Guitar gift for kid with most guitar things already
December 15, 2016 7:08 PM   Subscribe

Any gift suggestions for a 12-year old boy who plays guitar? He has a nice acoustic and just was given a decent electric. He has a tuner, a capo, a bag, a stand, straps, picks, and a pick case. Budget is like $25-30.

His uncle built a small Martin from a kit, which he has had for several years. (I love the sound of that thing.)

He will be getting a cable and a little amp for the electric, which is a 2001(?) Squire Fender Strat that his guitar teacher gave him: an amazing Christmas surprise! He already has headphones for practicing quietly.

Would an iRig 2 be good for recording himself on Garageband? (We have a 2010 MacBook Air, which doesn't have a microphone jack.) Are there inexpensive USB audio interface devices that are better, without costing a hundred bucks? Is there any software that would run on his school-issued and tightly-locked-down Chromebook?

Thank you for any ideas!
posted by wenestvedt to Shopping (32 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
How about a pedal? Can't speak to their quality, but here are some cheap ones. All my guitar-playing friends love playing around with different pedal setups.
posted by dadaclonefly at 7:17 PM on December 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


A Pick Punch?
posted by chrisamiller at 7:19 PM on December 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


One of my favorite things is a USB guitar cable, which is great for GarageBand.
posted by 4ster at 7:19 PM on December 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: One of my favorite things is a USB guitar cable, which is great for GarageBand.

Any particular one, 4ster? I know basically zero about this whole area.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:21 PM on December 15, 2016


I can't find the exact one I have, but this looks good. He will have a blast playing around with all the effects in GarageBand.
posted by 4ster at 7:22 PM on December 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Picks do go missing constantly (I have multiple guitarists in my house and I find picks in the dryer even when I've only done my own laundry) so a pick punch (and a pack of cheap drugstore emery boards to soften the edges) is a great idea, my family uses ours way more than I expected (I figured it would be a straight-up novelty gift).
posted by padraigin at 7:49 PM on December 15, 2016


Maybe a gift certificate to a guitar store he likes? That'll let him get replacement strings, try out some new picks, etc.

Another idea may be a metronome, that he can practice against.
posted by spinifex23 at 7:50 PM on December 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Extra strings and a string winder might be good. When I was that age I never wanted to change strings because they seemed like something I had to board. They were always in short supply. Also, you could provide an assortment of gauges so he could figure out for himself what he likes. (I like .12s but his fingers may not be up to those yet.)
posted by curiousgene at 7:50 PM on December 15, 2016 [3 favorites]


Ooh, yeah, a metronome is a great idea. I shoulda thought of that.
posted by curiousgene at 7:52 PM on December 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Something that gives him access to effects would be fun: I think about what's around now compared to when I started playing in my early teens, and how you either needed a load of pedals or something like the Zoom boxes that cost considerably more than my guitar and amp combined. (Effects can send you off on tangents, but having good reverb and chorus and tremolo makes a lot of recorded guitar stuff comprehensible in ways that aren't obvious if you've just got clean and overdrive on your amp.)

So, if the amp doesn't have modelling or built in effects, go with the iRig. Unfortunately, I don't think there's much you can do audio-wise with a locked-down Chromebook. If he has access to iOS devices, there are potentially options there, from Garage Band to Amplitube and so on.
posted by holgate at 7:59 PM on December 15, 2016


Response by poster: (His rhythm is...not a strength. He seems somehow impervious to metronomes: the only thing that works is his teacher tapping his foot hard, or sometimes me tapping the top of his damn head. Gaaaaah. That said, he has a couple of metronome apps on his iPod.)
posted by wenestvedt at 8:00 PM on December 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: We do have GarageBand on the old MacBook Air!
posted by wenestvedt at 8:01 PM on December 15, 2016


How about a clip on guitar tuner? I use an older revision of that one; one of my buddies has this one on all his electrics. I find them to be super convenient.

