Believe it or not, I've never been disappointed with a Yamaha acoustic. A great roommate to have while you search for your soulmate.

Love the size and feel of this one. If you are just starting out it's a great little guitar for the price.

The tone across the strings is nice and even, and 10 years in I still hear the tone improving. I'm not really a "Martin guy" but I love this guitar.

The Trutone Multi-plug cable extends your one adapter to handle 5 pedals. If you have more pedals than that on your beginner rig you either have too many pedals or belong in the intermediate club.

This is old faithful. It's been with me forever. I might be swayed by a Poly Tune 2 but I can't turn my back on this one. I'm pretty sure I could throw it full speed into a wall and it wouldn't be worse for wear.

Why bass eq and not guitar eq? The larger frequency range allows you to drop the boxy 500 range and still boost the bass so if you have don't have a bass player you don't sound empty but if you are playing with a band you can still blend into the mix. Other guitarists are shocked when they hear the difference in the tone. It also has a gain slider to help you boost low signal. I'd personally take it over any of the fancy "acoustic specific" DI's.

Cables do actually make a difference. You might not notice it on its own but put my Monster Cable next to a Whirlwind and you can hear the difference. Monsters are a little pricey but they back it up with their guarantee.

If you play guitar, you need a capo. This one is low-profile and inexpensive. The adjustment screw allows you to adjust the tension so it's great for acoustics or electrics. It's not as easy to change position as some others but if you aren't performing, that won't be a problem.

A cheap cable will last long enough for you want to spend more money on cables. I've got a few old whirlwinds that still work great.

A great little cut capo in the Newport style. Check the Green Room for tips on using one.

Cables do actually make a difference. You might not notice it on its own but put my Monster Cable next to a Whirlwind and you can hear the difference. Monsters are a little pricey but they back it up with their guarantee.

I love these little guys. They feel great and are perfect for both picking and strumming.

I've been using these strings for a long time. They are a little bright when you first put them on but they settle in after a few days and last forever. I play a light 12 gauge.

The RW200 is a programmable metronome with plenty of volume and easy to use dials and plenty of volume. Built specifically for drummers but a nice substitute for the DB-90 if you want to save some coin.

Great metronome for iPhone. It's plenty customizable (pay a few bucks for the paid version) and has great rhythm trainer features. Phone apps use the phone's clock which isn't good for recording but works just fine for practicing. Try the free version and make sure it's what you want.

Phone apps use the phone's clock which isn't good for recording but works just fine for practicing. It's plenty customizable (pay a few bucks for the paid version) and has great rhythm trainer features.