It's time to start thinking about guitar gifts (already!). As the holiday season rolls around, I've noticed the impact on the guitar world. Big displays of guitar "starter packs" crowding the floor at the local guitar shop. The seemingly endless infomercials on the shopping networks of Esteban hawking his entry-level guitars. And the festive holly-covered banners splashed all over the landing pages of the big online guitar retailers. Is it just me, but didn't we just carve our Jack-O-Lanterns?
Any way, with the Christmas and holiday season upon us, what about guitar gifts for the aspiring (or actual) guitar players
on our lists? With that in mind I've put together some tips and specific recommendations for selecting guitar
gifts that will be appreciated.
A Wide Range of Choices
When it comes to guitar gifts, the good news is that there are many good choices at all price points, and many reputable
online retailers to buy from. The not so good news is that with all these options, it can be difficult to sort through them
and find just the right guitar gift. Consider these categories:
* Gear (acoustic guitars, electric guitars, amps, and guitar effects, etc)
* Beginners' Guitar Packages- everything a beginner needs to get started
* Accessories such as tuners, straps, stands, etc.
* Online guitar lesson and instructional products
* Books and Videos
* Software
5 Tips for Selecting the Right Guitar Gifts
The main considerations in choosing guitar gifts are experience level, style of music preferred, and what gear and learning
material they already own. Try to find as much out about these as possible. Or better yet, get the lucky gift recipient to
drop a few subtle (or not-so-subtle) hints on what they want…"I want a standard Fender Strat in Blue Agave please!" If you
you really don't have a good handle on any of this, no worries, here are some tips for different situations:
1. Discover Preferences- Learn as much as you can about the guitar player's stage of development, gear they own, and
musical styles they prefer, and tailor the gift accordingly. Consulting a Guitar Gift Guide will help you with this, as will checking with a family member or friend close to the lucky recipient.
2. Go with a Gift Certificate- Don't have a clue on what to get? No problem! When in doubt, give a gift certificate
for guitar gear, online lessons, or music. Price range: however generous you feel!
3. Give a Guitar Package- For a beginner who does not have a guitar , packages are available starting at about $100
that include a guitar and all the accessories needed to get going "out of the box" (including an amp if it's an electric guitar.)
4. Consider online lessons or instructional products- Every guitarist wants to learn new skills and move to the next
level. These include "Learn to Play" lessons, interactive lessons to learn songs, and in-depth lessons on particular
techniques. These are usually in the $20-40 range.
5. Books and videos are a good bet- For a reasonably priced gift, books are a great choice and can easily be
tailored to the recipient. Some categories: history of a style of guitar music (rock , blues, jazz); biography of favorite
guitar players; instruction books; guitar song (tab) books for a favorite band or style of music. Price range $15-30.
It is possible to select the right guitar gift. The key is to spend a little effort to find out about the recipient's skill
level, gear they have, and musical preferences. If you don't know much about guitar playing, or otherwise aren't able to
pick a specific gift, a gift certificate for guitar gear, lessons, or other products should do the trick.
Copyright 2005 Peter Bussey of www.guitar-players-toolbox.com
This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and the below resource box, with active links, are included.
Peter Bussey is Editor of The Guitar Players Toolbox, a website dedicated to helping advancing guitar players improve with practical tools, tips, and information. Visit http://www.guitar-players-toolbox.com for more information on Guitar Gifts, as well as variety of free resources on guitar lessons, guitar chords, guitar chord charts, song chords, and more.
Communication in Relationships Bad communication in a relationship is one of the main reasons for love and marriage problems. A listening attitude with focus on eye contact is essential when ...
Bank Foreclosures a Profitable Investment? Buying bank foreclosure still remains the popular way method of buying property. The process is fairly easy and a lot of risks associated with other forms of pu...
Ultimate Weight Loss: Fight Fat and Win Turn your sleeping time into your best fat burning session of the day. For those of us over worked and do not have time to workout everyday.
Motivation By Your Family And Cornermen The motivation for good or bad which we get from our families is huge. They can either destroy our dreams or help us create them. Most of the boxers in the Cont...
Your Date with Destiny Destiny. What a powerful word. And the great thing about it? Everyone has one! You have a destiny! Another great thing about destiny? We have a significant role...
The Problem With To-Do Lists It can be satisfying to check off those items on your to-do list. Too satisfying, perhaps.
Shop for Bathing Suits -- Part1 Online shopping for bathing suits what a nightmare you might say but at the end of this article you will feel the online factor cheer you up.
How Do You Habitually Treat Yourself? Is there an internal critic inside your head who yells at you so loud you can't hear yourself think? Here are some tips on how to improve your self-talk and be...
What is GuerrillaPR Anyway? If you're going to apply the principles of Guerrilla P.R. to the age of the
Internet, you have to know something about Guerrilla P.R. itself. in case you
have...
The Power of Planning Most people spend more time writing out a grocery list or planning a vacation than they do planning the direction or outcome of their business. A small investme...
Home Equity Loans - Are They Right For You? The reason's for taking advantage of home equity loans are the most important part of the process. Take the time to sit down and ask yourself, "Do I really need...
Dealing With Frustration Experiencing frustration in your life? Well, sooner or later you've got to learn how to deal - and the sooner the better. You might say the following is "just w...
Low Carb Diet Secrets Revealed! You may be considering a low carb diet program, but wonder if they really work, and if so, how well? Let's take the mystery out of low carb diets by giving yo...
The Fuel for Creative Vigor Sometimes your projects fail to get off the ground because you lack proper motivation. How do you get out of foul moods and fire up your desire? What is it that...
Print this page