Essential Guitar Accessories for Beginners

I received the following products in exchange for an honest review on my blog. The opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. This post contains affiliate links.

 I've recently been writing a lot for a company that sells instruments, primarily guitars. Once you get into playing the guitar, you'll soon find out that there's a lot more to the craft than strumming an acoustic instrument. Yet, the acoustic guitar is where it all begins for most guitar players. To get the most out of your instrument, it's important to have the right gear. Not only do the accessories make playing simpler, they make it more fun. If you're new to guitar playing or are considering gifts for a new guitar player, the following are some essential guitar accessories to add to your musical toolbox:

Guitar Picks 

If you're a beginning guitar player, you may not know what type of pick is the best to use. In addition to picks made from different materials on the market, picks come in a variety of thicknesses. The best type of pick comes down to personal preference and the type of guitar you play. If you have a bass, for example, thicker picks are generally better. Thin picks are flexible and better for acoustic guitars.

Because finding the right pick may seem tricky, Pick Geek helps make the decision process simpler. It offers two sets of picks made from celluloid and tortex. Celluloid picks have a smooth, matte finish that make them simple to grip. Tortex picks have a cool tortoise shell or mother of pearl-like look to them. I personally like the Pick Geek pick that looks like abalone shell.

The picks come in a variety of colors, so they're great for guys and girls. They also come with varying thickness, which are printed on the picks themselves. This is nice because it lets you get a feel for each thickness and choose the one you like best. It's also good for a person who plays different types of guitars.

The picks come in a cool metal case that pops on and off by pushing down on the top or squeezing down on the sides. With the set that I received, one box was simpler to close than the other. I also found that if you put an equal number of thinner picks in one box and thicker picks in the other, it's hard to secure the lid to box with the thicker picks because they stack higher. It's also harder to open because you don't have as much room to depress the top of the lid.

When my family and I tried out the picks, we found that the thicker picks produced a richer, more resonant sound when strummed on an acoustic guitar. The tones sounded brighter when we used the thinner picks. Everyone liked that the picks had the thickness level imprinted on them, as well as the cool colors. 

Guitar Strap

It's hard to play safely and comfortably without a guitar strap. It's important to get a strong strap that will stay in place, especially at the bottom button of the guitar. Strapsnake sent me a black cotton guitar strap with brown leather ends. The adjustable strap is 2 inches wide and the cotton is thick. I like that it accommodates a variety of guitar scale lengths. The strap also feels comfortable, especially on heavier guitars.

The leather seemed strong and sturdy. The tie for the headstock, however, didn't impress me that much because it looks like a shoe lace. While laces are common in acoustic guitar straps, I personally prefer the look of headstock loops.

Music Stand

Every new player does it: puts the book of songs or pages of chord tabs on a bed or couch while playing. Doing this makes it difficult to see the music. A collapsible, inexpensive music stand is an easy solution that is always useful.

Guitar Tuner

Playing out of tune is as bad as singing out of tune. There are a variety of inexpensive tuners available on the market. Guitar tuning whistles are a good choice if the player has a good musical ear. Digital tuners may be a more accurate solution, particularly for new musicians. They have display with a gauge that shows when a string is in tune. The ones that clamp onto the headstock are particularly nice.

What guitar accessories are must-haves for you?

I received the products mentioned in exchange for an unbiased review on my blog. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you click on an Amazon.com link and make a purchase.