That time of the year has finally arrived. Black Friday sales are just starting to wind down, marking the official start of the holiday season. Many people have musicians in their family but don’t know what to get them.

A new guitar is hundreds of dollars, so that’s (probably) out of the question. It’s an expensive hobby, there’s no doubt about that. However there are a handful of gifts guitar players will love that are affordable and invaluable to all guitarists.

This post will hopefully serve as a helpful guide to your holiday shopping for the guitarist or bassist in your family or group of friends. It’s also in no particular order.

And mom, I already own all of these. But nice try 😉

1. Guitar Tuner Pedal

Every guitarist has a tuner. They use it every time they pick up their guitar. However it can become a hassle sometimes trying to get that little rectangular device to balance on the knee. Tuner pedals are an excellent solution to this problem because they have an easy to read display and never need to be plugged in after the first set-up. Just connect the guitar to the pedal, pedal to the amplifier and you are good to go!

2. Guitar Picks

A frustration every guitarist faces is the elusive pick! These little gremlins disappear on us daily and turn up weeks later inside the microwave. Throw us a bone, replenish our stash. Picks are probably the most affordable present to get a guitarist. Just do us a favor, sneak a peak at our gear when we aren’t around and check to see what size picks we like to use. There is typically a reading such a 1mm .7mm etc directly on the pick. Trust me, size matters. 😉

3. Pick Holder

Now you know how much frustration losing picks causes us. Why not help us keep those nice new picks you got us together with a nifty pick holder? I love my pick holder. It sticks right to the back of the top of my guitar so it is out of the way and easy to grab a new one. best of all, they’re just as affordable!

4. Guitar Capo

A capo allows us to hold down multiple strings for the entire duration of a song without needing to use our fingers. What could be better than that!?

5. Guitar Strings

A broken string stinks. They usually catch pinch you in some way when they break. Not to mention the string that breaks is always the one you don’t have a spare for. Some extra sets of strings is always nice to have. As with picks, I recommend checking out what their preferred strings are. If you can’t find out what kind here’s some tips:

Rock/Metal Music: D’Addario, Dunlop, Dean Markley, DR, GHS

Blues/Jazz: Ernie Ball, Elixir, Dean Markley

The higher the gauge (based on the thinnest string. So if you see “(.010-.046)” those are known as “10’s”. If your musician likes softer music with lighter notes, some lighter gauge strings would serve them well. However, heavier music lends itself well to thicker strings. Just make sure you buy the correct strings: electric or acoustic. it will be in the product description. 

6. Online Guitar Lessons

Private lessons can be expensive. In todays world, online lessons have been made nearly as effective as private ones! Even the best guitarists have skills that need improvement or new techniques to learn. Even better, most online guitar lesson providers offer gift certificates. That way you can get them say, 3 months access for example, and their 3 months won’t start until they activate it. I recommend reading my in-depth comparison of the two leading online guitar lesson providers: GuitarTricks and JamPlay.

[focus_separator_text]In-Depth Comparison: GuitarTricks vs JamPlay[/focus_separator_text]

7. Hardshell Guitar Case

Gig bags are great, however they offer next to no real protection for the instrument. A hardshell case not only looks cool, but keeps your instrument safe- even if you need to send the guitar through a shipping service. Just make sure you get the right case for the guitar. Hardshells for acoustics and for electrics are very different. Acoustic hardshells are shaped like the acoustic. Electrics are often rectangular.

8. Guitar Cables

Monster cables have the best warranty in the business. You buy one and it’s covered for life. They can be beaten into the ground, brought back to the store and so long as you have the broken one, you’ll walk out with a brand new one. Why? Because Monster knows musicians put their gear through hell. Not only that, but their cables construction quality is excellent, and they rarely break.

9. The ShredNeck!

This recent invention has been great for my practicing. It allows me to practice where ever, even if my guitar is hundreds of miles away. It is a little 10″ guitar neck you can hold and practice chords and scales on. Your guitarist will notice rapid increases in their coordination and finger dexterity!

10. Learn and Master Guitar Series

Finally, if your buying for a beginner guitarist- you won’t believe the smile this one will put on their face. Made by the professionals at Gibson Guitars, you know you’re getting the highest quality product. This is certainly the most expensive product on the list. However with it you are getting 10 DVDs, 5 CDs and over 100 pages of guitar lessons and sheet music.

I hope this list has helped you out! Any of my guitarist readers that are hoping friends and family read this: feel free to leave your guitar gift ideas in the comments section!

Any potential shoppers that need a little more info before buying, please feel free to leave questions in the comment box. I’d be happy to answer them for you!

Good luck and happy holidays!