Halloween's over, which means the season is fast approaching, and with it comes a task of the highest order: Please everyone on your shopping list with a thoughtful and relevant gift that they’ll cherish for the rest of their natural lives. Easy, right?
When it comes to musicians, perhaps not. If you don’t play the instrument of the musician you’re buying for, it’s difficult to pick something relevant and useful rather than just what looks cool to you. So that’s where we come in.
Below, we’ve found some of the best and most interesting gifts for the guitar player in your life. The following options vary—from amp-inspired furniture to one of this year's most innovative new effects—as well as in price, so hopefully you can find what you’re looking for, regardless of budget.
Check out the list below, and let us know in the comments what you’re picking up for your special player. And if you’re also looking to buy for a synth player, check out our synth gift guide.
This entire shop is packed with beautiful, handmade guitar accessories. If the guitarist you’re buying for is a pedalhead, we suggest opting for one of KY Hot Brown’s stunning pedalboards, which they make to order in 7-10 days. For guitarists without the penchant for stompboxes, you can pick up a pack of hand-carved picks or a wall-mounted instrument holder.
Shop Now on ReverbBlues players know bottle-neck guitar slides are the real deal. Handmade in Mississippi from recycled bottles, these slides from the aptly named Blues Booze Guitar Slides will have everyone in the juke joint crying in their beer.
Shop Now on ReverbThese amp-inspired key holders are certainly some of the most creative and functional music-inspired gifts that we’ve seen. Taking cues from all kinds of brands, from Vox to Orange, you’ll likely be able to find an amplifier that suits your guitarist's specific sensibilities. Each one comes with a special keychain for each set of keys.
Shop Now on ReverbGuitarists often need to change their strings and, less often, need to make small adjustments to their instrument. This kit by Ernie Ball provides everything a guitarist or bassist needs for routine string changes and cleaning, as well as simple repairs, at a very reasonable price.
Shop Now on ReverbIf you're looking to really impress your friend or loved one, chances are you'll wow them with this pedal. A collaboration by some of the world's most beloved pedal makers—Chase Bliss, OBNE, and Drolo—the Mood contains whole worlds of new sounds for a guitarist to explore. (And, it'll have the added benefit of making you look hip to all the latest and greatest guitar gear.)
Shop Now on ReverbWith a tagline like "by fans, for fans," how could you go wrong? The Edna Green Reverb shop is packed with a variety of really cool custom-printed, music-related graphic T-shirts in a variety of different styles.
Shop Now on ReverbOne of the most empowering parts of being a musician is getting to record your own music, which, these days, is easier than ever. The Orange OMEC Teleport is one of the simplest, smallest, and best ways for a guitarist to record their ideas into a computer. Taking the form of a guitar pedal, the OMEC Teleport is in fact a powerful USB audio interface. Your favorite guitarist can use it to connect with their favorite recording software. Whether they're writing riffs in their room or playing on stage, this is a great tool for them to save their performances.
Shop Now on ReverbCool, collectable, and packed with accessories like strings, a string winder, a clip-on tuner, and a nylon strap.
Shop Now on ReverbAside from their obvious utility, guitar straps are another way to express your personal style and individuality. We recommend browsing through the Coolstraps Reverb shop if you’re looking to surprise your guitar player with something new. These straps are handmade, come in a variety of exciting patterns and styles, and are adjustable up to 70 inches for even the tallest of players.
Shop Now on ReverbOne of the most versatile gifts on this list, the ToneWood Amp from HONZ Tech brings eight built-in effects—including delays, tremolos, wah, and overdrive—to your acoustic guitar. Each effect has three controllable parameters, and the device even lets you save your settings in 10 different memory locations.
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