Top 9 Best Gifts for Guitar Players Unique Guitar Gift Ideas (2020)
Finding Unique Gifts for Guitar Players:
Looking for guitar gift ideas for that unique guitar player in your life? Great, I happen to be a guitar player, and guitar themed gifts are my specialty. I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to have a lot of super thoughtful and generous friends and family. They have given me all kinds of guitar themed gifts, most of which I still use today. So I am uniquely qualified to help you find the best gifts for guitarists.
I’m including a handful of guitar gifts that I wish I could have, as well as many unique guitar gifts that I use all the time. Any guitarist, guitar lover, or guitar collector will be happy to have any of these thoughtful presents. You can pick out something that he or she will use for years to come and even serve as a reminder of you. The best gift ideas for guitarists will make that special person remember you, every single time they see it.
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- Finding Unique Gifts for Guitar Players:
- Top 9 Best Gifts for Guitar Players Unique Guitar Gift Ideas (2020)
- #1 Guitar Toolkits
- Top 9 Best Gifts for Guitar Players Unique Guitar Gift Ideas (2020)
- #2 Axe Heaven Handcrafted
Mini Guitar Collectibles - Honorable Mention #2
- Guitar Multi-Tools:
- #3 Guitar Strings:
- Top 9 Best Gifts for Guitar Players Unique Guitar Gift Ideas (2020)
- #4 Guitar Cleaning/Detailing Kits:
- Top 9 Best Gifts for Guitar Players Unique Guitar Gift Ideas (2020)
- #5 Clip-On Guitar Tuners:
- #6 Guitar Strap Locks:
- Top 9 Best Gifts for Guitar Players Unique Guitar Themed Gifts (2020)
- 1. What are the best gifts for guitar players?
- 2. What are "Guitar Straplocks"?
- 3. What are "locking tuners"?
- 4. What are the best Clip On Guitar Tuners?
Many years ago, I got a Guitar Tool Kit from my Mom and Dad for Christmas. I still bring it to every gig I play. Its in my guitar case right next to my extra set of strings. A guitar toolkit like the ones below let guitarists make repairs on the fly. That’s why it’s in the number one spot on my Best Gifts for Guitar Players Top 9.
Guitar players gotta earn a living. That means that guitar is coming in and out of the case all the time, and being played for hours on end between. Gigging is hard on instruments, and upkeep often falls to the wayside, meaning that guitar is apt to fail at the very worst of times. Like before or during a really important gig.
Breaking a string can mean the end of your gig, but it won’t be if you have a backup plan. This isn’t merely a unique gift for guitar players, but insurance. Insurance that the show will go on for your beloved guitarist, anytime their gear fails them. Having the right guitar toolkit can make a huge difference when you break a string or your strap button falls out.
Ernie Ball Guitar Maintenance Kit
Music Nomad String Change Kit
D’Addario Deluxe Maintenance Kit
Honorable Mention Gifts for Guitarists:
Cordless Soldering Iron
A Super Unique Gift for Guitar Players to Add to the Guitar Tool Kit.
Sometimes guitars fail in an even worse way, and that an electrical connection failure at the output jack. Not even the best tool kit can handle this job alone, you’ll also need a soldering iron to repair the connection between the wire and the output jack lug. I highly recommend the Weller P2KC Professional Self-igniting Cordless Soldering Iron Kit.
It’s just small enough to fit in a guitar case or gig bag, and self ignites quickly without the need to prime it. It comes with everything needed to handle a small solder job.
However, it is bit more than the it’s competitors, so here are a few less pricey options. They will handle the job for years, but aren’t as geared toward the “professional” gigging musician.
There is this cool new company handcrafting these amazing mini-guitar replicas. They do a lot of different brands including Gibson, Fender, ESP-LTD, Ibanez, Schecter, and the list goes on. They are super precise in getting all the little details right.
The most outstanding aspect of these guitars, is that they are officially licensed and endorsed by the major guitar brands they represent. They belong at the top of the unique gifts for guitar players list no doubt.
