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2023 ULTIMATE GUITAR GIFT GUIDE

The Best Gifts for Guitarists in 2023

There’s an old saying that music is the gift that keeps on giving. For the guitarists in our lives, this rings especially true. Whether it's the soothing strumming on a lazy afternoon or the exhilarating thrill of a live performance, the joy they bring is immeasurable. So, when it comes to reciprocating their passion, only the best guitar gifts will do.

Why Finding the Right Gift Matters

Every guitarist, regardless of their proficiency level, has a deep-rooted connection with their instrument. It's not just about playing; it's about expressing, creating, and becoming one with the sound. Choosing a gift that complements their love for the guitar can foster their growth, inspire creativity, and most importantly, show them how much you value their passion.

Top Picks for Every Guitarist

Before diving into the gift options, it's essential to understand the world of a guitarist. To them, every note is an emotion, every strum a heartbeat. Their instrument isn’t just wood and strings; it's an extension of their soul. When you’re selecting a gift for someone, it’s not merely about the price or brand. It's about the individual!

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Guitars: The Heart of the Matter

1. Classic Enthusiasts: Electric Guitars

Fender American Professional II Electric Guitar

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Electric Guitar ($1,699 MSRP)

The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster encapsulates decades of musical history. Offering modern enhancements without compromising its iconic sound, this is the dream gift for many.

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Gibson Les Paul Electric Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s Electric Guitar ($2,999 MSRP)

The Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s Figured Top boasts the classic design that's kept this solidbody electric guitar relevant, played, and loved throughout the decades. You won't be able to take your eyes off this Les Paul Standard's figured maple top.

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PRS Electric Guitar

PRS SE McCarty 594 Electric Guitar ($949 MSRP)

If you've thought a McCarty 594 was out of your reach, the PRS SE McCarty 594 is out to prove you wrong. This exquisite solid-body electric guitar boasts legendary PRS quality and playability with a look that's guaranteed to exceed your expectations.

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Epiphone Electric Guitar

Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar ($999 MSRP)

The Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard supplies all the hallmarks of the unforgettable '59 Gibson — the figured AAA maple veneer, that lean and mean late-'50s neck profile, and those crystal-clear Gibson PAF pickups — at an irresistible price.

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Ibanez Electric Guitar Steve Vai

Ibanez Steve Vai Signature Electric Guitar ($3,499 MSRP)

Designed in collaboration with Steve Vai, this Ibanez is a sonically versatile, high-performance solid-body electric guitar. It features a balanced-sounding alder body — the tonal basis for some of the most enduring pieces of contemporary music.

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2. Acoustic Guitar Lovers

Martin Acoustic Guitar

Martin D-28 Acoustic Guitar ($3,399 MSRP)

Many discerning guitarists instantly name the D-28 as their all-time favorite Martin; it is the standard to which all acoustic guitars are compared. Affectionately dubbed the "tone cannon," the D-28 deploys classic rich tone and powerful projection.

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Taylor Acoustic Guitar

Taylor 214ce Acoustic-Electric Guitar ($1,099 MSRP)

The Taylor 214ce acoustic-electric guitar is a celebration of innovation. Bob Taylor’s signature Grand Auditorium body shape has the width and depth of a dreadnought, but its tapered waist and graceful contours make it look like a smaller instrument.

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Gibson Acoustic Guitar

Gibson Acoustic J-45 Standard Guitar ($2,999 MSRP)

Gibson's J-45 is one of the best-known acoustic guitars out there. Dubbed "The Workhorse," this round-shoulder dreadnought gives your music full, balanced expression, warm bass, and excellent projection.

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Breedlove Acoustic Guitar

Breedlove Draco Series Concertina C Acoustic Guitar ($5,299 MSRP)

To celebrate the maiden Made in Bend Companion guitars, Sweetwater worked closely with Breedlove to develop the Draco Series. These acoustic guitars are identical from head to toe and are available in all four of Breedlove’s celebrated body shapes.

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Alvarez Acoustic Guitar

Alvarez MG60CESHB Masterworks Acoustic-Electric Guitar ($849 MSRP)

The Masterworks Series offers meticulous attention to detail and wonderfully articulate tone for acoustic players of all stripes. The MG60CESHB's formidable features include a Sitka spruce top and African mahogany back and sides, creating a balanced sound.

