35 Best Gifts For guitar players
A list by players for non players
- Mike Levitsky
- Last updated on May 9, 2019
Got a guitar player with a birthday comin’ up? An axe-slinger with an anniversary? A shredder with a Christmas wish?
Getting a guitar player a gift is easy, right, you just go to a guitar store or get online and grab something “guitar-ish”. . . Right?
Well. . .Kinda.
We guitarists can be a fickle group. So, a guitar-ish gift is not exactly going to cut it, you need the right guitar-ish gift!
We like cool looking, great sounding equipment that makes our lives and our existence on stage and in the practice room easier. Also, we (and you) want it cheap.
Sounds like looking for a needle in a haystack.
But have no fear dear reader! We are here for you! So, without further ado, here are some great, simple gifts guitar players will love.
You can also check out our recommended gifts for drummers here.
Items under $10
Guitar Picks
Alright alright I’ll start with the obvious.
So if you live with a guitar player, you’ve learned (or will soon learn) two absolute truths.
- You will find guitar picks in EVERY couch and under EVER carpet you have ever owned…EVER…but…
- Guitarists can almost NEVER find a pick when they need one.
No matter how many they buy it seems Guitar players ALWAYS need picks. So gift them to your hearts content. They come in a huge variety of shapes, styles, and thickness. So My recommendation here is just the tip of the iceberg.
Pro Tip: Take a gander at a few of the picks they have laying around their jam area. Look at the numbers on them for gauge (thickness). It’s a safe bet that the ones your shredder has laying around most, are their favorite. If you’re guitarist is a new player, then a variety pack is a good option so they can get a feel for what they like to strum it up with. If your not sure go for the option on the right, it is a little more than $10 but it comes with various shapes and sizes, plus a pick holder.
Ernie Ball Guitar Polish
A clean guitar is not only a happy guitar, but a better sounding one. Dirt and oil build up, especially on the fretboard and on the back of the neck, can cause a loss of sound quality as well is make the guitar sticky and uncomfortable to play. I chose this polish because it is what I use personally and comes with a fancy polishing rag! oooooo, Get a bottle of this so their axe looks as beautiful as it sounds!
On stage Guitar foot rest
In the Practice room and on stage, guitar players sit for enormous periods of time staring at tabs, sheet music, and chord charts. To avoid back problems and tendinitis, it is extremely important to have good posture while playing. This footrest is amazing when you’re sitting in a chair that is a little too high or if you like to have your guitar a little closer to your body when playing. This thing is lightweight, strong, and it folds up so you can find a place for easy storage. I store mine in the front of my gig bag, and it has survived my 3 year old using it as a skateboard.
Guitar Pick holder
Continuing with emphasis on the “Great Guitar Pick Paradox”, I felt it logical we add a pick holder. Now at first this looks silly. But I have had one of these on my key ring for over 10 years. I absolutely LOVE this thing. It’s durable, light and, depending on pick gauge, can hold more than one. This is a must have for any player who finds themselves out and about with a guitar in hand.
Dunlop glass guitar slide
Player’s got that itch for the blues? To play the perfect “whiny” southern rock solo? Then they’re gonna want a slide. A guitar slide goes over your finger and allows you to slide up and down the frets without the sound of notes settling into place. With a guitar slide you have access to all of the in-between tones or “blue notes” that we don’t normally hear.
Slides usually come in glass or metal. My personal preference is glass. It gives the notes a warmer tone more suitable for blues. Where as metal slides have a gritty and tinnier sound that compliments more southern/country styles.
Items under $25
String swing wall mount guitar keeper
A guitar mount like this will let you hang your guitar directly from the wall. This is particularly useful if you have small storage areas or practice rooms. They help free up floor clutter as well as give quick access to your favorite guit-fiddle when you wanna jam!
Pro-Tip: A Guitar that is visible is a guitar that is played more often. The more hassle it is to get to your guitar (getting out from under the bed, opening the guitar case, etc.) the less likely you will be to practice. If you or the player you have in mind is having a hard time getting in the practice time, try this guitar hanger and see how much more often the guitar ends up being played.
