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Guitar Accessories Help



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Guitar Tab

Guitar Accessories? Which Ones Do I Need To Buy For My Guitar? by Henry Genry

There are a number of guitar accessories that you might want to buy for your guitar. Guitar accessories are relatively cheap and if you are buying a guitar, you might be able to pick up a good deal if you want to buy a number of accessories as well.

Here is a list of guitar accessories to consider (in order of popularity*):

Guitar Tuner / Pitch Pipe

Kratt GP1 Guitar Pitch Pipe

Kratt GP1 Guitar Pitch Pipe

This simple pitch pipe features a tough plastic case; metal tubes; and sturdy, tuned reeds for accurate pitch and durability.


Korg GA-40 Electronic Guitar and Bass Tuner

Korg GA-40 Electronic Guitar and Bass Tuner

The GA-40 Electronic Guitar and Bass Tuner is equipped with an output jack so you can leave your amp plugged in. An ultra-large LCD screen provides excellent visibility. Adjustable calibration range (410-480Hz). Tunes 6 & 7 string guitars and 4-, 5-, and 6-string basses. Pure major/minor 3rd pitch indication marks. Includes reference tone, microphone, speaker, folding stand, auto power off, memory backup, and batteries. This chromatic auto-tuner works with all types of instruments.


Korg GA-30 Guitar/Bass Tuner

Korg GA-30 Guitar/Bass Tuner

The Korg GA-30 Guitar/Bass Tuner is a high-precision LCD needle-type meter. Unique Korg feature lets you tune up to 5 semitones flat. Internal speaker produces tuning reference tone. High-sensitivity internal mic for tuning acoustic guitars. Auto power off and low power draw for very long battery life.


Guitar Strings

GHS GBL Boomers Light 010 Electric Guitar Strings

GHS GBL Boomers Light 010 Electric Guitar Strings

Gauges: .010, .013, .017, .26, .36, .46. Roundwound nickel-plated steel delivers passion, power, and performance. The dynamite alloy Boomers continue to be the standard to play by. The bright, long-lasting tone continues to be THE POWER STRING. GHS has made the highest-quality strings since 1964. The choice of numerous guitar greats.


Dean Markley 2501B XL NickelSteel Electric Guitar Strings

Dean Markley 2501B XL NickelSteel Electric Guitar Strings

Gauges 08-11-14-22-30-38.These Dean Markley strings are mainstays of electric guitarists everywhere. Delivered in tarnish-resistant individual envelopes and an environmentally friendly box. NickelSteel Electric guitar stringss sound fantastic and last a super-long time.


Dean Markley 2556 Blue Steel Regular Gauge Electric Guitar Strings

Dean Markley 2556 Blue Steel Regular Gauge Electric Guitar Strings

Gauges 10-13-17-26-36-46.It's simply amazing what a little -320° liquid nitrogen can do to a guitar string. Put a set of Dean Markley Blue Steel strings on your electric guitar and hear what all the excitement is about. Twice the tone and twice the life.


Ernie Ball 2153 Slinky Phosphor Bronze Light 12-String Acoustic Guitar Strings

Ernie Ball 2153 Slinky Phosphor Bronze Light 12-String Acoustic Guitar Strings

Gauges 9-9 12-12 20w-9 26-12 36-20p 46-26. Made from 92% copper, 7.7% tin, 0.3% phosphorus wire wrapped around tin plated hex shaped steel core wire. Has a light orange, gold color and provides mellow, ringing sound, with excellent clarity.All Ernie Ball strings are precision manufactured to the highest standards and most exacting specs to assure consistency, optimum performance, and long life. Ernie Ball is the pioneer of rock and roll guitar strings. Setting the standard for the industry has enabled Slinky strings to become the world's top selling brand. Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Steve Vai, and Slash are among the long list of Slinky players.


