capo on at the 1st fret. Thus you can work on the guitar and save time and save the strings when it's not time to do a string change.  Just put the ball ends back in the bridge and tighten the strings that are still wound on their posts...😎

[surfergirl]

From the Thalia Capo website. This will be essential to me when my capo arrives.

[desertbluesman]

@surfergirl  Nice chart and it looks useful.

[Caevan O’Shite]

On 6/20/2023 at 12:24 PM, surfergirl said:

I really like this Thalia Hawaiian Koa, but I think I'll settle for a $15. D'addario until I'm sure I'll use it.

A very wise decision, I'd say! The Thalia capos are VERY excellent, but rather expensive- best to be sure if it'd be worth the investment. If you rarely or infrequently use a capo, they're a bit excessive.

The best thing about them is that you don't have to fiddle around with placement and fuss with tuning and retuning- just place it almost anywhere between the two frets where you want it, and that's that. Their pressure distribution and radius-matching fretpads eliminate pretty much all of the messing around and tuning and intonation issues that had always plagued capo-use. And that makes them great for using in several positions during a performance or even one tune.

The bling factor can be really sharp with the inlays and choice of plating and all, but isn't exactly necessary, nor cost-effective. When I ordered one to use with my Twelviecaster, I would have been delighted had they offered one with a plain maple inlay, or even just all chrome or nickel. As it was, I had to 'settle' for lightly figured maple with a limited edition "Birds" inlay. At least I know at a glance which one of my capos has the special 12-String friendly "OctaveTouch" Fretpad with the corresponding radius, and it doesn't look too ostentatious... !

 

7 hours ago, surfergirl said:

From the Thalia Capo website. This will be essential to me when my capo arrives.

Excellent! Too be honest, I like to leave a good bit of an unknown factor to my capo use, and also that of any Open or Alternate Tunings; I like stumbling upon unexpected discoveries.

[surfergirl]

My weaknesses, 🐢. I couldn't resist this, my Thalia Hawaiian Green Turtle capo.

[Caevan O’Shite]

1 hour ago, surfergirl said:

My weaknesses, 🐢. I couldn't resist this, my Thalia Hawaiian Green Turtle capo.

Haahhaahh! Their bling factor is mighty appealing... That is nice, excellent choice. It really suits both your guitar, and your style.

It certainly won't let you down in performance!

[CEB]

You need a capo for commonly used chords in harmonically more complex or traditional guitar music.  Especially Spanish and Classical guitar.

 

The third chord In the A section after the intro of The Pretender by the Foo Fighters is a good example. It’s basically a normal 6 string F chord with the high e and b strings open.  Fmaj7#11   The tension from the open b and e strings pulls you to resolve to the E chord.   That is a chord you need to use in other keys.  You have to have a capo to play it anywhere but first position in a normal Andalusian cadence. (  All Along The Watchtower and Staiway to Heaven are basic versions of that progression )
 

[KTSs]

I need to explain that in most of the outdoor guitar use process, amplifier is very important, because the outdoor playing guitar environment leads to guitar sound often small sound, sound intermittent problem, so for better playing effect, it is better to carry a more portable amplifier and amplifier cable when you go out, for outdoor guitar people it is more important.

 

 

[whitefang]

Just catching up to this one, I do have all that's listed.  Except the 2X4.

 

But I don't use the slide much anymore and only use a capo on my 12 string to bring it up to a "normal" sounding tuning.  And I also quit using a strap because of certain physical limitations over the years have left me sedentary for long enough times I've gained a lot of unwanted girth that when I use a strap to stand up and play it looks like I'm playing a guitarron.

 

 

My tuner is a now 20 year old Boss TU-12H chromatic tuner.

 

Whitefang

[KTSs]

I'll also have a couple more cables that will conduct slightly different tones and sounds when connected to my guitars and amps. I usually change cables in the field to find the one that works best at the time.

[Caevan O’Shite]

3 hours ago, Tokushi said:

I'll also have a couple more cables that will conduct slightly different tones and sounds when connected to my guitars and amps. I usually change cables in the field to find the one that works best at the time.

How 'Eric Johnson' of you!

NOT meant derogatorily- more like a compliment! I'd do that, IF I wanted to roll off a bit of treble brightness with, say, a coily-cord with brass plugs... As it is, I prefer a very 'hi-fi' cable originally intended for amplified-acoustic instruments from upright-bass to soprano violin, mandolin, ukulele, and I'll adjust tone-controls and the like if necessary... Said cable will surely convey all the highs and lows of my Les Paul or Tele!