1. Editor's pick
2. Books and lessons
3. Accessories
4. Cases & bags
5. Pedals/'boards
6. Amps
7. Guitars
8. Tech
9. Merch/Clothing
10. DIY kits
11. Last minute ideas
12. Where to shop
We're fully aware of how fussy musicians can be when receiving gifts. We're guilty of taking our musical equipment a little too seriously – and most of us aren’t particularly good at hiding our disappointment when we receive yet another six-string-themed mug. Well, you needn’t worry, as Guitar World is here to help! Our guide to the best Christmas gifts for guitar players is the place to be if you are looking to surprise your loved one with a guitar-related present they will actually love.
Gone are the worries of disappointing your dear guitar-playing buddy, family member or spouse with a sub-par overdrive pedal, garish strap or guitar gadget they have no use for – as we’ve trolled through the internet to compile a list of killer guitarist-friendly gifts that we'd be more than happy to receive ourselves this Christmas.
Included is everything from last-minute gifts that require no delivery time to handy tools and gig bag essentials, exciting practice aids and even a few of the most popular guitars and amplifiers over the last year if you are feeling particularly generous. So, regardless of budget, you'll be sure to find something that will make all their Christmas wishes come true.
If you're looking to make some savings on Christmas gifts for your musical mates, keep tabs on our guide to the best Black Friday guitar deals.
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: Editor's pick
While you can't go wrong with any product in this guide, below are the top six items that we believe make the very best gifts for the guitarist in your life.
Fender Play gives you access to a wealth of video lessons from a number of different teachers, all bundled inside a very well-designed app - beginner or pro, they'll be sure to get something out of this app.
This game-changing tuner revolutionized the way many players tuned their guitars with its clever feature that allowed you to play all the strings at once and see which are in or out of tune.
The Ernie Ball Musician's Tool Kit includes everything you need to make these adjustments yourself, such as a heavy-duty string cutter, peg winder, 6-in-1 screwdriver, ruler, and a hex wrench set. It even comes with a microfiber polish cloth and Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes for making the guitar shine.
If you’re an electric guitar player, laying down some chords to then solo over can help you with your improvising skills, as well as your timing. It can also help you understand harmony and melody better. The TC Ditto is one of the best out there, offering superb functionality with just one knob!
Not only is the Spark Mini a terrific practice amp, it’s also light, portable, and is powered by a USB chargeable battery that lasts up to 8 hours. You’ve got a ton of different tones available, covering all sorts of clean and distorted tones, as well as a massive selection of effects.
The Player series is Fender’s gateway into the world renowned brand, though it’s by no means an entry-level guitar. The Player Strat is just as good in the hands of beginners as it is on the biggest stages in the world. It’s the real deal and delivers players great playability, great sound and solid reliability.
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: Books and lessons, from $/£9.99
When players are in the infancy of their playing careers, practicing can often be dull and pretty uninspiring. Now, one surefire way to spice up their practice routine is to give them the ability to learn from their musical heroes – and a tab book will do just that!
Tab is a relatively simple form of music notation and can be easily picked up by even the newest guitar players, and the beauty is they don’t need to be able to read music to understand it! Our go-to place for music books is MusicRoom, as they offer a massive collection of tab books, with almost every band you can think of being represented.
You’ll be able to find books on how to play Metallica’s Black Album, the hard rock masterpiece that is Back In Black, Green Day’s punk rock opera American Idiot and so much more.
Available for both iOS and Android, this simple app will hold their hand through the entire process of learning the instrument, from basic chords to searing lead lines.
This fun app uses a “gamified” approach that relies on an animated fretboard, which, provided you play the correct notes as the scrolling fretboard delivers them, you'll unlock more content.
Simply Guitar has a rather impressive library of contemporary songs, so they won’t get bored or run out of inspiration.
The beauty of the guitar - or any instrument, for that matter - is you are always learning. Whether that's a new technique, a new song, or just a mega lick, you can always learn something new - and Fender Play is our favorite online guitar lesson platform.
Fender Play gives you access to a wealth of video lessons from a number of different teachers, all bundled inside a very well-designed app - beginner or pro, they'll be sure to get something out of this app.
Whether you are looking for the ultimate present for a keen guitarist in the making, an intermediate player looking to broaden their horizons, or an old dog looking for new tricks, you can't go wrong with a Guitar Tricks gift certificate.
For a limited time, one of our top choices for the best online guitar lessons is currently offering a gift certificate for a 1-year annual subscription for only $99! This will give the recipient access to a wealth of content, with lessons covering everything from Bob Dylan to The Beatles, Nirvana to Prince.
