Guitar players adore guitar gear. Duh. But experienced guitarists can be picky about what they choose to use, which can make finding an ideal gift for your favorite player almost as hard as attempting to perform Van Halen’s “Eruption” on a ukulele.

Happily, we have a “few” guitarists here at Guitar Center who banded together to curate some much-needed, surprising and/or smile-inducing gift options for those who play a lot. The team purposefully focused on items that would appeal mostly to hard-working players with gig-specific gear needs and desires, so you shouldn’t go wrong with one or two of our suggestions.

However, if you’re looking for more light and cheerful suggestions, please check out our Best Gifts for Beginning Guitar Players. Pro tip: The beginner list isn’t just for beginners—there’s some cool stuff on there that would delight everyone from novices to professionals.

Both lists also work if you’re looking for new goodies for yourself or seeking not-so-subtle hints to drop on bandmates, family and friends. Let’s dig in!

Table of Contents

Top Gifts in Electric Guitars
   Fender Player II Stratocaster
   Gibson Les Paul Studio
Awesome Gifts in Acoustic Guitars
   Martin Special GPC Grand Performance
   Taylor GS Mini
Versatile Guitar Amp for All Music Styles
   BOSS Katana Artist Gen 3 100W 1x12 Combo Amp
Popular Guitar Pedals for Gifts
   Line 6 DL4 MKII Delay Pedal
   Line 6 HX Stomp Multi-Effects Processor
   TC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay Pedal
   TC Electronic Polytune 3 Pedal Tuner
Essential Gifts in Guitar Accessories
   D'Addario NYXL Light Electric Guitar Strings 3-Pack
   D'Addario XPND Pedalboard
   Ernie Ball Flat Ribbon Patch Cables Pedalboard Pack
   Ernie Ball John Mayer Silver Slinky Electric Guitar Strings 3-Pack
   Gator Flight Pro V3 Electric Guitar Case
   Levy's MSS2-BLK 3" Signature Series Black Leather Guitar Strap
   Mogami Gold Series Instrument Cable 25'
   Music Nomad KEEP IT SIMPLE, SETUP Starter Kit Bundle
Give Your Guitarist a Home Studio Setup
   Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio Pack (Gen 4)
Still Searching for Great Gifts?

Top Gifts in Electric Guitars

Fender Player II Stratocaster

What Makes This a Great Gift: It’s an exceptional Stratocaster, and it’s in a rare and striking British Racing Green finish. Start your engines!

Things to Consider: Comfort upgrades include a Modern C neck profile with a rolled fingerboard, as well as chambered bodies for the ash and mahogany versions (the alder model is not chambered).  

Pictured: Fender Player II Stratocaster Limited-Edition in British Racing Green

The Fender Player II Stratocaster—along with the entire Player II lineup—has been refined and revitalized, so serious Strat aficionados will be enthralled by the clever upgrades to playability and tone. The sonic versatility of a Stratocaster has been celebrated for decades, making this Player II model an excellent option for creators who negotiate myriad musical styles.

Explore More: Learn more about the Player II Series. Check out our comprehensive Fender Stratocaster guide.

Gibson Les Paul Studio

What Makes This a Great Gift: All of the classic Les Paul tone goodies in a basic model with a sweet finish.

Things to Consider: Two Gibson Burstbucker Pro pickups with coil tapping and a weight-relieved mahogany body.

Pictured: Gibson Les Paul Studio in Blueberry Burst

The Gibson Les Paul Studio is a stripped-down, built-for-speed machine with a SlimTaper neck, enhanced neck binding, dynamic and powerful humbuckers, and spot-on intonation. It’s a perfect guitar for no-nonsense rockers—and other stylists—who crave tough tones and singing sustain.

Explore More: Dive into the history of the Les Paul. Peruse our Gibson Les Paul guide.

Awesome Gifts in Acoustic Guitars

Martin Special GPC Grand Performance

What Makes This a Great Gift: “It’s a Martin” is usually enough to delight serious acoustic players. If not, the GPC adds premium components, outstanding playability and great tone.

Things to Consider: Solid Sitka spruce top, with solid sapele back and sides. Includes Fishman Sonitone pickup system.

Pictured: Martin Special GPC All-Solid Grand Performance Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Beaming an air of simple elegance, the Martin Special GPC Grand Performance Acoustic-Electric delivers the sonic goods for both unplugged and plugged-in artists. The GPC’s solid-wood construction, mahogany neck and glued, neck-to-body joint ensures maximum resonance, along with expressive mids and excellent dynamic response. Plug in, and the Fishman Sonitone system deploys an under-saddle piezo pickup, internal microphone and an onboard preamp with volume and tone controls to further craft your sound.

Explore More: Read through our Guide to Martin Standard Series acoustics.

