Well, we’re all guitarists too, and we’ve got some suggestions for you… from stocking-fillers to main presents, we’ve given it some thought. Read on!

1 – Beginners Guitar Outfits

So you’re thinking about getting a guitar for a youngster to learn on? there are some great deals out there just now, but you’ll need to consider a few points.
Firstly acoustic or electric? Electric guitars need amplifiers, which will add to the cost, and can you and your neighbours take the noise? But if your little one prefers One Direction to Ed Sheeran (Or Grandad prefers Jimi Henddrix to Bob Dylan) getting the wrong type of guitar might ruin all your good intentions. Even though you may be selling this again before next Christmas, getting anything too cheap might be counterproductive; remember this is a musical instrument, and you don’t want it to be unplayable. Learning a musical instrument is hard enough without having to fight your guitar!

There are a lot of good starter packages out there, that include smaller practice amps, and we recommend the Squier SE Special Strat with Squier SP-10 Amp – this package includes a great guitar and amp (both made by Fender) plus a cable, electronic tuner, instructional DVD, guitar stand, gig bag, and picks. How they do this for the money is quite remarkable! The Stratocaster is one the best guitar designs of all time, and this guitar will happily see them through their entire guitar playing life. I started on a Squier Strat, and despite having a large guitar collection, it is still one of my favourite players.

Squier SE Special Strat And SP-10 Amp

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Fender Squier Strat Guitar Body SE Special Pack Ready to Load White

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2 – Beginners Acoustic Guitar

Or for a starter acoustic, how about the Fender FA-100. A quality Fender acoustic at a very affordable price. How wrong can you go with a Fender? And what a price.

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3 – Guitar Strings

All guitarists need strings. They deteriorate a lot quicker than some people realise, and have a major impact on guitar sound. And far too often players throw on the cheapest strings they can find as quickly as possible. But what if your loved one is really serious about guitar playing. There are  some very nice strings out there, at a wide range of prices. As Christmas is about doing something special, we recommend some very highly regarded strings; hard to find in regular stores, and certainly not cheap. Maybe a little too expensive for the average player to stretch too, but  Thomastik have a fantastic reputation for guitar and bass strings, that will certainly help any serious guitarist get the best out of their axe. For rock players, check out Thomastik Power Brights, and for other players, try the George Benson Signature set. Thomastik strings are on my Christmas list most years!

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4 – A Barstool?

A what? This one might surprise you, but these really are useful for guitar players. I have one next to my amp at all times, and you’d be amazed how useful they are. The design is nothing too unusual, but the metal footrest is position perfectly for playing, allowing you to just sit and play. With your foot on it, the guitar no longer slips down your leg, no accidental string dampening etc. And with your favourite guitar and amp branding these make a very stylish addition to any music room. Available withlogos by Fender, Gibson, Vox, Ampeg etc

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5 – Fancy Guitar Picks

We’ve discussed stone guitar picks on this site before. They can be used to create interesting tonal effects and are very attractive in their own right. A lot of players haven’t tried them, as they are a little bit more expensive than normal picks. The perfect Christmas present?

Lots of 10pcs The Rolling Stones 2 sides Printing Medium Guitar Picks

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Lot of 5 Exotic Guitar Picks *Agate Stone, Jasper, Wood, Bone, Bamboo* Rare Set

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6 – A Leather Guitar Strap

There are a lot of very high quality guitar straps out there – something often overlooked by guitarists – but a good strap helps keep your guitar in place, stops it sliding around or neckdiving, and most importantly stops it falling off. There are so many patterns and styles, but we recommend leather; they are comfortable, hardwaring, secure, and exude quality – maybe a little too expensive for a younger player to buy themselves, so an ideal Christmas gift.

Levy's MSS2 Suede Leather Guitar Strap in Black, 2 1/2 wide

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Levy's DM1PD 3" Leather Face w/Padded Back Guitar Strap (Black)

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7 – Levys Crocodile Leather Gig Bag

OK, this is one for the guitarist who has everything… Mega expensive, but a real piece of luxury, and great protection for a really loved guitar. This case provides a great deal of protection; maybe not as muchy as a hardcase, but perfect for taking on aircraft as hand luggage, and very, very stylish to boot. Not real croc by the way!

