Almost all of us have a guitar – maybe even two – we like a bit more than “the other ones.” Maybe it’s a favorite color, is from our “birth year” (yeah, that’s a thing), or it arrived by way of family, friend, or special occasion. Whatever the reason, it gets better treatment than the daily banger.

Adam Grant feels that way about all guitars, which is why he created String Sling, a made-in-America multi-tool that protects a guitar’s strings, fretboard, and neck when it’s not becoming a comfy strap.

The Sling is high-quality cotton textile, inter-stitched near each end with a 1.5″ piece of Shindu elastic. Before going into “protection” mode, its fretboard-wide 29″ section of wooly-textured (like the collar of a comfy winter coat) polyamide/polyester microfiber can be used to wipe the guitar from tailpiece to strings to tuning keys. After the cleaning, its double set of underbelly flaps wraps around the neck, snugging the microfiber against the fretboard to resist oxidation. The first set has a zippered pick pouch big enough for easy digging with two fingers, and a smaller one for a capo or other small accessories, while the second set closes to conceal the pouches. The flaps and capo pouch are secured by soft, pliable Velcro hook-and-loop.

In strap mode, the top half (with the closed flaps) becomes a shoulder pad, the elastic lends stretch that adds to a comfortable hanging feel, and nine triple-stitched pin holes give it 8.5″ of length adjustment; those who sling low will want the $5 optional extension.

Available for guitars and basses in black, red, and white, String Sling is an innovative twist that combines a handful of essentials.

This article originally appeared in VG’s May 2022 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.