After you have carefully selected a guitar (READ THIS FIRST!), here are some things you should consider:

SET UP IS CRITICAL

A problem I commonly see is student guitars that are badly set up.  If the strings are farther away from the fretboard than they need to be, the guitar will be hard to play and painful for the fingers.  There are several adjustments that can be made to fix this problem.  One of them involves adjusting the steel rod that is in the neck (the "truss rod").  I can do this for you during a lesson, or LINK HERE to learn how to do it yourself.  But the others (adjusting the nut and the saddle heights) require expertise and specialized tools.  Nearly all guitars, even if they are brand new, benefit from doing this.  For this reason, I highly recommend that you take your guitar to a qualified luthier to get a professional setup.  (Before doing so, be sure to read this: LINK HERE.)

GOOD STRINGS

Another problem I often see is bad strings.  The strings that come from the factory on new guitars are very seldom the best strings for a particular student.  Strings can make a HUGE difference in how easy (or hard) the guitar is to play, and how wonderful (or crummy) the guitar sounds.  Different types of strings can be easier to play, or last longer, or make your guitar sound better than the strings that are on it now.  For my recommendations on strings, including strings that sound fantastic and last much longer, or strings that are much easier to play and don't hurt the fingers, LINK HERE.

TUNER

Every student needs a tuner.  Some guitars come with built-in tuners, which are very handy!  If your acoustic guitar doesn't have a built-in tuner, you can tune it with any of several available free apps for Android or Apple phones (my personal favorite is "Pano Tuner"):

Headstock clip-ons are the most common.  The biggest selling of them is the Snark brand, which are very popular because they are inexpensive and easy to use.  Unfortunately, they have an extremely weak design and are notoriously prone to breaking.  I do not recommend them.  By far, the very best under-$30 headstock tuner is the TC Electronic Unitune which is the most accurate tuner on the market, at any price.  It is also very strong and extremely reliable.  I highly recommend this tuner, which is only available at Sweetwater.com.  (I personally have one of these for every one of my performance guitars.)

Another option that I highly recommend for acoustic guitars is the D'Addario W-CT-15 NS Micro Soundhole Tuner.  This is not quite as accurate and strong as the Unitune, but I live this tuner because 1) it is always on the guitar and never gets bumped, dropped, stepped on, or lost somewhere in the house; and 2) it is hidden from view of the audience because it clips into the sound hole, so you don't have an ugly tuner sitting on the end of your guitar during a performance.  It is almost invisible, it won't get knocked off, it won't damage the headstock, and you don't have to remove it when you put the guitar in its case.  It sells for $17.  (I have one of these in every acoustic guitar I own that doesn't have a built-in tuner, and also on one that has a built in tuner because it is more accurate than the built in tuner.)

CAPO

Every guitar student needs a capo.  The easiest-to-use and least expensive capos are spring loaded.  You can find cheap spring-loaded capos from China on Ebay for very low prices, and they will be okay for a beginner, but they don't work very well and and they are made from pot metal that breaks easily.  If a student is serious about guitar you should get a better quality capo.  The two I recommend for beginners are the d'Addario Tri-Action and the Kyser Quick-Change. 

The Kyser Quick-Change is simple, strong, and ugly because much of the mechanism sticks up where the audience can see it.  I have owned and used three Kyser’s for 20 years and they are easy to use and never break.  However, their springs are very strong and they cannot be adjusted, which causes them put the guitar out of tune.

The D'Addario Tri-Action is equally ugly but is far less obtrusive because the entire mechanism faces away from the audience, and it has an adjustable spring tension, which can help to prevent the guitar from being out of tune while using it. 

So in the under-$20 price range, the Kyser is a great capo, but I personally like the D'Addario better.

For advanced and professional players, the very best capo I’ve found is the G7th Performance steel string guitar capo.  It costs about three times as much as a Kyser or D’Addario, but it’s much nicer because it is not spring loaded.  You control how much pressure it puts on the strings, simply by how hard you squeeze it when you put it on.  It is small, elegant, very good looking, extremely strong and reliable, and capable of putting less pressure on the strings without buzz than any other capo I've tried.  And it has a lifetime guarantee.

