Updated for 2020.
Buying a gift for a Guitar Player can be hard, considering that there are so many different options out there and knowing exactly what they want can be tricky. You don’t want to end up getting them something they won’t like!
Fortunately, since I’ve been playing guitar for over 15 years now….I follow all the cool stuff when it comes out and have a pretty good idea of whats popular. In fact, there are certain gifts that will definitely make any guitarists day. Just make sure that they don’t have one of these already!
This list isn’t in any particular order, since everyone has a different budget and I do believe that basically all of these gifts are equal to each other. I’m not sure about the availability of all them however, I do know some of these are running out. This isn’t an issue for most of the products on here.
Lets get started.
IRig (Number one pick) –
If I had to choose the perfect gift that’s extremely inexpensive….useful and fun? The Irig is that. What is it? This is an amp simulator that you can literally plug into your iphone (or any smartphone) and play and get incredible enough tones that you can actually record with it.
In the past, if you wanted to play anywhere you had to lug around an amp and pedals, but with this guy you can literally play absolutely anywhere without having to carry more than what you already have.
My favorite part about these is that I can plug in and shred, without disturbing anyone (as long as I have my headphones with me). However, the fact you can download tracks on to the app and then solo along to it……that is definitely a close second.
There are tons of different amps and settings with the Irig, so you can get hours and hours of fun time exploring all the different effects and options and configurations.
These guys are absolutely perfect for someone who’s been playing for years and wants to be able to play while on the go, or for someone who’s just starting as well. Tons of players use these to record when they’re somewhere and randomly feel inspiration to record a tune they might have in their head. All in all, if I wanted to nail the perfect gift for a guitar player without killing my pocketbook (which can be very easy to do with musical instruments)….this would be it hands down. They should honestly charge more for these for how useful they are.
When you compare these to other options, they really are just the perfect thing to carry around anywhere. (not to mention the other options can be a bit pricey.
Watch one in action below:
(More Details and pricing info at Amazon)
Hoolahan Slide Ring –
This is definitely one of those “Why didn’t I think about that?!” Moments, every time a guitar player sees one of these.
Basically, these rings give someone the option to play slide guitar and also play regular notes with their fingers as well. The design is so simple it’s amazing no one has thought of it before, it’s a very common problem that guitars players have having to essentially take off and put back on normal slides if they want to play using one.
These have actually been out for a couple years now, and they’re catching on pretty quickly.
Don’t understand what it is? Watch this video below:
(Oh, this is also a very very inexpensive item.)
(More Details and pricing info at Amazon)
Books, Books, Books –
Now, this is actually a slightly tricky one. I was skeptical about adding this section, but if you really want to get the gift for the guitar obsessed….this is probably one of the best ideas.
The reason I say this is tricky, is because honestly you’ll have to know a little bit about the person you’re buying the gift for to know what kind of book to to get them.
However, even though this is tricky….this can be the ultimate gift for a guitar player. The most fun part of being a guitarist is growing and learning new things. It’s an absolute blast learning a new riff or a way to play something even faster or even for a beginner learning chords that go together to make a song. A lot of my fondest memories playing over the years is when you finally play that new thing you just learned.
So, how can you tell what’s the best book to buy a Guitar player?
The answer is basically to pay just a little attention to where they’re at with what they’re playing and what they like to play. Or simply ask them what they’ve been trying to learn to play recently. Here’s some examples of good ideas for books.
If they’re just starting, test out – The Hal Leonard Guitar Method.
If they’ve been playing awhile and are into say a specific genre or style try the book section at Guitar Center. They have a pretty good selection of books for advanced players.
Buying the books isn’t really to complicated, just pay a little attention to what they do, and order one based off that. If you’re skeptical on any book you can always simply check out the reviews of what other people who bought the book say (which are usually guitarists) and you can get a good idea from there, again….this one is a little tricky….but totally worth it!
Try a course or monthly subscription guitar lesson site:
This one is more for a musician who’s been playing for awhile, however this can be good for beginner musicians as well. (honestly youtube is just fine for beginner guitar players)
There are sites out there who have absolutely phenomenal guitar lessons on them, and for the intermediate to advanced guitar player these sites are a gold mine of great information.
Some of these websites such as JamPlay not only have lessons that are extremely advanced, but have legitimate rockstars that have recorded lessons on these. (Dead serious, guys from Guns N Roses, Dethklok, Billy Idol, and more)
These lessons can be really, really expensive over time. However, there are tons of promotions where you can pay little to nothing to start to see if you like it.
Some of these lessons really are invaluable, since there are so many masters of guitar on these websites you literally won’t be able to learn any of what they’re teaching anywhere else (unless you have the money to have some of these guys teach you in person).