Pick-a-Palooza DIY Guitar Pick Punch
A pick punch is like a giant hole punch in the shape of a pick. It allows you to make guitar picks out of any thing you can fit into the thing. I have used gift cards, credit cards, paper, and cardboard. This kit comes with a pick punch, plastic sheets to punch picks out of, a sanding block to get the picks just right, and a pick holder to boot.
Dunlop dual design straplok system
I cannot express enough how amazing this product is. Straplock system by Dunlop has been the go-to on my touring rigs for well over a decade. I can’t speak for every player. But I personally have NEVER dropped a guitar from strap error using these. There is some “assembly” required however.
- You will have to put the connecting posts onto your strap. It’s a little work but it’ll clamp on there.
- You will have to remove the original end pins on your guitar and replace with the ones included. Super simple. Just replace to 2 screws and you’re done! There’s even an instructional video on how to install them if your a little unsure.
Planet Waves Planet Lock Guitar Strap
These straps are durable and comfortable. They also come with their version of a strap lock system. The benefit to the Planet Lock is the strap lock is built onto the strap and works with your guitars existing end pins!
gLS Guitar Cable
Guitar cables come in different lengths and styles, but they all do the same thing, get your signal from your guitar to your amp. Sure, you can get one for five bucks, but do you really want your guitar to cut out while your in the middle of Jimi’s version of the Star Spangled Banner, perched proudly on your roof, on New Years eve, with the whole neighborhood watching? I didn’t think so!
Guitar capo
Capos are always a great utility to have. They allow you to securely fret all 6 strings at the same time; effectively changing the key of the guitar. This is a life saving tool when a singer (or your own tired vocal chords) needs the song played in a different key. All you need to do is slap on a capo, no need to learn a whole new set of chords on the gig. I always recommend to my students to steer clear of spring loaded Capos without a lock. I have had capo springs get loose over time. This causes the string to not fully press on the fret and the string will buzz (great sound for a sitar, but not for our beloved rock rifle!).
Especially for electric guitars, aim for a lockable or screw operated capo. If you play acoustic or change keys often in a set, like many church musicians do, a spring capo is a bit faster to get on and off the guitar. The Kyser capo is the most reliable spring capo I have found, and it comes in a ton of colors!
48" x 36" Dry Erase Creative Guitar Poster
This 4 foot by 3 foot poster is great for teachers and students alike. It gives quick reference to all the basic chords and scales you will need. A place to write out tabs, new chords you are working on, and a black fretboard for writing out scales. This is a great thing to have hanging in the practice room for inspiration and to keep track of what you are working on.
Ernie Ball Powerpeg
What on earth does a guitar player need a power drill for? The power peg is a quick and easy way to turn the tuning machines on a guitar when changing strings. There may be another question goin’ through your head right now. The answer is yes. They do make little fishing reel like string winders. Some even come with a cutter. I love those. I have those. But I also prefer the mundane stuff ( such as changing strings) to be finished as quickly as possible.
Which is why I chose to ad the Power Peg to the list instead. I own one. I love it. It will wind both directions with the flip of a switch.
It’s a great addition!
Varigrip Adjustable Hand Exerciser
Hand conditioning allows for better, faster and more accurate playing. This piece of equipment is great for improving grip.
I recommend using it to run scale patterns. Just make sure they warm up first.
Hand exercisers are a real work out!
Strings
Strings!
Like picks, guitar strings come in a variety of styles and gauges. So it’s best to ask your guitarist questions and do research before buying any string.
Pro Tip: Make sure you purchase strings for the proper type of guitar (acoustic vs. electric, nylon strings vs. steel strings etc.). It sounds obvious, but I’ve seen things happen.
. . . Let’s move on.
The Guitar Handbook
This book has a little bit of everything – Guitar history, Bios of famous guitar players, guitar maintenance and customization (acoustic and electric), and a section on how to play the guitar which covers tons of chords and scales. This would be a great gift for any guitar enthusiast at any level.