Taylor GS Mini

What Makes This a Great Gift: Super portable, gorgeous-looking flat-top for buskers, solo-acoustic artists and anyone who wants to play music in the great wide open.

Things to Consider: Beautiful solid-mahogany top, West African ebony fingerboard, and it comes with a handy, travel-protective Taylor gig bag.

Pictured: Taylor GS Mini Mahogany Acoustic Guitar

The Taylor GS Mini brings the company’s effortless playability and rich, articulate sounds to a scaled-down model that can be toted almost anywhere—with the possible exception of spelunking expeditions. The GS Mini is a fantastic option for roaming players who prefer a more full-bodied acoustic, rather than bringing a dedicated travel guitar that may be slimmer and trimmer.

Explore More: Get the scoop on every current Taylor model.

Versatile Guitar Amp for All Music Styles

BOSS Katana Artist Gen 3 100W 1x12 Combo Amp

What Makes This a Great Gift: It’s a tone workstation with plentiful sounds for any style a guitarist wants to play, it’s loud enough for rowdy clubs and weighs just 41 lb.

Things to Consider: Tube Logic technology, 100 watts of power, six amp characters (with one variation each) and five independent effects sections.

Pictured: BOSS Katana Artist Gen 3 100W 1x12 Combo Amp

The BOSS Katana Artist Gen 3 1x12 combo gives players a lot of sonic options—which is especially beneficial if your favorite guitarist is in a band that plays a lot of covers, if they like to try out different music styles or if you’re not sure what type of music they dig. An amp with basically one tonal characteristic—no matter how awesome it sounds—might not be a safe gift choice when you’re unsure if rock, metal, pop, funk or something else is their preferred music to play. However, with the Katana Artist, there will always be a tone to fit their chosen style (or styles). The BOSS Tone Studio app allows even further sonic explorations, as well as the ability to organize your sounds into Live Sets.

Explore More: Research the complete Katana Gen 3 lineup.

Popular Guitar Pedals for Gifts

Line 6 DL4 MKII Delay Pedal

What Makes This a Great Gift: In addition to being one of the most popular delay modelers of all time, the upgraded DL4 MkII offers an abundance of 30 delays and two loopers.

Things to Consider: Gig tough and tested, with 15 new delays from the renowned Helix family of processors. There’s also an XLR microphone input for treating vocals in a home studio or on stage, as well as MIDI connectivity.

Pictured: Line 6 DL4 MKII Delay Pedal

The readily identifiable, horizontal green box that is the DL4 has been delighting delay disciples since its introduction in 1999. The smaller-footprint Line 6 DL4 MkII offers new superb-sounding HX delays, 1- and 4-switch loopers with up to 240 seconds of record time (expandable with optional microSD card) and increased performance possibilities via a jack for connecting an optional expression pedal or two footswitches.

Explore More: Do a deep dive on the DL4 MkII.

Line 6 HX Stomp Multi-Effects Processor

What Makes This a Great Gift: HX Stomp is a massive guitar and bass rig in a compact and convenient floorboard. From amps to speaker cabinets and effects, the perfect setup is but a few tweaks away.

Things to Consider: More than 300 amps, cabinets and effects modeled utilizing flagship Helix, M-Series and legacy Line 6 technology.

Pictured: Line 6 HX Stomp Multi-Effects Processor

Comprehensive digital guitar rigs are being used more and more on tour and in the studio, and the Line 6 HX Stomp multi-effects processor increases the power and portability factor with a floorboard that can fit into the front pocket of a guitar gig bag. You can construct a near limitless array of amp and cab combos, as well as spice up your tone with flexible effects chains. Even more valuable, if you dial in an amazing rig during a rehearsal or recording session, you can save it as a preset and bring that exact sound on stage with you.

Explore More: Watch guitarist Pete Thorn run HX Stomp through its paces.

TC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay Pedal

What Makes This a Great Gift: It serves up not one, but eight different delay types, and its conventional size doesn’t eat up lots of space on your pedalboard.

Things to Consider: Three TonePrint slots for user patches, integrated looper, stereo inputs and outputs for true stereo ambience.

Pictured: TC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay Pedal

The TC Electronic Flashback 2 offers a palette of musically usable and popular delay types, such as Analog, Tape and Reverse. The innovative MASH footswitch gives you a basic expression pedal without adding one to your setup. Simply press the switch harder to increase the delay level and ease off to decrease the effect level. There are lots of fun and funky creative options available by simply MASH-ing up your chosen delay effect.   

Explore More: Review our history of delay effects and wide-ranging pedal guide.

TC Electronic Polytune 3 Pedal Tuner

What Makes This a Great Gift: The Polytune 3 is one of the hippest tuners available. Polyphonic mode shows you the tuning status of all six strings simultaneously for quick “freshen ups” between songs.

