I always play a guitar unplugged before plugging it in, if I don't like it unplugged, there's no point in plugging it in.

But that kit is a good idea--especially as salesmen tend to plug you into their best amps--or the ones they think will make you buy--like the guy who plugged a jazz box into a Marshall stack, and asked if I wanted to test it clean...

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

you should include some setup tools. ive seen a bunch of less than perfect guitars come straight from the factory.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

SOLID !!! as TTSC once said. I think we are spending a waaaay too much time in the music stores it's an addiction I tell you.

I take an Amplug or at least some headphones a tuner and a strap usually .I keep them in my auto .If I get caught by sudden guitar lust and no gear I ask for head phones and a strap .The Amplug gives continuity of tone knowledge .All the amps I get will have headphone sockets (Fender ,Blackstar etc ) from now on .

When I go to a guitar store and try out a guitar I'll plug it into any good quality amp,then I can pretty well rest assured that it would sound good through one of mine.With the abundance of Blues Jrs. in music stores these days I know that if a guitar sounds good through one of them it will sound good through mine.The only thing that I bring with me when gear hunting is a pick of the gauge that I use.If I pick up a guitar that's out of tune that's no problem,after 45 years playing I can pick up a guitar and pretty well tune it to exact pitch.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.