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Guitar Tuner
Every guitar player needs a tuner, and its even better if they use it. There’s nothing that can turn a face melting solo into a call to throw whatever is in one’s hand at the guitar player, faster than an out of tune guitar. If you want your giftee to avoid getting hit in the face with a shoe when they take their next solo, a tuner may be the way to go. This little guy is compact, and tunes the guitar using vibrations, so you can get your guitar tuned up in any noisy situation you find yourself in, even a large booing crowd.
TrueFire Gift certificate or subscription
TrueFire.com offers access to over 35,000 interactive video guitar lessons including 500+ guitar courses, 11,000+ tabs, and 7,000+ jam tracks. I have been a member of truefire for years and have found it to be a great value. They offer a ton for free and the paid content is totally worth the price. You can grab a gift certificate for any amount, a single course, or and all access pass which gives you everything for $19 per month or $199 for the year. Often times they will run %50 off sales so check back often. You can also grab a 30 day free trial to give it a test drive!
Gift card
This is kind of a wildcard, and can feel a little bland, but I wanted to be sure to include it. Credit to their chosen online or app store is a great gift for a guitar player. There are a lot of great music creation apps that cover everything a guitar player (or any musician) could ever want. Check out iTunes, Google play, or many other online stores. And maybe include a note on what type of app they should buy.
For the musician in your life; never underestimate the power of a gift card
Items under $50
Kitchen accesories
If you know a guitar player who knows their way around a kitchen or grill you’ve gotta pick up one of these sweet kitchen accessories. All three of these products are high quality and have great reviews.
Guitar Amp Wall Mounted Key Holder
Although drummers get the worst of it when it comes to the dumb jokes, guitar players are know for being a bit absent minded. This key rack comes with 4 1/4″ jacks, and 4 1/4″ plugs just like the ones that are on a real guitar amp. When you get home, just plug into the “amp” and never lose your keys again.
Music Nomad Work Mat and Neck Support
We never stop pickin’ on our guitars. We even nitpick on our guitars. . .A LOT. Scratches and dings at gigs, after some tears are shed, are considered “battle scars” and taken with pride. But we will be doing guitar work often, changing strings, upgrading parts, tightening screws, etc.
This combo allows you to properly rest your gear anywhere for emergency or routine maintenance.
Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal
The world of guitar tone is a wondrous, massive and, at times, terrifying place. As overwhelming as it may seem, most players get into “tone” very early on.
So if you’re player hasn’t gotten into guitar effects pedals yet, wait 10 minutes. They’re about to. . .tick tock.
Relax. We got this!
Effects pedals are simply boxes that connect between your guitar and your amp. They are activated by stepping on the on/off button. In short they can make your bland, stock guitar, sound like a metal god, a jazz legend or even a spaceship laser gun! The possibilities are endless!!
But let’s be honest. The guitar player will want to sound like the rocker. They will want that heavy dirty sound. So here’s what ya do:
Within this vast expanse of the tonal galaxy, there is no disputing this fact; the Boss DS-1 is one of the most well known and beloved distortion (rock and roll sound) pedals for decades. With its simple controls and the range of tone you can dial in, it’s no wonder we axe-slingers love it so much.
It shreds on every level of the industry. This pedal has been used by artists like: Nirvana, Steve Vai, Prince and The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
I could continue but you get it. It’s a great pedal.
Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 Audio Interface
I love mini interfaces like this. You can take your recording studio with you for very little money. As a result I have been able to capure band rehearsals and personally record friends at remote locations where recording a song wouldn’t normally be possible.
This mini recording interface allows you to lay down your demos without a ton of hassle! Along with instrument inputs. The UMC22 includes an input for the vocal microphone XLR cables. So your musician can record vocals as well. (Requires a desktop computer or lap top)
Seymour Duncan Woody SC Single Coil Soundhole Pickup
A pickup is a magnetic strip that sits under the strings of an electric guitar. It turns the vibrations of the strings into electric signals that can be sent through a cable to an amp. Without a pickup sending a signal to the amplifier, you would get no real sound out of an electric guitar.
Acoustic guitars, on the other hand, are amplifiers themselves. The strings vibrate the large hollow body of the guitar and produce a louder sound. But…It can only be so loud, you can’t rock a stadium with just an acoustic guitar, you will need a little boost.