Effects Pedals / Foot Switches

Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer Effects Pedal

Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer Effects Pedal

The Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer Effects Pedal features the slightly warmer JRC4558D IC found in most of the old TS808 Tube Screamers and also offers 3 new settings for increased low end crunch: +, Hot, and Turbo.


DigiTech GNX4 Guitar Workstation

DigiTech GNX4 Guitar Workstation

The Digitech GNX4 Guitar Workstation features a built-in MIDI drum machine that rivals standalone units and includes a vast library of high-quality kits and patterns. It also lets you use your own MIDI files, and the GNX4 can also playback MP3s, download lessons from guitar magazines, and has 8-track digital recording that can be operated with foot controls. It records to a CompactFlash card (not included) for later transfer to computer via a USB connection. Pro Tracks Plus software for PC or Bias Deck 3.5SE software for Mac are included. These allow you to stream 4 channels of 24-bit audio to the computer while simultaneously listening to 2 channels of playback with zero latency. For the finishing touch, process your work through world-class Lexicon reverbs courtesy of the Pantheon reverb plug-in. With 35 factory presets, 6 reverb types, and a simple yet powerful user interface, Pantheon is an indispensable tool for your recording work.


Line 6 Pod 2.0

Line 6 Pod 2.0

The industry standard for direct recording in the studio, POD ® 2.0 delivers the tones heard on hit records everywhere. For practice, it's the ultimate way to get inspiring, stage-perfected tones with headphones. In the studio, you can become more productive and creative. You can instantly get the sounds you need! Classic clean to modern high-gain tones all perfectly dialed in. POD 2.0 allows you to quickly choose amps and effects without the long set up times and expensive equipment. Are you frustrated trying to record great guitar amp sounds? POD ® 2.0 is the answer. You get a wide variety of classic and modern guitar sounds with convenient, easy-to-use effects built right in. Line 6's revolutionary A.I.R.™ modeling accurately captures the tone and feel of speaker cabinets, microphones, and studio room characteristics for an amazing recorded sound direct to any recording setup or PA. Sounds like having a great amp mic'd by a great engineer in a great studio!Effects POD ® 2.0 comes with a built in set of effects that are tweaked to perfection. This "best of" collection of effects makes searching for the perfect sounds ultra easy. Multiple versions of the effects give you rack or stompbox versions, and the combination effects give you classic setups like Delay and Chorus simultaneously. There's even a full time Reverb, Tap Tempo for getting your delay's...


Amplifiers

Marshall JCM800 Head and 1960AV/1960BV Cab Full Stack Package

Marshall JCM800 Head and 1960AV/1960BV Cab Full Stack Package

The JCM800 head was the original amp behind Eddie's famous "brown sound" from the 1981 to 1990 era, and it's still powering some of rock's greatest including Zakk Wylde and Kerry King. 3 ECC83s and 4 EL34s pump out 100W of that inimitable Marshall overdrive. It features true bypass series FX loop, 3-band EQ, and presence control. 100W. 30"W x 9"H x 12"D. 41 lbs. The 1960AV and 1960BV cabs are backline staples that each feature 4 Celestion Vintage 30 12" speakers and an impedance (4 or 16 ohm) mono/stereo switching mechanism.


Fender Princeton Recording Amp

Fender Princeton Recording Amp

The Fender Princeton Reverb Amp of the 1960s, though small, light and moderately powerful, produced giant tube tone. In the '70s and beyond, it earned a rep as the quintessential studio recording amp, and original Princeton Reverb amps are highly sought after in today's vintage market as collectibles and as a wise choice for creating great tube tone in a small space.Fender's new Princeton Recording Amp offers all of the great tone and dynamics of the original, plus several modern studio-friendly features. Its all-tube preamp, power amp and reverb circuitry is based on the classic '65 Princeton Reverb, and, with 20 watts and a 10" Jensen speaker, it provides spanking vintage tone and enough output for small gigs and rehearsals. The trans-impedance power attenuator lets you crank up the amp for full output tube overdrive and set the speaker volume as low as you want (even silent for headphone use)!Other features include two classic onboard stomp box" effects (overdrive and compression), genuine tube-driven Fender spring reverb by Accutronics, headphone output, speaker emulated line output with level control and ground lift, speaker output jack (internal speaker may be disconnected for use with other 8-ohm enclosures), professional FX loop, and four-button footswitch.


