Best Guitar Gear for 2009 - Accessories, Etc.

Dr. M. and her Martin D-18 Sustainable Wood Dreadnought. Long Sleeved Tee by C.F. Martin & Co. Peace Pick necklace by Strum 'n Comfort.

Here is where I get to share a few of my "favorite things" with my readers. There are some guitar accessories that I would rather not do with out. Simple, well made items that allow your practice and performance time to go so much easier. If you are fighting with low lighting on your music stand, tuners that go nuts in a noisy room or finger picks that just don't make the grade, I have some viable solutions.

New! Super GigLight Music Light

The original GigLight made our list of Best Guitar Gear in 2008 with good reason. It does the job. Well, it's back and brighter than ever! This little guy throws a ton of light on a full two pages of sheet music and even outshines the previously manufactured ConcertLight. It can also be clipped on your laptop or computer workstation if you are using editing software programs for your music.

The Super GigLight fully illuminates your music stand without adding eyestrain or glare. Battery powered on the road or use their AC adapter in the studio. Either way, it is the one musician's accessory I use everyday. If I am not sure of the lighting conditions at the venue I'm playing, this gets packed in my gigbag. Stage lighting is something you'll often have no control over but you can be prepared by bringing your own music stand light, even if it is just for your set list. One less thing to worry about. The Super GigLight folds up compactly into its own included tote. The AC adapter allows you to save your battery life, (about 20 hours), for the road. On and off switch is right in front of the light hood and the lamp arm is fully extendable to position the light just where you need it. Visit Lampcraft online at: http://www.lampcraft.com or click their banner ad in the left hand column of this page.

Intelli IMT-500 Chromatic Tuner

I must have a drawer full of tuners, most of which never really worked well or were just too cumbersome to take with me to jams or gigs. If you've followed the saga of this tuner, the first production was under the name Intellitouch. The new Intelli IMT-500 while based on the Intellitouch design and function, is a major step forward. The Intelli IMT-500 is absolutely unbeatable when trying to tune your guitar in class or recording session when other musicians are trying to do the same.

This is because it senses the vibration of the strings to accurately indicate if you are in pitch. Best of all, it clips onto the end of your headstock and is easily visible in all types of lighting conditions due to its poseability and back lit screen.

Small but mighty, it is easy to pack along or clip onto your music stand. That way you'll always have a tuner handy. Some have complained that the previous model, the Intellitouch did not register the low E string. The newer Intelli IMT-500 doesn't seem to have that problem. PRO TIP: Proper instrument humidification keeps your guitar in tune longer. When you axe is properly humidified, all you'll need are a few quick tweaks of the tuning pegs and you're ready to play. See the article on Guitar & Vocal Humidification by clicking here: http://mariejmiczak.blogspot.com/2008/10/guitar-and-vocal-humidification.html

The Intelli IMT-500 is available from most music dealers such as Quality Guitars at: http://www.qualityguitars.com or check their banner ad on this page.

Pro-Pik "Fingertone" Fingerstyle Guitar Picks

These Pro-Piks have become my ultimate favorite for the electric Autoharp. The plastic ones don't stay on as well as these. The Pro-Piks allow a bit of your finger to show through so you get a greater sensitivity or feel for the strings. This offers increased control and a natural feel. Just by the way you angle your fingers to strike the strings, you can bring in subtle nuances of tone and timbre.

I have even recorded a live performance with these and the sound was incredible. If you are into finger style guitar picking, you should definitely check these out! The Pro-Piks come in medium & large and are made of nickel-silver. I won't part with mine! Made in the U.S.A. by Guptill Music at: http://www.guptillmusic.com/propik/fingertone.html

The New Eclectic Sound Experience would like to thank all of our industry participants & endorsements for their continued support. 2009 is off to a rockin' start and we are looking forward to providing even more insight for the savvy musician. In this tight economy, consumers are reading reviews here first before buying. We've got it going on!