Things to Consider: Automatic switching between monophonic and polyphonic tuning modes depending on how many strings you play, alternate tunings available, the strobe tuner provides ±0.02 cents accuracy, high-definition screen doesn’t get totally washed out by direct sun and stage lights.

Pictured: TC Electronic Polytune 3 Pedal Tuner

The TC Electronic Polytune 3 is easy and quick, making tuning on stage a breeze—even with minimal time between songs. You can leave the Polytune 3 in “always on” mode to monitor tuning integrity as you play, and TC Electronic’s low-impedance Bonafide buffer circuit ensures your tone is always transparent—even when it’s placed on complex pedalboards or plugged into long cable runs on big stages.

Explore More: Here are some other types of tuners you can check out.

Essential Gifts in Guitar Accessories

D'Addario NYXL Light Electric Guitar Strings 3-Pack

What Makes This a Great Gift: It’s a trio of high-tech, super tough strings that maintain tuning stability even if you bash your strings as hard as the impact of a charging rhino.

Things to Consider: High-carbon steel core with reformulated nickel-plated steel wire wrap for tensile strength.

Pictured: D'Addario NYXL .10-.46 Light Electric Guitar Strings 3-Pack

The construction and design of D’Addario NYXL guitar strings—as well as the company’s Fusion Twist technology that produces smoother wrap wire—ensures precise intonation, longer wear and even reduced finger squeaks. NYXL strings are excellent choices for players who perform a lot of whammy tricks, use several alternate tunings on the same guitar and/or subject strings to wide dynamic ranges (soft strums to punk rock-inspired pummeling).

Explore More: Learn about string formulations and construction.

D'Addario XPND Pedalboard

What Makes This a Great Gift: One of life’s eternal struggles is guitarists constantly changing out the pedals on their pedalboards. D’Addario’s ingenious telescoping board can reduce some reshuffling discomfort by expanding surface area with little more than a tug.

Things to Consider: Four-rail surface, rugged aluminum frame that’s designed to effortlessly grow from five pedals up to 20, industrial-strength Velcro for securing pedals included.

Pictured: D'Addario XPND Telescopically Expanding 4-Rail Pedalboard

The D’Addario PW-XPNDPB-02 XPND Pedalboard is quite the boon for any guitarists with option anxiety, “buyer’s remorse” or too many gigs with different signal processing needs. Rather than continually reorganizing a static board, the XPND expands and contracts with the need at hand. No more fearing going from Friday’s organic, three-pedal funk gig to Saturday’s prog-rock effects extravaganza. In essence, your pedalboard can grow with you—up to a point. (And if you really get to the point where you need more than 20 or so pedals, you can purchase another XPND or add optional pedal risers.)

Explore More: Learn how to build a better pedal signal chain.

Ernie Ball Flat Ribbon Patch Cables Pedalboard Pack

What Makes This a Great Gift: Room is always at a premium on most pedalboards, and like a Virgin Galactic spaceflight meticulously seeking to minimize weight, your pedal cabling should not take up excess space. These flat-ribbon cables and low-profile connectors free up much-needed real estate on your board.

Things to Consider: Gold-plated plugs, stranded-copper conductors, two layers of shielding and tough PVC jackets guarantee transparent signals, low noise and durability.

Pictured: Ernie Ball Flat Ribbon Patch Cables Pedalboard Pack

Ernie Ball Flat Ribbon Patch Cable packs include 10 slim cables in a variety of pedalboard-ready sizes (2x3", 4x6", 2x12", 2x24"). With no bulky cables or straight jacks that devour unnecessary space between pedal connections, squeezing your favorite pedals onto a crowded board—or simply making everything neat, tidy and more spacious—will be an exercise of smiles (rather than eliciting a flurry of frustrated curses).

Explore More: Use that extra space—here’s How to Choose the Best Guitar Pedals.

Ernie Ball John Mayer Silver Slinky Electric Guitar Strings 3-Pack

What Makes This a Great Gift: More than simply emulating the preference of a guitar hero, these unique gauges can benefit players desiring slightly thicker light-gauge strings.

Things to Consider: Reinforced plain strings enhance tuning stability and resilience.

Pictured: Ernie Ball John Mayer Silver Slinky Electric Guitar Strings 3-Pack

John Mayer is pretty fastidious about tone, technique and playability, so it’s perhaps not a surprise that he wanted his own set of signature strings. Ernie Ball John Mayer Silver Slinky strings are customized to Mayer’s preferred gauges of 10.5, 13.5, 17.5, 27, 37 and 47.

Explore More: How to Choose the Best Electric Guitar Strings.

Gator Flight Pro V3 Electric Guitar Case

What Makes This a Great Gift: Guitars can be like the villains in the Call of Duty video games—everyone is trying to take you down. You can help your favorite player’s favorite guitar withstand onslaughts of awful with a sturdy hardshell case.