My favorites are the Gibson mini guitars they produce. Models include the Les Paul, in all of it’s popular configurations. The J-45 Acoustic, the SG, and the es-335.
What you get in the Axe Heaven box:
Each guitar model is approximately 10” in length and comes complete with
- a high-quality miniature adjustable A-frame stand
- a gold foil stamped Gibson by AXE HEAVEN® guitar case gift box.
AXE HEAVEN® Ornamental Miniature Replica Guitars Make Great Gifts!
To be sure you’re getting high quality official Gibson merchandise make sure your mini guitar has a real Gibson guitar pick product tag. If it doesn’t have the real Gibson pick it’s not official.
AXE HEAVEN® is the originator of handcrafted miniature guitars. Now, we are recreating the same Gibson high level of craft and quality in each miniature.
These miniature replica models honor the Holy Grail of electric guitars. The cherry sunburst stain on this handcrafted collectible is an amazing reproduction of the classic original solid body instrument.
A guitar multi-tool is a must have for guitar players. If you need a truly unique guitar gift idea, then this may be the best option. A full size guitar toolkit is wonderful, but in some cases (pun intended) its just too big take with you, or you just plain forgot to pack it to the gig. So if you want to remembered for your excellent ability to procure unique gifts for guitar players, give them a multi-tool cuz it’ll save their bacon someday.
Any one of these will make an excellent guitar themed gift, but it helps a little if you know what kind of guitar your giftee has. If your special guitarist plays a lot of metal music, or owns and plays ibanez, Schecter, Dean, or ESP-LTD guitars, you should choose the Ibanez Quick-Access Multitool. It will give them the exact individual tools they will need to work on their guitars.
These multi-tools are specifically designed for string players. It’s basically a Leatherman (the standard all purpose multi-tool) , but with guitar repairs, adjustments, and maintenance in mind. This one tool ensures your axe can perform at it’s very best.
If you aren’t sure of their particular guitar model, don’t worry, just pick one with lots of options. The Alfred Music Guitar Tool has plenty of potential, and the Cruz Groovetech Multi-tool will provide more than enough options for fixing most any guitar, no matter the model. If I were going to pick one for myself, it would be the Alfred Music Guitar Tool. It could be the perfect gift for guitarists.
Alfred Music Guitar Tool
Ibanez Quick-Access Multitool
Cruz GrooveTech Multitool
Guitar and Bass Players absolutely love the sound of a fresh set of strings. The only problem is, we don’t like to spend our money on new strings. It’s not very fun for us and often times we put it off to our detriment. That makes guitar strings an excellent gift! Its really great to be able to change your strings.
You can always ask us what size strings we use, we’ll be happy to tell you and won’t ruin the surprise at all for us. But, if you are intent on surprising us, size 10’s are pretty much the standard for electric and acoustic guitars. Its a safe choice all around. Another way to go about it is to just get us a gift card for the strings. We’ll be happy either way I can assure you.
Fine, so it’s not the most unique gifts for guitar players, but it is practical. It may not be common knowledge among non-musicians, but guitar strings impact the guitar’s tone (quality of sound) immensely. Especially when the strings get start to wear out. It only takes a few weeks to a month before guitar strings start to degrade due to use, humidity, stress, and exposure.
Guitar strings are practical, and can be expensive. That’s one more reason to consider them excellent gifts for guitarists. We HATE spending money on guitar strings. There are so many things guitar players will buy for themselves, before they drop a dollar on the necessities. Ridiculous right? I know. Which means, that special guitarist in your life will thank you graciously for sparing them that unpleasant purchase. Guitar strings make excellent gifts for guitarists.
Another practical candidate on the best gifts for guitarists list. I’d never have thought to buy this guitar themed gift for myself. My personal guitar detailing & cleaning kit is the one I got years ago, and the one that I still use today.
