Ricky Peters creates mechanized guitar strummer

Until now, all the gadgets out there promising to make guitar playing easier have focused on allowing the player to make chord shapes. Now, thanks to machinist and lifelong musician Ricky Peters, there’s hope for the musician who needs a little help strumming too!

His new patent-pending device, tentatively called the hand free guitar strummer, was recently designed for Roger Burkes, a close personal friend who was left unable to enjoy his longtime passion of making music after suffering a stroke a few years ago.

Ricky’s guitar strummer is designed to attach at the front of the instrument, hold a pick, and allow a musician to strum the guitar by simply patting or moving their foot. Here’s a video of Ricky demonstrating his new creation.

On a personal note, my uncle, Dewey Goad, helped teach me how to play guitar. This past year he was in a terrible accident which left him unable to play music due an injury to his right hand. I now have hope that I’ll be able to strum a few songs with him again and see him smile while he plays my favorite Martin D-18!

Caring, talented people like Ricky Peters don’t come along too often. I’m positive there are a lot of people who could greatly benefit from having a little help strumming along; I can’t wait to see what comes of this!

Check out Ricky’s friend Roger Burkes playing his guitar again!

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About the Author

John Curtis Goad

John Goad is a graduate of the East Tennessee State University Bluegrass, Old Time & Country Music program, with a Masters degree in both History and Appalachian Studies from ETSU.