5 Essential Guitar Accessories

When new clients and students ask me, "What do I need to play guitar?", I'm quick to say that all you need is passion to learn and a guitar to play. I also like to recommend 5 essential guitar accessories to go along with your guitar. For seasoned players, this may sound trivial to you. Continue reading for a parallel to your guitar essentials and tools for living a successful life.  

1. Guitar Stand- (Price $9-$10) Any Guitar Stand will do. This will help prevent your new or old guitar from getting damaged by kids running through your home. Even if you don't have kids running around, it is good to have your guitar on a stand for stability and to prevent falls, dents, cracks, scratches, and breaks from occurring. It also allows for easy accessibility for playing. With it being out of the case, it maintains a constant cool environment. This helps prevent warping and splits.  

2. Guitar Case- (Price $15-$140) The case is the only way to travel with your guitar. Some people keep their guitars in a case but if you aren't traveling, keep it out on your stand. You are more apt to play it when you can visually look at it every day. With the exception of your guitar stand, you can carry all of your accessories in your case when you travel. Of course the hard shell cases are more expensive but worth it in the long run. Soft shell or Gig bags are affordable and lite weight. They are good for first time guitar players that travel locally with their guitar. If you are planing to take your guitar with you out on the road or on vacation, then spend the extra cash on a hard shell. Most dealers will offer the case with the purchase. That is usually when you'll get your best deal on one.

3. Guitar Tuner- (Price $15-$20) Your best friend can be your tuner. I would invest in a nice clip on one for an acoustic and a nice plug in for an electric. Over time you will not use your tuner as much but it will save you a lot of time and frustration when you are starting out playing. I have also found that when the sounds of other musicians doing sound checks and just the noisy sounds of a coffee shop can get in the way of getting your ear into a great tune. Having a tuner gets you over that hurdle with out embarrassing yourself or your friends. People may only get silent when you are ready to start to playing, so you want it to be in tune when they are.  

4. Guitar Picks- (Price $4 for 12) When you go to buy your guitar pick, you will notice the various selections. Don't get sold on colors and size. You are looking for thickness and grip. If you are playing acoustic guitar, then you will need a medium to thin pick. Electric guitarist usually go for a thicker less flexible pick. I recommend Dunlop Nylon USA picks. I have never had one to break, ever. Keep about four or five picks in your case and around your playing spots at home. You are going to lose one here and there, later on it is like finding loose change around your house.

5. Guitar Strap/Strap locks- (Price $7-$10) Having a strap enables you to stand and play. I would recommend you get strap pegs installed on your guitar if they don't have them already. It takes the stress and weight off the head of the guitar. It also frees up your playing arm. I also mention strap locks to my clients and students. Mainly for electric guitars, strap locks lock the strap to the guitar, preventing the strap from coming off during play. They come in many different styles and looks. If you aren't confident about putting them on yourself, take them to a shop.

Now, let us look at the parallel in tools for a successful life...

1. Accessibility- (Price- Free) Just like the guitar stand allows you to have your guitar in a safe and accessible location for playing, making yourself accessible to the possibilities of success is essential to living a successful life.

2. Boundaries- (Price- Free) Just like the guitar case provides protection for your guitar, having healthy boundaries as you live and go about your life is essential to living a successful life.

3. Discernment- (Price- Free) Just like the guitar tuner can line up all the strings on the guitar for a great sounding guitar, having discernment can help you tune into what is going on in and around your life, which leads to much success.

4. Peace- (Price- Free) Just like the guitar pick brings out the crisp sound of your guitar strings, having peace can help you bring out the best in you and others around you, this leads you to a successful way of life.

5. Balance- (Price- Free) Just like the guitar strap brings balance and freedom to the guitarist to move and play, having balance can help you stand tall and solve many of life's situations that usually hinder your success.

In my next blog post series, "How Playing Guitar Can Change Your Life", I'll be sharing with you in more detail the parallels that I have found in playing guitar and living a successful and happy life.