There are few things more inherently cool than a guitar. That’s why every guy at your high school entertained the notion of becoming a rockstar, even though they couldn’t carry a tune to save their lives. Hopefully, the guitarist in your life has moved past the embarrassing opening chords of Smoke on the Water, past the cringe of Wonderwall, and onto the incredible world of guitar musicianship. (Even if they haven’t… we still have ideas for them.)
Like many hobbies, playing the guitar is personal and there are highly specialized tools that might not work for your particular recipient. But there are many useful tools, guitar gear, and accessories that you can safely gift your guitarist to encourage their next jam session. Maybe you’ll even get a shoutout on their album.
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After consulting with my “former rock star” husband, I’ve broken down our guitar gift guide into 4 sections: acoustic guitar gifts, electric guitar gifts, gifts for young or beginner guitar players, and affordable gifts for guitar players of any type. However, the categories are fluid and you can find excellent options in each section—no matter your guitar proficiency.
Gifts for acoustic guitar players
Acoustic Pickup
Most beginner and standard acoustic guitars are for the truly unplugged acoustic experience. You can buy an acoustic guitar with a built-in pickup, the way electric guitars are wired, as well. If your guitar lover has an acoustic guitar with no pickup and they’d like to play for groups or record their music, a pickup will be a necessary purchase. A pickup will be carefully mounted to the bridge to transmit the vibrations to a speaker. This gift will run you $150-300, so be sure your guitarist has a truly acoustic guitar and that the pickup you buy will be compatible.
Microphone
A quality microphone will help your guitar player level up their abilities and practice before they venture to the next Open Mic night. The Blue Snowball microphone is a fan favorite, and great for all types of use (read: you can also use this for your work Zooms and recording podcast episodes).
Chord stamp
As your tortured musician writes their own folk record, they’ll have to keep track of their chords and lyrics. This cute and useful stamp helps musicians document their chords while songwriting, and can be used for reminders when using sheet music, as well.
Electric guitar player gifts
Mini guitar headphone amplifiers
This mini guitar amp is the perfect gift for the guitarist who shares space with family, friends, or roommates. With this portable little gadget, you can practice straight into your headphones, with no concern for noise ordinances. Maybe this gift is actually for the parents/roommates. (P.S. It’s great for traveling, too.)
Hearos earplugs
These are the best rated earplugs for musicians who still want the clarity of sound. Whether it’s for their own jam sessions in the garage or for attending rock concerts, music lovers should always wear the appropriate protective gear for their hearing, and the Hearos earplugs are the best kind for dampening the noise but still being able to hear the notes, words, and rhythms.
Guitar pedal
To become a true rockstar, you need to master the art of special effects. For that, you’ll need a guitar pedal. There are many from which to choose (I love a looper pedal, thanks Ed Sheeran), and it all depends on the genre of music and technical proficiency of your guitarist. You can start simple, with a two knob single type distortion pedal, or if your guitar hero is more advanced you can wow them with a multi-effect loop and distortion pedal (including drum machine)
Rolling Stone coffee table book
This beautiful book will be a reached-for focal point in any living room—especially for your rock star. Interesting photos, interviews, and excerpts will keep people flipping through these pages for decades to come. It’s a fantastic gift and a nod to your guitar lover’s inspiration in music.
Concert tickets
Find an interesting rock group coming to your city or general area, and get them a pair of tickets in a section where they’ll be able to appreciate the fancy fretwork up close and personal. You can ask their inner circle for ideas, or even get them a gift certificate to a venue or online ticketing platform so they can choose their own experience.
Affordable gifts for guitar lovers
Guitar Picks
Guitar picks are incredibly affordable and useful for any type of guitar player because they’re tiny and frequently lost. However, like chapstick, though your guitarist may need and lose them, they aren’t that exciting of a gift. Here’s a few ideas to make your guitar pick gift unique:
- DIY Pick Punch – Create picks out of anything!
- Personalized pick – Use their favorite photo, phrase, or musician inspiration.
- Guitar pick holder – They’re still gonna lose picks… but this will help.
- Guitar pick holder keychain – Great for going on tour. Or to a friend’s house, whatever.
Wall hook for guitar
I can personally attest to the cool factor of this gift. I bought a wall hook for my husband’s guitar and it’s displayed in our living room. Not only is it great storage (away from little hands) but it looks amazing on our wall. So much more interesting than TJ Maxx motel art.
A-frame guitar stand
This guitar stand is so affordable, it just makes sense for your guitar lover to have one wherever they might play. It’s great for their room or practice space, but it can also be great to have one you take with you to perform or practice elsewhere. True rockstars might keep a guitar stand in the trunk, you know, just in case. (Works great for an acoustic guitar AND electric guitar alike.)
Instrument cables
Have you ever had to add phone charger cords to a recurring subscription order? Asking for a friend whose toddler loves to suck on charging cables. We’ve all learned that our phone charger cables can easily short out with too much bending, any moisture, and if you look at them wrong. As it turns out, instrument cables are the same way. They don’t last forever and they get yanked around a lot. These cables have a lifetime warranty and are a perfect price point. Your musician will especially love the 20 foot length for shows and outdoor jamming.