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8 – Zoom Q2HD Handy Video/Audio Recorder

These are just so useful. Whether rehearsing with the band, gigging, or coming up with new ideas. This great little device has a great reputation for capturing the moment. Whether for personal records, or to spread virally to the world, this great little piece of kit is the modern musicians BEST friend.

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9 – Fender Shot Glasses

Ok, so the guitarist in your life has everything. But they like a drink? So what about some other merchandise with a guitar theme. How about some branded shot glasses? Check in a bottle of JD too?

Fender Guitar Headstock Shot Glasses Set of 4 New in Box Ships Free USA

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10 – Guitar Mousemat

You can’t go wrong with a mousemat; they’re cheap, useful and come with just about every design ever conceived. Most bigger guitar manufacturers offer such things, but you can also get them printed yourself if you have the perfect photograph.

THOMAS GIBSON Mouse Pad Criminal Minds

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FENDER MOUSEPAD GUITAR MOUSE PAD STRAT STRATOCASTER

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• Best Beginner Guitar

Before you can sell your guitar you need to know what it is, and what it is worth. Getting an ID should not be too hard, you probably know anyway, but if not one of the very many guitar dealers, or guitar forums should be able to help. As for valuations, our article on finding vintage guitar values should help you find an approximate figure.

So you know what you’ve got, and what it is worth, but is it a good time to sell? Well many people would say no. The vintage guitar market was at a high five years back, and prices are way down. But is this really true? The answer is not that simple. As a generalisation, a lot of guitars were overvalued then. It is true that the ludicrously expensive 50s Les Paul Standards, Stratocasters and Telecasters are not fetching the prices they once were; bankers are not getting the bonuses they did. But the dealers that bought them up, and artificially increased their prices (hence values) are now are stuck with them, unable to sell. So for them the market is definately down.

But these guitars are the real tip of the iceberg, and are not representative of most vintage guitar sales. The vast majority of quality vintage guitars that were selling for $500-$2000 in 2006 are still selling at the same ballpark figures. Some are selling for a little less, but many are selling for more. The fact is that the recession of the last few years has not damaged the intrinsic value of a fine quality vintage instruments, but it has damaged the value of price-inflated guitars with a premium added on for their rarity.

So is it time to sell? If you have a guitar that a musician would love to play you will almost certainly be able to sell at a reasonable price, not too far from what you would have got before the recession. If you want tens of thousands of dollars for a guitar that is too valuable to take out of your home, perhaps you’d better wait for the next boom!

• Vintage guitar values

JEFF BECK LIVE AT RONNIE SCOTT’S 2007.11

Jeff’s guitar tech Steve Prior gives an in depth interview about Jeff’s guitars and beyond. Stay TUNED for more.

Jeff shows off some of his favourite guitars: his Gibson L5, 1954 Stratocaster, 1954 Telecaster, Gretch Rancher and a Maccaferri given to him by Led Zeppelins Jimmy Page. Jeff Beck clearly has great affection for his guitars, and talks about the other players that influenced his sound – mostly rock and roll guitarists like Cliff Gallup and Scotty Moore, but also the likes of Django Reinhardt.

And he treats us to a few choice licks in a different style for each guitar – even when not plugged in the tonal differences are really apparent. From twanging teles to soulful strats – check this clip out!

Fender Custom Shop Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster (Surf Green)

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Video Rating: 4 / 5

Jeff’s guitar tech Steve Prior gives an in depth interview about Jeff’s guitars and beyond. A lot more interesting stories for all us gear heads. Steve talks pickups, strings and broken bodies!

Video Rating: 5 / 5

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Figure 1 - Agate Stone Plectrum

To many guitarists, the answer is a resounding yes! Not only are they longer-lasting, easy gripping, and better sounding; they are also very appealing items to own.

