Shredneck

“SHREDNECK” MAY SOUND like a Yiddish curse word, but it’s actually a cool new product designed to help you warm up and practice when it’s not convenient to haul around a guitar.

Although it has six strings, seven frets and tuning machines, Shredneck is not an instrument but a tool that provides the feel of strings and the first seven frets of a guitar, allowing you to practice fingering, runs, chords and more in silence (perfect for avoiding busts by your boss). The headstock doubles as the body, delivering a balanced feel whether you’re holding the Shredneck in your hands or playing it with a strap attached to the device (strap buttons are included).

Endorsed by Jon Donais of Shadows Fall and Zakk Wylde, the Shredneck is no novelty but rather a useful practicing device. It’s available in cool finishes like Seafoam Green or red, gold and silver metalflake, and it even comes in an acoustic version. Around the office, we found Shredneck best for improving left-hand strength and skills, because, frankly, our right hands get plenty of exercise every time we prepare the Guitar World Buyer’s Guide.

Chris is the co-author of Eruption - Conversations with Eddie Van Halen. He is a 40-year music industry veteran who started at Boardwalk Entertainment (Joan Jett, Night Ranger) and Roland US before becoming a guitar journalist in 1991. He has interviewed more than 600 artists, written more than 1,400 product reviews and contributed to Jeff Beck’s Beck 01: Hot Rods and Rock & Roll and Eric Clapton’s Six String Stories.