But a gift certificate would be more flexible, if you think he might want something else?
posted by Alterscape at 8:08 PM on December 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


iPod, you say? An iPod touch opens a lot of doors. I have the Line 6 Sonic Port, which is a lot more expensive than the iRig, and iOS only, but the Mobile POD app is really nice, and comes unlocked if you have the hardware, while Amplitube and JamUp and AmpKit have lots of itsy bitsy in-app purchases. (That said, iOS Garage Band is perfectly fine for the most common amp models and standard effects and recording.)
posted by holgate at 8:17 PM on December 15, 2016


I know you said he's getting a little amp, but how little? There are some decent pocket amps that are nice for their portability, even above the smaller standard amps. You could also get him a slide, which he'll be able to have more fun with once he has an amp.

FWIW, I got the pick punch for someone and it broke after like 5 uses. YMMV.
posted by quiet coyote at 8:39 PM on December 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


A pack of custom printed guitar picks. Rock star status! Can easily be had for $25-30.
posted by le_salvo at 9:17 PM on December 15, 2016 [3 favorites]


a unique guitar strap? This guy does pretty cool different styles?
posted by speakeasy at 9:47 PM on December 15, 2016


I'm here to suggest a strap, too -- in this case a neoprene-based one such as the Mega Strap from Neotech. It runs for about 30 dollars in stores and IMO makes it much more comfortable to stand and play for long periods of time with an electric guitar.

I have one marketed for bass guitar and actually use it with electric guitar -- ordered it by mail years ago when I was a student. Certainly much more expensive than the thin nylon straps that were around 5 bucks (especially on a student budget), but well worth it. (Btw, Neotech also has a slightly more inexpensive model called the Super Strap -- I'd definitely spring for the Mega Strap which has more neoprene.)

Nth-ing curiousgene's suggestion above on extra strings and a string/peg winder. My favorite strings for acoustic are John Pearse phosphor/bronze (600L or 650LM), so I heartily recommend those. A string winder is a great, cheap tool that can make restringing easier.

If he already has a string winder, check to see if it's a standard one that sells for a couple of bucks (looks like the picture in this example) -- if so, I'd recommend a different winder for just a few more dollars. Something like the Herco winder, maybe. I spent years with a freebie standard string winder that a salesperson threw in with a purchase, and it made changing strings more annoying than the experience had to be. Some important things to look for: the shaft should fit well (and not slide around the tuning peg or be too deep, which may interfere with or scratch the headstock); and the whole thing should be simple (I've tried the one from D'addario that comes with a string cutter and it's not as easy to use/rotate as the simpler ones, and a $10 dedicated wire cutter tool is much easier to use for the string cutting aspect).

Also, if the acoustic guitar lives in a dry environment, like in a room with heating in winter months -- a little humidifier can help. I've used Dampits (note: they are also available on amazon but I'm seeing a few comments where people thought they were knockoffs that weren't as good as the real thing; they're also available from musiciansfriend and maybe your local b&m stringed instrument shop).
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 11:52 PM on December 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Kids love logo T-shirts - Marshall, Orange, Fender, etc.

E.g. here.
posted by Coda Tronca at 12:42 AM on December 16, 2016


If you do get him a strap, get strap locks too. They're basically just rubber washers that keep it from sliding off of the pegs and are cheap enough to be stocking stuffers.
posted by mattamatic at 2:31 AM on December 16, 2016 [5 favorites]


(His rhythm is...not a strength. He seems somehow impervious to metronomes: the only thing that works is his teacher tapping his foot hard, or sometimes me tapping the top of his damn head. Gaaaaah. That said, he has a couple of metronome apps on his iPod.)
Maybe a drum machine or drum machine app would make practicing timing more fun?

Does his new amp have an aux in so he can play along with songs?

Recording yourself is another good way to get a reality check on how bad some part of your playing is. The irig or a usb audio interface would be one way to do that, but I don't have a particular recommendation. Or there are dedicated portable audio recorders, but I think they're out of your price range, even used.