PICKS

All guitarists need some picks (sometimes called a "flat pick" or "plectrum").  It is important to understand that not all picks are created equal.  A 25 cent (or free) medium pick will work okay, but there are better sounding and playing picks out there.

For acoustic guitars, everyone has an opinion about picks.  There are dozens of options, and they yield VERY different results.  My criteria are rich tone, lack of scratching sound, and ease of gliding across the strings.  I have played literally every kind of pick there is, and this is what I recommend:  For a smooth and rich tone for most styles of music, the best pick available (by far) is the D'Andrea Pro Plec pick (#351, standard 1.5mm rounded triangle).  A very similar pick is also sold as a Taylor Premium Darktone 351 Thermex Pro.  It wouldn't surprise me if they are made in the same factory, because they are made of the same material and look identical.  For a bright sounding guitar such as a Taylor, these are the best sounding, easiest to use, longest lasting acoustic guitar pick, and they are the only pick I use for six string acoustic guitar.  These picks are much thicker than standard "medium" picks and are made of a different type of thermo plastic than other picks.  Also, the edges are rounded and polished, so they give a much smoother tone and they glide across the strings.  They sell for about $1.00 each. 

If you have a guitar with a dark tone, a thinner pick will brighten it up.  In that case I would recommend trying a 1.0mm D'Addario.  If that's not bright enough, try a .8mm D'Addario.  For fast picking, try a .6mm D'Addario.  For a super thin pick (which sounds tinny and I only use it on my 12 string) I like the very thin, 3-sided Zager picks that are easy to hold, and a bonus is they store on the tuning pegs of the guitar.

If you have trouble holding onto a pick, and find it slipping sideways and sometimes flying out of your hand, don't shop for picks that are easy to hold.  There are several options that are better than buying a crappy pick that its only selling point is that it's easy to hold.

One option is to buy a package of Monster Grips, and apply one to each side of your favorite pick.  These are thin, textured, stick-on silicone pads.  For most guitarists, that will solve the problem. 

Another option is to buy some of the round, colored, silicone plastic, key identifiers.  These work very well for preventing a pick from flying out of your hand.  If you still have trouble with the pick rotating sideways while using it, you can also use Monster Grips in conjunction with the key identifiers for even more control.  You can use different colors for quick identification of various picks you may use for different songs during a performance.  You can usually find 20-30 of them on Ebay for under $10.

   

NOTE: the slot in the rubber that the key pokes through is not wide enough for a guitar pick.  To use it for a pick it is helpful to cut the slot about 5mm wider.  Use scissors to extend the cut.

For people who have trouble holding onto a pick because of weak fingers, carpel tunnel, arthritis, Parkinson's, or other disability, I recommend the ergonomic Pykmax UPP pick holder.  It is a fantastic device that sits comfortably in your hand and holds the pick for you.  It will hold most standard picks. 

STRAP

Every guitarist needs a guitar strap for performing.  They are required for performing standing up, and for some people they are also helpful when seated.  A strap can hold the guitar at a better angle which helps with wrist and arm fatigue while practicing.  Cotton straps are cheap and comfortable and they stay in place well, and I recommend them for most students.  Flexible suede leather straps are also fairly comfortable and don't slip, but they usually cost quite a bit more.  Nylon straps are very comfortable but they slip too much on the shoulder, so I do not recommend them.  Stiff leather straps are uncomfortable and they are expensive, so I also don't recommend them.  For beginners I recommend a strap with strings on the end that attach to the headstock, rather than a strap that slips onto the button at the heel of the neck.  This is because it holds the guitar much better at the ideal angle.

There are no other rules for straps.  Just pick one that is comfortable, that doesn't slip, and that you think looks good.  Your best bet is to take your guitar to a store and try it with many different straps.  There is a good variety of straps at KSM Music.  That way you can feel them as well as look at them.  There are also plenty online, at sweetwater.com and other places.  One that seems to have some good looking straps for a fair price is amunu.rocks (no dot com) but I'm sure there are many others.

GUITAR CORD

If you have an acoustic-electric or electric guitar, you'll need a 1/4" guitar cord to plug it in.  Beginners don't need an expensive cord, but stay away from the cheapest, thin cords.  They don't hold up.  The D'Addario PW-CGTPRO-15 is an inexpensive medium quality cord that is good enough for home use.  It is available from Sweetwater.com for $12.  A 15' length is generally sufficient.