Line 6 Spider III 150 Modeling Combo Amplifier

Line 6 Spider III 150 Modeling Combo Amplifier

The Line 6 Spider III HD 150 Modeling Combo delivers killer amp and effects models, and a ton of presets created by some of the world's most notorious guitar stars from bands including 311, Thursday, Lacuna Coil, Hawthorne Heights, Slipknot, Ash, Albert Lee, Athlete, John 5, and many more! Line 6 has also given the Spider III 150 another 150 song-based presets sounds from such classics as No More Tears, Enter Sandman, Stinkfist, Back In Black, Bark at the Moon, and many more!. These presets combined with 7 quality effects models, make the Spider III a giant of tone that give you any sound you want, already dialed in. Now you can rule the stage with the Insane model with its truly massive gain or explore your sensitive side in the studio with the Clean model. It's all up to you.New to the Spider III is a huge range of killer mid-gain guitar tones. A critical advancement was made to the sound and feel of the Spider III line when a discerning panel of artists focused in on the venerable "mid-gain" range of tone to deliver the complex, layered and dynamic amp tone we all appreciate from classic and boutique amps.Amp Models: Clean: Red LED - Select this Amp Model and adjust the tone controls to get crisp, amazing clean tones, great warm jazz tones, and all the high-end shimmer you'll need with a generous amount of bottom end.Glassy: Green LED - Line 6 developed this Amp Model to emulate those late 60's and...


Guitar Stands

ProLine FretRest Guitar Stand Black

ProLine FretRest Guitar Stand Black

FretRest by Proline guitar stands protect and stabilize guitars of any type. You can rest assured that your guitar is safe and secure. FretRest stands are engineered with a distinctive angle for better balance and support; and the protective padding is specially formulated to help protect your guitar's finish. With FretRest, your guitar is always safe. Upper guitar support adjusts from 27" - 33".


On-Stage Stands A-Frame Guitar Stand

On-Stage Stands A-Frame Guitar Stand

Rugged square-tube construction holds a single guitar. It can also serve as a desktop mixer stand.


Fender 7 Guitar Case Stand Black

Fender 7 Guitar Case Stand Black

Fender 7 Guitar Case StandThe Studio Guitar Stand Case is slightly larger than a Fender guitar case. Inside is room for several adjustable combinations of up to seven electric guitars. The rack can also accommodate acoustic guitars. Other features include a poodle plush interior and an accessory compartment. Perfect for stage or recording studios.


Plectrums (also known as guitar picks)

Clayton Playboy Guitar Picks 12-Pack Pink Heavy

Clayton Playboy Guitar Picks 12-Pack Pink Heavy

The beloved bunny adorns these non-slip Delrin plastic picks that help you keep your grip.


Dunlop Harley Davidson Bar & Shield Acetal Guitar Picks 3 Dozen .60mm

Dunlop Harley Davidson Bar & Shield Acetal Guitar Picks 3 Dozen .60mm

Dunlop Harley Davidson Bar & Shield Guitar Picks are made of acetal resin, one of the most popular guitar pick materials. Acetal picks have excellent durability and resist wear at the point of string contact better than many guitar pick materials, especially on round wound strings. Crack and break resistant, they provide a solid grip and over time even develop grip memory.Emblazoned with the famous Harley Davidson orange, black and white bar and shield logo, these picks are ready to ride!