Or a loop pedal--that's basically just a very simple audio recorder. He can see plenty of amazing loop pedal performances on youtube. Building up layers of loops requires impeccable timing. Probably out of budget again, though.

Also ask his teacher for gift suggestions if you haven't already.
posted by bfields at 5:47 AM on December 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


I've got an iRig stomp, which is great because it looks and feels like a regular pedal, and is a ton of fun for garage band, etc.
posted by signal at 6:03 AM on December 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


Every teenager needs a distortion pedal.
posted by bondcliff at 6:23 AM on December 16, 2016 [8 favorites]


The Boss DS 1 distortion pedal is not only, like, everyone's My First Pedal, but an actual real piece of equipment that he may keep and use his whole life - I've still got mine from 1984. Most post-50's rock won't sound right without at least some distortion, and a pedal is probably more flexible than whatever distortion may be built into the amp.
posted by soundguy99 at 7:57 AM on December 16, 2016 [2 favorites]


How about a headphone amp like this?
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 8:13 AM on December 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


I recently got myself this weird thing. It's pretty fun, and gets me writing stuff I otherwise would not have written.
posted by destructive cactus at 11:09 AM on December 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


a guitar strap lock system is the most practical, but boring idea. i like the t-shirt idea, with a good supply of stickers and also guitar pics. (there is almost no amount of pics that aren't enough)
posted by lescour at 12:55 PM on December 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


Does the guitar have a gig bag or decent case?

Don't get strings or picks unless you know the gauges etc that he will be using. Takes a while to figure that out.

N'thing distortion pedal. The Boss is a good choice.
posted by spitbull at 5:17 PM on December 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


Iconic pedals like the DS-1 or Tube Screamer will always be a good investment -- and can be picked up second-hand -- but the good ones are above your budget, and I'd hold off anyway until he's had enough time playing with digital effects to work out which ones he wants to work with.
posted by holgate at 7:00 PM on December 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


Rocksmith 2014 Remastered with a cable.

Most fun way to practice/play.
posted by lamby at 3:28 AM on December 18, 2016


Actually you could buy strings and picks in different gauges for him to experiment with. I am a fan of Elixir strings, but D'Addario or Ernie Ball strings will be in most stores. I'd suggest three packs each of .009, .010, and .011 to start (sets are identified by their lightest high E string, and I am assuming he's playing rock).

I have used Jim Dunlop nylon picks forever, available in any music store. I buy their light gray .60mm picks by the gross for literally pennies per pick, but before doing that get a few each of all the different thicknesses (color coded in Dunlop picks) until he settles on a pick he likes (takes time to discover).

Picks and strings are personal and style and instrument dependent. Having options to play with and learn from is part of learning to play.

Also, a $15 tubular guitar stand is a must have if you don't want to ding the neck up right away.
posted by spitbull at 7:54 AM on December 18, 2016


Response by poster: Update: Santa brought him a Blackstar Fly 3 amp, and a knock-off cable to go from the guitar to a USB port. I made a strap for him out of black (BLACK) leather that matches the electric guitar, and I also sewed up a little pick case out of a scrap of brown leather into which I tucked a couple of picks I put together out of super-thin cherry and oak veneer. He also got a nice nylon bag that says "Fender" on it.

The amp is awesome: even his guitar teacher loves it, and he bring it to middle school every Thursday for Guitar Club. It allows him to practice with headphones on or while blowing away everyone in the house, and it's nice to have that choice. :7)

At yesterday's lesson his guitar teacher spent a lot of the time having him try out his own board of pedals (there were like a dozen!), and I think he may want one or two for his next birthday. *shrug* If it keeps him playing, I am in favor.

Thank you all for your suggestions!!!
posted by wenestvedt at 7:34 AM on January 10, 2017 [1 favorite]


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