Right now we're able to exclusively offer Guitar World readers their first month of Guitar Tricks for just $1!
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: Accessories, from $/£8.99
Many players are scared of slide guitar. It may look difficult, but it can offer a level of expression that you simply don’t get when playing the guitar normally - and trust us, it isn’t as hard as it looks. Slides come in many shapes and sizes and a variety of different materials. So, we would opt for a chrome slide for beginners, as these are incredibly robust and offer a bright, articulate tone.
Restringing your guitar can be an ordeal, but the D’Addario Pro-Winder can make it a whole lot easier. This super-affordable tool combines a string cutter, bridge pin puller, and a string winder that will fit most electric guitars, acoustic guitars, ukuleles, and mandolins. This is the kind of tool that every guitarist should have in their case or gig bag at all times.
A good quality guitar cable is an essential part of playing the electric guitar, and for our money, the Fender Deluxe Series cables offer the best bang for your buck. Made using high-quality materials and braided shielding, these cables are durable and won’t affect the tone of their beloved guitar – and better yet, they are dripping with vintage Fender charm!
These cables are available in a variety of lengths (6", 1', 3', 5', 10', 15', 18.6' and 25') as well as two color options, Tweed and Black Tweed.
Every guitar needs a good-looking, stylish guitar strap to complete the look, and string pioneer, Ernie Ball, makes some of the best in the business.
Their ever-popular polypro guitar straps are available in an array of designs and colors, featuring machine-stitched leather ends with durable yet comfortable polypropylene webbing. These straps can also be made extra long, meaning punk fans don’t have to worry about running out of length!
As musicians, we spend the majority of our time in loud environments, whether that’s rehearsal rooms or concert halls, so it’s important to protect our hearing. At the end of the day, if we damage our ears, we may need to give up the hobby that we love so much.
One of our top choices when it comes to hearing protection is the Alpine MusicSafe Pro earplugs. These sophisticated plugs allow you to choose between varying levels of noise reduction (16 dB, 19 dB and 22 dB) and are extremely comfortable and reusable.
Now, no matter how good your significant other is at shredding the guitar, if they aren’t in tune, it’s going to sound, well, pretty awful.
Luckily the TC Electronic PolyTune is here to help. This game-changing tuner revolutionized the way many players tuned their guitars with its clever feature that allowed you to play all the strings at once and see which are in or out of tune.
Couple that with its bright display, smart design and multiple modes and you have one of the best clip-on tuners on the market.
The latest flagship from G7th - producer of arguably the most popular and best guitar capos around - comes with their Adaptive Radius Technology which allows the capo to adapt to the curve of the fretboard, and more importantly, the strings going across it.
Their claim of maximum tuning stability with minimum tension in every position on any guitar neck is certainly a bold one – but also very much true.
As guitar players, we are constantly making slight adjustments to how our instrument feels to play. From tweaking the action to fine-tuning the intonation and setting the neck relief, these are all elements we like to get just right.
The Ernie Ball Musician's Tool Kit includes everything you need to make these adjustments yourself, such as a heavy-duty string cutter, peg winder, 6-in-1 screwdriver, ruler, and a hex wrench set. It even comes with a microfiber polish cloth and Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes for making the guitar shine.
As guitar players, we love collecting instruments. There is one slight problem with acquiring a bunch of extra guitars, though – storing them! Well, that’s where the Hercules Multi-Guitar Rack comes in.
This 5-way guitar stand is the perfect space-saving option for those with multiple guitars and even a growing collection. While the stand only fits five guitars as standard, it can be expanded to fit up to ten! Better yet, the specially formulated foam (SFF) rubber covering is perfectly safe for all finishes.
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: Cases & bags, from $129/£132
For so many of us, our guitar is our pride and joy. Therefore we take protecting it very seriously. When we take our guitar out and about, to rehearsals, a mate's house, or a gig, we want to know that the bag is up to the job of keeping our beloved instrument safe.
One of the best electric gig bags on the market is the newly released Boss CB-EG20, which features a semi-rigid design, is water-resistant and has thick impact panels to protect the guitar inside from the odd knock and bump. As you’d expect, the bag also comes with two external pockets for strings, cables, a tuner, and any other accessories they might have. For those with an acoustic guitar, you’ll want to check out the CB-AG10.
Now, if your loved one owns a Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster, then this is the case for them. Designed to look like the cases of yesteryear – but with modern reliability – this wooden, oblong case is a dependable way to protect their favorite guitar.
