GUITAR GADGETS

The following is a Top 10 list of guitar gadgets / accessories, that almost all guitarists would appreciate. If you’re looking for a gift for that guitarist in your life, this list will definitely help.

If you know of any must-have accessories that are not included in the list below, feel free to comment below and “share the love”.

The following list contains my favourite guitar gadgets/accessories that may be helpful in your quest for the next new guitar gadget.

1. The String Cleaner

Apparently this can make your strings last 3x longer than normal and it also preserves the tone of your strings.

Works on all sizes and brands of Electric, Acoustic, and Nylon String Guitars with either 6, 7, or 12 strings, in any gauge. It can also be used on most any other fretted 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 stringed instruments found throughout the world.

Also worthwhile mentioning; you don’t need any cleaning fluid. The magic is in the microfibers, which you also need to clean every now and then.

You can find out more here: http://www.thestringcleaner.com/

2. Dunlop Capo

Too Simple!

This clamp style capo has a strong, spring-action grip that can be changed quickly and easily using one hand with a squeeze of its trigger-like, cushioned handle.

Your sound shouldn’t change when you put on a capo. With Dunlop, you’ll come through loud, clear and in tune. Comes in three finishes (nickel, gold, and black).

All are made of aircraft quality aluminum.

You can find out more at the Dunlop website.

3. Dunlop String Winder

Restring your guitar in seconds!

Changing strings is a breeze when you let the string winder do all the work! The Dunlop string winder doubles as a bridge pin puller too.

The newly redesigned Dunlop Turbo Tune™ guitar & bass string winder is just the tool you need to make string changing faster and easier. Constructed of durable industrial resin, the Turbo Tune™ winder features a steel shaft that snaps into a power screwdriver for rapid guitar string changes.

Available in two versions–black and glow in the dark so you can find it quickly in a gig bag or on a dimly lit stage.

You can find out more about these at the Dunlop website.

4. Pointless Guitar Picks

These picks really are “pointless’. They are a circle shape rather than the traditional triangle shape. They also have a raised grip in the middle so that it won’t slip out of your hand.

A benefit of the round shape is increased tonal possibilities! By rotating the pick with respect to the strings you can vary the angle of attack. This varies the volume and tone of a plucked string allowing more artistic expression than is possible with a traditional pointed pick. At even small angles of attack speed picking becomes dramatically easier making your music more fulfilling whether your thing is death metal or gypsy jazz.

Pointless Picks currently come in many different thicknesses to suit many different styles & instrument types.

You can find out more about these pick at the official Pointless Guitar Pick website.

5. VOX Jamox

Have you heard a song, and wished you could remove the guitar part from the recording, so that you can play along? This may be the answer to your prayers..

JamVOX gives guitarists instant access to dozens of legendary amps and effects all in one easy to use “drag and drop” software interface. Revolutionary Guitar XTracktion (GXT) technology lets you remove the guitar part of your favorite song with the push of a button.

Best of all, you can then take the lead yourself with instant rock star tone! Alternatively, you can extract or isolate the guitar part, slow down the tempo, and practice any style of music without changing the pitch.

You can find out more about this product at the official VOX website.

6. Guitar Slide

The slide is pressed against the strings—lightly, so as not to touch the strings to the fretboard, and parallel to the frets. The pitch of the strings can then be continuously varied by moving the slide up and down the neck.

Slides usually come in 2 basic materials, glass or metal. Choosing one material over another comes down to figuring out the sound and feel that is right for you.

Glass slides have a mellow sound, but they are more fragile and can break. Metal slides are sturdy and produce a sharper sound.

You can find these types of slides at every good guitar shop.

7. Guitar Stand

There’s nothing like going to a gig and forgetting your guitar stand. The guitar stand is just one of those things that you really notice if it’s missing.

This is a sturdy, simple guitar stand, that can be used in the home, or on stage. If the guitarist in your life doesn’t use a guitar stand, I recommend it – they’ll play it more frequently if the guitar is in view, as opposed to being in a case.

The guitar stand comes in many different shapes and sizes, but the most popular shape is the A-Frame.

You can find a range of guitar stands at your closest guitar shop.

8. Acoustic Humidifier

Prolonged exposure to too-dry or too-damp climates can cause loss of resonance and shorten the life of your valuable guitars

I personally experienced this with my Martin Acoustic Guitar. The guitar became so dry that the bridge starting coming off the body of the guitar. After paying for the guitar to be repaired, I wished I had invested in a Humidifier.

Easily installed and removed from the sound hole, Lifeguard Humidifiers regulate the humidity inside the instrument.

The Lifeguard basically absorbs excess moisture in damp conditions, and humidifies in dry conditions. A smart, inexpensive way to protect the investment you’ve made in your guitars. Fits 3 3/4- 4 1/8 inch sound hole.

You can find out more about this product from: http://www.kysermusical.com/

9. Elixir Guitar Strings

Many consider Elixirs to be the best guitar strings ever made, and I’m inclined to agree with them.

If you’re unsure about which type to buy, consider the “Polyweb Acoustic Light Top/Medium Bottom” strings for acoustic guitar, or “Polyweb Electric Light” strings for electrice guitar.

With NANOWEB® Coating, strings sound and feel like uncoated strings – they are bright and lively, and the coating is so micro thin that you can barely tell it’s there. With POLYWEB® Coating, strings have a balanced tone and smooth response – they sound like strings that have been ‘played in’ for a couple of hours.

Apparently, the tone lasts 3-5x longer than ordinary strings. This means you buy fewer sets of strings and change them less often.

You can find out more about these guitar strings from the Elixir website.

10. Effects Pedals

Some “tone purists” may argue that a guitarists shouldn’t rely on effects, but truth is, ever since the birth of rock’n'roll, guitarists were quick to jump into new technologies, new toys – if it helps you creating new sounds, then great!

In fact, legendary guitarists such as Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, George Harrison and Jimi Hendrix were amongst the first to use every and any new effect they could put their hands on: Maestro Fuzztone, Tonebenders, WEM Copicat tape echo, wah wah pedals, octavio, leslie cabinets, etc.

So…why shouldn’t you?

If you’re not sure where to start, you might want to read my post titled, The top 3 pedals (almost) every guitarist needs.

reference : www.thedailyguitar.com