I don't think you have enough guitars, dear. |
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What Acoustic Guitarists Want They joke a lot, but what they really want is to make good music. To do that, they need two things: time and space. They need to be able to retreat into a room that has their guitars and a good chair and a few other items (see the gift ideas section) and have some uninterrupted time to play and write. Give it to them. The shopping list and the leaky faucet can wait just a little while longer. 
Guitars. Plural. The above notwithstanding, the thing to remember with this crowd is that their needs are simple. They want guitars. Note the plural. Lots and lots of guitars. They can't actually afford to acquire all the guitars ever made, but, fortunately, they seem to be willing to settle for a few guitars and lots of beer. And snack food. They want to sit in a room, play the guitars, drink the beer and munch on the snack food. They love to make music and, outside of the tools to do that, they don't need much. By the way, if your acoustic guitar player is underage for beer or a teetotaler, non-alcoholic beverages will work too.
Find out about Acoustic Guitar You can find out what they're up to without much effort. The following resources should help. Imagine the fun of finally understanding what they're talking about! Ask your Acoustic Guitarist In this case, the question isn't "What do you like?" The question is "Why do you like it?" If your acoustic guitarist says they like a particular sound or other guitarist, ask them to tell you why. You'll find out how particular styles evolved. What came first, what sprang from it. Who did what and why it was interesting. You'll start to get a handle on how to understand and appreciate what your acoustic guitarist does and why they do it. And they'll get the fun of turning you on to their favorite music, as well as their own music. Listen to the Music If you want to get a sense of what's wonderful about acoustic guitar music, listen to the good stuff. The more you know, the better you will appreciate your guitarist's music. They like appreciation. These albums are a range of good music played by great guitarists and are a good place to start. Regardless of what style of music you like, you should be able to find something here that you'll enjoy. Picture the look on your acoustic guitarist's face when you casually mention that you like Leo Kottke, but J.J. Cale is really more up your alley...
The appearance of hyperlinks on this web site does not constitute endorsement by Spousal Sponsorship Program of any of the hyperlinked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. Spousal Sponsorship Program does not warrant or guarantee the content or accuracy of any information presented in hyperlinked sites, and does not make any representations (expressed or implied) as to the accuracy, currency or authenticity of the information and materials of third parties that may be accessed through this web site. Any reference or hyperlink obtained from this site to a specific commercial or non-commercial site, product, process, or service does not constitute or imply an endorsement by Spousal Sponsorship Program of the site, product, process, or service, or its producer or provider. Any product information is provided by the hyperlinked site, and Spousal Sponsorship Program makes no warranty, expressed or implied, including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, or assume any legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, usefulness or application of any product information from this site or the hyperlinks to other sites. Although the names of privately owned companies may be listed, that listing in no way implies endorsement of any company or its products by Spousal Sponsorship Program, which does not recommend or otherwise promote any of the services or products offered by any of the hyperlinked sites. Hyperlinks are provided solely as a service to users of Spousal Sponsorship Program, and therefore should not be construed as advocating or reflecting any position of Spousal Sponsorship Program. |
Acoustic Guitar |
Gift Ideas Guitarists can be hard to buy for. Either they already know exactly what they want, or they don't. Either way, it can get tricky. The list below contains choices that will help you sponsor the seasoned guitarist, the one who is just getting started and everyone in between.
Gift Certificates It can be hard to keep up with what a musician likes or wants at any given moment. Gift certificates are a great way to let them explore whatever sound or technique has their interest today. Local Music Shops The local music shop is usually the best choice. If your acoustic guitarist does not already have a relationship with a local music shop, they probably should. See if the local music or guitar store offers gift certificates. This online store has a great selection of equipment and acoustic guitar accessories. Gift certificates are available electronically or on paper. Dedicated to guitars and related instruments. Not only do they have equipment, but also a wide range of music. Gift certificates are not redeemable online, so make sure you request a catalog to go with the gift certificate. If in doubt, Amazon is a great choice. They have everything.
Publications
Equipment If you are really serious about your music, the guitar is just the start. You can sponsor your acoustic guitar player by helping them round out their tools and improve their practice space. Equipment can often be a question of personal taste, so you may want to take the gift certifcate route, or get your acoustic guitar player's input on which items they want. If your acoustic guitarist is new to the instrument, take the opportunity to research together to pick things out. Most of this is available from the local music store, but links are also provided to Shoreline Music, when available. Shoreline Music tends to provide a smaller selection than other online stores, but much better guidance. They are themselves guitarists and actually use many of the products, so the information is first hand. If Shoreline does not carry the item, another link is provided. Strings They need strings. They always need more strings. However, they need particular strings, so find out which ones they use before you try to buy them. Tuner New players need one. Experienced players need another one. Capo Capos are used to change the pitch of the guitar by shortening the strings. It is essential to certain styles of playing and useful to almost any guitarist. Guitar Stand Sooner or later, they have to put the thing down. Really. Guitar Stands at Musician's Friend Music Stand This one is pretty self-explanatory... Music Stands at Musician's Friend Guitar Seat They need someplace to sit to play and practice. Ordinary chairs tend to either be uncomfortable or get in the way of the guitar. SoundSeat makes quality seating for guitarists. Even if a SoundSeat is out of your price range, look at the pictures anyway and get a chair as much like them as you can find. Gig Bags and Gear Bags If they play anywhere other than in their own practice room, they need to carry the guitar and all its accessories around. Gig bags and gear bags are built to do just that. Guitar Cases If the guitar gets transported a lot or needs to be protected while at home, a gig bag doesn't provide enough protection. A case is much more sturdy and does a far better job of protecting the instrument. Guitar Cases at Musician's Friend Guitars They can't get enough guitars. This is a truly special gift, but don't try it without them involved. If it's not their first guitar, they probably have their eye on something in particular. If it is their first, it's special. Even if it's just a used guitar for lessons, don't deprive your acoustic guitarist the once-in-a-lifetime pleasure of picking their very own guitar.
Spread the Music Around A minidisc recorder with a good mic is a super gift for your acoustic guitar player. They can use it to record and listen to their practice sessions. Also, since most tray CD players can also play minidiscs, they make it easy to share music with friends and family members. Even those who don't have the computer savvy to manage email attachments and MP3 files. Sony makes nice Minidisc Walkman products that let your acoustic guitarist take their music with them.
Manicures Many acoustic guitarists play in a style that involves picking the strings with their fingernails. Doing this properly requires quite a bit of nail care. Even those that don't fingerpick need to keep their nails trimmed. Nail care products such as clippers and various grades of emery boards are essential. Many serious guitarists or those who don't have strong nails go to salons to get professional manicures or acrylic nails. A gift certificate to the local nail salon is likely to be much appreciated.
Lessons New guitarists and young guitarists are often taking lessons. They (or their parents) would probably enjoy an offer to pick up the tab for a few of said lessons.
Send Them to Guitar Camp Guitar camps are a wonderful way for your acoustic guitarist to immerse themselves for a few days. They are available for all ages and in most locales. Type "guitar camp" and your location (or the location you want to go) into your favorite search engine. People who have attended these workshops just can't seem to say enough good things about the experience and the folks who run the place. If you want to give your guitarist a truly great time, send them here! This camp offers workshops and classes at many levels and in many styles. They even have special packages where you can go to the spa or play golf while your guitarist attends the workshops. |
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