Dunlop L13P Lucky 13 Players Guitar Picks - 6 Pack .73MM 6-Pack

Dunlop L13P Lucky 13 Players Guitar Picks - 6 Pack .73MM 6-Pack

Dunlop and Lucky 13 Apparel have joined forces to bring you this line of killer picks with rockin' style to match their incredible performance. More than just collectors' items, they come in a variety of colors and gauges and sport full-throttle, in-your-face images like hot rods, whiskey bottles, and tattoos.Dunlop uses a precision "pad printing" process to transfer durable, thick-film colors that won't flake nor rub off.


Guitar Cables

Bullet Cables Silver Bullet Straight Instrument Cable 12 Foot

Bullet Cables Silver Bullet Straight Instrument Cable 12 Foot

Plugs are hard nickel, 1/4" chrome .44 magnum bullet casings that resist punishment and corrosion. Black snakelike mesh covers a silver skin to create a metallic look and resist fractures. Its cutting edge multi-gauge design makes it the first coax cable with a balanced sound. Delivers lots of nuance and overtone detail.


Guitar Straps

Perri's 2.5

Perri's 2.5" Leather Full Airbrushed Guitar Strap Light Skull

This unique strap is made of 100% pure leather, then airbrushed by hand. The design covers the entire strap. Fully adjustable to a maximum length of 52". 2-1/2" wide. Lots of cool designs available to suit your style.


Fender Impact Series Guitar Strap Black Tiki

Fender Impact Series Guitar Strap Black Tiki

This 2"-wide guitar strap is made of poly webbing for ultimate comfort. Includes custom 3-dimensional rubber ends with suede backing and a color-matched Fender logo label. 75" length makes it a great strap for tall players or for those who like to sling their axe low.


Guitar Capo

Dunlop Trigger Flat Guitar Capo Gold

Dunlop Trigger Flat Guitar Capo Gold

Your sound shouldn't change when you put on a capo, and it shouldn't be a 12-step process, either. With the Trigger capo, you'll come through loud, clear, and in tune, in less time. Made of aircraft-quality aluminum with a strong, padded, spring-action grip that can be changed quickly with just a squeeze. Works for both 6- and 12-string guitars. Features a unique pressure pad that conforms to fingerboard and frets for buzz-free fretting.


Kay Performance Plus Elastic Capo Folk/Nylon

Kay Performance Plus Elastic Capo Folk/Nylon

For curved fretboards. Has 3 tension settings and a covered steel bar. Easily attached. Quickly repositioned.


Guitar Slide

Dunlop Eric Sardinas Preachin' Pipe Brass Guitar Slide Large

Dunlop Eric Sardinas Preachin' Pipe Brass Guitar Slide Large

The Preachin' Pipe is an authentic reproduction of maverick bluesman Eric Sardinas' own handmade slide. Sculpted by thousands of live shows, it has a fast, tapered shape from years of blazing across the strings of a sweat-soaked dobro. The pure brass is worn to perfect thinness where you connect with the strings, giving it a distinctive resonance and sensitivity. Of course, you might also want to let its flared, weighted end do the talking. Either way, now you can experience the custom, fluid feel of the Pipe and its intensely feverish tone without spending a lifetime on roadhouse stages. Get your own Preachin' Pipe. It wasn't just made for the blues it was made by the blues.


Dunlop Glass Guitar Slide Medium Wall Medium

Dunlop Glass Guitar Slide Medium Wall Medium

Choose Dunlop Pyrex Glass Slides for a warmer, thicker tone accentuating the middle harmonics of your sound. Processed from high quality boron silicate. Heat treated and annealed to produce a flawless tube. Medium fits ring size 11. Medium with heavy wall fits ring size 10-1/2. Large fits ring size 14.


Headphones

Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Professional Monitor Headphones

Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Professional Monitor Headphones

Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Professional Monitor Headphones are closed-back dynamic stereo headphones. They deliver exceptional clarity from 40mm drivers with neodymium magnets and CCAW voice coils. Insulated ear cups provide superior isolation while the adjustable cushioned headband keeps your head in comfort. 11' ultra-flexible litz wire cable. Gold-plated stereo 1/8" connector with strain-relief spring and professional screw-on 1/4" adapter. Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Professional Monitor Headphones give you 20-20,000Hz frequency response.


