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As have received my fair share of keyring guitar toppers, coasters, t-shirts, and a plethora of guitar-shaped plastic shite over the last 40-plus years.
The aim is more recommendations for people who need some help choosing something decent (not ridiculously expensive/boutique/niche) and that will be value for money.
It would be like when a non-musical mate asks my advice on what to buy their 13-year-old kid as a Christmas present when the kid has shown an interest in learning the guitar, etc You know the kid may give up after 3 months if they buy them a piece of crap guitar, but the parent also don't want to lay out £500 plus on a new guitar and amp, etc
Like a bath, or a real job, etc
I’m so bored I might as well be listening to Pink Floyd
I do not want guitar based presents at all. Even strings. To me they are as dull as getting socks and pants for Xmas. It's a gift of a consumable necessity. It ranks lower than chocolate because it's not even a treat.
Even if it was a pedal, an amp, or £30K worth of custom shop instrument I would want to be the person making the decision and the selection. It's just too personal.....and a massive part of the hobby is the discovery process of new gear / sounds / inspiration. The build up from ignorance, to discovery, to interest, to lust, and then to acquisition.
It's all part of this wonderfully mad hobby we enjoy. I feel kind of empty without the process.
And then there is the potential embarrassment of selling a gift either because it just wasn't quite right, or the existing TS on the board is just fine, or whatever factor means it's not a keeper. If it isn't something worthy of being sold then it's a landfill item.
The best gift for any hobby where the well meaning gift giver has no clue is money. But money is still also the best gift even if the gift giver is a professional guitarist, because they will understand how personal gear choice is.
I’m so bored I might as well be listening to Pink Floyd
I'm attempting to offer advice to people at the beginning of the journey, or who are relatively new to it. Plus, some suggestions for 'stocking fillers' that are actually useful (not guitar-shaped spatulas, etc).
The suggestion for lessons, I think is a great one (I'd actually already included it in my Gifts under $200 article). Plus, the book suggestion I think has legs as well, as I know that I have a collection of guitar/amp/pedal-orientated coffee table books that I like to read now and again.
The fact that my choices then are not the same as they would be now is irrelevant.
I get that you have clicks to get, but the very first bit of advice should be: "Look at the receivers wish list"
That will at least contain things that the player would be happy to get as gifts.
I’m so bored I might as well be listening to Pink Floyd
My best gift when I was a teenager was my dad giving me a Boss SD-1 overdrive pedal when I was about 13/14. He had gone into a guitar store and asked for advice on what pedal is best for a beginner. I had no idea he was getting me a pedal and I hadn't asked for one, or anything guitar-related.
That set me up for life and I used that same pedal for about 20 years (until it exploded under my foot when the chassis gave out and collapsed) it sounded AMAZING when I got my first Marshall JCM800 half-stack a few short years later, which I used in my first proper band as 'my rig' for about 10 years.
We aren't all the same in our experiences with gifts I guess.
Unless you are the Hulk or Eddie Hall I can't comprehend that!
I’m so bored I might as well be listening to Pink Floyd
I had an old used charity shop briefcase with my pedals in it.
The Boss SD-1, which was my first ever pedal (thanks Dad)
A Dunlop wah I bought in Soho Soundhouse in Soho Square (also killed that one)
A Boss DD3 I bought from Electrohill in Palmer Green which I still own and use to this day.
And a crappy power supply bank I bought in Electrohill to power all three when I had run out of batteries.
Look at the state of my bedroom... PMSL
Guitarist's Ultimate Christmas Gifts
I agree with others, best gifts would be 1. Money 2. Money 3. Beer.
Somehow, I don't think they frequent this forum.