Stocking stuffers that guitar players actually use are the small things they lose or wear out: picks, a fresh set of strings in the right type, a clip-on tuner, a capo and a soft cleaning cloth. If you don’t know the player’s gear, picks are the safest choice, because a set with thin, medium and heavy gauges suits almost anyone who plays with a pick. Strings, capos and tuners make better gifts once you’ve checked which guitar they play.
Guitar stocking stuffers at a glance
Picks, a string winder and a microfiber cloth are safe without knowing a player’s gear; strings, a headphone amp and a slide are not.
| Stocking stuffer | Good for | Check before you buy | Safe without knowing their gear? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick variety pack | Anyone who plays with a pick | That they don’t play fingerstyle only | Yes |
| Set of strings | Every player, since strings wear out | Acoustic, classical, electric or bass, plus the gauge | No |
| Clip-on tuner | Beginners, practice in noisy rooms | Whether one already lives on the headstock | Mostly |
| Capo | Acoustic strummers and players who sing | Steel-string or classical neck | Mostly |
| String winder with cutter | Anyone who changes their own strings | Nothing; it fits most tuning pegs | Yes |
| Microfiber cloth | Every guitar owner | Nothing | Yes |
| Humidifier pack and hygrometer | Solid-wood acoustic owners in heated winter homes | That the guitar is acoustic or classical | Mostly |
| Earplugs | Players in a band or at loud rehearsals | Whether they already carry a pair | Yes |
| Headphone amp | Electric players who practice at night | That the guitar has a pickup and output jack | No |
| Slide | Blues and slide players | Which finger they use and roughly what size | No |
What to get someone who plays guitar: check their case first
One minute with their guitar case tells you the guitar type, the string set from an old packet, and the pick thickness printed on a loose pick. Strings, pick gauge and capos are personal; cloths, winders and pick cases are not.
- Which guitar? Steel-string acoustic, nylon-string classical, electric or bass. Yamaha describes classical guitars as having a wider fretboard with a flat fingerboard radius, and notes that steel-string guitars carry higher string tension than nylon-string ones. Never fit steel strings to a guitar built for nylon.
- Which strings? Copy the details from an empty packet in the case pocket. Electric sets are often called by their thinnest string, such as 9s or 10s; acoustic sets are usually labeled extra light, light or medium.
- Which picks? A loose pick usually has its thickness printed on it in millimeters.
- What’s missing? No tuner on the headstock, no capo in the pocket or one battered last pick are all gift ideas.
If you can’t get a look, choose from the “Yes” rows of the table above.
Guitar pick gifts
Picks are the classic guitar stocking stuffer because they get lost in couch cushions, gig bags and laundry, so a spare supply always gets used.
A gauge sampler for a player who is still choosing
Pick thickness changes how strumming and single notes feel, and newer players often don’t know what they like yet. Our guitar picks variety pack has 21 celluloid picks: 7 thin (0.46 mm), 7 medium (0.71 mm) and 7 heavy (0.96 mm), in pearloid colors that help sort the gauges, plus a clear case that holds all of them. Seven of each is enough to try all three on the same song and keep spares of the favorite. For two siblings who both play, split it 3 and 3 per gauge and keep 1 of each as a spare.
It suits beginners, acoustic strummers trying a firmer pick for melodies, and anyone who borrows picks at every lesson. It’s a weaker fit for a player settled on one gauge, for anyone who prefers picks thicker than 1 mm, and for fingerstyle players, because these are flat picks rather than finger or thumb picks. Each is a standard-size triangle, 1.18 x 0.78 in (about 30 x 20 mm), with three rounded tips. If you were looking for a guitar pick holder, note that the clear case stores all 21 picks but does not mount on a guitar, strap or wall. Our guitar pick thickness guide explains what each gauge does.
Their usual pick, or a keepsake
If you found a pick in the case with its thickness printed on it, a bulk pack of the same gauge and shape is a gift they will use up; players who have settled on a pick rarely want to switch. An engraved pick with a name or date is a sentimental extra, best paired with picks they’ll actually play. Avoid stick-on pick holders for an older or valuable guitar, because some adhesives can mark the finish.
Stocking stuffers for someone learning guitar
A clip-on tuner, picks in three gauges, a capo and a lesson voucher cover a beginner’s first hurdles and fit easily in a stocking.
- A clip-on tuner. It reads the vibration of the strings through the headstock, so it works with the TV on.
- Picks in several gauges. Thin picks are forgiving for strumming chords; mediums handle chords and single notes.
- A capo. It clamps across the strings at one fret, so a beginner can play in a singer’s key with the open chord shapes they already know.
- A chord book or songbook at their level; a corner bookmark holds the page between sessions, and our comparison of corner bookmarks and thumb page holders explains which does what.
- A lesson voucher from a local teacher, written on a card.
Kids who play use the same standard picks as adults, and thin or medium gauges are easier for small hands. Picks are small, so keep spares away from younger siblings who still put things in their mouths.
Stocking stuffers for acoustic guitar players
Taylor Guitars puts the comfortable range for an acoustic guitar at 45 to 55 percent relative humidity, so a humidifier pack and a small hygrometer make strong winter gifts.
Taylor’s guide to the symptoms of a dry guitar blames artificial heating for low indoor humidity, and lists sharp fret ends sticking out past the fretboard and very low string action among the signs. A worked example: if a hygrometer in the case reads 30 percent in January, the guitar is 15 points below Taylor’s 45 percent floor, and a humidifier is the gift that matters most.