Those who have used stone picks often prefer the crisp tone  – more defined even than even metal picks. Common materials used are Agate, Jasper, Jade and Turquioise; all highly polished.

Lot of 5 Exotic Guitar Picks *Agate Stone, Jasper, Wood, Bone, Bamboo* Rare Set

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While the picks are indeed much more durable- they won’t harm guitar strings. Thanks to finely smoothed edges, stone picks should be just as safe as plastic picks to use- given you bought them from a store, and haven’t decided to use your rock collection as picks. Needless to say, you might not get any use out of using your wedding ring either- sorry, guys.

Essentially, stone picks give a unique tone because of a few characteristics such as density, flexibility, and durability. Imagine striking a large bell with a plastic hammer- it will be much different than striking the same bell with a rock. From this example, many different specialty stores have started to sell such picks as a new way to control precise tones. Interestingly, plastic will absorb part of the tone when struck against a string- while stone will not.

Figure 2 - Black Brasilian Stone Pick

Gemstone picks will last a very long time, and offer good grip control- even more so than Tortex picks. The only problem with a gemstone pick is losing it. If you are like most guitar enthusiasts, losing picks around the room or house- even in pockets- can be a common nuisance. With single picks costing upwards of around $30 each, there is obviously a need to reform old habits. In fact, some companies will try and tell you that a stone guitar pick is the last one you will ever need to buy. While this is indeed possible, it is much more likely it will be lost long before it breaks.

If you are indeed looking to acquire a stone pick, you will most likely have to go on-line, or visit a rather large music retail shop. They are much harder to find than the dozens of boxes of plastic, nylon, and metal picks littering musician shops. While $30 may seem a little high, the “cool” factor gained through bragging to friends and fellow musicians is sometimes well worth the money, and extra tonal clarity can be priceless. Different shapes, gems, translucencies, and sizes can all be crafted from many types of stones – as well as customizations and extra gripping features. If you are looking for extra tonal clarity, this could be a good upgrade to your collection.

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• Guitar Pick History and Information
• Tortex Picks
• Weird Guitar Picks 

Gibson SG Special Electric Guitar,Worn Brown Satin

Gibsons are expensive. We all know. So how about this? A fantastic SG, at a great price – the satin finish is not as shiny as a regular finish. But that’s it. it’s still a fantastic sounding SG, with it’s trademark bite. With the full pickguard it’s very much late sixties style. Think Pete Townsend on Live at Leeds, or Carlos Santana at Woodstock.

• Powerful, intense, and affordable 6-string electric guitar with solid mahogany body and ’50s rounded neck profile
• 490T and 490R pickups–”T” for treble, and “R” for rhythm
• Swirl acrylic inlays for classic “pearl” look
• Gibson Tune-O-Matic bridge; 2 volume and 2 tone controls plus 3-way toggle
• Worn brown finish with chrome hardware; comes with Gibson Deluxe Gig Bag

The Gibson Faded SG Special is an electric guitar that maintains the tradition of looks, functionality, and value for which the SG guitar is known. Under its attractive faded finish, the Faded Special SG is still the traditional SG, with mahogany body and neck, Tune-O-Matic/stopbar bridge, and alnico 490 pickups. The guitar’s faded finish gives it the look of an electric that started its rockin’ days in the ’60s.

The Gibson SG range was first popular in the mid 1960s . Very influential guitarists such as George Harrison of the Beatles, Eric Clapton of Cream, and Robbie Kreiger of the Doors all played Gibson SGs. But this  model, the full-scratchplate Gibson SG Special is most associated with Pete Townsend of the Who around 1969-1970.  

