Guitar Case Essentials

Ok, potential Geek Central, but here's a little guide to some useful things that live in my guitar case so I'm prepared when I'm leading worship. 

I used to carry stuff around in a separate box case, but now I just chuck it all in my guitar case so that I'm always prepared and by the time I've got to the venue I'm leading worship in, I'll be sorted. Guitar Strap Sounds obvious, but I've been there without one and have had to lead worship clutching my guitar like a banjo. (Thankfully it was only three songs: I had to choose ones in E...) Easy to leave behind. Long Lead / Short Lead I use a 6ft lead from my guitar into the tuner, with one end straight jack, the other L-shaped. The L-shaped sits well on my guitar, and is less likely to get knocked when I put the guitar on the stand, which is often a cause of mid-service panic if your jack on the guitar dies. Then a 6 inch lead from the tuner into the DI box, which are next to each other. This lead has two L-shaped jacks, as it then takes up less space on the floor. I've got a little bit of velcro I stole of our tech guys that holds them together, and reminds me to coil them as a pair, so I won't leave one behind! Sound hole Cover One of the downsides of leading worship on an acoustic guitar, with a floor wedge is that you get a fair bit of boomy feedback. These little things are totally brilliant, you just pop them in the sound hole and it cuts out all feedback and you don't lose much on the tone front. You can just take them out when you're done. Spare Strings Need I say more: I tend to try and change strings one of twice a month, depending on how dirty they got. I always try and have a couple of spare sets in the case, just for those horror Sundays. I find the coated strings, while more expensive, last much longer and save you in the long run. Winding Tool This little beauty (Planet Waves) is a nifty little winding tool that takes all the stress out of restringing, and also opens up to be a neat pair of clippers for trimming the ends of the strings. There's nothing worse than ten minutes of finger twisting to get a fresh set of strings on, this takes out all the work and means you can get a really good wind. Truss Rod Adjuster This will help raise/lower the action of my neck and strings without needing to pop into a shop for a set-up. I have only had to use it once and it's totally for emergencies only. Sometimes if the air conditions change, an older guitar can move a little bit, and it's a useful tool. Tuner A good tuner is essential when leading worship. The TU-2 is Boss's standard pedal tuner and has several advantages: you stomp on it to mute the channel and activate the tuner, muting the feed to the DI box. This is also useful for things like changing a capo during a time of worship (no strong noise) and for taking your guitar on and off without making noise. The tuner is very accurate and easy to read from a standing position, so it will save you having to kneel down to tune. Tuner Power My tuner has a 9V battery inside it, but it tends to run out a bit, so rather than rely on that, it's worth taking a 9V power source and just plugging it in, then you've got peace of mind and you can just leave it plugged in all day. Pics I've got a handful in the bottom of the pocket, as I'm always losing them. Worship Central ones, of course! We'll be bringing a bucket load on the tour if you want to get your hands on some! Capo The capo is a brilliant thing: I find the Kyser ones easiest to use as they're easy to operate quickly with one hand, and when they're not on the neck of guitar, they sit easily on the headstock. Spare 9V Battery It's really worth having a spare 9V in your case, as you'll often only find that your guitars needs a new one in a soundcheck, as there's often no way of telling until your sound guy loses your signal (unless your guitar has snazzy flashing lights). I've found the best ones (if you can get your hands on them) are the ones with little rubber caps on one of the connections, to save them running down in your case. I know it sounds crazy, but your battery can rub up against something metal (like a capo or tuner) in your case and run flat. Alternatively just tape over one of the connectors with some duck tape. Enough geekiness... oh, and don't forget your guitar (if you can still fit it in!)