- Acoustic strings in the gauge from their last packet. Acoustic strings lose their brightness with play, so a spare set always gets used.
- A capo made for a steel-string neck. For a classical guitar, choose a capo with a flat bar to match its flat fingerboard.
- A string winder with a built-in cutter, which speeds up string changes; many include a notch for lifting bridge pins.
Stocking stuffers for electric guitar players
Electric players use up strings named by their thinnest gauge, such as 9s or 10s, and practice late on a headphone amp plugged into the output jack.
- Electric strings in their usual set. Bronze acoustic strings give a weak signal through magnetic pickups, so don’t swap one for the other.
- A headphone amp, for silent practice. It needs an electric guitar or an acoustic with a built-in pickup.
- Short patch cables if they use effects pedals; check which plug style their pedalboard uses.
- A guitar multi-tool with the small screwdrivers and hex keys used for saddles and hardware.
Earplugs and safe volume for gigging guitarists
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) lists playing in a band as a hearing risk and recommends earplugs for loud activities; a pair fits any stocking.
The institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, explains why: long or repeated exposure at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss, and concerts and music through headphones at maximum volume run 94 to 110 dBA. Earplugs made for musicians, or a few pairs of foam plugs, slip into a gig bag pocket next to the picks. If you give a headphone amp, add a note to keep the volume well below maximum.
Stocking stuffers for bass and ukulele players
Bassists who use a pick usually reach for a heavy one, such as the 0.96 mm picks in our sampler; ukulele players who use picks often prefer thin.
Bassists who play with their fingers won’t use picks at all. Bass strings are a risky surprise, because sets differ by number of strings, scale length and gauge, so only buy them with the old packet in hand. Many ukulele players strum with their fingers or a soft felt pick; if yours uses a plastic pick, the thin 0.46 mm gives a softer sound on nylon strings. A clip-on tuner helps too, since new nylon strings stretch and drift out of tune for the first days after fitting.
Guitar-themed stocking stuffers for the player who has everything
Experienced players already own a tuner and capo, so look at a slide, a pick punch, a care kit, a pick tin or a music-themed ornament.
- A slide in glass, brass or ceramic. Slides are sized by inside diameter and worn on the ring finger or pinky, so compare with a ring they wear on that finger.
- A pick punch that turns old gift cards into picks.
- A care kit: a microfiber cloth and a string cleaner.
- A pick tin for the gig bag, so picks stop vanishing.
For the ornament, our gold-tone miniature musical instruments are seven decorative plastic pieces, each about 0.98 to 2.95 in (2.5 to 7.5 cm): a trumpet, saxophone, French horn, trombone, tuba, harp and cello. There’s no guitar among them, so they suit a guitarist who also plays in a band or orchestra, a music teacher or a household of players. No hanging strings come with them; tie on a short length of thin ribbon or thread. They are decorations, not toys, and they don’t play.
What not to put in a guitarist’s stocking
Skip strings for the wrong guitar, surprise effects pedals, stick-on gadgets for a valuable guitar, and loose picks in a toddler’s stocking.
- Strings for the wrong guitar. Steel strings put more tension on a classical guitar than it was built for, and bronze acoustic strings sound thin through electric pickups.
- A surprise effects pedal. Players choose pedals by ear; a card promising a shop trip together works better.
- Stick-on gadgets for a valuable guitar. Adhesive pick holders and decals can mark some finishes, especially older lacquer.
How to pack a guitar player’s stocking
Keep picks in their case, push strings and a tuner into the toe, and tie ribbon around the pick case so it reads as a gift. A small case takes only a short length; our ribbon guide shows how to work out how much any box needs. For more ideas sorted by person, from readers to bakers, browse our Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good stocking stuffer for a guitar player?
Something they use up or lose: picks first, then strings in their exact type and gauge, a clip-on tuner and a capo. If you can't check their gear, stay with picks, a microfiber cloth or a string winder, which work with almost any guitar.
Do guitar picks make a good gift?
Yes, if the person plays with a pick. Players lose them constantly, and a mixed-gauge set helps a newer player find a favorite thickness. Classical and fingerstyle players rarely use flat picks, so choose something else for them.
What pick thickness should I buy if I don't know what they use?
A variety pack with thin, medium and heavy picks covers it. If you must choose one gauge, a medium around 0.70 mm is the all-round pick, and a thin pick suits someone who mostly strums chords.
Does the picks variety pack come with a pick holder?
It comes with a clear case that stores all 21 picks. It is a carry-and-store case, not a holder that mounts on the guitar, strap or wall.
What humidity should an acoustic guitar be kept at?
Taylor Guitars gives 45 to 55 percent relative humidity as the comfortable range and warns that a guitar kept outside it risks cracking. Heated winter rooms often fall below that, which is why a humidifier pack and hygrometer make useful gifts.
How can I find out what strings someone uses without asking?
Check the guitar case or gig bag pocket for an old string packet and copy the type and gauge. If there isn't one, a bandmate or teacher may know. Without that information, pick a different gift.
What should I get someone who is learning guitar?
A clip-on tuner, picks in a few gauges, a capo for singing in comfortable keys, and a chord book or lesson voucher. A spare set of strings is welcome once they have played for a few months.
Are guitar picks OK in a child's stocking?
For a child who plays guitar, yes. Standard picks work for kids, and thin or medium gauges are easier for small hands to strum with. Picks are small, so keep them away from younger children who put things in their mouths.
