Accessories (Necessities?) to your first guitar

Once you have chosen your first instrument, you should consider the following accessories, which in most cases are actually necessities to a properly well-rounded practice of the guitar.

• A case. A flight case or hard shell case is cumbersome. Cardboard cases and nylon gig bags don’t provide nearly as much protection, but they are much easier to carry around. When you’re carrying your guitar around town, keep it from getting scratched with a gig bag.  When you are going out to the gig with a ton of equipment in the back of the pickup, a hardshell will be much better protection.
• A guitar stand.  If you keep it in the case, you will have a much harder time picking it up to practice.
• A music stand. If you are taking lessons, you’ll need one to read your lessons off of when you practice.
• A metronome. Get that rhythm locked in early and you’ll make it easier on yourself when you start playing with other people.
• A chromatic tuner. Since you are just starting out, this’ll make it easier on your ear. I’d stay away from a pitch pipe.
• Picks. Buy a lot. You’re going to lose them. (I personally think they run back to the factory.)  Try lots of different sizes and
  thicknesses.  I prefer an extra heavy, most of my students can’t stand that width and prefer a medium gauge.
• Strings. The strings that are on the guitar when you buy it have been on it too long already. You need to change them. See if you can get the salesperson to agree to restring your guitar with new strings before you leave the store!
• A strap. Pretty much any strap will do, but it’s a good idea to buy a set of strap locks at the same time.