I think it is probably safe to say that when it comes to gifts, we guitar players are amongst the hardest of people for which to find a great gift. Our wants and “needs” are always very specific, and unless you are also a player, all of the options can be very confusing and overwhelming. When you couple that with the high cost of our guitar addiction, you will most likely feel the urge shift your gift search one of our other interests. I know you really want to get your guitarist something special, so I am going to do my best to steer you in the right direction.
Normally I would save my own product placement for the end of the article, but I wanted to organize this list from lowest cost to highest cost. If you are already well versed in the Dragon’s Heart Guitar Picks products, skip to the next section. If you are new to my picks, please take some time after reading this article to browse around our store page. When it comes to great gifts for guitar players that won’t break the bank, you really cannot go wrong here. Our picks are well known for being the best available, and we have custom personalization options. Guitarists will always need more picks and we even have a Dragon’s Heart Holiday Gift Pack that ships out gift wrapped (by me) with a personalized To/From tag. Also, you can use coupon code BESTGIFT10 to get 10% off anything in our store.
Now on to the other fun stuff.
Plectrums are not the only low priced gift option out there. On the short list of other good gift ideas in this price range are capos, tuners, and slides. Even if your intended gift recipient already owns one of these, they are sure to appreciate a back-up. Plus there are a ton of cool options available like the Quick-Clip Tuner/Capo Combo from Kyser. This is one nifty little device that does the job of two; a sure fire dual hit. I do not have a specific recommendation on slides, and if you do a quick web search for “guitar slides”, you will see why. There are so many options, you are sure to find one that suits your guitarist.
These next two paragraphs cover roughly the same price range but one product definitely stands out, The Zither Guitar Stand. Definitely on the pricey side as far as guitar stands go but it is the stand that every player wants. Most stands are functional and get the job done. This one does that and looks fantastic while doing it. This is a guitar stand built to master luthier quality and it looks so good that your player will want to make sure it is on display for all the world to see.
Even if the player you are thinking of this season does not fall into the “effect pedal junkie” category like myself, almost every electric guitar player out there enjoys playing around with a new effect pedal. There are so many great options here that I could easily write an entire book, but the Zoom G3 Multi-effects Pedal is one that I would recommend for any guitarist. I have spent countless hours playing through this awesome little device. It has a ton of different effects, amp/cabinet simulations, and a drum machine built in. The main selling point for me was that it works as a stand alone headphone amp. This made it my go to unit for traveling or playing late at night. It is very versatile, user friendly, and I am still finding new ways to make use of it.
Beyond the Zoom G3 there are many other options in the pedal department. If you are looking to narrow your search, I recommend delay pedals and harmonizer/pitch-shifter pedals as a safe bet. These effect types are hours of fun and every single one I have ever tried has either brought something new to the table or been of good solid value.
So this next section may seem a bit precarious and even scary because I am talking about buying an actual guitar. Specifically though, I am talking about back up guitars or unique guitars. For this arena, I recommend Rondo Music. I have bought several guitars from this site over the years and always been satisfied. Also, many of my students have purchased guitars from them. They have a lot of variations similar to popular models at much more affordable prices, and they make great back up instruments (or even primary instruments). I personally never go to a gig with out at least one back up guitar (usually two). Plus they have some other unique options like fretless guitars and multi-scale guitars. I personally own one of their fretless guitars and have enjoyed it thoroughly. Other than Rondo, there are a ton of of unique guitars out there that make great gifts. Guitarists love guitars, and often times we over-look the joy of the unique, because we are too focused on our perceived need for “the best”.
Hold on to your hat because now we are jumping into the range of the pricey. The first of this section is a guaranteed winner. This is the coolest guitar stool I have ever seen and it is simply called, The Guitar Stool. I am not going to go into great detail on this one, just do yourself a favor and check it out. If this one doesn’t quite fit bill there are many other guitar themed seating options out there that are sure fit both your player, and your budget.
Only two categories left and now we are finally into the range of the super special gifts. First we are going to talk about amplifiers. This category can be very specific to the player with respect to style and preference, but there are some options that all can appreciate. The number one on my list is the Brown Amplification Haymaker. This is a hand built, professional grade amplifier that brings much more the game than meets the eye. One of my friends just got one of these and he simply will not shut up about it. We occasionally play shows together so I have seen the Haymaker in action and it is awesome. I will let you follow the link for more details.
As I said before, amps can be specific. That being said, there are still gift options out there that all players can appreciate. Another good bet is simply a small old tube amp. A “few” years ago my grandmother gave me a 5 watt National Valco tube amp from the 1940’s and it is one of my most prized possessions. It sounds fantastic and I use it quite often. There are a lot of these vintage tube amps out there and they are sure to be a cherished gift if you are willing to do a little hunting.
While I would like to say that Dragon’s Heart Guitar Picks are the best gift you could get for any guitar player out there, the truth of the matter is that the best gift is probably one of the dream guitars for which your special player is yearning. Every player out there, myself included, always has at least one or two guitars for which we are simply pining. While there is no way for me to tell you which guitar your special someone wants the most, I can advise you how to find out. It is as easy as asking them about guitars in general. Striking up a conversation on this subject will ultimately lead to a detailed explanation on why their ideal guitar is “the best standard” by which all instruments should be measured. You should be prepared for a full blown lecture, but if the conversation stalls, just ask simple questions like “What makes one guitar better from another?” or “Why are they so expensive?”. Even with out specific leading questions, odds are very good that the player you are talking to will give you all the information you need. And then some.
If you still are unable to ascertain which guitar to get for that special guitar player in your life, and you are dead set getting them only the best, I do have a couple of recommendations. On the acoustic side, Taylor Guitars are fantastic. They have a lot of models to choose from, but you can easily narrow it down even with limited information. On the electric side, my current favorite is the Music Man John Petrucci Majesty. I was fortunate enough to have one these in my studio for a little over a week and I have wanted one to call my own ever since. If anyone is looking for my special gift this year, look no further. Any color works, I’m not picky;)
I honestly hope this article is helpful to those out there shopping, and at the risk of inundating myself with emails, I do welcome anyone to contact me for guidance/advice on this subject. I can always be reached at corey@dragonsheartguitarpicks.com. If you have stuck around to the end of this article, here is your reward. Use coupon code 202016 for 20% off your purchase in our main online store. That is our top discount for this season and it is good until the end of 2016. I want to thank you for reading and, as always…
Play with fire…
In your heart!
Corey W.