Stocking Fillers For Guitarists

Let's talk about GAS. You all know what I mean - Gear Acquisition Syndrome (get your filthy minds out of the gutter!). It's the endless desire to try and buy new guitars and guitar related gear. I'm sure we can all agree that if 'x' is the amount of guitars you currently own, the correct number of guitars to have is always x+1. This can be a horribly wallet-threatening ailment, and the only cure I've found so far is to simply buy less expensive equipment to scratch the itch…

And with Christmas quickly approaching, I'm going to take the opportunity to show you 5 items I think would make for some great stocking fillers!

The first on my list is an essential for all guitarists - a tuner. To this day, I still have flashbacks from teaching at University and having aspiring professional guitarists get on stage and play what looked like it should have been an E minor - instead, they managed to produce something that would have made the most prolific horror movie music composers envious! So, whether you're getting on stage, or just practicing at home, please get into the habit of tuning your guitar, it will make playing so much more enjoyable!

Next up on the list is another item most of you probably have - a guitar stand. Okay, you might need a big stocking to fit this one in, but, hear me out… I've seen too many poor guitars being propped up against various things such as the wall, a chair, I even saw a friend of mine rest his guitar on his dog once! Doing this is just encouraging a disaster to eventually happen, especially if you have pets… So, consider treating your guitar to something this Christmas, and get a proper guitar stand to ensure its safety!

If you're someone that puts your guitar back in its case after every practice session for safe-keeping, consider this - you'll feel much more inspired to pick up and play if the guitar is immediately accessible, and there's no 'setup' time required. Even if it's just to strum the odd chord or two, I guarantee you'll play more if it's on a guitar stand next to your practice space!

Let's talk about picks. An essential. Incredibly small and easy to transport. Fits in your pocket or guitar case. So, why is it that guitarists never seem to have one on them, yet carrying a guitar that is many multiple times bigger and heavier than a pick is never a problem?! It's almost like going to your car and realising you don't have a steering wheel! "But, Mark, you never take the steering wheel out of the car!" - good point, so let's find a way to make sure you always have a pick with your guitar.

I'm going to be very hopeful and assume everyone reading this has a guitar case. Since you're using a guitar case to store and transport your guitars, it only makes sense to use a pick case to store and transport your picks! Fill it up with all your favourite picks and store it in your guitar case - case-ception! You'll never be without a pick again.

If you're someone that would take the pick case out and forget it somewhere, another option would be to get a pick holder that attaches to your guitar. And quite honestly, if you somehow don't have a pick while using one of those, I think it's time to pursue fingerstyle guitar... and we can help with that, just click here!

Aren't barre chords so fun, painless and easy to play, especially on acoustic guitars? No. They're not. And guitarists from all generations of music felt the same. That's probably one very good reason (other than transposing to a higher key) why many iconic songs such as Wonderwall, Jolene and Free Fallin' make use of a capo. This handy little tool helps you play along to your favourite songs, even if they are in obscure key signatures that don't fit in nicely with open chords!

As a metal player, I've always loved how tuning down can dramatically change the feel of a song. Using a capo to transpose the key of a song to a higher key is equally as exciting and effective as well!

Important! Even though capo's are a fantastic and necessary tool for many guitarists, please don't neglect practicing your barre chords. You might still need to use them even in some songs that make great use of a capo. If you're struggling with them, check out our barre chord course to become a pro!

P.S. Capos can come in various shapes and designs, so why not add some style to your accessories? As a big fan of sharks, this shark capo really stands out to me. Who knows, it might even add more attack to my sound… I'll see myself out, sorry…

The final stocking filler on this list is something that I can no longer live without - a foot rest. I'm 28 years old, but I have the back of a 82 year old after spending thousands of hours sat like a shrimp curled around my guitar while practicing. Having a foot rest helps encourage correct and healthy posture, which in turn helps your wrist approach the fretboard at a better angle - a win/win! It also generally just helps your guitar sit more comfortably on your lap.

To prove a point, I'm very fortunate to have a collection of incredible guitars, yet my students are far more interested and excited to be able to use my heavily-used foot rest. So, do yourself a big favour and invest in your comfort - get a foot rest!