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A Little SG History In 1961, the Les Paul was redesigned with a thinner body and 2 sharp cutaway horns that made the upper frets more accessible while lowering production costs. The new guitar was popular, but Les Paul the guitarist behind the original Les Paul did not like it and asked to have his name removed. Gibson renamed the model the “SG” which was short for “solid guitar”. Though Les Paul’s name was officially removed from the model in 1961, the plastic Les Paul nameplates (positioned between the rhythm pickup and fingerboard) were in abundance in the Gibson factory and SG models having these nameplates were built and sold by Gibson up to the end of 1963. SGs have been the choice of world-class artists such as Pete Townsend, Eric Clapton, Tony Iommi, and Angus Young.

Key Features

’50s Rounded Neck Profile

No guitar neck profiles are more distinguishable than the neck profiles employed on the Gibson models of today. The more traditional ’50s neck profile on the SG Special is the thicker, rounder profile, emulating the neck shapes found on the iconic 1958 and 1959 Les Paul Standards. The neck is machined in Gibson’s rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. But once the fingerboard gets glued on, the rest–including the final sanding–is done by hand. That means there are no two necks with the exact same dimensions. So while it still has the basic characteristics of its respective profile, each neck will be slightly different, with a distinct but traditional feel.

Gibson’s 490 (R) Rhythm and (T) Treble Pickup

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The mid to late 1960s saw the emergence of a very different type of music coming from the clubs of England. It was an interpretation of the blues that hadn’t been heard before, and it was much harder, more rocking, and definitely louder than anything else before it. As such, this new genre’s players were demanding more powerful amplifiers with increased volume outputs to satisfy their sonic explorations. This led to a call for a more versatile pickup that could split coils through a push/pull knob, and prevent microphonic feedback from occurring when the volumes were turned up to maximum levels.

Gibson answered this call with the introduction of the revolutionary 490T and 490R pickups (“T” for treble, and “R” for rhythm). The 490R is a humbucker with the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, with a slight increase in upper mid-range response. The 490T bridge pickup is calibrated to match the 490R, with pole pieces aligned a little further apart to accommodate the spacing of the strings at the bridge, which is different than the spacing of the strings at the neck.

Solid Mahogany Body

Probably the most central of all the SG Special’s features is its solid mahogany body–lightweight, strong, with a thick, warm tone. The mahogany goes through the same rigorous selection process as all of Gibson’s woods, and is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson’s team of skilled wood experts before it enters the Gibson factories.

Inside the Gibson factories, humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees. This ensures all woods are dried to a level of “equilibrium,” where the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, in addition to reducing the weight. It also helps with improving the woods’ machinability and finishing properties. Consistent moisture content means that a Gibson guitar will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.

Dot Inlays

Over the years, the classic dot inlay has been one of the more traditional features of many Gibson models, including the SG. A figured, swirl acrylic gives these inlays that classic “pearl” look. They are inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps and doesn’t require the use of fillers.

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Nitrocellulose Finish

This guitar features a nitrocellulose finish–one of the most labor-intensive elements of the guitar-making process–which dries to a much thinner coat than a polyurethane finish, meaning there is less interference with the natural vibration of the instrument, allowing for a purer tone.

A nitro finish is also a softer finish, which makes it easily repairable. You can touch up a scratch or ding on a nitro finish, but you can’t do the same on a poly finish. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous in nature, and actually gets thinner over time. It does not “seal” wood in an airtight shell–as a poly finish does–and allows the wood to breathe and age properly.

What’s in the Box

Gibson SG Special electric guitar, Gibson Deluxe Gig Bag, and owner’s manual.

List Price: $ 1,164.00

Price: $ 640.00

A guitar pick, or plectrum is used to pluck, or strum guitar strings; to improve sound, allow faster strumming, and reduce injury on fingers. You can just use your fingers, especially for picking, but a pick gives far more bite to notes, and hurts a lot less. There are many types of guitar picks to choose from: different materials, shapes, as well as sizes and colors. Some guitar picks are even used for special purposes, such as a double-sided pick for “double plucking.” This article explores some of the diffent types.

