Guitar Gear


Aside from owning a guitar, which is crucial for every guitarist, there are a number of accessories that are necessary for guitar players. Referred to collectively as gear, the items required range in price and size, and give a guitarist some choices when accessorizing their guitar. Some items are more vital than others, and individual guitarists may be able to make do without even some of the more important gear. Although this list is not comprehensive, it covers several of the more common pieces of guitar gear that a new guitarist will want to acquire early in their guitar playing days.

Strings are the most vital piece of gear after the guitar itself. Depending upon the type of guitar that you play, you may have a wide array of options for your strings, or you may be limited to a smaller selection. Generally speaking, most acoustic guitars can be fitted with nylon or steel strings, while electric guitars will usually require steel strings. However, nylon and steel strings refer to a much wider array of materials and options than those two words make apparent. Steel strings are typically sold in sets of six strings, and come in an assortment of gauges. You should be able to find out what gauge is best for your guitar, or if you have a preference for a different gauge of strings, you can have adjustments made to your guitar to make it playable with your preferred string gauge.

For most guitarists, picks will be the next item that they will want to acquire. Picks are very inexpensive, and some music stores even have free picks bearing contact information for the store or other advertisements. There are a wide array of picks available to choose from, differing from one another in things like the material composition, weight, size, and, of course, color. While the last of these has no actual effect on playing, it does allow a guitarist to choose a little bit of flair for what can otherwise be a boring part of their gear. The materials, weight, and size do have an effect on your playing, so it is usually advised that a new guitarist experiment with different picks to see which best fits their desired sound. It is possible to play acoustic or electric guitar without a pick, but any serious guitarist will probably want to purchase some picks to avoid developing a thick callous on their strumming thumb.

A guitar strap is not necessary for a guitar player, but it makes playing while standing up considerably easier, so that you don't have to hold your guitar and play it at the same time. If you play acoustic guitar, and do much of your playing while seated, a strap is certainly something that you can acquire further down the line. But for those who want one, guitar straps come in a wide array of colors and patterns, and the majority of guitar straps are adjustable to the appropriate length for an individual guitarist. Guitar straps are another area where you can allow your individuality to shine through.

The final item that nearly all guitarists will need or want is a case for their guitar. Guitar cases come in hard or soft sided models, and there are a great many options available whether you play electric or acoustic guitar. Obviously, a hard sided case will protect your guitar from abuse better, but these tend to take up more room than their soft sided counterparts. Soft sided cases, on the other hand, will fit a larger variety of guitars of either type, whereas hard sided cases have different styles for acoustic or electric guitars. It is possible to get by without a guitar case, but they are highly recommended, as they protect your guitar from damage and debris while being carried or stored.

If you play acoustic guitar, the above list encompasses what you will definitely need along with a couple of optional items. If you play electric guitar, however, the above list is only the beginning of the gear you need.

Electric guitars do not make much noise on their own. In order to properly hear your electric guitar, you will need to get a guitar cable and an amplifier. Cables can be fairly inexpensive, though higher quality models have a relative shift in price. Amplifiers come in many sizes and wattages, and you can choose your amplifier based on your purpose for it. If your amp is simply something for using at home to practice, your family and neighbors will probably appreciate a small amp with a fairly low wattage. If you plan on using your amp for playing shows, you will want something with a little bit more size and power. In a pinch, it is possible to use a pair of headphones with a large enough adapter on the plug to hear yourself play, but most electric guitar players will want to acquire cables and an amp if they are serious about playing.

Electric guitar players may also want to acquire one or more effects pedals for their guitar. Effects pedals are plugged in between the amp and the guitar, via cables, and allow you to get different sound effects out of your guitar. The variety available in effects pedals is immense, and each individual guitarist will have preferences and recommendations for the best effects pedals. As with picks, some experimentation may be necessary to find the pedal that best suits your style, but pedals cost significantly more than picks, so you may want to find other ways in which to test out different pedals rather than purchasing everything that catches your fancy.

While there is other guitar gear available to both acoustic and electric guitar players, this list covers the bulk of the important pieces of gear. Though some of these pieces are more vital than others, these are certainly the items that a new guitar player will want to consider when they are considering buying their first guitar.