Guitars ❭ Guitar Accessories
Guitar picks make it easier to strum or play fast than finger picking. Guitar picks come in a variety of shapes and widths. Experiment with some and find what works for you. Thicker picks produce a thicker sound and thin picks produce a more thin sound.
A Capo is a guitar tool used to hold down all the strings at a specific fret. This allows a guitarist to play in other keys using open position chords, without retuning the guitar.
On a standard tuned guitar, the low and high strings are tuned to E (EADGBe). By using a capo on the 3rd fret of the guitar, the strings are "barred" at the G note of the normally low and high E strings. So playing what would normally be an open E chord form, with the capo this same chord formation on the fretboard is a G chord. If you're already familiar with barre chords, think of a capo as your index finger in a barre chord.
Capos are also good for open and alternate tunings. Some tunings would normally put a lot of tension on the neck of the guitar, are possible with a capo by tuning the guitar lower than the desired tuning, and then using a capo on the correct fret.
Popular in blues and country music, a slide is worn on a finger of the fret hand, typically the ring finger or pinky. Slides come in glass, porcelain, and chromed steel or other metals. When playing slide guitar, the slide is held on top of the strings, but is not pressed down. The slide is held parallel over the fret as the string or strings are played instead of in between the frets as you would fret a note without a slide. Another finger or fingers behind the slide dampen the strings.
Electric guitars use 1/4" jack instrument cables to plug into guitar amps, effects, or direct input boxes. Patch cables are short cables used to patch or connect effects pedals together.
Guitar straps hold a guitar around waist level making it possible to play the guitar standing up. Electric guitars usually have 2 strap pegs, one on the bottom and one near the neck of the guitar where the neck and body meet. Strap locks hold the strap over the strap pegs and prevent the strap from coming undone causing the guitar to fall.
A guitar humidifier is a smart investment for any guitar. Use one to help your guitar from cracking due to changes in the wood caused by weather changes. If you live in a very dry climate, not having a guitar humidifier could lead to body or neck cracking as well as major repair work or buying a new guitar. If you live in a more humid area a humidifier is still a good idea during season changes.
In-case humidifiers are kept inside of the guitar's case.
Acoustic guitar humidifiers that are held inside the guitar's sound hole by its strings are also available.
Use guitar polish when needed to protect and clean the finish of your guitar. Rosewood, ebony and other woods used as guitar fretboards are usually unfinished and exposed to harmful elements if left untreated. Fingerboard oil is used to condition the fretboard to prevent over drying and cracking. Guitars with finished maple fretboards don't need to be conditioned.
Guitar stands keep guitars from falling over and getting damaged. If you leave your guitar out of its case for long periods of time, a guitar stand is a good investment. Guitar stands hold the guitar or guitars upright by the base of the guitar body of neck depending on the stand. Wall mountable guitar holders not only keep your guitar out ouf harm's way, but display your guitar like a piece of art.