Different types of Guitar Pick

Guitar picks are commonly made out of plastic, but also bone, amber, rubber, felt, tortoiseshell, wood, stone, metals, and even gemstones. Each of the materials has it’s own unique sound, but also properties such as ease of grip, and durability. For instance, metal has a very distinct bright sound when plucked against a guitar string- but offers little grip. Tortoiseshell is one of the best for gripping, and sounds great, although an international ban on tortoise shell led to the creation of Tortex picks.

Choosing your favourite material is a matter of trying them all out, and deciding on which sound and grip works for your playing style- whether it be metal, bues, or jazz. If all else fails, weird guitar picks aren’t unheard of- from bone, to an Allen wrench- just about anything can become a useable plectrum!

Figure 1 - Traditional picks, a thumb pick, and a triangle pick example

Different gauges of guitar pick

The thickness of a guitar pick is very important. For instance, a thicker pick will give a harder sound, with more attack, and more control in tone, while a thinner pick will give more of a random and uncontrollable sound, but allows faster picking. Hard rock or metal players usually prefer thin picks – especially if they like to play fast riffs. These guitarists usually favour thinner strings, but players who use thicker gauges will often need thicker picks. Likewise, bass guitarists usually use thick picks. Thinner picks give less power, and have less durability- especially with complex techniques such as tremolo picking.

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There are a few shapes and sizes to picks, as well. A shark’s fin pick will allow the use of pick scraping to be much easier. A sharp edged pick will give an edgier sound to one’s playing style. The equilateral pick is perfect for beginners- as it has no special qualities to master, and each corner can be used to play the guitar with. Some picks even wrap around an entire finger- such as the thumb pick that is available.

D’Andrea picks were the first to actually offer things such as custom imprinting, and developed many of the shapes and materials of picks that are still in use today. D’Andrea picks are still available today, since 1922. From the customization D’Andrea picks started, other companies have followed suit. Today, there are hundreds of styles, shapes, colors, and sizes of picks. In fact, picks made of precious gems are available toda. Of course, these picks don’t flex or bend- but they offer a unique sound and are very durable.

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Guitar picks are plentiful, and usually only cost a few dollars for a dozen of them. Some of the most mainstream picks are offered by Fender, and some less mainstream picks such as the Joe Satriani line of picks are available- although they cost more money. Choosing the guitar pick is the first step in mastering the guitar, and the next step would be to master picking techniques. It should be noted that if a more extravagant pick is desired, such as the gemstone picks, that you should make sure you don’t lose them- consider it a piece of good advice, picks are usually lost before they are broken.

• Tortex Picks
• Gem Stone Picks
• Weird Guitar Picks

A very good looking bass for sure; black on black is the classic rock look, and they simply sound just as good as they look. Perfect for rock, punk, metal…

Epiphone Les Paul Special Electric Bass Guitar, Black Satin

• Les Paul bass guitar in satin black. Serious Les Paul sustain
• Mahogany body with set (glued in) mahogany neck
• Rosewood fretboard with dot inlays; long scale (34″)
• Specially designed Alnico bass Humbucker pickups
• Width at nut: 1.65 inches
• All black hardware

List Price: $ 499.00

An amazing sounding bass that is amazingly affordable too. The Les Paul Special Bass from Epiphone takes it’s styling from the original Gibson Les Paul guitars of the 1950s. All-Mahogany construction, including the set, mahogany neck gives great sustain; every note is warm and lasting. Great bass tone comes from a pair of 442R Alnico bass humbucker pickups. The Pitch Black finish and blacked-out hardware complete the attitude.

Price:

Epiphone Thunderbird IV Electric Bass Guitar - Vintage Sunburst

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Epiphone Flying V Bass Guitar w/ gigbag

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More Epiphone Bass Products

I’ve known young guitarists change out tuning keys, and even buy new guitars because their old guitar would never stay in tune. In many instances it was just a matter of a poor setup, with nothing wrong with the guitar or any of it’s components.

But don’t worry, adjusting intonation is really very easy. All you need is a guitar tuner and a screwdriver. This article tells you how.

