Whether you are a beginner guitarist or a maestro axe-wielder - even if you prefer acoustic guitar or electric guitar - we have listed the top 15 must have guitar accessories and gear down below.
Why are these must-have guitar accessories and gear? Simply put, these are the things you need to have to be able to play your guitar anytime, anywhere.
In no particular order (all equally important!), these are the top 15 must have guitar accessories.
BEST VALUE
Guitar Picks
Even if you prefer to fingerpick, you can still never have enough guitar picks.
These things go missing all the time. And although they tend to turn up in the most random places, it’s still worth having more of them.
Fender make tried and tested guitar picks that are some of the best on the market. And this Fender Premium Picks Sampler gives you a pack of 21, 24, or 48 in thin, medium, and thick gauges.
Whether you want more guitar picks or have just started playing guitar and want to try out different picks, this is easily a must-have guitar accessory.
Pros
- Fender - the go-to guitar name for guitars and accessories
- Variety - thin, medium, and heavy picks in different colors
- Perfect for beginners - try out different picks to find your style
- Multipack - a choice of 12, 24, or 48 in a pack
Cons
- Basic gauges - not ideal for guitarists who want a specific pick gauge
Capo
How are you going to play “Hotel California” or “Wonderwall” without a capo?
Capos are another must-have guitar accessory that should never leave a guitarist’s side. For this reason, it’s also worth investing in a good capo that’s going to serve you in the long run.
UGY has been manufacturing the best guitar capos for decades. The simple spring-loaded design of this universal UGY Capo makes it a breeze to clip on to any guitar neck - even a ukulele neck - providing just enough pressure to protect your guitar neck, yet eliminate fret buzz.
Pros
- UGY - among the best guitar capos you can buy
- Easy to use - simply clip it onto your guitar neck (and squeeze to take it off)
- Portable - fits in a guitar bag to go with you anywhere
- Bridge pin puller - convenient for changing acoustic guitar strings
Cons
- Spring-loaded - not for guitarists who prefer capos with a locking mechanism
Acoustic Guitar Hard Case
Nothing beats hitting the road with your acoustic guitar. Unfortunately, not every new acoustic guitar comes with a hard case.
When it comes to loading your acoustic guitar in your trunk, or taking it with you on an airplane, that soft guitar bag isn’t going to cut it. To protect your guitar, you are going to need a hard case.
The Gearlux Dreadnought Hard Case is perfect for your acoustic guitar because it is affordable, robust, and fits most dreadnought acoustics. It has a soft, plush interior, as well as a locking mechanism for added peace of mind.
Pros
- One size fits all - fits most dreadnought (standard-sized) acoustic guitars
- Lock it up - includes an in-built lock and key
- Protective - the soft, plush interior will protect your acoustic guitar inside the case
- Affordable - an affordable price for protecting your guitar
- Interior compartment - for your guitar picks, guitar capo, and guitar tuner
Cons
- Budget guitar case - for premium protection, it might be worth investing more
Acoustic Guitar Bag
Not traveling anywhere far or just want something to keep your acoustic guitar inside at home?
The CAHAYA Acoustic Guitar Bag is a budget-friendly acoustic guitar gig bag that is ideal for taking your guitar on short trips - whether that is to school, a friend’s house, or a weekly guitar lesson.
It fits most acoustic guitars at 41 inches with a large front pouch, thick soft interior, and adjustable padded shoulder straps for easy carrying.
If you have not yet bought a guitar bag for your acoustic, this is a must-have accessory for beginners and professionals alike.
Pros
- Affordable - budget-friendly price that isn’t going to set you back
- Large front pouch - for your capo, guitar tuner, guitar strap, and a spare set of guitar strings
- Protective design - thick interior padding and waterproof
- Ergonomic - carry handle and shoulder straps for easy lugging
Cons
- Soft case - while it is more affordable, it’s not going to provide the same protection as a hard case
Electric Guitar Hard Case
In the same way that you don’t want to risk damaging your acoustic guitar, it’s well worth investing in a hard case for your favorite electric.
A hard case is a must-have accessory if you are taking your electric guitar on a long trip, where it might be packed in a vehicle with other items that can knock it and rub against it.
In this case, the Gator Hard Shell Wood Case is something you need. Made by Gator, a trusted name in the guitar industry, this hard case is designed to fit most standard-sized electric guitars.
It has a solid exterior and soft plush interior, with an inside compartment, lock, carry handle, and a max weight of 8.4 pounds.
Pros
- Fits standard-sized electric guitars - rest assured your Les Paul, SG, Strat, or Telecaster will fit nicely inside
- Inner compartment - store your guitar picks, guitar strap, and a spare set of strings
- Lockable - features a locking latch for peace of mind
- Protective - waterproof hard exterior and soft plush interior to protect your electric guitar
- Gator - trusted manufacturer of guitar accessories and gear
Cons
- Not for larger electric guitars - might not fit large or unique guitars, such as an ES-335
Electric Guitar Bag
Just want an affordable solution for protecting your electric guitar? Nothing is stopping you from saving a bit of money and getting a soft electric guitar bag.