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3. The Beginner

Yamaha Acoustic Guitar

Yamaha FS800 Concert Acoustic Guitar ($229 MSRP)

Get incredible tone and playability at an amazing price point with the Yamaha FS800 concert acoustic guitar. Featuring a solid spruce top with nato/okoume back and sides, this stellar instrument puts out incredible tone and impressive projection.

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Gretsch Acoustic Guitar

Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy Flat Top Acoustic Guitar ($189 MSRP)

The Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy Flat Top acoustic guitar takes you back to the '30s and '40s, back when smaller parlor guitars like the Gretsch Rex were the kings of front-porch strumming and backyard get-togethers.

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Epiphone Acoustic Guitar

Epiphone Hummingbird Studio Acoustic-Electric Guitar ($449 MSRP)

The look of the Epiphone Hummingbird Pro is nothing but classic. In fact, this 6-string acoustic-electric guitar is instantly recognizable, both in look and its warm sound. The Epiphone Hummingbird Pro features a solid spruce top for pure tone.

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Fender Acoustic Guitar

Fender FA-345CE Auditorium Acoustic-Electric Guitar ($449 MSRP)

The Fender FA-345CE is a quality auditorium-style acoustic-electric cutaway that is great for beginners or seasoned players alike. It features a stunning laminate flame maple top and laminate lacewood back and sides with a gloss finish.

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PRS Acoustic Guitar

PRS SE P50E Parlor Acoustic-Electric Guitar ($699 MSRP)

Parlor guitars don’t have to be puny, and PRS has proved that once again with the SE P50 Parlor! From head to toe, this acoustic-electric guitar delivers solid volume, projection, and performance while maintaining a small travel-friendly profile.

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Amps & Pedals: Amplifying the Emotion

1. Vintage Vibes

Fender Guitar Amp

Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Combo Amp ($949 MSRP)

The Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb is a stunning facsimile of the timeless all-tube Deluxe Reverb, built using the latest in lightweight digital amplification and a premium neodymium Jensen speaker.

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Boss Katana Guitar Amp

Boss Katana Artist MkII 1x12" 100-watt Combo Amp ($599 MSRP)

BOSS ups the ante with the latest release to its flagship Katana Artist amp. The Artist MkII puts more tones, more features, and more tone-shaping potential right at your fingertips. Katana's five Tube Logic amp models include a total of 10 core tones.

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Marshall Guitar Amp

Marshall DSL40CR 1 x 12-inch 40-watt Tube Combo Amp ($949 MSRP)

Tap into burly Marshall tone anywhere from your bedroom to the stage, with the Marshall DSL40CR tube combo amp. With per-channel Gain and Volume controls, a dedicated Resonance control, reverb, and an effects loop, this amp is ready to gig.

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Mesa Boogie Guitar Amp

Mesa/Boogie Mark Five:35 1 x 12 Tube Combo Amp ($2,799 MSRP)

The Mesa/Boogie Mark Five: 35 tube amp combo delivers legendary Mesa tone from its Mark Series preamp and proprietary Dyna-watt, 4 x EL84 output section. Pushing the EL84 power tubes lets you dial in everything from sweet cleans to roaring leads.

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Orange Guitar Amp

Orange Crush 35RT 1 x 10-inch 35-watt Combo Amp ($299 MSRP)

The fully-loaded Orange Crush 35RT brings you gut-punching tones with highly responsive overdrive and mind-blowing levels of detailed saturation. Featuring two footswitchable channels, the 4-stage preamp provides you with wide-ranging tones.

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2. Modern Maestros

Positive Grid Spark Guitar Amp

Positive Grid Spark Combo Amp ($269 MSRP)

Positive Grid's Spark is a breakthrough new way to jam, track, practice, and learn songs. This powerful app-driven smart amp delivers a bedroom-filling 40 watts of 10,000+ classic BIAS amp/pedal/cab presets through its twin 4-inch ported hi-fi speakers.

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Yamaha Guitar Amp

Yamaha THR30 II Wireless 30-watt Modeling Combo Amp ($549 MSRP)

No matter where you are, you can plug into a Yamaha THR30 II Wireless and experience realistic tube tone. This battery-powered combo amplifier includes a full arsenal of guitar and bass amp emulations, along with mic models for your acoustic-electric.

