Essential Gear No Guitarist Should Be Without !!!

Other than the guitar and amplifier, what other gear(effects, strings, accessories, microphones, recording equipment, computer programs, etc...) do you think is absolutely essential to what you do as a musician???

For example, If I want distortion, I just have to have the rat distortion pedal. I just like the way that thing sounds. Or if I am going to mic my amplifier, I want to use a Shure SM57 mic because those mics really pick up the full spectrum of sound.

My sansamp GT2!!!
Man, I used to be a gear freak, and since I own that little box, I can dial any sound (pretty much) without having the army trying to bring down my house because of the volume!! I know the line 6 products do a pretty cool thing too, but this one is totally basic, three knobs, and rock on!!

Also, a good guitar strap, might sound stupid, but it's totally useful when you play live, and you keep on checking your straps so your guitar doesn't fall!!

There's nothing stpid about that. Have you ever had your guitar fall off because of a loose strap? It's not a fun experience. That why I put strap locks on all of my guitars.

I have a Levy strap. Best thing I've ever felt. I also have strap locks. They make a world of diference. I also play through a Line 6 POD Pro, and a Mackie M-800 power amp, through a Marshall 1960A cab. Not to sound ****ey, but it sound's like a dream!!!

I put a set of Dunlop StrapLoks on each of my guitars. The straps are interchangeable, and I never have to worry about dropping an axe.

Another couple of items that haven't been mentioned yet:

[u]A tuner[/u]: nobody wants to wait around while you try to tune your guitar.

[u]An AC line checker[/u]: This thing is a plug with three small lights built into it. You plug it in to the AC outlet, and compare the lights to the chart on the tester. This thing can save your life by alerting you to wiring problems [u]before[/u] you get your gear hooked up!

I never used an AC Line checker before, but I can easily see how that would be 'essential.' Is there any particualr brand that you would recommend? Are they readily available at most music stores?

If a music store stocks these things, I'm sure they're going to charge too much for them. Try a hardware or electrical supply store. It shouldn't cost more than ten to fifteen dollars. It really is just a plug with three lights built into it.