This acoustic pickup sits in the soundhole of your acoustic guitar and allows you to send a signal to an amp or PA without needing to have a microphone right in front of you. Easy, great sounding and effective!
Donner Yellow Fall Delay Pedal
Here is another pedal that packs a lot of sound into a little package, and comes with a small price tag. Most sub $50 pedals are not really worth the money, but Donner is trying to change that. Their latest line of micro pedals sound like much more expensive pedals, and you can get 2 or 3 of them for the price of the name brand competitors. If you are just getting into effects, Donner is a great place to start. You can try out several pedals and find the types of effects that you like, then upgrade down the road if these little pedals don’t give you all the features you need.
The yellow fall is a delay pedal. A delay pedal will repeat everything that is play 1 to a million times, this is a staple sound for guitar and can be used in every style of music. The best part is you can never have too many pedals!
Requires a power supply, here is the cheapest one: https://amzn.to/2LWVLBc
Donner Dp-1 Guitar Pedal Power Supply 10 Isolated DC Output for 9V/12V/18V
If you’ve picked up a bunch of effects pedals and you don’t want to have to get a brick of 9V batteries, check out this low priced power supply. Effects pedals require a 9V power supply in order to work. If you don’t want to burn through batteries like the 4th of july, you will need a power supply. This power supply plugs into any wall socket and converts AC power into 9V DC power, allowing you to power up to 8 pedals.
The Lute Hole Company 4" Soundhole Cover
Because sound is bounced around inside a guitar through the sound hole; acoustic guitars are known to have an issue with feedback. Sound from the amp goes back into the sound hole, causing the sound to resonate (cause vibrations and thus more sound) inside the guitar. The pickup detects this resonance and sends it to the amp again. This terrible loop (called feedback) causes really horrible noise.
Sound hole covers are a great remedy to this. There are some that come in black plastic, but this particular product gives your guitar an additional touch of style. Depends on the look you’d like to go for.
Elagon (ST) Guitar Pro Care Cleaner Kit Bundle
If you want an all around useful gift, a maintenance kit is great. They come with String winder, cutter, wrenches, cloths, polish, and a ton of other stuff. All wrapped up in a single package.
It’s a guitar player’s tackle box!
On-Stage DT7500 Guitarist Stool with Footrest
Seats like this are a great addition as they have a built in guitar stand. I have used seats like this at many performances. So nice to be able to stand up and prop your guitar during breaks without needing extra space for a guitar stand.
Music Stand
Music stands come in a variety of styles. Typically, my stands hold not only paper sheet music, but tuners, metronomes, picks, and full rehearsal books. They have small, cheap, foldable music stands for easy transport, but I would steer clear of those. I have seen many a flimsy music stand go down in the wind. Personally I prefer a little more of a sturdy, tough music stand.
Check out these two options, a super solid, almost indestructible non-folding stand. And a foldable one that is a little more on the beefy side.
Items under $75
Guitar Pedal Board & Case
Guitar players love to collect pedals, but once you get more than 2 or 3 they can get really difficult to set up and move around. A pedalboard allows you to attach (Via velcro strips) all your pedals to one base, allowing for convenient and quick set up and tear down. This pedal board from Donner is a fraction of the price of the bigger name brands, is a very similar design, and is just as sturdy. (Pedals and power supply not included)
Build your own clone
As you can probably tell from the list, effects pedals are a never ending obsession for a lot of guitar players. The quest for perfect tone, or just the fun of plugging into a new pedal is enough to drive guitar players to collect pedals like baseball cards.
DIY pedals scratch the itch for new effects, but also give the project minded guitar player an additional creative outlet. I wrote a little about some of the pedals I have built in this article. BYOC has some solid kits with everything you need (minus a soldering iron and solder) to build some great sounding pedals. You can find other kits on amazon and the web but I would suggest BYOC to start because of their thorough instructions and quality of parts.
Hard case
Guitars that are left laying around or that travel without a case have a tendency to get beat up or even completely destroyed. To keep that guitar in great shape pick up a hard case before the next gig.
I have a pick punch. I love it glad its on the list!
I have one too! I make picks for all my guitar students out of old gift cards for Christmas.