PreSonus HP4 Headphone Amp/2 Fostex T40RP Headphones Package

PreSonus HP4 Headphone Amp/2 Fostex T40RP Headphones Package

Package includes the PreSonus HP4 discrete 4-channel headphone amp and two pairs of Fostex T-40RP headphones. PreSonus HP4 Discrete 4-Channel Headphone Amp Features 4 headphone outputs on the front panel, each with its own volume, and 150mW of amplification per channel extremely loud output with a low -98dB noise floor. It also allows control over control room monitors with a separate volume knob that can be muted using the Monitor Mute button. 1/3 rackspace. Accepts balanced/unbalanced inputs and outputs (1/4" TRS). Input can either be set to stereo or mono (the mono selector button on the front channel simply copies both inputs to both sides). Powered by an external wall-mounted supply. Fostex T-40RP Headphones First choice for stage and studio use worldwide. Regulated Phase transducer technology delivers pristine audio reproduction with a frequency response of 20Hz-25kHz. 93dB/mW sensitivity. 50 ohm impedance. 200mW maximum input level.


Metronome

Korg MA-30 Digital Metronome

Korg MA-30 Digital Metronome

The Korg MA-30 Digital Metronome is the most useful metronome ever in this price range. Duplets, triplets, and quadruplets with inner beats omitted, and more make playing along interesting and more realistic than a click track. Features a highly visible liquid crystal pendulum, 12 reference pitches, adjustable calibration, adjustable volume, tap tempo, earphone jack, and memory backup. The Korg MA-30 Digital Metronome has a 250 hour battery life.


Wittner Piccolo Metronome Mahogany

Wittner Piccolo Metronome Mahogany

The Wittner Piccolo Metronome is a German-made metronome which offers accurate audible timing and is adjustable with a sliding counterweight.


Cleaning and Maintenance (polish, nut file set, wrench set, fret file set)

GHS A96 Guitar Maintenance Pack

GHS A96 Guitar Maintenance Pack

The GHS A96 Guitar Maintenance Pack includes Fast-Fret string cleaner, GraphitAll guitar lubricant, and Guitar Gloss instrument polish, plus a polish cloth and a string cleaning cloth.Fast-Fret string cleaner Cleans your strings, brightens your sound, and prolongs fingerboard life while letting you play faster than you ever imagined! Convenient applicator and cloth. For all stringed instruments.GraphitAll guitar lubricant Revolutionary stringed instrument nut lubricant designed by Rene Martinez, guitar tech to the stars! White GraphitAll facilitates precise tuning and allows strings to accurately return to pitch each time they are bent or stretched. Stops string hang-up and reduces breakage. Use on any contact point nut slots, bridge saddles, and tremolos. One pinhead-sized drop does the trick!Guitar Gloss instrument polish Non-wax revitalizing treatment for deep, clear, long-lasting shine on musical instruments. Polishes and protects modern or traditional lacquers and paints. Shines tuning machines, hardware, knobs, pickguards, pickup covers, pianos, brass instruments. No waxy buildup. Very shiny!Polish Cloth The 15" x 12" GHS polish cloth removes smudges and fingerprints to keep your instrument looking great. 100% pure flannel, non-treated cloth is safe for use on all high-luster wood, lacquered, metal, and plastic finishes. String Cleaning Cloth The treated GHS String Cleaning Cloth restores your tone.


Rogue Guitar Tool Kit

Rogue Guitar Tool Kit

The same contents as kits costing twice as much! Includes a spare B and E string, 3 Allen wrenches, side cutters, 2 small screwdrivers, and a string winder. Zippered case keeps it all together.