Capo
A guitar capo is an essential tool for changing the key as you play different songs. In fact, most guitar lovers have at least one backup. According to reviewers, this capo is half the price of high-end capos, but works just as well. I like that you can match your capo to the color of your guitar for your ~aesthetic.
Restringing tool
Every guitar player knows the chore of replacing their guitar strings. Whether they break or simply wear out over time, it’s a regular task for guitarists. This string winder tool is super affordable and helps with restringing, tightening, and trimming guitar strings. Pair with a high quality set of guitar strings and your guitar player will love you.
Foot tambourine
Ok, ok, hear me out. They will laugh. But then they’ll get addicted to mastering the rhythm of this foot tambourine to become a one-man-band. Every song needs a little tambourine.
Glass guitar slide
The gorgeous, hand-crafted glass slides are a cool way to make unique sound effects while playing guitar. A glass slide is commonly used in country or blues-style music, but can add a unique flavor to any genre. It’s an important tool to master for any guitarist.
Guitar strap
A guitar strap is one way to show your personality as a guitar player, and it can be fun for any musician to swap them out according to their mood. This guitar strap comes in a few colors and includes a pick holder (convenient). But I’m partial to this vintage, embroidered style. You might also consider adding strap blocks for a few more bucks to help your musician stay safe no matter how hard they shred.
Guitar accessory shelf/hook
While I prefer the aforementioned guitar wall hook, I will say that this guitar hook and shelf makes much more sense for storing your guitar and playing tools for regular use. If your guitar lover has a regular spot where they practice and play, this shelf will help them corral all of their tools, including pics, straps, capos, stringing tools, and more. Plus it comes in a variety of colors so it feels like more of a decor statement than just storage. It’s the kind of thoughtful gift that your guitar player will appreciate every day.
Cleaning tools
My husband often speaks of a principle he learned from famed guitarist Tom Morello—wash your hands before you play. Not only is it a good hygienic practice which will help your strings last longer and smooth your movements, it’s also a great mental practice that prepares you for playing. It helps you to set an intention and show respect for the music.
Any guitarist can benefit from this type of dedication, so even though “cleaning stuff” seems boring, it’s actually a great investment in your musician’s craft. Cleaning supplies are also consumable, meaning they will always use it and always need more. You can create the perfect guitar cleaning kit that includes:
- A microfiber polishing cloth
- Body and fingerboard cleaning oil
- A string scrubber
- String lubricant
- Detailing tools
Or you can get a premade guitar cleaning kit if you’re not sure what would work best for your guitar lover.
Young guitarists
Hand exerciser
Developing your grip strength is important for young musicians, so this hand exerciser is an excellent gift for your aspiring rockstar. Not to mention it’s small, portable, and much more productive than a fidget spinner.
Guitar chord poster
Learning your chords is key to your foundation as a guitar player (I mean, allegedly). An easy reference poster of guitar chords is perfect for your guitar student. Plus, this well-designed poster functions as interesting art and decor.
Guitar-mounted Smartphone holder
With YouTube and a smartphone, anyone can learn to play the guitar. As your young guitar player is learning to play, having their smartphone in an easily accessible position will help them watch instructor videos and mirror the technique without swiveling their head back and forth. The guitarist can also pull up tabs and lyrics on their phone to practice their favorite song. This guitar smartphone holder is an affordable no-brainer.
Clip on guitar tuner
Experienced guitar players can tune their guitars by ear, but it takes practice, skill, and some natural ability. Rather than using bulkier tuners, a beginner guitar player can use this easy to read, low profile clip on tuner to quickly get their guitar in tune. It makes the practice easier and more visual, so soon they’ll be able to do more by ear.
Glow in the dark fret stickers
My husband (who is NOT a *real* rockstar, I might add) asserts that a gift like this is silly and useless. Guitar players should be able to feel it out, even in the dark!!!! Still. I think these glow in the dark fret stickers are really cool and can make it easier for guitarists to play in dim or no light situations.
Their favorite guitar songbook
Nothing is quite as motivating as learning to play your favorite song—the one that made you want to pick up the guitar in the first place. Do a little digging to find out who their guitar idol is, or a favorite band they’ve always loved. You can also drop into a guitar or music store and ask an attendant for a songbook that’s great for beginners. We recommend you don’t get them a practice book, though. Leave the boring stuff to their guitar teacher. Get them the beginner version of actual songs they know, so they get a taste of what it’ll be like to play a Top 40 hit one day.
Rock On
I think we should have you set for at least the next few Christmases, right? Who knew there were so many interesting gifts for guitar players right under our noses. All you have to do is pair one of these with a virtual birthday card and you’re a hero. We hope that something jumped out at you, perfect for your guitar lover on their next special occasion, whether that’s a birthday, holiday, or just because you’re their #1 groupie. Here’s to rockstars and their fans, wherever you are.