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Friedman Guitar Amp

Friedman JEL-20 Jake E. Lee 20-watt Tube Head ($1,699 MSRP)

Tube heads built by Friedman are known to have a visceral world-class feel, and now players can relish the sound and features of a 20-watt Friedman built to spec for rock ’n’ roll rebel Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osbourne, Badlands, Red Dragon Cartel). 

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Universal Audio OX

Universal Audio OX Reactive Amp Attenuator with Speaker Modeling ($1,499 MSRP)

With the Universal Audio OX Amp Top Box, you can play your favorite tube amplifier at its sonic sweet spot at any volume level. Featuring UA's Dynamic Speaker modeling technology, you'll be able to access dozens of spot-on mic and cabinet emulations. 

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Friedman Guitar Preamp

Friedman IR-X Dual Tube Preamp and DI ($499 MSRP)

The Friedman IR-X is a feature-laden guitar preamp that fits right on your pedalboard. And since it's loaded with two high-voltage 12AX7 tubes, this stompbox delivers the harmonic richness and touch response you'd expect from a full-sized amplifier.

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3. Pedalboard Pioneers

UAFX Guitar Pedal

Universal Audio Dream '65 Reverb Amplifier Pedal ($399 MSRP)

Big cleans, deep vibrato, springy reverb — sound familiar? Universal Audio’s Dream ’65 Reverb Amp pedal is an authentic start-to-finish emulation of perhaps the most recorded combo amp of all time! This pedal gives you everything you need and more.

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Strymon Guitar Effects Pedal

Strymon UltraViolet Vintage Vibe Chorus & Vibrato Pedal ($259 MSRP)

Much more than a re-creation of the legendary Uni-Vibe effect, Strymon’s UltraViolet Vintage Vibe chorus and vibrato pedal elevates classic rock’s most psychedelic effect with a significantly enhanced control section and modernized features. 

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Benson Guitar Pedal

Benson Amps Germanium Boost Effects Pedal ($199 MSRP)

Benson Amps have perfected the art of germanium stabilization, resulting in their ultra-stable Germanium Boost pedal. This pedal’s cutting-edge error correction circuit eliminates the odd artifacts and sonic fluctuations.

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Keeley Guitar Pedal

Keeley Noble Screamer Overdrive Pedal ($199 MSRP)

The Keeley Noble Screamer combines the sonic characteristics of the most revered overdrive and boost stompboxes of all time, equipping your pedalboard with never-before-heard hybrid tones to launch your playing into the stratosphere.

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Strymon Big Sky Guitar Pedal

Strymon BigSky Multidimensional Reverb Pedal ($479 MSRP)

The Strymon BigSky Multidimensional Reverb multi-effects pedal offers a wide assortment of reverb effects currently on the market. The Strymon BigSky is powerful enough to be the last reverb pedal you'll ever need.

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The Essentials: Every Guitarist’s Must-Haves

1. Maintenance Magic

Hercules Guitar Stand

Hercules Single Guitar Stand with Auto Grip System ($55 MSRP)

The Hercules Stands GS414B Plus is a versatile guitar stand. Its auto-grip system fits instruments with a neck width up to 2". This Hercules guitar stand's instant height-adjustment clutch allows for easy changes on the fly. 

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Hercules Guitar Hanger

Hercules Stands Wall Mount Guitar Hanger with Auto Grip System ($25 MSRP)

From your classical acoustic to your soprano uke, the Hercules GSP38WB Plus is the convenient way to mount guitars and stringed instruments in your home studio, office, or rec room. Show off your six string in style.

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Gator Cases Guitar Case

Gator GC-ELECTRIC-A Deluxe ABS Molded Case ($149 MSRP)

Protect your double-cutaway electric guitar with the Gator GC-ELECA ABS case. From dust at home to the bumps and grinds of the road, you don't want to be taking chances with your precious guitar. Enter the GC-ELECA.

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2. Tuning Treasures

Polytune Guitar Tuner

TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Polyphonic LED Guitar Tuner Pedal ($99 MSRP)

TC pushes the envelope yet again for what's possible in a tuner pedal! The TC Electronic PolyTune 3 is faster, more dependable, and more intuitive than ever, boasting accuracy within 0.1 cents and a no-nonsense approach to guitar and instrument tuning. 

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Strobo Guitar Tuner

Peterson StroboClip HD High Definition Clip-on Strobe Tuner ($59 MSRP)

The Peterson StroboClip HD LCD strobe tuner delivers that renowned precision (to a tenth of a cent) in a handy, small clip-on tuner with a detailed backlit display that's easy to read regardless of light levels.