The three-ply hardshell wood case is beautifully wrapped in a tweed covering that just screams vintage Fender, while a gold steel carry handle and draw latches complete the look. The soft crushed acrylic plush interior lining guarantees their guitar will remain scratch and damage-free, and the spacious compartment offers plenty of room for all their accessories.
Now, it should go without saying, but please remember to check the guitar will fit into the case before purchasing.
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: Pedals, from $17.99/£15.99
If the guitar player in your life is a pedal fanatic, then good quality cables to go in-between them is a must. You’re only as strong as your weakest link, right? With these Planet Waves patch cables, there are no weak links at all - these are quality cables that allow your signal to pass through from pedal to pedal without any unwanted noise or interference, plus their low capacitance means that the guitar’s signal will flow through them with utmost transparency.
Making no attempt to hide its intentions, the Nux Steel Singer tries to replicate the sound of one of the most revered, sought-after, not to mention expensive amps ever made, all for a tiny fraction of what the real thing would cost you. It’s an overdrive pedal that has a lovely rich mid-presence, and a nice and smooth high end.
You can use it in a number of ways - to boost for solos, as your main crunch channel, or to push a tube amp on the edge of breakup into a lovely, natural overdrive. There are a number of Dumble-style clone pedals out there, but this one probably offers the best value for money.
This pedal has been around since the late 70s and has appeared on a wide range of professional guitarists’ boards. It sits at a great price point, it sounds amazing, plus Boss pedals are amongst the most reliable and road-worthy pieces of gear out there.
You can use it to add a little more grit to your sound for things like solos, or you can use it as your main distorted tone when playing through a clean amp. There are loads of ways the Boss DS-1 can help add another dimension to your sound, making it one of the best gifts for guitarists you can get.
A good phaser can sometimes be underrated. They’re great for adding a cool, swirling texture to your guitar sound. Whether you’re using it on a clean, choppy funk guitar line, or on heavily saturated riffs, the Electro-Harmonix Small Stone will help you stand out to the listener, plus it doesn’t take up loads of space on your pedal board.
It’s also incredibly easy to use, so there’s no having to pour through a manual here. With one rate knob which controls the speed, and one colour switch controlling the depth, you can get to playing straight away.
One of the most useful things you can get for a guitar player is a looper pedal. Whilst it’s great for building up and layering different parts of a song, as popularised by Ed Sheeran, it’s also a great practice tool.
You really don’t have to want to be the next pop sensation to get the most out of a looper. If you’re an electric guitar player, of any style, then laying down some chords to then solo over can help you with your improvising skills, as well as your timing. It can also help you understand harmony and melody better. The TC Ditto is one of the best out there, offering superb functionality with just one knob!
The TC Electronic Hall Of Fame reverb packs a lot into a compact pedal. From subtle ‘always on’ reverbs to big ambient swells, it really does do it all. There can’t be many guitar players out there that wouldn’t find this pedal useful.
There’s a wide variety of different reverb types on offer, including shimmer reverb, which is often found on much more expensive pedals. The on/off foot switch even doubles as an expression pedal, so you can control the reverb with absolute precision.
Delay is one of the most popular effects, and Boss are one of - if not the most popular effects pedal brand, so it’s only right that one of their delays pedals makes it into our list of best gift ideas for guitarists. With a high build quality, amazing sound and superb functionality, this digital delay is hard to beat, especially for the money.
The DD-3T is an updated version of a classic. With only four knobs, you can dial in lots of delay that feeds back forever, or you can just add in a touch of slapback delay, and anything in between! We also love the fact they’ve added tap tempo to this, so you can tap in the delay speed with your foot.
If the guitarist you’re buying for is anything like us, they’ll be partial to an effects pedal or two. Or twenty. Help bring some order to their life with the Pedaltrain Classic Pro pedalboard - one of top picks for the best pedalboards out there. This 'board provides a dedicated base on which the player can store and transport their pedals, thanks to a handy included carry case. It’s not the most glamorous gift for guitar players, but it’s one they’ll be glad to receive.
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: Amps, from $74/£65
If it’s good enough for the likes of Joe Bonamassa and Phil X, it’s good enough for you, right? This nifty little 3W battery-powered practice amp has become the favourite of many players for warming up backstage before a gig. With it being battery powered, you can take it anywhere too.
It sounds really good as well, especially considering its size! There are two channels - clean and overdrive, plus you can dial in some nice sounding delay for an even bigger sound. It’s loads of fun, which makes it a great gift for guitarists of any level.
