Electric Guitar Accessory Guide

When buying an electric guitar nothing is worse than realising you forgot to buy an essential accessory! Whether it be something urgently needed like a cable, or something that's nice to have to hand like a capo. Overlooking something that you might need can cause frustration.

Some of the accessories that are most important are as follows...

Picks

Guitar picks are most players first point of contact with the strings. With this, it’s important to have at least one to hand! The Fender Classic Medium Plectrum is a good value option which adheres to a very accessible design. Any guitarist should be at home with one of these! While buying individual picks might make sense, after not too long you will realise how quick picks are to disappear. They get “borrowed”, fall down the backs of sofas and get lost in the washing machine. Though more often than not, just fall into nothingness. In which case, preparing by buying in a higher quantity might be a preferable idea! You can get boxes of 100 picks from Stagg in multiple sizes, 0.46mm, 0.71mm, 0.81mm and 0.96mm. Electric Guitar Accessories - pick

Straps

If you’re looking to perform in any capacity, or just play standing because you find it more comfortable, a good strap is important to have. For a guitar strap that is functional and doesn’t break the bank, the Rocket Nylon Guitar Strap would be ideal. This comes in Black, Blue or Red. Otherwise, you might require something a bit more comfortable, especially if you’re playing a heavier guitar. In which case, the Stagg Braided Guitar Strap with Shoulder Pad adds comfort to a robust strap. For something a little bit fancier, Planet Waves have their locking guitar strap. This locks to the strap buttons on your guitar to ensure that your guitar is completely secure while playing. Electric Guitar Accessories - straps

Cables

The only way (aside from going with a wireless unit!) that you can connect your electric guitar to an amplifier is with a cable. They come in a multitude of lengths and styles so there are a lot of options. Something around 1 or 1.5 metres long will be fine for anyone plugging straight into an amp for practice purposes. Where something 3 metres and upwards would be more suitable for performing purposes. But if you’re looking to have a cable that has some aesthetic appeal you can get models which are available in different colours. Along with this you can get coiled cables which have a certain retro appeal. Electric Guitar Accessories - cables

Capos

Not everyone will use a Capo, but even if you don’t it’s quite handy to have one available. If you do use them it’s a good idea to have a couple, I know I’ve lost at least three capos in 13 years of playing and I barely use them! A simple wrap-around capo like the Rocket CAP01 can do the job perfectly fine, they’re a bit cumbersome to put on and remove if you’re in a hurry, but they’re affordable and easily fit in your pocket. A trigger capo might be preferable, especially if you’re going to be removing and replacing the capo a lot. Stagg have a wide range of finishes in their SCPX Capos. They range from standard black, to chrome and gold as well as wood effect finishes. For a more low-profile understated trigger capo, Dunlop offer their 83CDB Capo. Electric Guitar Accessories - capo

Spare Strings

There have been so many times where I have not been prepared with a spare set of strings after having one snap on me. To avoid any situation like this it’s always good to have at least one spare set available. Everyone has their own preferred brands and size, so it’s good to shop around a bit. The EXL strings by D’addario are one of the more popular electric guitar strings sets available, coming in all standard sizes as well as mixed gauges. Along with this, Ernie Ball put out another incredibly popular set of strings in the Slinky series, again available in standard sizes from light gauges to heavier gauges. Along with strings, in those cases where you might need to make a quick replacement, it’s always handy to have a stringwinder. The Planet Waves Pro-Winder is great as it incorporates a string cutter into its design, as well as a bridge-pin tool for changing acoustic strings. Electric Guitar Accessories - Strings

Bags or Cases

If you are going to be traveling with your guitar in any capacity it’s helpful to have a case or bag of some kind. It’s not highly recommended to go for a bag with no padding. But for basic storage or getting from A to B, a non-padded bag will do the job. Though you may need to be a bit more careful with it! With a padded bag, you can be safe in the knowledge that there is a bit more protection for your guitar. If it will be in a car boot amongst amps and cables then it should be secure with thick enough padding! A hardcase would be better for those who might want the most protection, or a slightly more professional aesthetic. Though they are much more expensive than any gig bags, and can take up a bit more space. Hardcases come in generic sizes as well as more specific shapes for different body styles. Electric Guitar Accessories - Gigbags and cases