 

For gigging, you'll need a better cord that will hold up better.  The best bargain I have found is the EWI GBNC Premium Series cords with Neutrik straight ends, for $19-21 (available only at audiopile.net).  These are serious cords for a great price.  Everything EWI makes is extremely high quality for a very reasonable price.

For professionals, I recommend the very best cord money can buy: George L .155 cords with straight gold ends.  These are the best sounding, most reliable, strongest, lowest capacitance, easiest to coil, rebuildable instrument cords ever made.  I have been using them exclusively for 40 years, and have beat them into the ground, and I've never had to throw one away.  I'm still using the cords I bought 40 years ago, with no problems.  You can make them any length.  They cost about $50 each.  The best place I've found to buy George L cords is loop-master.com.

I do not recommend buying an "acoustic guitar amp."  They are way overpriced for what you get, and a small PA system will actually sound better, anyway.  LINK HERE for a discussion of small PA systems and my recommendations.

SOUND HOLE PLUG

Have you ever noticed that on TV shows with live audiences (such as The Voice), that every time a contestant plays an acoustic guitar on stage, there is always a black piece of plastic inside the sound hole?

In live performance situations, especially at high volumes, most acoustic guitars are notorious for creating feedback in the PA system.  Every guitar has a resonant frequency.  When a PA speaker plays that note, the sound wave enters the sound hole of the guitar and starts bouncing around in there, and that vibration is picked up by the guitar's pickup, which goes back into the PA system, and it goes around in a circle and gets louder and louder, and becomes feedback.  If you get feedback using your acoustic electric guitar on stage, the easiest and cheapest way to eliminate the feedback is to plug the sound hole with a d'Addario Screeching Halt Acoustic Guitar Feedback Suppressor.  That's what the TV shows do, and it works.  It will ruin the unplugged acoustic sound of the guitar, so always remove it after a performance.  But it will not have much effect on the amplified sound.  They only cost about $6.  Always have one in your guitar case.

(Obviously, you can't use a sound hole cover if you have an acoustic guitar with no electronics and are using a mic on your guitar...)

CASE OR GIG BAG

Every guitar needs some kind of protection to store it in your home and to transport it to other places.  New guitars over $500 usually come with a gig bag or case.  For other guitars, gig bags start as cheap as $35 and will work okay if you are careful.  Some of the better quality gig bags have thick padding and offer more protection, for a little more money.  For even better protection, hard shell cases are fairly cheap (about $60) but are heavy, because they are made out of plywood.  For $100+, SKB injection molded hard shell cases, or SKB soft shell cases with stiff padding, both provide excellent protection and are light weight.  But beware: guitars come in many different shapes and sizes.  MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE that the bag or case you are buying fits your guitar perfectly without being too tight and without looseness!

GUITAR STAND

For storing your guitar in your home, I recommend that you use your gig bag or case.  But when you perform on stage, you will need a guitar stand to hold the guitar while you are not using it.  There are many different kinds, but the one I recommend is the Hercules (either model GS414B PLUS or GS415B PLUS, whichever you prefer).  This stand has a strong, wide tripod base that is extremely stable and resistant to tipping over.  It also has a design that does not place the weight of the guitar onto the the bottom of the body which sits on the stand; rather, the guitar is suspended from the neck with an automatic clip that surrounds the base of the headstock.  It is both faster to use onstage and also safer for the guitar than other styles of stands.  For those who play two or three guitars on stage (e.g., acoustic, acoustic 12 string, electric, and/or bass) Hercules also offers a model that holds two guitars (GS422B PLUS), and also one that holds three guitars (GS432B PLUS).  (There is another company that has a similar looking stand but it is not the same quality and it can damage your guitars.  Stick with the Hercules brand.)

STRING CHANGING TOOLS (optional)

When you change strings, it is very nice to have a string winder (aka "pegwinder").  You can do it without one, but it's faster and easier with one.  You can get a junky Chinese one on Ebay for under $1, or you can get a decent Dunlop Series 100 Pegwinder from sweetwater.com for under $2.  But the best pegwinder I've found is the MusicNomad MN221 GRIP.  It sells for about $15, and it is a BIG step up.  Much nicer to use.