The Fender Mustang Micro harnesses the power of 12 different amp sounds and 12 different effects combinations, all in the size of something that fits in your pocket! It’s a headphone amp, so all you do is plug this into your guitar, then plug in some wired headphones and you’ve got the perfect tool for silent practice allowing you to play well into the night without disturbing anyone else.
The sounds within this are great, as you would expect from a big name like Fender. It also doubles as a recording interface allowing you to get great guitar sounds directly from the amp into your Mac or PC.
Not only is the Spark Mini a terrific practice amp, it’s also light, portable, and is powered by a USB chargeable battery that lasts up to 8 hours, allowing you to play anywhere you want. You’ve got a ton of different tones available, covering all sorts of clean and distorted tones, as well as a massive selection of effects.
It’s also a clever little practice tool. The app that can be used alongside the amp can create drum and bass backing tracks based on your playing, which can improve your ability to play with other musicians. It can even scan your favourite songs and display the chords so that you can jam along - very clever stuff!
This is one of the most popular amps available today. When it comes to modelling amps, the Boss Katana range changed the game - you’ll see pro players using these, as well as beginners and intermediate players.
With a range of different amp styles available, you’ll struggle to find a genre it’s not suited to. It’s really easy to use and most importantly, it sounds great, giving you fairly close to tube-style tones and response. As you might expect from Boss, the on-board effects are very good too. Whether you’re recording at home, practicing with a band, or simply having a load of fun playing the guitar on your own, the Boss Katana 50 is one of the best gifts for guitarists out there.
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: Guitars, from $229/£253
Yamaha are one of the biggest names in music and produce a massive range of high quality musical instruments. Their FG800 dreadnought acoustic is no different and makes for the perfect gift for anyone wanting to start playing guitar or for those with a bit of experience already.
The dreadnought body shape lends the guitar a classic, timeless sound and look, and the solid spruce top means you’re going to get a lovely, rich tone. It’s also going to sound better over time as the top ages.
The Yamaha FG800 is a great tool for singer songwriters, producers and guitarists of any level.
Obviously this is great gift for any fan of the top-hatted Guns N Roses axeman, though it’s also just a great guitar kit in its own right.
This is an all in one bundle containing a decent Epiphone Les Paul - not too dissimilar to the one that Slash plays (just with a few thousand knocked off the price tag!), an amp with different channels for overdriven and clean sounds, a strap, some picks, a gigbag for easy transportation and a cable. You really do have everything you need to going with the electric guitar.
It’s perfect for beginners, or for acoustic players wanting to make the jump to electric, or even for those that just want something new to add to their collection.
The perfect gift for kids and younger players. This mighty little SG is 3/4 size, making chord shapes and lead lines easier to fret for those with a smaller handspan.
Epiphone haven’t pulled any punches with the spec on this. You’ve got a pair of hot humbuckers that sound great overdriven and clean so will suit whatever style of music you’re looking to play. The slim neck profile makes for a comfortable playing experience, especially for those just starting out.
What we really like about this is that it stays in tune well, unlike some other smaller electric guitars. It’s got a decent set of tuners, and a compensated tailpiece that keeps your intonation in check, plus you get some neat accessories bundled in with it.
Arguably the most iconic guitar of all time, the Fender Stratocaster has been played by legends as varied as Hank Marvin, Jim Root, Eric Clapton and loads more. There’s a reason why so many guitarists look to the Strat for their signature sound.
The Player series is Fender’s gateway into the world renowned brand, though it’s by no means an entry-level guitar. The Player Strat is just as good in the hands of beginners as it is on the biggest stages in the world. It’s the real deal and delivers players great playability, great sound and solid reliability.
This is PRS’s more affordable version of their world-renowned Custom 24 guitar that helped but the brand on the map. It’s got a pair of incredibly dynamic and responsive humbuckers, based on what they use in their much more expensive models, that are perfectly suited to playing everything from rock to pop to metal, and beyond.
There’s also a push-pull knob that enables you to switch to more single coil like sounds, making it a really versatile instrument. PRS are known for their really high build quality and amazing finishes - rest assured, this SE Custom 24 is no exception!
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: Tech, from $99/£89
Part of the joy of playing an instrument is being able to record yourself and create entire masterpieces from the comfort of your own home. A decent microphone will mean acoustic guitar players, singers and other non-electric instrument performers can get their sounds into a computer, ready for production. The Rode NT-USB Mini is a small (but perfectly formed) USB microphone which requires no other equipment to operate than a computer or laptop. It’s also ideal for podcasts, video production and even those relentless Zoom calls which take up so much time nowadays.