Plug your guitar into an electric guitar tuner, and tune the first string. Once it is perfectly in tune, play the same string at the octave (12th fret). What does the tuner say? Sharp? Flat? If it is not in tune, your guitar needs an intonation adjustment.

This is done by moving the relevant saddle by a very small amount. If the note was sharp, it needs to travel away from the bridge; if flat, towards the bridge. This is usually accomplished by turning a bridge screw.

This process of tuning the open string, testing at the twelfth fret, and adjusting where necessary should be repeated until each string is perfectly in tune up and down the fretboard.

In some instances, no matter how hard you try to intonate a string, it will never keep tune adequately. Old or damaged strings can cause such problems, as can incorrect strings, and silk windings extending too far onto the string, and onto the saddle.

Many older electric guitars from the 1950s and early 1960s have no means of intonation adjustment. Some have a one-piece bridge that  is not attached to the guitar top, and must be moved in entirety to make adjustments.

In short: learn how to intonate your guitar, it’s incredibly easy. Spend 10 minutes, and make sure you sound at your very best!

Well, with a Gibson Les Paul 60s tribute, you get 60s styling, Gibson quality, and a price point that us non-bankers can afford. A fine looker for sure, based on their 1960s Kalamazoo-built classics. And incredible value for money.

Gibson Les Paul Studio 60s Tribute Electric Guitar, Worn Cherry Sunburst

• Slim Taper Neck
• Dual P-90 soap bar single coil pickups
• Limited Edition
• gigbag included
• Comes with adjustment literature, and documentation for the guitar’s Limited Lifetime Warranty, along with Gibson’s 24/7/365 Customer Service.
• Dual P-90 soap bar single coil pickups and slim taper neck.
• Limited Edition and gigbag included.

The 1960s Tribute electric guitar consists of a basic Gibson Les Paul chassis with all the essential elements needed to rock including a Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece and Kluson-style tuners keep it all rock-solid and resonant and its gnarly P-90 tone stays true to the Les Paul style.

A solid, carved maple top and chambered mahogany body give the Les Paul Studio ’60s Tribute the same tonewood combination that has been helping Les Pauls rock for nearly 60 years. Authentic vintage-style finishes present a guitar with the look of a well played original, while the instrument’s unbound body and neck keep it in line with the popular Les Paul Studio line. The headstock of the Gibson Les Paul Studio 1960s Tribute is equipped with Grover Kluson style green keys. With a gear ratio of 14:1, these tuners deliver precision tuning in a durable housing that provides maximum protection for the gear and string post. The Gibson Les Paul’s Tune-O-Matic bridge, sets a standard for simplicity and functionality that has never been bettered. The Tune-O-Matic provides a firm seating for the strings, allowing the player to adjust and fine-tune the intonation and string height in a matter of minutes. Both the neck and bridge position pickups are equipped with cream-colored screaming single-coil P-90 pickups. The P-90 was the standard pickup on all Gibson guitars in the late 1940s and into the 1950s and because of its crisp, bright tone it has experienced resurgence in popularity with many of today’s modern rockers. These classic Gibson guitar pickups deliver sizzling, slightly gritty midrange roar. You’ll find that the P-90s’ high output and biting treble has more nuanced harmonic coloring than the typical single-coil pickup.

List Price: $ 1,399.00

Price:

Check out these great vintage guitar resources

• Gibson Les Paul – vintage Les Paul guitar information

Finger picking is a simple skill that can greatly improve your playing, and it isn’t just for folk and country players! If you are usually a pick player, you may just be surprised about the different textures that become open to you.

From pop and rock songs by the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, to the most obscure country blues guitarists, you may be surprised what songs were recorded fingerstyle.

Fingerstyle playing is very different tonally from pick playing; being softer, warmer and less aggressive, but also allowing a greater deal of harmonic complexity than straight chords and riffs. In a band situation it can really work wonders, creating extra space between rhythm and lead guitars.

This video is for the novice fingerpicker – but why not start at the beginning?

Go on, put the plectrum down and try something new. You might find a bit of fingerstyle is what your guitar playing needs.