(Almost) Any Guitar Magazine –
These are awesome for guitar players of any level and are pretty inexpensive. I remember when I was a kid I used to obsess over Guitar World issues, and read about all my favorite guitarists and all the cool innovations that were happening in the music world. Each time getting one was a treat and always something to look forward to, I even loved reading the ads (lol).
Getting issues now, brings back a lot of that Nostalgia and usually each time I get an issue there’s always something interesting going on. Lots of the magazines include lessons as well and tricks from different guitar players so they’re pretty useful as well.
This might not be the best gift however for someone who is just starting to play unless they’re showing a ton of interest in guitar.
String Muters (also known as a fret wrap)-
Okay, so back to some of the newer hot stuff that’s out right now……string muters. (Also another pretty inexpensive piece)
What are they? Basically what they do is mute the top strings by the nut of your guitar that gets irritating. (Watch video below for a better explanation)
This is probably the best item on the list if you’re buying a gift for someone, because basically they make your guitar playing sounds loads better…….and everyone that plays wants one. So, if the person you know doesn’t have one (or doesn’t have one for every guitar they own) they’ll definitely appreciate you getting them one.
These have actually been around for a long time, but are just now becoming insanely hot since they make such an impact in how your guitar sounds. I personally think they’ve become so popular because honestly the parts of the strings they mute is very annoying when you’re actually playing the guitar.
(More details and pricing info at Amazon)
The Gift Card –
Yes, I debated on putting this one on here as well…..since it does seem like the lazy option, but honestly these are perfect even at just 20$ they can buy anything from a pair of strings, or a capo or a slide……there’s tons of small things guitarists want that aren’t that expensive and getting them a gift card honestly isn’t to bad of an idea, you could try getting one from Guitar Center for instance since there’s one in practically every area. Truth is, there’s just no way you could go wrong with one.
Ebow –
These things are seriously awesome, but probably not the best for a beginner guitar player (even though I’m sure a beginner would have fun with one of these as well).
These are super uncommon to find guitar players using, however they are a ton of fun. Any guitar player would be so excited to have one of these. You can sit around for hours and play with them and get tons of cool different sounds. I couldn’t imagine a guitar player not having fun with these.
This is a super cool effect for a guitar player to use onstage or in songs as well, so if the musician you know likes to do performances or records their own music, I’d highly recommend checking these out.
There are tons of great videos on Youtube of people playing these, and they can be used on electric and acoustic guitars.
(More Details and Pricing info at Amazon)
Wireless guitar system
A wireless guitar system replaces the need for a cord to plug into an amp, basically you have a small box that connects into the guitar and then another small box that plugs into the amp.
These can be surprisingly cheap nowadays compared to how much they used to be, and guitar players love them.
These are better for intermediate players and players that play on stage rather than beginners, but once you do use one of these it is hard to go back.
Cables can be extremely annoying to play with especially if you play onstage or move around when you play. This might be one you have to check with who you’re getting one for if they’d be interested, since some people really think that there’s a huge tone difference between these and actual guitar cords (there isn’t) but they’re also so cheap that I wouldn’t worry about it to much. Definitely a really cool gift.
(Get more details and pricing info at Amazon)
Get them a guitar care kit
This is probably the best gift for beginner guitar players who don’t realize they’re damaging their guitar by not cleaning it. Not every beginner makes this mistake, but I’ve known plenty who have.
Cleaning your guitar is important, if not you’ll wear off the finish on your fretboard and the result looks nasty since you’re not wearing off the finish evenly. Trust me, it doesn’t look pretty.
A good kit will keep your guitar looking good as new and extends the life of the guitar. This is also a good gift for a beginner or an advanced player as well, but they’re more likely to already have one.
Different kits have different things included. Some include more than just the standard polishing oils (string winders, string cutters, capo) as well. I really like the ones that come in a nice bag, so everything is in one place. I don’t really like having to look around for everything when I need to do some cleaning/other work on my guitar. The one most people like is probably this dunlop kit. I prefer something that has absolutely everything like this kit from Music Nomad.
A really nice guitar strap –
A lot of guitar players don’t really think about this, but having a nice comfortable guitar strap makes playing a lot easier.
Most guitars are heavy, and eventually become annoying on whichever shoulder your strap is holding your guitar. A good guitar strap alleviates some of this pressure so it’s less weight on your shoulders.
Now, I do have to admit if I’m going to a gig….I’m not taking my most comfortable guitar strap usually. I do like to look good while I’m up there (and I usually do end up regretting this) so I’ll bring a more flashy guitar strap to a gig, but when I’m by myself I use an Eso Strap (you can get more details on Amazon). They’re not very pricey, but they’re great for practice.
Personally, if you’re thinking about getting a strap as a gift I’d try to figure out what they already have. Most guitar players don’t have a very wide selection though so most likely you’ll be in the clear.
Watch the ESO strap in action: