Favorite Guitar Gadgets and Doodads?

[KentuckyBoiledChiccan]

I finally got around to doing a setup and string change on my Siggy this weekend. It made me think about how much I appreciate both locking tuners and a little gadget I've got for stretching strings.

Stretcha - Welcome

The String Stretcha is one of those inexpensive, handy guitar tools that saves me time and aggravation. A couple of passes on each string after getting them on the guitar, and everything is good to go in about a minute. I never liked stretching strings by hand. I've spent $12 in a lot of worse ways.

What are some of your favorite guitar gadgets?

I'm just using my hands, like a caveman.

 

[DarkskyZ]

You’re so right! Good tools are wonderfully useful items.

In the ‘80s the French toolmaking company Facom (owned now by Black and Decker, but their best tools are still made in France) was producing tool sets for some of the Formula One teams. I was heavily into doing basic, simple stuff to maintain the car I took to the track.

I wanted some good tools, and saw the name on some of the pit crews’ stuff back when Detroit hosted a Formula One race for a few years.

So I bought a smattering of their hand tools. Nothing fancy, just the basic stuff to do routine maintenance. Originally I used them on my car, but then transitioned them to my studio life.

Nearly 40 years on, they’re still like new, yet I use them often. Granted, a studio is easier on tools than a car, but 40 years is a long time.

As a French man over 40 Years old, I agree Facom used to be top shelf quality across all their offering. Pretty much the only brand discerning pros would use in any trade around the country. But they went down in quality except some specific stuff that is still gold standard. They offer lifetime warranty only on some items now, used to be on everything they made. I am not even sure where they make most of their stuff.

I wouldn't bet on their off the shelf screwdrivers now, they spanners maybe and some specialized stuff maybe.
On this subject and for guitar matters I got a nice PB Swiss Tools rolling pouch set of screwdrivers, those are cut perfectly and never stripped anything but my wallet. Buy once, cry once kind of stuff here. And while being expensive, they are still reasonably priced compared to asian made guitar specific branded tools.

 

[deathworlder]

Great gadget if you actually know what do if you find that the nut needs some work - - which of course I don’t!

“Bye, hon, I’m headed over to the luthier because my nuts need work.”

“Shouldn’t you be seeing a plastic surgeon?”

FIFY

 

[KentuckyBoiledChiccan]

For me, my favourite accessory is the one I don't have yet. My guitar amp tools, parts and accessories are spread between several places, and I really want to keep them in one l, organised place. This gig bag seems to be a perfect match for all the kit I have to maintain my guitars and amplifier

Backline Gear Transport Pack | Accessories | D'Addario

Designed from the ground up, the D’Addario Backline Gear Transport Pack is the ultimate solution for players on the move. With more than eight specialized storage and transport compartments built into it, the Gear Transport Pack makes transporting everything to your gig––while keeping it safe

www.daddario.com

I like the PRS backpack, but it seems to be a bit small for all the stuff I have

 

[László]

As a French man over 40 Years old, I agree Facom used to be top shelf quality across all their offering. Pretty much the only brand discerning pros would use in any trade around the country. But they went down in quality except some specific stuff that is still gold standard. They offer lifetime warranty only on some items now, used to be on everything they made. I am not even sure where they make most of their stuff.

It’s not surprising the quality has fallen since being bought out by a huge conglomerate that doesn’t give a sh!t about maintaining what they bought the brand for in the first place. In fact, it’s predictable.

The tools I bought 40 years ago were the originals and of very high quality. Disappointing that it can’t be maintained any more due to mismanagement. Same old story, right?

CBS/Fender, Norlin/Gibson, so many others.

The joke of course is that the decline in quality after these mergers and acquisitions is the very thing that creates opportunity for folks like Paul Reed Smith to come into the marketplace, offer a better product, and take sales away from the established companies like the Fenders and Gibsons.

Look at the proliferation of guitar brands that popped up within a short few years after the ‘bigs’ products went down in quality.

Or think about what happened to GM, Ford and Chrysler following the huge decline in quality of their products during the 1970s - they lost huge market share to the imports.

What happens in the end to these companies’ products says everything about exactly what the reasons were.

 

[Tony M.]

 

[DarkskyZ]

@László :

I couldn't have worded that in a better way.

(And that's an understatement as English is my second language )