My particular kit is the Dunlop System 65 Guitar Maintenance Kit. It’s got EVERYTHING your guitar lover will ever need to keep their instruments looking like they are brand new. Nobody wants to see fingerprints, scratches, and smears on beautiful instrument. Also, guitars need regular upkeep and maintenance just to do their job well.
Of course, you could buy all of these elements separately, and make the most unique of gifts for guitarists, a custom kit designed by you. That’s certain to impress your giftee, and ensure they think of you whenever they use it. A few things you’ll absolutely want to include in this guitar gift box kit are:
1. String Cleaner / Fretboard Cleaner
2. String Lube (Helps minimize friction between the fingers and strings.)
3. Instrument Polish and/or Wax
4. Fretboard Oil (for dark colored fretboards)
There are multiple makers of these kits, any of the following will do just fine. This gift will last and be used for years!
Things to look for in these guitar themed gifts:
String Cleaner
String Lube
Fretboard Cleaner and/or Fretboard Oil/Conditioner
Guitar Wax
Guitar Polish
Fret Polishing Cloth (Micro Abrasive Material)
Unique Gifts for Guitar Players
Over the last 5 years, Clip-On Guitar Tuners have become very popular. The first on the market were expensive, slow, and inaccurate. Nowadays, these tuners are incredibly accurate and very affordable. Meaning they are perfect guitar themed gifts for guitarists.
They offer the accuracy of a floor-tuner with much more convenience. You just clip them on to the headstock and it picks up the vibrations of the strings.
It doesn’t matter if your guitarist has one already. I can tell you from experience, you can never have too many of these tuners. I like to have one for each of my guitars. The Snark clip on guitar tuner is one of the standard guitar themed gifts, and it’s an affordable, reliable option. If you’d don’t mind spending a little extra on gifts for guitarists, then the peterson stroboclip might make for a more memorable experience.
Gifts for Guitarists Pro Tip: Buy Extra Batteries and don’t be cheap!!!
The cheaper the battery, the quicker they run out. Don’t spoil your guitar themed gifts with crappy batteries.
Gifts for Guitarist Pro Tip 2: Choose a tuner based on their merits:
Good Ratings
Accuracy and Speed of Tuner
Reputable Brand Name
Extra Features like Built in Metronome
Unique Gifts for Guitar Players
Guitar Strap Locks are devices you install on the guitar and the guitar strap itself. They lock your strap right onto your guitar. This is a super-important upgrade and can ensure that you don’t damage that beautiful axe. I get these as gifts all the time, and I can never have too many.
There is nothing worse than having your strap slip out of the strap button on your guitar while you watch in slow motion as it plummets to the hard floor! The least that can happen is a small scratch or dent, but the worst can be a broken headstock or a snapped guitar neck. Its happened to many guitarists, that’s why strap locks were invented!
Unique Gifts for Guitar Players: Guitar Strap Locks
Guess what?! Guitar players aren’t always super bright individuals. Shocking right? Get this. It’s become somewhat of a status symbol for guitar players to perform something called a “Guitar Flip” or “Guitar Toss”.
That’s when the dude is playing guitar on stage, and during a momentary break between riffs, grabs the guitar and throws it with significant force around and behind their neck/back using the strap as a tether. The ultimate goal is for the guitar to stay attached to the strap, while it encircles the guitarist’s body, ending in the guitar player catching the guitar as it returns to it’s normal position.
It’s incredibly hard to practice let alone pull off, but the inexperienced care not. They try it anyways, and very often fail. Many times due to a lack of straplocks. They toss the guitar expecting to catch it, but their strap detaches and the guitar goes flying through the air only to crash with disastrous consequences.
The NUMBER ONE ARGUMENT FOR GUITAR STRAP LOCKS:
Pro Tip: This is an inexpensive, and one of the more unique gifts for guitar players that can prevent hundreds of dollars in damages. As far as memorable, practical, and unique guitar gift ideas go, this one checks all the boxes.