Footstool

Performance Plus Deluxe Mahogany Guitar Footstool

Performance Plus Deluxe Mahogany Guitar Footstool

Gorgeous finish makes it appropriate for concert settings. Clever design makes it easily adjustable for all players. Sturdy hardware means it will last for many years. Includes bag.


Stringwinder (also known as a pegwinder)

Dunlop Gel String Winder Assorted

Dunlop Gel String Winder Assorted

See-through gel pegwinder has the same quality craftsmanship as Dunlop's other best-selling pegwinder. Assorted colors. Let us choose for you!


StrapLok System

Dunlop Dual-Design Straplok System Nickel

Power adaptor for effects pedals

Korg KA-183 Power Adapter

Korg KA-183 Power Adapter

Power supply for all axe models including the new AX10s. This 9V, 500mA power supply also works with other Korg products including the Electribe, DT-7, DT-10, GT-12, MS2000, MS2000R, MicroKorg and PX1/2/33B.


Voodoo Lab Pedal Power AC

Voodoo Lab Pedal Power AC

The Voodoo Lab Pedal Power AC is a pedalboard power supply designed to operate high current and AC powered pedal effects. Finally, a professional solution for powering tube overdrives, modeling pedals, or devices including the Whammy, POD, Rotosphere and more.The Pedal Power AC provides two 9VAC and two selectable 9VAC or 12VAC outputs. Features include a toroidal transformer and completely isolated outputs to insure noise free operation. It comes complete with cables and detachable AC power cord. And like all Voodoo Lab products, the Pedal Power AC is hand made in the U.S.A. and carries a 5-year warranty.


Bass at Musician's Friend

Basic Guitar Lessons - Basic Equipment Needed to get Started




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If you plan on gigging a lot or travelling on planes/trains etc. I recommend buying a guitar case, otherwise a padded gig bag will do just fine. The Kinsman guitar cases and guitar bags are a very good quality and are also one of the most popular. The Kinsman guitar bags come in three grades.

1) Standard - hardly any padding and one small pouch for music books and accessories

2) Deluxe - quite well padded, with two pouches

3) Premium - extremely well padded, with large and small pouches and a shoulder strap.

The Kinsman guitar cases are made for Stratocasters, Telecasters, Les Paul shape, electric, acoustic or bass guitars.

Guitar tuner/pitch pipe

There are hundreds of guitar tuners to choose from on the market. The best brands in order of popularity* are:

Korg

Stagg

Yamaha

Intelli

Seiko

Qwik Tune

Boss

Ibanez

The two guitar tuners that stand out from the rest are the Stagg Automatic Guitar/Bass Tuner and the Korg GA-30. These two guitar tuners are sold more than any other guitar tuner on the market.

Basic Guitar Lessons - Tune a Guitar Using an Electronic Tuner




Guitar Strings

It's always wise to have a spare set of guitar strings to hand. You never know when one will brake and leave you in a difficult situation. You will need to buy steel strings for electric, bass or acoustic guitars and nylon strings for classical, Spanish or Flamenco guitars

Here is a list of the top brands of guitar strings, in order of popularity*:

ERNIE BALL

D'ADDARIO

Martin

Fender

Elixir

GHS

Augustine

Earthwood

Dan electro

Gibson

Markley

Dean Markley

Newtone

Savarez

Rotosound

Darco

Dean

Elites

Thomastick

Tonesearch

Maxima

Warwick

Rickenbacker

PRS

Legacy

John Pearse

DR

Effects pedals

For some groovy sounds you will need to buy an effects pedal. The two most popular are the Jim Dunlop GCB-95 Original Cry Baby Wah Wah Effects Pedal and the Ibanez Tone-Lok Series SM7 Smash Box Effects Pedal.