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TC Electronic Guitar Tuner

TC Electronic UniTune Clip Clip-on Chromatic Tuner ($35 MSRP)

There's no question that TC's tuning technology has turned the industry on its head. Developed through a collaboration between TC Electronic and Sweetwater, the UniTune gives you precision tuning with the convenience of a clip-on headstock tuner. 

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3. Capos, Picks, and More

Dunlop Guitar Picks

Dunlop Tortex Standard Guitar Picks ($5 MSRP Per Pack of 12)

Excellent durability, perfect grip, and snappy tone have made Tortex the industry-standard pick for guitar players around the world. Whether you’re a pro or just beginning your musical journey, you can be sure that there’s a Tortex pick for you!

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Guitar Capo

G7th Performance 3 Steel String Guitar Capo ($69 MSRP)

In the world of capos, the G7th Performance 3 ART capo stands out in the crowd. This brilliantly designed, innovative capo represents years of research and design strategy. With G7th's patented technology, this capo actually adapts to the shape of your guitar.

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Levy Guitar Strap

Levy's Leather Guitar Strap with Padded Interior ($35 MSRP)

Play your axe in comfort with the Levy’s DM1 Leather Guitar Strap from Sweetwater. This 3-inch-wide leather strap stays comfortable during long gigs, thanks to its padded Italian garment leather construction with interior foam padding.

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For the Guitar Tech Geek

Positive Grid Spark Go Amp Speaker

Positive Grid Spark GO Smart Guitar Amp & Bluetooth Speaker ($129 MSRP)

Standing less than 4 inches tall and equipped with a humble 2-inch speaker, the Positive Grid Spark GO ultra-portable smart guitar amp and Bluetooth speaker delivers 5 watts of full-range tone worthy of an amp several times its size over. 

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FocusRite Audio Interface

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen USB Audio Interface ($199 MSRP)

Beginners will appreciate Focusrite's Easy Start tool. You also get a sizable cache of included software, giving you everything you need to record, mix, and master your music. Add to that the premium build quality, and you get a near-bulletproof solution.

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Elmore Pedal

Elmore Bluetooth Foot Pedal ($79 MSRP)

Ever wish you could control the video playback on TrueFire without taking your hands off your instrument? Well now you can! The TrueFire Edition of the Elmore Pedal allows you to rewind, slow down, and control other video playback functions hands-free. It's included in All Access Plus!

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Beyond the Tangible: Experiential Gifts for Guitarists

1. Learning and Growth

TrueFire Guitar Lessons

TrueFire Gift Certificates ($25 - $500)

Looking for a great gift a guitar player? Tight on time? You can't beat TrueFire eGift Certificates when getting a guitar player a present you know they'll love. They're as good as cash at TrueFire, and thoughtful enough that you'll come off as the best gift giver they've ever known.

With a TrueFire eGift Certificate, your guitar player can get access to 80,000+ interactive video guitar lessons including 1,200+ guitar courses, 40,000+ tabs, 30,000+ jam tracks, plus a free download bonus, new releases every week, and much, much more!

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ArtistWorks Lessons

ArtistWorks Gift Cards ($99 - $279)

ArtistWorks is committed to helping everyone become the best musician they can be, and Video Exchange Learning® allows our teachers to guide that progress. Advance your music studies by joining our supportive community or give music as a gift to your friends and family.

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2. Live Music Magic

vivid-setas

Concert Tickets

For a guitarist, witnessing their musical heroes perform live is an unparalleled experience. Concert tickets aren't just a pass to an event; they're an invitation to inspiration. It offers them a chance to witness the nuances of live play, feel the palpable energy of live music, and maybe even reignite their passion. So, when you gift concert tickets to a guitarist, you're not just giving them a night out; you're gifting them memories, motivation, and a melodious experience they'll cherish forever.

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Concluding Notes

In the vast world of guitar gear and accessories, it's easy to get lost. Remember, the best gifts resonate with the receiver’s passion and personality. Whether it’s a cutting-edge pedal, a vintage album, a masterclass, or even a simple handwritten note, your gesture can leave a mark on their musical journey.

With this 2023 Ultimate Guitar Gear Gift Guide, we hope to have provided a comprehensive roadmap to help you find the best gifts for guitar players in your life. Here's to making melodies, memories, and moments that last a lifetime!