With a ridiculous 80-hour battery life and improved ergonomic design, the Major IV’s are an awesome update from Marshall. Not only do they look the part with that iconic logo adorning each ear, but they also have amazing high end clarity and ‘roaring’ bass, so they’re perfect for music nerds as well as everyday listeners. Marshall has included Bluetooth 5 in this latest model for a better connection, so if you want to listen to music on the go then these are a no brainer.
As the technology gets more affordable, easier to use, and more widely available, it’s becoming increasingly more common to see guitar players record themselves at home. This is fantastic if they wanted to record demos, share song ideas at home or just learn more about the recording process.
Now, while there are many recording interfaces on the market, with the likes of the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or SSL 2 being the most popular, we’d choose the Positive Grid Riff specifically for guitar players. The world of recording hardware can be thoroughly confusing and intimidating, but Positive Grid takes a simplistic approach, gearing its affordable interface to guitarists new to recording at home. Check out our glowing Positive Grid Riff review to see exactly what we thought of this fantastic product.
Whether it’s for amplifying backing tracks to play along to or simply listening to tunes, a Bluetooth speaker is a very useful thing to have – they are even better when they are guitar themed! Now, this is not a novelty item. Over the last few years, Marshall has established itself as a leading force in the Bluetooth speaker game, bringing its classic style and sound to this humble audio device.
They have many speakers to choose from, but our favorite is the Kilburn II, which is lightweight (weighing in at only 2.5 kg) and is seriously loud! The sound is clear and crisp with plenty of low-end. This is a must for any music fan.
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: Merch/Clothing, from $12.99/£11.99
If there's one thing guitarists love, it's telling anyone who'll listen what our favorite guitar is. The problem is, not everyone appreciates being told why we think the Telecaster is the superior design over the Strat, but thankfully with the help of a snazzy Fender branded t-shirt, hoodie or cap, we don't need to tell anyone – with the logo emblazoned on our chest, you'll know exactly what our favorite guitar is.
all joking aside, the official Fender store has some very tasteful guitar-themed clothing, hats and accessories in a wide range of styles and sizes that will be sure to please any Fender fanatic.
Whether it’s in the kitchen, games room or recording studio, this Fender Bar Stool is guaranteed to brighten up the place. Though the less in-your-face Custom shop logo version may appeal to the more higher-end guitarist, there’s something quite special about the fiesta red of the classic Fender design. These stools are available in 24 and 30 inch heights.
Always wanted to build your own '70s-era Fender Strat and 65 Princeton Reverb amp, but the thought of putting together the real thing terrifies you? Well, the Lego Stratocaster kit from Fender may be the perfect gift for you!
This set includes all the bricks to build the guitar in either red or black, guitar picks in 4 colors, as well as a miniature stand so you can display your newly built guitar - there is also a sticker with the Fender logo made from Lego bricks which you can use on your real guitar or amp, which is a nice touch.
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: DIY kits, from $160/£75
This BexGears Les Paul-style guitar offers budding luthiers and guitar fanatics an easy-to-build singlecut to get their teeth into. With its Okoume body and curved mahogany veneer top, it is a little different when compared to the traditional LP setup, but with that said, it still looks and sounds just like it should, plus it helps keep costs down.
All the tricky soldering has already been done with this DIY guitar kit, so you’re left with the job of clipping together all the pickups and pots etc. It’s still enough for you to feel like you’re really getting involved, but it does make it a touch easier.
Offsets are increasingly popular amongst a variety of guitar players, so it’s only right we include a DIY version here.
This is an affordable kit that includes a primed body and neck, all the necessary hardware and a set of P-90 pickups. Most of the electronics are already done, so there’s no soldering involved; just clip your pickups in and you're ready to rock.
As this is a very easy kit to put together, it makes a fabulous gift for novice guitar builders with no to little experience and it's a pretty fun way to spend the weekend!
Best Christmas gifts for guitar players: Last minute ideas & subscriptions
Is the special person you are buying for extremely fussy about their music gear? Well, in that case, you may want to opt for a retailer voucher/gift card. This option takes all the guesswork out of buying a gift, allowing the recipient to choose exactly what they wanted in the first place – and not to mention, it will avoid the awkwardness when they ask if you kept the receipt.
Our recommendations would be Thomann and Andertons in the UK and Guitar Center, Sweetwater and Musician’s Friend in the US.
One of the worst feelings in the world is seeing your favorite band announce a concert in your area and you not having the cash to secure a ticket. Well, with a Ticketmaster voucher, you can make sure that your loved one never needs to experience that overwhelming sense of disappointment.