Here is a list of the top brands in order of popularity*:

Ibanez

Jim Dunlop

KORG

DIGITECH

BOSS

Vox

MXR

Yamaha

Dan electro

Bass Guitar Basics - Equipment Needed to get Started

Amplifiers

Amplifiers are used with electric guitars, bass guitars and electro-acoustic guitars. You will need to buy a lead to connect up to your guitar. There are many types of guitar amplifiers ranging from the smallest which is normally 10 watts up to 500 watts! or more:

Practice amps (these are normally quite small) Standard amps (used for playing in bands or gigging) Bass amps (used only with bass guitars) Keyboard amps (used with electronic keyboards and stage pianos) Mixer amps Speakers and Monitors Combo amps (also known as combination amplifiers) Amp heads

Which brand of Amplifier do I choose? There are a number of brands of guitar amplifiers, here is a list in order of the most popular*:

MARSHALL

FENDER AMPLIFIERS

Vox

Peavey

Laney

Line 6

Mesa Boogie

Kustom

Crate

Carlsbro

Ashdown

BB Blaster

Yamaha

Warwick

Dean

Crafter

Cruiser

Danelectro

VOX AMPLIFIERS

All guitar amplifiers sound different. Some (like Marshall and Line 6) are good for Rock and Roll, others have a softer and less bright sound like the popular Vox amps and Mesa Boogie.

For beginners, I would recommend either the Peavey Backstage or the BB10 blaster amp. The Peavey Backstage is by far the most popular and best value for money beginner's guitar amp on the market.

Cool! Software for your guitar

Record complete songs spontaneously without putting down your guitar. Lay down your riffs and snap them together into a song complete with ... all » drums and effects. Riffworks versatile features help guitar players easily capture ideas and record entire songs that include great sounding drums, fabulous tone and polished effects. Guitar players can set the tempo and start recording just by playing their guitar using RiffWorks technology. Go to http://sonomawireworks.com

G/K Half Stack Bass Amp Only $399.99

Guitar stands or Guitar Hangers

There are lots of different types of guitar stands, it really depends on which stand is more suited to you. There is the standard guitar stand, the universal guitar stand, the auto grab guitar stand, the double and triple guitar stand and the wall mounted guitar stand. The standard guitar stand is the most popular and comes in three different types: i) electric/bass, ii) classical and iii) universal.

The most popular* brands are:

Stagg

Hercules

QuikLok

Giraffe

Warwick

Fender

String Swing

Ibanez

Plectrums also known as picks

Plectrums are very cheap and can be bought individually, or in packs. Most commonly you can buy plectrums on the web in packs of 6. Guitar plectrums come in different gauges. Usually the thinner ones are used with Classical, Spanish or Flamenco guitars, the medium gauges with Electric and Acoustic guitars and the thickest ones with Basses.

There are lots of brands of plectrums. The most popular* are:

Stagg

Jim Dunlop

Fender

Gibson

Guitar Leads/Cables

Guitar Leads normally come in different lengths: The most common is the 15 feet/4.5 metre leads. This length is ample if you are playing in a band.

Popular* brands of guitar leads/cables are:

Ibanez

Stagg

Guitar straps

If you want to buy a gift for a guitarist, there is nothing better than a nice leather guitar strap.

Levys and Gibson are the most famous brands of guitar straps, Levys have the most comprehensive selection. Other guitar straps to look out for are Dickies and Wrangler.

Guitar Capos

A capo is a clamp that you can use on different frets of the guitar to change the pitch of the open strings. Each fret on the guitar is a half step. If you place the capo on the 1st fret, all of the open strings will sound a semi-tone higher than normal, this makes changing the key of a song easy. Dunlop and Shubb are the most popular* guitar capos.

Guitar Slide

The guitar slide is a tube of some hard material about one to two inches long. Commonly, it's made from glass and metals. Each type of guitar slide has distinct characteristics, tonality, and overall sound. The guitar slide is pressed lightly against the strings so as not to touch the strings of the fret, producing a sustained tone which can be varied in pitch by moving the slide across the neck. A quick side-to-side motion is often used in this way to generate vibrato. The most popular brand to go for is Dunlop.

