12. Guitar ToolKit App
This app is the Swiss Army knife of guitar goodies. And especially since I am hunkering down and learning a ton of new chord fingerings, Guitar ToolKit will show me all kinds of alternatives up the neck. Plus it has a tuner and a metronome. Nice.

11. iPad
I know it’s so cliché, but it would be extra nice to have an iPad to run all my crazy cool music apps on, like Guitar World Lick of the Day, AmpKit, Progression and more. Plus you know I’ll be playing Angry Birds on that thing. Try getting three stars on your phone. Not an easy feat!

10. Marshall Headphones
OK, I admit it. I already own these babies. But I wanted to share them with you because they are super cool, super comfortable, well made, yada yada. And definitely a conversation piece! Marshall is not just the sound of rocking out. It’s the sound of rocking in private! Yeah!

9. Mandolin
I know the trend is ukulele. But I want a mandolin. There’s something so unbelievably gorgeous about the sound that comes from those 8 little strings. Maybe the Epiphone MM-50 would be cool. I don’t need to break the bank on my first go-round!

8. Tickets to see Ani DiFranco
I just interviewed Ani for an upcoming article for GuitarWorld.com and think her new album, Which Side are You On?, is fabulous. I’m sorry you’re going to have to wait until January 17 to check it out, but it’s worth the wait. So, Dear Ani, when you come to San Francisco, please count me in!

7. A subscription to TAXI
I’ve been writing songs since I was a young ‘un, but have finally got my Pro Tools and production chops together enough to be able to crank out the demos. Now I’ve gotta get ‘em into the right hands. I’ve been eyeing TAXI for years, and they got it going on. So, hey TAXI peeps, whaddya say?

6. Berkleemusic.com Online Course
I’ve taken two songwriting courses via Berkleemusic.com, and they were invaluable. I wrote a new song every week to satisfy my homework assignment and walked away with enough ideas for tons more. The teachers were great and very interactive. They have courses for guitar, recording and production, music biz, bass, vocals and more. It’s good to learn something new. Now, which one to choose…?

5. Bose L1 PA
It’s time to do some gigging, and this PA is small, easy to handle and sounds killer. I was introduced to this slim wonder when I dined at my local pub and enjoyed a killer singer/songwriter on the patio. It’s been PA envy ever since. I’ve had the pleasure of using the Bose L1 once or twice, but it would be nice to have one on hand!

4. Orange Tiny Terror
You may have noticed that I’m pretty much 100% an acoustic player. But our very own editor, Brad Tolinski, has been pushing me to pick up an electric. And maybe this is the year! So give me this small but kick ass combo to plug into and I’ll get started. Do you think my kids will tell me to turn down!?

3. Electric Guitar
I know I’ll need a guitar to go along with that amp. This Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Custom in silverburst with chrome hardware is kind purty. Or this PRS SE Tom Mahoney guitar. Love the look, but how will it play? I guess a trip to my local guitar shop is in order!

2. Taylor 714ce Acoustic Electric
I know I said I was gonna go electric, but you know where my heart is. Since I’ve been exploring alternate tunings, I think I need one more guitar so I can jump in when the moment grabs me. And if you’re gonna wish for a guitar, why not wish big? Red cedar top, Indian rosewood, Venetian cutaway, abalone rosette, built-in pickup system.

1. VH1 Save the Music
Finally, because when it comes down to it, I can make music with what I’ve got and I’ll be fine. I wish you would all donate some money to the VH1 Save the Music foundation. Even $5 would be awesome. Because I can’t imagine what school would have been like without music or instruments. And no kid should have to go through that! You can donate here -- and happy holidays!