Guitar Player Gift Ideas: Unique Guitar Accessories

Guitar players can be a difficult breed to buy gifts. If you don't play guitar, then you probably don't realize how many good gifts you can buy for guitar players.

Some guitar accessories become a must for any guitarist who has been playing for a while. Some of these guitar gifts are just plain fun.

Use these guitar gift ideas from a guitar player, who can help you buy a guitar gift that he/she really wants. Your gift is sure to be unusual and unexpected.

The guitar player you give your gift will be surprised that you got such a great guitar gift. These guitar player gifts work for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's day, and any other special occaision.

Most of the time you think of picks, strings, strap, gig bags, and capos as great guitar player gifts. The following gifts are what a real guitar player might actually want, so beware. These unusual gifts for guitar players might surprise you.

• Ammo Box
• String Winder
• Lemon Oil
• Guitar Slide
• Allen Wrench
• Guitar Humidifier
  
• A New Guitar (Look below for explanation)
• Other misc. Items
  

Why buy an ammo box as a gift for a guitar player? Because I use one to keep all my guitar tools and extra strings, and it works great. These air/water tight ammo boxes are the perfect width to put sets of strings in. You can store your polish, cloths, sting winders, allen wrenches, jeweler screwdriver set, etc. all in the box. When string change time comes, get out the box, do the maintenance, and put it away. I got the idea from my dad using one as a toolbox.

Most guitar players would like to spend their time playing guitar, not changing strings.  Give them the gift of playing less and spending less time on string changes using a string winder.  Make sure you get them the winder that also has a string cutter.  I have one, and use it all the time.  The winder is not a neccessity even though is speeds up string changes, but the cutter is.  You may as well get them both in one package.  I have never used the model with a tuner also built in, but I want one.

Lemon oil fretboard cleaner should be used a couple times a year at least, depending on how much you play. Think about other things that your fingers touch, such as a computer keyboard. After time, your skin oils and dirt will build up. Lemon oil will clean the fretboard and increase the life of the wood.  Believe me when I say this works.  I have seen the nasty black dirt on my rags.

If your guitar player plays blues or bluegrass, then it's likely he'll want a slide. Your options range from the original bottleneck, pyrex, ceramic, brass, chrome, or the innovative JetSlide. The JetSlide is a really cool way to play slide, and still be able to use your fingers for fretting at the flick of your finger. Here's some details on the materials and how they sound.

• Glass Slides: The glass slides will give a warm smooth sounding slide tone. Great for anyone wanting to play on electric.
• Brass Slides: Brass gives you a more harsh tone and long sustain. Brass gives you more volume also, if you are playing acoustic unplugged.
• Ceramic Slides: Ceramic is much like glass tone with an even warmer sound and more sustain. 
• Chrome Slides: Gives you the sustain of a brass slide, with warm and even tone.  The best overall material in my opinion.

Make sure you keep in mind that slide come in finger sizes.  Medium is going to fit a medium adult.  Most kids have skinny fingers, so buy small if you need.  Also, if you can't decide which to buy, get the chrome.  Chrome slides are somewhere in the middle in qualities.

Why would you buy an allen wrench set as a gift for a guitar player? There is a steel bar that runs through the neck of a guitar that adjust the curvature of the neck. Adjusting the truss rod is important in getting the guitar sounding and playing as good as it can. An allen wrench set will give your guitar player the tool to improve his or her own guitar. Tell them not to be shy either. I have had a lot of luck adjusting my truss rods.

This next part only applies to people who live in dry climates, like me.  If you live in a wet climate, chances are it get pretty hot, so you have to worry about the heat warping your guitar.  If you live in a climate that gets dry, like Indiana winters, then you have to worry about the top of the guitar cracking.  Most people don't know that the fret board also needs humidity.  If your fretboard shrinks due to lack of moisture, then your fret wires will begin to protrude from the sides of your guitar neck.

You can buy a guitar humidifier system, or you can make one with a tupperware.  Since you are buying a gift, it would be a little tacky to make one, but here's how you do it anyway.  Get a cheap Tupperware/Ziploc container.  Poke small holes in the top.  Seal a wet sponge inside the container and place it in your guitar case with your guitar. 

Why would buying a guitar be a great gift? Well, maybe your guitar player person has a terrible guitar. Maybe he or she has one of those awful starter pack guitars with only midrange tone, high action, and terrible intonation. I still have my first acoustic for sentimental reasons.  I played it after playing my most recent purchase and it makes me sick to hear the difference in sound.  If you have a few hundred to spend, why not buy a new "first guitar," that your guitar player deserves.

I suggest this Takamine model, because I want it. It has great balance, even better tone, and excellent playability. Made of solid wood top, back, and sides, this guitar really resonates well. If you don't trust me, you can always go with Esteban Guitars. I haven't ever played one though, so I can't say whether they are really great or not. For as cheap as they sell, I doubt they are much fun to play, whether made in China or not.

Now that you have some ideas for what to buy as a gift for a guitar player, you will have to do a little research to find out what you should buy. Acoustic players will need some of the items more than electric players, while others may be important for any guitar player. I play both electric and acoustic, and I would love any of these items as gifts. Some of the things are easily lost, or will need replenished. Having two of some of these items is not necessarily a terrible thing.

If you are looking to buy a first guitar for someone and don't know where to start, you can read my hub about buying a first guitar. It will give you advice that will help you get the best quality instrument for a low price.  If you don't have time to read it, just keep in mind that you should take someone who plays guitar with you when you go to buy your first guitar.  Salespeople won't necessarily give you impartial information.

Keep this page bookmarked for the next time you need to buy a gift for a guitar player. You can get more ideas for the next special occaission.