Guitar accessories every beginner needs

Once you bring home a guitar, you quickly notice that the instrument alone isn't enough. A tuner to get in pitch, a pick to play with, a strap to stand up and play — small accessories like these are what make practising comfortable. You don't need to buy everything expensive at once, though. Below are the accessories a beginner should pick up first, along with tips on how to choose them. The guitar accessories category also has icons for the small gear covered here.

Picks: shape and thickness change how it feels

A pick costs only pennies, but its shape and thickness (gauge) make a real difference to how it plays. Here's what to look for.

Shape: The standard teardrop shape moves between strings easily and suits almost anything. The larger triangular shape has three usable corners and is harder to drop, which helps beginners.
Thickness: Thin picks (under 0.6mm) are great for jangly strumming, while heavy ones (1.0mm and up) favour single notes and a firmer tone. A medium pick (0.7–0.8mm) is the easiest starting point.
Material: Celluloid and nylon are the classics. Since they're cheap, buy a few kinds and find the one that suits your hand.

Picks are easy to lose, so grab several at once from the start.

Tuner: the first thing to buy

Practising while out of tune trains neither your ears nor your fingers correctly, so a tuner is the top priority.

Clip-on tuner: Clips onto the headstock and reads the vibration. It's cheap and works in quiet rooms and noisy venues alike, making it the go-to choice for beginners (there's a clip-on tuner icon too).
Pedal tuner: If you're playing electric through an amp, a foot-operated tuner pedal is handy — you can tune silently even on stage.
Phone app: Fine just to try it out, but apps struggle with background noise. For serious practice, a clip-on type is the better bet.

Spare strings: gauge and when to change

Strings dull, rust and stretch as you play, and eventually they break. Always keep a spare set of strings on hand.

Gauge (thickness): Lighter strings are easier to press down, which suits beginners. A typical electric set is 09–42 (light), while a light acoustic set runs 12–53. Thicker strings sound fuller but are harder on your fingers.
Electric vs acoustic: Electric guitars use steel strings; acoustics usually use bronze-type strings. Be careful not to mix up the type.
When to change: Roughly once a month if you play daily. A muffled tone or tuning that won't stay put is the sign it's time.

Capo, strap and cable: expand what you can play

With the basics covered, add a few items that widen your playing.

Capo: A capo clamps onto the neck to change the key in seconds — invaluable for matching a song's original key when you sing and play. A clip-style capo that snaps on and off is the easiest to use.
Strap: Essential if you play standing up. A padded strap eases the load on your shoulder and stays comfortable over long sessions. Wider straps feel more stable.
Cable: The lead that connects an electric to the amp. A cable of around 3m is easy to handle, and a right-angle plug keeps things tidy. Avoid the cheapest cables, which are prone to noise and breakage.

Maintenance items and a case: for the long haul

To keep your guitar in good shape, a few maintenance items and a case give peace of mind.

String winder: Lets you crank the tuning pegs quickly during a string change — far less tedious than turning by hand.
Cutters (pliers): Used to trim the leftover string after restringing. Ordinary wire cutters work fine if you don't have a dedicated tool.
Cloth: Wiping the strings and body with a cleaning cloth after playing prevents rust from sweat and skin oils.
Case and stand: Use a guitar case for transport, and rest the guitar on a guitar stand at home to reduce the risk of knocking it over.

Related categories and assets

You can see the full range of accessories in the guitar accessories category. Find guitars and other stringed instruments under string instruments, and amps, pedals and cables under amps and pedals. There's an acoustic guitar icon available too. Every asset here is free for commercial use with no attribution required, and you can download the SVG or PNG straight away.