Headphones

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If you want to play at home but don't want to disturb your neighbours, then a good set of headphones is recommended. Any headphones will do, so take your pick from any of the following leading brands:

Acer

Acoustic Research

Advance

Advent

Aiwa

AKG

Alpine

Altec Lansing

Amphony

Apple

Artwizz

Audio-Technica

Behringer

Belkin

Beyerdynamic

Bluetake

BoomGear

Bose

Bravo

British Telecom

Clarion

Compucessory

Cornbow

Creative Labs

Denon

Design Go

Direct Sound

Dolphin Music

Etymotic Research

Fostex

Franklin

Gainward

Gemini Sound Products

Genius

GN Netcom

Grado

Griffin Technology

Grundig

Hama

Harman Kardon

Hewlett Packard

Jensen

JVC

Jwin

Kenwood

Kinyo

Kondor Limited

Koss

Labtec

Logic 3

Logitech

Macally

Maxell

Ministry Of Sound

MM Gear

Nady Systems

Nesa Vision

Nike

Numark

Olympus

Panasonic

Philips

Pioneer

Plane Quiet

Plantronics

Power Acoustik

Pyle

Pyramid

Roland

Rosen

Samson

Sanyo

Sennheiser

SHURE

Skull Candy

Sony

Stagg

Stanton

Starvision

Technics

Toshiba

Trust

Ultimate Ears

Ultrasone

Unwired

Vestax

Vic Firth

Vivanco

Wharfedale

XO Vision

XtremeMac

Yamaha

Zalman Tech

Metronome

If you want to play your guitar in time then you are going to need to buy a metronome. You can choose from modern electronic metronomes or traditional mechanical metronomes. Traditional metronomes look very nice and are made from either plastic or wood, they are also known as pendulum metronomes because the ticking sound is produced by a small pendulum that swings back and forth, much like the old Grandfather clocks. The Traditional wooden or plastic metronomes tend to be a lot more expensive than the electronic metronomes.

The leading metronome brands in order of popularity* are:

Wittner

Korg

Yamaha

Seiko

Qwik Time

Cleaning and maintenance (polish, nut file set, wrench set, fret file set)

To look after your guitar you will need to at least buy some guitar polish. Gibson produce a good guitar polish and also Doctor Ducks Axe Wax is very popular. If you are serious about guitar playing then you might want to have a nut file, fret file or wrench set. You can keep your guitar in top playing condition.

Footstool

The guitar footstool is used mainly by Classical, Spanish or Flamenco guitarists. Their style of playing and the way they hold the guitar makes the use of a footstool quite important.

Stringwinder (also known as a pegwinder)

If you have lots of guitars, own a guitar shop, or tune guitars on a regular basis, the guitar stringwinder comes in handy as a real time saver. Instead of turning the guitar pegs by hand, you can use the stringwinder to speed up the process.

Straplok set

For replacing the bolt that holds on your guitar strap.

Power adaptor for effects pedals

If you use effects pedals then you will need a power adaptor to connect to the mains.

If you are ready to buy some guitar accessories you can find a comprehensive selection here: Sound Musical.com - Guitar accessories, tuners, bags, cases, guitar strings, stands and more...

*Please note that the above article makes references to guitar accessories listed in popularity order. The popularity order of these guitar accessories is taken from www.Soundsmusical.com - the leading UK musical instrument website.

I hope this article has been useful and you are now more informed about guitar accessories.

About the Author

About the Author Henry Genry is known as 'The Music Guru' and is the chief writer at Soundsmusical.com Henry has spent his whole life in music. He has played various musical instruments to a very high standard, learnt to build pianos form scratch, tuned pianos professionally and run several music and internet businesses. He loves to share with everyone his experiences and immense knowledge of music. Henry hopes that the above guitar article will




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Updated: 2/16/07