The CAHAYA Electric Guitar Bag is an affordable option that is ideal for short trips, or home storage (keep dust off your electric guitar), for most standard-sized electric guitars.
It has two zipped pockets with reflective bands, plus a carry handle and padded shoulder straps for easy carrying.
Pros
- Two pockets - extra storage for your picks, capo, strings, and guitar cables
- Affordable - affordable protection for any electric guitar
- Easy to carry - light, with a side carry handle and padded shoulder straps
- One size fits all - will fit most standard-sized electric guitars
Cons
- Soft case - you’re better getting a hard case if your electric guitar is expensive!
Acoustic Guitar Strings
Strings tend to break at the most inconvenient times, so it’s always worth keeping an extra set of guitar strings at home or in your guitar bag.
At the same time, you want high-quality, bright-sounding guitar strings that won’t break on you on the first strum.
There’s a reason why most professional guitarists use D’Addario strings. And if you are yet to try them, the go-to D’Addario Phosphor Bronze range are a must-have item for your acoustic guitar.
Pros
- D’Addario - the best guitar strings, long-lasting and widely used by professionals
- Well-balanced tone - will sound great no matter what style of music you play
- Multipack - available to buy in packs of 3, 10, or 25
- Light tension - bright-sounding and perfect for fingerpicking
- Phosphor Bronze - corrosion-resistant and long-lasting
Cons
- Light gauges only - not for those who prefer thick guitar strings for a heavier tone
Electric Guitar Strings
Electric guitar strings tend to break more easily than acoustic strings. Not only is this because electric guitars are played with guitar picks, but we tend to strum the strings with more energy!
As a result, keeping a spare set of electric guitar strings is another must-have guitar accessory.
The D’Addario Nickel Wound range is a bestseller and some of the most widely used strings among electric guitarists.
Pros
- D’Addario Nickel Wound - professional, high-quality, long-lasting electric guitar strings
- Versatile - regular and light gauges to suit most guitar styles and music genres
- Multipacks - available to purchase as a pack of 3 or a pack of 10
Cons
- Light gauge only - not for heavy strumming or those who like to play heavy metal
String Winder
Replacing strings can be long and fiddly. String winders, however, speed up the process and make it easier.
Whether you are yet to replace your guitar strings (and want to be ready), or want a handy tool that does everything in one, the D’Addario String Winder and Cutter is a must-have guitar accessory.
From pulling bridge pins to snipping guitar strings and turning tuner heads, this tool simply does it all.
Pros
- All in one tool - makes replacing acoustic and electric guitar strings a simple task
- D’Addario - expect high quality from one of the most trusted names in the guitar industry
- Portable - take it anywhere in your guitar bag or hard case
- Color options - choose from white or black
- Affordable - for its price, it’s an easy buy for replacing guitar strings
Cons
- Not for bass guitars - the string cutter is not strong enough to cut bass guitar strings
Acoustic Guitar Tuner
An acoustic guitar tuner is a must-have guitar accessory, no matter whether you are a pro at tuning guitars or not.
For beginners and pro guitarists, clip-on guitar tuners are worth owning for when it’s too noisy to tune by ear, or when you have to tune to an irregular guitar tuning.
They are also handy for tuning newly replaced guitar strings!
This Fender Clip On Tuner is easy to use: simply clip it onto your headstock, pluck a string, and the display will show you the note being played. It also works for bass guitars, violins, mandolins, banjos, and ukuleles.
Pros
- Fender - high-quality product that’s guaranteed to work and last
- Easy to use - simple to use guitar tuner for beginners and professionals
- Affordable - will not break the bank!
- Portable - a must-have accessory to keep in your guitar bag or hard case
Cons
- Battery operated - includes a battery, but it will need replacing over time (not rechargeable like some modern guitar tuners)
Electric Guitar Tuner
No pedal board is complete without a BOSS TU-3. It’s the most popular guitar tuner pedal around and for good reason.
BOSS manufacturers some of the most diverse guitar pedals in the guitar industry, and the TU-3 just so happens to be one of their best-selling pedals.
For live use, as well as at home, the BOSS TU3 offers fast and easy tuning via a bright visual display. This is especially useful when you need to tune your electric guitar in a live music environment.
If you are yet to begin your guitar pedal collection, the BOSS TU-3 Tuner is the perfect first buy.
Pros
- BOSS - one of the best guitar pedal manufacturers
- Trusted - the go-to tuner pedal for electric guitarists
- Easy to use - simply plug in and tune using the visual display
- Long-lasting - the TU3 is a rugged, must-have guitar pedal that will serve you for life
Cons
- Expensive - there are more affordable tuner guitar pedals if you are not worried about paying for the name
Portable Guitar Amp
No matter what kind of glorious amp stack you have, you should still have a portable guitar amp to take around with you!
