Post-purchase

Now that you've acquired your dream guitar, what do you need to own to keep your needs in check? Or are you that type of person who would only purchase stuff on a needs-only basis?

First & foremost, you need an amplifier. However, the philosophy of amplification today had been displaced by amp simulators residing in the computer. Simply put, it pretends to be an amp so that when you plug into a computer, it receives your signals & processes it to make it sound like you are playing through an amp. I'm not compelling you to get an amp & tread the purist path because the simulators today are darn good imitators. The latency issues had been dealt with along the way & this, in my opinion, makes amp simulators more respectable. Let's move on.

The items on this list are neither definitive nor final.

Essential

• Tuner. Everybody needs a tuner unless you have perfect pitch. If you play acoustics without any electronics on board (a tuner is a common feature), a clip-on tuner is compulsory acquisition. The electric players are better off with pedal tuners (just my opinion) unless they are pro players who need to prance around on stage most of the time, away from their pedalboards. I've tried app-based tuners; not too bad but it gets distracted easily by extraneous noise. 
• Cable. Never be content with that complementary cable that came with your guitar. The ones that came with my Ibanez some time ago ended up being radio antennae. I heard a phantom Michael Jackson singing through my amp once, so there. Invest in a good cable which are very affordable today unlike in the 1990s when I started out. Preferably, get one with replaceable plugs & OFC wires. To me, a good cable makes or breaks your interest in playing.
• Picks. Try different picks along the way. Try different pick materials, thickness & shapes. These are the pick factors that would define your picking hand movements & eventually your playing precision. I started out with thin picks because those were given to me, I didn't know there were other picks out there which were life-changing (they still are). Also, what works for others might not work for you. Till today, I'm still trying out picks.

Good to have

• Strap. Even if you are a bedroom guitarist, you should at least try playing standing up. There's a marked difference in playing position & posture when you play standing up with the guitar strapped on, the main factor being the fretting hand curvature. I discovered that the standing position frees the hand from excessive stress (that impedes movements) simply because the guitar, in its strapped position, forces the player to straighten the forearm.
• Guitar stand. Do not lean your guitar against the wall, cupboard, table edge, etc. because the chances of it toppling over & breaking is very high. Also, not all guitars can be placed flat on the floor due to its angled headstock (eg. Epiphone, Gibson). If you have to leave your guitar out till the next playing time, get a good guitar stand, otherwise, keep it away in its case / bag.
• Polish cloth. Please, please... wipe down after play. If you don't believe in polishing, just give it a wipe down. This removes moisture & grime off your instruments. You won't appreciate this routine until your guitar's bridge is corroded beyond cleaning or your guitar's electronics get messed up entailing in repair costs. If you do not believe in buying a dedicated instrument polish cloth, use an old t-shirt which works equally fine but it needs to be cotton, no compromise.
• Polish fluid. The job of this fluid is actually to remove grime / oil off your instrument, a good shine is a bonus. This often goes unnoticed till its accumulated significantly on your instrument making it look really repulsive. At the very least, it will affect your instrument's resale value if you are considering selling it off.

Pics: Swee Lee / Dunlop / GC

Kitty '24 (2)

The Hello Kitty episode this time round also saw a Fuzz unit being released to complement your guitar-slinging moments. Remember, only the Hello Kitty fuzz works best for your Hello Kitty guitar. Everything else is a compromise.

While you're at it, why not add a guitar bag, strap & polish cloth to complete the purchase, yes?

EDIT: The HK bag is the default bag that comes with the guitar purchase.

Pics: Fender Japan

That strap

Black Friday deal, bought this online for less than $25. This is, in my opinion,  a good, generic guitar bag.... 

 ... less this oversight, of course. This is what happens if a non-guitar manufacturer enters the guitar world without first being learned of the industry.

Fastening

If you read in my previous entry some days ago, I bought this cheapo strap & Ernie Ball strap blocks. Let's put them to use; the flimsy strap could surely use some security. Verdict:

• strap proved to be uncomfortable due to no cushioning  but easy to use
• strap blocks are effective, secure strap slits easily after fastening
• strap block - not easy to instal/ remove due to tough rubber material. Best for players who would want their strap to stay secured in their guitar for some time, not for constant removal

I still have the unused black pair & I'm giving it away to the first person who email me with the following subject matter: I want strap blocks!

With that, folks, we say goodbye to May.

*Strap blocks - taken 👍

El Cheapo strap-o

All cooped up at home & bent on trying - so I ordered this from a popular China-based online store. It's less than $5 plus shipping. 

It doesn't feel like a guitar strap. By this I mean to imply that it's like getting a spare utilitarian messenger bag strap. You can somehow feel the difference. It's also very thin, threatening to scratch or tear once in contact with any sharp, pointed object. The thin material also means that the buckle doesn't stay put & moves easily. Moving on to the strap ends, these are by no means leather. The material is rubbery, very similar to those faux leather belts sold at the local night markets but much thinner. As you can see there, the slit stretches easily & won't retain form. 

If you can help it, refrain from buying such accessories online, especially those listed for dirt cheap. There are very affordable guitar straps sold in the local stores here which are also offered online. These don't cost much either but if you choose to skimp on essentials like a strap, you know that your instrument would suffer along the way. By the looks of it, this strap of mine might give way soon. There's a very good reason why leather or compound leather is used for strap ends; elasticity matters. 

Snapped

And this happened. After 7 years of use, in & out of the house, under wet & dry conditions, the strap gave way but the bag's still functional. To be continued. 

Strap it

That's right, it's an Ibanez padded strap. My bag's strap gave way, the fact that it's detachable invited an opportunity for replacement. Together with a pair of carabiners, my bag received an extended lease of life- all for less than $10 😃

Prestige & bullet proof

The Ibanez Prestige SA1260 I bought came with a complementary Prestige cable which I didn't know existed.

Also in the package- an Ibanez Bullet Proof Strap which shouldn't be used to rob the bank.

Heads up!!

The above pic was taken off the manufacturer's website. It's an ad for a special strap aimed at addressing the neck-heavy issue of some instruments. The product: Heads Up strap, guaranteed to hold the instrument's neck up when it threatens to kamikaze.

The neat little trick lies inside the pocket at the body end of the strap...

...which actually houses a weight to counter the neck-heavy pull. It's like tying a brick to your current strap but that wouldn't be as neat as this one, wouldn't it?

Before anyone asks, I've yet to see this product in the stores here..

Trap it!

Ibanez has this Trapper strap (but I don't see it in stores here) with a locking strap-end contraption. It's a ready feature so one would not invest further in locking attachments to be used with one's strap.

As you can see here, the strap click-locks the strap button in place, you just have to push it off to unlock. I wish to have a closer look at this strap... if only it's available here.

Lock it!

If you love your guitar, you wouldn't want it to kamikaze to the ground while playing it strapped-on. This happens because the strap slit for the button to fit into, has worn out over time, expands & manifests lesser grip for your instrument.

The strap you see above is my Planet Waves' Planet Lock strap, which has a ready locking system; just fit the strap button into the gap & lock it. It fits majority of the strap button less PRS'. So if you love your Gibson Les Paul & deem replacing the small, problematic, default strap buttons a desecration of authenticity, this strap would help.

Does the plastic material scratch you guitar body's finish? No. The underside of the locking mechanism is lined with rubber, your guitar stays scratch free but because the locking contraption tightens up upon use, when you move about, you'd hear it squeaking. Some people find this terribly annoying while recording fanatics say it (the squeaking sound) bleeds into their recordings.

All in all, the Planet Lock is an affordable security strap, a definite alternative to using Dunlop's Strap Lock buttons & pins.