Perhaps someone should start a new thread with "useful tools" to have while out playing in a band (or solo).

I'd add :

- 5" Fuller Professional string cutters. High carbon steel construction with induction heat-treated cutting edges for strength and durability. They last!

- Industry standard Mini MagLite with focusable beam and candle mode.

- 2 in 1 Screw Driver , Trem poker, 4 allen wrenches 1.5mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm. 6 Pocket string storage and Pick pocket. Virtually indestructable padded zip up case.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Hello All,

Keeping things clean always a great idea Thanks Ceri.

Metronomes another handy tool. Here are some I like.
My favorite being the Classic Piano Pyarmid, Thanks JMR986

Cheers.

I have no need for a string winder. I have locking tunners on one guitar, I am lucky to get 1 revolution on the string before it is in tune. On my other guitar I have vintage tunners, again I am lucky to get 2 maybe three revolutions before those strings are in tune. I can change strings on both guitars in less than 30 minutes. The only thing I recommend in addition to the tunner and winder is a good pair of wire cutters to clip the string ends off.

I do have a Boss TU 12 for a tunner. I have had it for many many moons. Before that I used the beginning to Rush's song Xanandu. Worked like a charm.

RK

I use an electronic tuner and have for maybe 10 years. Before that, I dragged out my keyboard and back in 60s/70s used a tuning fork.

I usually tune by ear but over the course of a month or so, I find that I've migrated up to about an F and with no reference at all, I'm up to maybe F# after three months. Not bad, but the tuner is a lot more accurate and easier than dragging out the Casio keyboard.

CERI, Ceri cmon now you are contradicting what you are saying.lol You know you are just plugging into the electric tuner and tuning,at least gridlock is being honest.lol I will be the first to admit that ever since I had an electric tuner I totaly rely on it and it has made me lazy as my family will attest when I am yelling through the rooms anyone seen my tuner. It is like a double edged sword it is great in one way but in one way it is not . So please tell me how it has improved your ear. After you tune up you turn all the peg heads and retune by ear .lol I am sorry my friend but you are as guilty as I am .

I agree you shouldn't rely on the tuner--I mostly just use one when playing with others--and even then I often tune by ear.

I'm amazed that there are guitarists who can play rings around me, and hang me out to dry, but they can't tune without a tuner...

Boggles my mind.

But when I do use a tuner I'm still listening and so I'm using both the tuner & my ear--unless I'm somewhere where there's lots of other noise--which can happen playing with others.

I had a tough time learning to tune, but I kept at it, and I didn't buy a tuner for a long time--at one point I used a pitch pipe--but only for the low E and I tuned the rest by ear. SO maybe owning a tuner MAY delay the ability to tune.

As for the suggestion of a metronome--great suggestion--although I hate using them--they always seem to speed up or slow down on me...

And I would really miss my string winder--I love it--an old Dunlop--still dirt cheap, but does the job--I wish I'd bought one sooner.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

String winders are critical. Years of changing my strings virtually every week means that I can do it in about 5 minutes -- about half what it would take if I didn't have a string winder.

Another essential is the capo. It allows you to play songs using open chords in different keys. For example, if you like to sing in Bb you can slap a capo on the 3rd fret and play in G -- no barre chords. It's not just a crutch though; you can also use it to rhyme guitars. For instance, if you have two guitars playing a song in G, one person can strum open chords and the other can play the same song in D with a capo on the 5th fret. Many, many more uses can be discovered -- my band plays a song where we only capo four of the six strings. Get one. They're worth every cent.


Or make one:

I must admit that have that exact planet waves tool and also that the cutters has worn away already, rendering it useless, dissappointing, so all i have left is an expensive stringwinder!

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Fender Champion 600

Hi straycat: er, sorry, I don't quite follow...

I was saying that in my experience using an electronic tuner improved my ear for intonation. Therefore it's a good thing, and not mere laziness.

There's a principle in education that if the pupil makes a mistake it should be corrected instantly, so that the making of that mistake doesn't become a habit. I think the tuner works that way: rather than wondering whether you've got the note dead on, the tuner confirms for you when it's right. So your ear gets used to hearing accurate intonation.

I think it works, cos my ear got better when I started using an electronic tuner. So it's a good thing.

(Of course, there's a lot more to intonation and temperament - but let's not get into that...!)

Cheers - C

I don't think capos are essential--in fact I've never owned one--and I've only used them a handful of times--they do have their uses--such as with open tunings, and for voicings--but to use it to avoid barre chords is just lazy.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

Ah, one of the great guitar debates.

I think capos are necessary and, incidentally, I don't disagree with your statement above. On the other hand, many songs benefit from open strings; chords often sound better open, and the 'drone' effect can be very useful. In this regard, capos are essential. I'm a good guitar player and have no problem with barre chords -- I play barre chords in virtually every song my band does. Nevertheless, I feel that capos are requisite equipment because they make many things easier. And really, who cares if it's easy or not? What matters is what it sounds like.

If I write a song in C, for example, it may turn out that our band's singer can't sing it in that key; if simply changing keys makes a big sonic difference, then a capo can be just the tool for the job. Frankly I'm surprised you don't own one. I thought everybody did.

Never owned one, never will.

The only time I've ever used them is due to a last minute decision to change keys, and someone had an extra one around.

Not pleasant experiences--some songs I can transpose in my head--some are a bit tricky.

But I don't play in front of others often any more.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

Hi Zontar and Vulkan: I have a strange prejudice against capos and don't use them much. But I can't play George Harrison's "If I Needed Someone" without a capo way up on the seventh fret. That great song justifies owning one all by itself!

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Another seriously useful tool nobody's mentioned yet is Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide. Finest thing of its kind and best few bucks anyone can spend on looking after their instrument.

Highly recommended.

Cheers - C

At least philip602 mentioned the use of a tuning fork...

They are great for tuning acoustics and if I am out of batteries for my tuner, I don't have a problem tuning my electrics.

I am aware that you can get an A-440 tone (along with others) off the internet. I just always thought musicians had a tuning fork and knew how to use it. God I'm old!

Yes, I think tuners are a good idea as long as you can tune by ear, which a tuner will help you with in the long run. I have all of my students buy one along with a metronome. As for the string winder, everyone should have one, it just makes sense.