Tech It... with a Planet Waves Tech Kit

Those little trap-door boxes inside your hardshell guitar case are great places to keep capos, spare strings, picks, and other gig essentials. Planet Waves offers a series of tech-related accessories that also fit in most cases and gig bags, and you can create a travel version of a tech bench with just a few items.

First is a ProWinder. No need to take a string cutter and a peg winder. The ProWinder is two tools in one, and I do not leave the house without one.

Next is the Headstand, a collapsible neck rest that slips into your case and is indispensable when changing strings, polishing or doing more involved fret cleaning, etc.

The Lubrikit is another essential for me. I started using it on all of my guitars that have tremolos, and now I find myself putting it in the string slots at the bridge and nut of all of my guitars, acoustics included. I like the idea of a frictionless path from the bridge to the tuning keys.

The last essential item is the Headstock Tuner. I've written about it before, and I'm sure I will again. This is the handiest tuner I've ever used. It's small, light, accurate and affordable enough to keep in several different guitar cases.