The other tool you need to change strings is a pair of dykes (aka "diagonal side cutter wire cutting pliers"), available at any hardware store.  This tool is used not only to cut the strings to the correct length but also to remove the bridge pins.

O-PORT (optional)

One completely optional item that I personally like for most under-$1,000 steel string acoustic guitars is the D'Addario O-Port.  It is basically an inverted plastic horn (a backward megaphone) that attaches to the inside of the sound hole of a steel string guitar. 

On most inexpensive acoustic guitars, and also most guitars smaller than full size, this device increases the overtones, focuses the bass, and increases the overall volume of the guitar.  On an amplified acoustic-electric guitar, it also helps prevent feedback.  Not as much as a sound hole plug does, but a little bit.  (By the way, a sound hole plug won't fit if you have one of these in the sound hole...)

I have one on all my under-$1,000 guitars.  On more expensive guitars, I have found it does not improve tone, and on my very best guitars it actually hurts the tone.  But on less expensive guitars, every one I've tried it on has sounded better with it.

NOTE: It is necessary to either loosen the strings or have them off when installing and O-Port.  So best time to install it is when changing strings.  Also, on some guitars that have electronics, some modification of the O-Port is necessary to make it fit around the electronics.  Just some trimming with some scissors, no big deal.  It still works great after it's trimmed. 

MUSIC SLOW DOWNER

I recommend that all students purchase a music player app for their phones that allows them to slow down and/or to change the pitch of recorded music. Slowing down the music is very helpful to guitar and piano students who are learning to play by ear, and changing the pitch is very helpful to vocal students.  There are many apps that do this, but there are only two that I recommend.  Both of them have the limitation that they cannot play music off of Youtube.  Both of them can change speed, change pitch, and loop a certain section of the song over and over.  Both were originally $20 and more recently have been priced at $10-15.

Transcribe + Slow Down Music by Dynamic App Design LLC
This one only works on iPhone, not Android.  It is harder to set up but easier to use than the other app.  It has a great user interface.  I had trouble getting my songs into the app but young people are better at that stuff than I am.  I don’t know if it works with Apple Music cloud downloads.  The sound quality when slowed down is not as high as the other app, but most students like this app better.  There is no free trial version.

The Amazing Slow Downer by Roni Music
This app has a version for both iPhone and Android, and it is a much better app for quality sound and ease of setup.  The downside is that the user interface is not as nice.  It works well with Apple Music.  If you get this app, beware that if you get the free trial version, you can’t just simply click a button and pay to turn on the full version.  The trial version (green icon) is a completely separate app from the full version (blue icon).  So if you get the trial version and then decide to buy the full version, you have to delete the trial app and download the full app, and all your setup and all the songs you imported are lost and you have to start from scratch.

I have both of these apps on my phone and tablet, and Amazing Slow Downer is the one I personally prefer, but many of my students like Transcribe + better.

HEADPHONES

Smartphone speakers are not suitable for playing music.  They do not provide sufficient volume nor bass frequency response to hear what students need to hear.  For guitar and vocal students, open ear headphones or high quality ear buds (either corded or bluetooth) seem to work well.  (Closed-back professional headphones that seal out outside noise are not as good because it's hard for the student to hear the recorded music and their own guitar at the same time.)  There are too many options in this category for me to make a recommendation, except to say make sure they have excellent fidelity and plenty of bass response.

HUMIDIFIER

Please LINK HERE for a discussion of humidifiers and whether you need one.

POLISH (optional)

I recommend the occasional use of a high quality, non-silicone, clear/non-white, spray car wax for polishing your guitar (everywhere but the fretboard and bridge).  The very best in my opinion is Turtle Wax "Ice" spray-on car wax, available at any auto parts store.  (This is also my favorite wax to use on cars, by the way.)

Another option is what Taylor Guitars recommends and uses in their service shop: Turtle Wax "Express Shine" spray-on car wax.

Or you can use a little bottle of Dunlop 65 Guitar Polish Cleaner, which costs more, for a much smaller bottle, and doesn't last as long, but it's easier to carry around.

FRETBOARD OIL

The oil I recommend for the fretboard and bridge is Music Nomad Fretboard F-ONE Oil Cleaner & Conditioner.  LINK HERE for a discussion of how to use this oil.