I prefer the schaller strap lock system, but there are several other good options below. If you’d like more info or you can’t make up your mind, just read the 5 Best Guitar Strap Locks Review: These Will Save Your Guitar from Destruction!
If your guitarist plays acoustic guitar, there are special considerations for straplocks. Read my article: Can You Put Strap Locks On An Acoustic Guitar?
One very cool upgrade for any guitar, and an incredibly unique guitar gift idea. If you are truly invested in your hunt for the perfect gifts for guitarists, then this may be a road you’ll want to go down.
The guitarist you are getting this gift for WILL NOT BE EXPECTING THIS! Firstly, because it’s a very specific gift, requiring specific attention to minute details. And secondly, because most guitarists never have the extra cash laying around to upgrade their axe with this luxury item. That’s precisely what this gift for guitarists is, a luxury item, that makes life easier, and improves guitar tuning stability.
What are Guitar Locking Tuning Machines?
These aftermarket tuning machines lock the guitar strings to the tuning posts. The benefit of this is superior tuning stability. Guitarists are constantly tuning. With this upgrade, tuning the strings drops to an absolute minimum.
I rarely have to tune more than once an hour with Hipshot’s Griplock tuners. This is one of my all time favorite guitar upgrades!
Things to Consider:
These come in two main configurations, 6 Inline Tuners & 3×3 Tuners
Does the guitar you are buying for have 6 tuning pegs all on the same side?
Or does the guitar you are buying for have 3 tuning pegs on each side?
Unique Gifts for Guitar Players
3x3 Configuration
A Gibson/Epiphone Les Paul uses the 3x3 configuration.
6 Inline Configuration
Fender Strats & Telecasters uses the 6 Inline configuration.
For even more info on locking tuners, read my in depth article on the subject: No More Tuning Hack.
Top Picks for Locking Tuners:
Every Guitarist needs guitar picks. I love getting all different kinds of picks for christmas gifts or birthday gifts. Doesn’t really matter the occasion. Baptism, bar mitzvah, graduation, retirement, anniversary, or welcome home gifts…guitar picks are the appropriately unique gifts for guitar players.
That being said, you can’t just pick (pun intended) any old raggedy package of picks you happen to find. Guitar players are guitar pick connoisseurs. We have very specific tastes and preferences.
The best bet is to go with a variety pack because we all have preferences when it comes to pick thickness, shape, material, and size.
Things to Consider:
- Pick Material (Nylon, Celluloid, Tortex, Ultex, Wood, etc.)
- Shape (Variations of Triangles)
- Size (S, M, L)
- Thickness (Thin, Med, Thick)
- Pointiness of Pick
Guitar pick holders come in many shapes and sizes. They are all equally useful and I have just about every kind they make. It’s most definitely one of the cheapest options when it comes to unique gifts for guitar players, and your giftee will not be expecting this one.
In fact, this guitar gift idea might make your special guitarist stand out from the rest of their bandmates. I know a lot of guitar players, and I’m the only one with this cool as hell pick holder on my mic stand. Make your guitar player’s life a little easier. These are a fun gift that will definitely see use!
If you are looking for the ultimate cheap guitar themed gift, this may be your best option.
1. What are the best gifts for guitar players?
- Guitar Tool Kits
- Guitar Multi-Tools
- Guitar Strings
- Guitar Cleaning Kits
- Clip On Tuners
- Strap Locks
- Locking Tuners
- Guitar Picks
- Pick Holders
2. What are "Guitar Straplocks"?
"Straplocks" are metal devices attached to a guitar and it's strap as an upgrade. Without them, its very easy for a guitar to slip from it's strap. Strap locks securely attach the strap to the guitar, and can only be unlocked purposely.
3. What are "locking tuners"?
Locking Tuners are aftermarket tuning machines that lock the guitar strings to the tuning posts. The benefit is superior tuning stability due to the strings being locked into the post. Guitarists are constantly tuning. With this upgrade, tuning the strings drops to an absolute minimum.
4. What are the best Clip On Guitar Tuners?
