Guitar Accessories

 

Capotasto or Capo (Left):

 A capo is used to change the pitch of open strings. Capos are clipped onto the fret board with the aid of spring tension, or in some models, elastic tension. To raise the guitar's pitch by one semitone, the player would clip the capo onto the fret board just below the first fret. Its use allows players to play in different keys without having to change the chord formations they use. 

Slides (Right):

A slide used in blues and rock to create a glissando or 'Hawaiian' effect.  The necks of bottle were often used in blues and country music. Modern slides are constructed of glass, plastic, ceramic, brass or steel, depending on the weight and tone desired. An instrument that is played exclusively in this manner, (using a metal bar) is called a steel guitar or pedal steel. Slide playing to this day is very popular in blues music and country music.

Plectrum or Pick (Center)

A guitar pick or plectrum is a small piece of hard material generally held between the thumb and first finger of the picking hand and is used to "pick" the strings. Through most classical players pick with a combination of fingernails and fleshy fingertips, the pick is most often used in electric and steel-string acoustic guitars. Through today they are mainly plastic, variations do exist, such as bone, wood, steel or tortoise shell. Tortoise shell was the most commonly used  material in the early days of pick-making, but as tortoise and turtles became endangered, the practice of using their shells for picks or anything else was banned. Tortoise-shell picks made before the ban are often coveted for a supposedly superior tone  and ease of use, and their scarcity has made them valuable.