Things to Consider: ATA-molded polyethylene outer shell, TSA-approved lock for fly gigs, EPS protective foam interior.

Pictured: Gator Flight Pro V3 TSA Series ATA Molded Electric Guitar Case

The Gator Flight Pro V3 hardshell case is built to protect most standard electric guitars from impacts, tip overs, baggage handlers, distracted roadies, oblivious bandmates and lots of other potential tragedies. The tank-like polyethylene shell guards against shocks and collisions, and the attractive, blue plush lining protects finishes from scratches and scrapes.

Explore More: Five Ways to Care for Your Electric Guitar.

Levy's MSS2-BLK 3" Signature Series Black Leather Guitar Strap

What Makes This a Great Gift: Hey, a serious player wielding a prized guitar should hitch that instrument to a premium strap. ’Nuff said.

Things to Consider: Two-ply embossed Italian leather for extravagance, foam padding for comfort, adjustable from 37" to 52" to suit most body types and heights.

Pictured: Levy's MSS2-BLK 3" Signature Series Black Leather Guitar Strap

For some players, guitar straps can be a bit of an afterthought. They shouldn’t be. Especially when Levy’s MSS2-BLK 3" Signature Series leather guitar strap struts the kind of comfort and quality that’s galaxies away from the freebie that came with your first SpongeBob SquarePants guitar. (Just saying …) The MSS2-BLK’s 3" thickness and foam padding makes even heavy guitars feel cozy on your shoulder during long gigs, and it looks as posh as the interior of a brand-new Lamborghini.

Explore More: Stroll through our collection of Levy’s guitar straps.

Mogami Gold Series Instrument Cable 25'

What Makes This a Great Gift: Mogami cables are some of the most deluxe cables available.

Things to Consider: Oxygen-free copper core, ultrahigh density spiral shielding, carbon-impregnated PVC shield layer, Mogami’s “no-excuses” lifetime warranty.

Pictured: Mogami Gold Series Instrument Cable 25'

Incorporating a Mogami Gold Series instrument cable into your rig means virtually never having to worry about guitar cable fails, tone fluctuations or handling noise ever again. These are tough cables to be sure, but they are also flexible and light. Real-world benefits for guitarists include sonic transparency and accuracy, wide frequency response, expansive dynamic range and extreme cancellation of hum and noise. There’s a reason for that lifetime guarantee.

Explore More: Looking for a wireless system?

Music Nomad KEEP IT SIMPLE, SETUP Starter Kit Bundle

What Makes This a Great Gift: Gives curious, DIY-interested guitarists an all-in-one tool kit for setting up their own guitars.

Things to Consider: About the only things this setup kit doesn’t include are nut files and acoustic guitar soundhole truss rod wrenches. Practically everything else a beginning (or even more experienced) guitar tech needs to do their job is present and accounted for.

Pictured: Music Nomad KEEP IT SIMPLE, SETUP Starter Kit Bundle

The Music Nomad KEEP IT SIMPLE, SETUP (KISS) Starter Kit is actually three kits that include almost everything a guitarist needs to setup their instrument to their very own preferences. There’s a six-piece Precision Gauge Setup Set, a Guitar Tech 26-piece Screwdriver and Wrench Set and a Guitar Tech 11-piece Truss Rod Wrench Set. In addition, Music Nomad doesn’t leave you to figure things out on your own. A 24-page, step-by-step instructional guide is part of the package.

Explore More: Additional guitar care tips.

Give Your Guitarist a Home Studio Setup

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio Pack (Gen 4)

What Makes This a Great Gift: This is everything a guitarist needs to transform a bedroom, garage, rehearsal space or tabletop into a marvelous home-recording studio.

Things to Consider: Includes recording interface, condenser microphone with pop filter, closed-back headphones, XLR cable and Studio Pack software bundle.

Pictured: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio Pack (Gen 4)

The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio Pack (Gen 4) offers a truly brilliant way to establish your own home studio and start making tracks almost immediately. It starts with the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface—a studio dream machine that captures stunning instrument and microphone signals. Then, you get Focusrite’s CM25 MkIII studio condenser mic—great for recording vocals of all styles, acoustic guitar, percussion and more—and Focusrite SH-450 closed-back headphones for monitoring. The Studio Pack software bundle includes Ableton Live Lite and Avid Pro Tools Artist DAWs, Softube amp simulators, Antares Auto-Tune and more (some tools are three-month free subscriptions).

Explore More: Improve your studio mixing chops with 3 Savvy EQ Moves to Clean Up Muddy Mixes and How to EQ Electric Guitar in a Mix.

Still Searching for Great Gifts?

If you remain concerned about getting something “just right,” offer the final decision to your guitarist by giving them a Guitar Center gift card. They will be able to peruse their local store—or explore guitarcenter.com—at their own speed and whenever they are in the mood to gear up.