Micro amps are easy to transport. They have carry handles and are compact in design to fit snugly in any car trunk.
And one of the best portable mini guitar amps you can buy is the Orange Crush Mini Guitar Amp. English amp company Orange are recognizable by their orange amp casing - and they sound as good as they look.
The solid-state Crush Mini 3 Watt is no exception, packing a big amount of sound in a compact amp that weighs in at just under 1 kilogram.
Pros
- Orange - one of the best amps you can buy
- Rugged - the rugged, compact design
- Simple - no-nonsense controls: volume, tone, and gain
- Built-in tuner - easy visual tuning on the top of the amp
- 3 watts - loud enough to fill any small to medium room
Cons
- Design - Orange’s iconic amp design is not for everyone!
Multi Effects Pedal
Sometimes it can prove too much of a hassle to lug every guitar pedal you own around with you. And that’s why it’s worth having a multi-effects pedal that features all of your favorite effects in a single, portable unit.
The Zoom G1X Multi Effects Processor is included with our must-have guitar gear for the fact that it has over 70 effects: chorus, reverb, delay, distortion, wah, ring modulation, tremolo, and more.
On top of that, it also features 30-second loop recording, classic amp emulation, patch saving, and the option to power it via AA batteries or an AC adapter.
With all of its great features, it’s the perfect starter guitar pedal and effects processor for new guitarists.
Pros
- Multi-FX - almost every guitar effect you could want in one portable pedal
- Looper - record 30-second loops and play over the top of them
- Rugged design - be sure it won’t break easily, no matter how much you stamp on it
- Battery-powered - plug it into the wall or power it via four AA batteries
Cons
- Complex - despite being packed with features, it might be confusing to use for a young guitarist
Noise Gate Pedal
If you run your guitar tone loud with thick distortion, you have probably been annoyed by the unwanted noise that comes as a result - most notably when you aren’t touching the strings.
In addition, noise can build up with the more guitar pedals that you use!
It’s annoying, so a must-have guitar accessory is the best-selling Rowin Noise Gate guitar pedal - one of the go-to noise suppressors seen in pedal boards all over.
Noise gates, or noise suppressors, will clean up unwanted noise and feedback, allowing you to crank up the overdrive and distortion without turning up the noise at the same time.
Pros
- For those who like to play loud - turn up the gain and distortion without introducing unwanted noise
- Easy to use - Rowin’s simple design is easy to use for beginners
- Rowin - tried and tested guitar pedals that guarantee to serve you a lifetime
Cons
- Not battery-powered - cannot be powered by batteries and needs a DC 9V power supply, sold separately
Guitar Cables
Just like guitar strings, guitar cables can break in an instant - often unexpectedly without a clear fix.
And for the same reason, it’s worth investing in spare guitar cables to store at home and keep in your guitar bag.
This makes guitar cables a definite must-have guitar accessory - especially if you are an electric guitarist.
These guitar cables by New Bee are 10 feet long, low-noise, and easy to loop and store away.
Pros
- 10 feet long - you can always use more cable length, and New Bee’s flexible design makes it easy to loop what you don’t need
- High-quality - made from high-density copper for greater noise reduction
- L-shaped end - ideal for amps and pedals
- Affordable - an affordable electric guitar cable for buying in bulk
Cons
- Length - unfortunately too long to use for connecting guitar pedals to other pedals
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do Beginner Acoustic Guitarists Need?
Every beginner acoustic guitar player needs to have guitar picks and a guitar tuner. While it is possible to learn fingerstyle guitar from the start, it is easier to learn to play the acoustic guitar with a guitar pick.
A guitar tuner is important to help keep the guitar in tune for beginners who have not yet learned how to tune a guitar.
Do You Need An Amp To Play Electric Guitar?
You do not need an amp to play an electric guitar, but it will not sound like an electric guitar. It will also be very quiet. A guitar amplifier amplifies the strings and allows you to adjust the volume and tone.
An amplifier can also provide additional effects, such as distortion, reverb, and chorus. To plug an electric guitar into an amp, you need a guitar cable.
What Should Every Guitar Player Have?
Every guitar player, whether acoustic or electric, must have a guitar tuner, capo, and string changing tool. These are essential to have for both beginner guitarists and professional guitarists.
For electric guitar players, the must-have items are a guitar amp and guitar cables. Without them, you cannot play an electric guitar as it is intended.
If you want to travel with your guitar, you should have a guitar bag or guitar hard case. This will protect the guitar from damage. Likewise, if you want to play your guitar standing up, you need to have a guitar strap.
It is also important to keep spares of important accessories such as guitar picks, guitar strings, and guitar cables, as these are easily lost or broken.
Through this blog I hope to help and encourage others who have just started, or are on their own guitar playing journey. This blog is the ultimate guide to playing guitar, from the best guitars to purchase, to the easiest rock songs to play.
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