what to get a guitarist for Christmas

Finding the Perfect Gift for the Guitar Player in your life, without Breaking the Bank!

It is a common struggle that we all face when we approach the last month of the year..."what do I get for a guitarist at Christmas time?" You don't want to give them a generic gift but you still want to find something that will be useful and help them to do the thing that they love to do. Whilst some guitarists may know what they want, these can sometimes be very expensive or specific items that are way too far out of your budget; that's why we have compiled a list of some budget friendly ideas to help you in finding the perfect present for your guitarist.

1. Guitar strap

   

   A fun or pretty guitar strap can really elevate the look of any acoustic or electric guitar and also helps to put your own identity to your instrument. You can find all different types of guitar straps, such as custom designs or 'vintage' inspired looks. Whether it be a lovely Paisley design or an Eco-Friendly option, a guitar strap is good and safe option to add some more personality to their instrument whilst they can perform holding on to a gift from their loved one.

2. Guitar toolkit

   

Despite its (sometimes) humble appereance, the guitar is an instrument that requires a lot of upkeep to make sure that it stays in the perfect playing condition. A Guitar Toolkit is a helpful and money-saving gift for the guitarist in your life as it will come with

all of the necessary tools needed to: change strings, adjust string height/action, access wiring cavities, adjust truss-rod tension, and many more things. This gift will give them the equipment that they need to not have to take their guitar to the shop every time that they face a small issue with their beloved instrument.

3. Cleaning kit/accessories

   
   

   Whether they are playing gigs every night of the week or if they just play at home, there will come a time when you need to give the guitar a polish to keep it looking at it's best. When playing live, you accrue all of the sweat, grime, and other general unpleasentries that come with performing in a hot, sweaty venue. When playing at home, you are still collecting dust and also shedding skin whenever you are playing; gross! This why having a good polish, fretboard cleaner, and a good microfibre cloth are essential to keeping your guitar in good condition. You can purchase Cleaning Kits that have everything you need, or you can purchase individual items that may better suit their instrument.

4. plectrum/pick holder

   

   Are you fed up of finding your loved ones' guitar picks all over the floor, under cushions on the sofa, in the washing machine, or in some places that you'd never imagine? Then a Guitar Pick Holder may be the ideal solution to contain their mess to a tidy little box. You can get customisable boxes to add a more personal touch, or you can find some in the shape of guitars, amplifiers, or many different things nowadays. Speaking as a guitarist, it makes my life a lot easier keeping my case of picks on my desk so that I never have to question where they are again.

5. Clip-On/Pedal tuner

   

   It doesn't matter how good of a guitarist you are, if you are out-of-tune then you will never sound exactly how you want your music to sound. Like guitar picks, Tuners have a funny tendency to grow legs and walk off, especially at a live show. You can either pick up a Clip-On Tuner that attaches to the headstock of their guitar or, if your guitarist has a pedalboard, you can get a Tuner Pedal that will help to get them in tune at the tap of their foot. Nobody wants to hear an out-of-tune guitarist, you will be doing them a really helpful favour.

6. Guitar stand

   

   The secret to playing guitar daily is to always have it out and it be easily accessible. If your guitar sits in it's case, then most of the time it will stay there. It really changed my practicing habits by always having it out on a stand and ready to go whenever I want to play. When you can see your instrument every day it really helps to build the desire to practice, as well as meaning that when you do think about playing then all you have to do is grab it from the stand and you're good to go. You can get a good guitar stand from any music shop but you can also find hanging-stand options too if you prefer a more vertical approach to storing your instrument.

7. Sheet music or songbook

   

   An amazing present for any musician is to give them everything that they need to learn their favourite artists' songs. A lot of musicians have the sheet music for their individual songs available to purchase, however you can also get a songbook for an entire album or collection of tunes to put to good use. You can still find physical songbooks online and in music shops, but you can also get a lot of these resources digitally where they can be downloaded to their laptop/computer.

8. Guitar Lessons

   

   A great gift for any guitarist is to give them a headstart in their music education. Whilst there a lot of useful resources online to help get beginners up to a good standard of playing, it will never beat having an experienced professional who can help with technique, identifying areas of development, and can create lesson plans that align with your own personal goals. You can choose from either having Online Lessons or having Face-to-Face lessons with a teacher in-person who will be able to see clearly everything that you do whilst you are playing, without the wifi connection dropping out at the worst moment possible. At Brighton Guitar School, we offer Gift Cards for your loved ones initial lessons, where they can then decide if they would like to continue with the lessons. Lesson prices differ depending on the lesson length and whether they are Online or In-Person.

I hope that this has been able to give you some gift ideas for guitarists in your life. Guitarists can be a fussy and particular species, so always try to have a look at what gear they currently use and make note if they ever mention something that they would want. Obviously, if you have the budget, there is no guitarist that will turn down a new guitar or amplifier; however, I hope that you now have an idea of what present you can give to a guitarist in your life that won't break the bank.