A gig bag can be the most convenient way to carry your instrument. Whether you’re going to a friend’s house for an impromptu jam, taking your axe on vacation, playing a club gig across town or doing a world tour, the gig bag’s grab-and-go accessability is hard to beat. There’s also a trend in making them tougher, more protective of your instrument, and designing them with lots of extra storage space. Here’s some ideas for stocking your gig bag so all that storage space doesn’t go to waste or end up being filled with empty microwave-burrito wrappers from the convenience store.

The Essentials
No matter how little storage space you have in your gig bag, keep these handy to be prepared for the rehearsal, jam, gig, whatever.

Extra Strings — appropriate to the instrument in the bag
Picks
Strap
Slide and Capo — if you use them
Soft polish cloth — you’ll be shocked at how many uses you can find for it, like wrapping your slide or capo
Clip-on Tuner — so many good choices but the Boss TU-10 gets a nod for being low profile with less breakable moving parts
Any adjustment wrenches specific to the instrument in the bag — truss rod, bridge, etc.
Any cables specific to the instrument in the bag — MIDI, stereo, splitters, etc.
Really Glad You Have Them
This is stuff that you might be able to live without but you’ll be happy to see when you need it! All but the most modest gig bags will accommodate this list:

Small flashlight
Leatherman-type tool — screwdriver, pliers, knife, etc
Peg winder and string cutter — a guitar-oriented multi-tool such as Farley’s JP Deluxe Guitar Tool or the Planet Waves Pro-Winder is perfect for the job
9V and AA batteries — for wireless mics and packs, pedals, tuners, etc.
Extra cable — one of your cables or someone else’s will go bad or missing, it’s inevitable; be the hero!
Extra strap — refer to previous comment
Strap Blocks — if you don’t use strap locks, this belongs on The Essentials List
Pencil, pen, sharpie & paper — set-lists, quick charts, contact info, autographs, etc.; your phone can’t do everything
Phone charger — it does very little without a charge
Acoustic Extras
Acoustic guitarists will want to add the Ultra Acoustic Feeback Buster soundhole cover and extra bridge pins to this list. You never know exactly what the monitor or house PA situation will be and the position of the speakers combined with the size and shape of the room can potentially impose mayhem on your acoustic guitar. A feedback buster makes a huge difference when you have have lots of signal getting back into the soundhole of your guitar. Extra bridge pins will save your bacon if you’re changing strings on a gig and accidently lose a bridge pin.

If You Have Room
If you have a generously sized gig bag, you’ll want to consider these:

Gaffer tape — a gig essential, but the rolls are usually too bulky for a standard instrument gig bag
On-Stage Stands The Mighty Guitar Stand — sturdy, compact, perfect for one guitar, and easily fits into a large gig-bag pocket
Guitar tool kit — a step-up from the multi-tool, the Ernie Ball Musician’s Tool Kit or the Fender Accessories Custom Shop Tool Kit are great choices.
Plug-in tuner and short cable — solid, reliable tuning in noisy dressing rooms
Headphone amp and phones — backstage, hotel lobby, airport boarding gate, bus ride; never miss an opportunity to play
Anything more than this deserves a separate bag in my opinion, although I have seen guys stuff pedals and foot controllers in their gig bags. With so many new mini-pedals on the market, it would be feasible to put some in a gig bag, especially if you’re a real pedal junkie.

Final Tidbits
The gig bag’s usefulness doesn’t end there, it’s an excellent place to keep your phone, wallet, keys, etc., during a gig or rehearsal. It’s usually close by and the zippered pockets will keep that stuff from getting lost. Also, if your guitars are being handled by techs and put in a truck every night, a gig bag is a great way to be able to take a guitar to the hotel or bus. A soft gig bag doesn’t take up much space when it’s empty and can be stashed anywhere.

This list should keep you prepared and performance-ready at all times. That way you can concentrate on the whole reason you have all this stuff, which is making music!

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