Gifts for Intermediate Blues Guitarist

Some background

As part of a series on gifts and presents for guitarists. You should find some ideas for what you can buy intermediate blues guitarists for birthdays, Christmas or whatever occassion arises.

Typically, these guitarists have outgrown their first, practice amps and are probably looking for something a bit more mature (typically a nice all-valve/all-tube Fender Hot Rod or similar). It's also about time for an upgrade from the basic guitar, so maybe to a Made-In-Japan Fender or even the Fender Highway Star range.

Strap Locks

Strap Locks are great. Can't go wrong with them, especially if there's a new guitar involved.

1. Schaller Guitar Strap Locks and Buttons (Pair) Black. Get Schaller's guitar strap locks for added security.

Guitar

The standard blues guitars are based on Fender Telecasters or Fender Stratocasters. For a rockier edge, then Gibson Les Pauls features heavily and the Gibson E336 brings a jazzier element. All of those are expensive and many intermediate guitarists are working their way towards them. You don't have to stay with the same brands to get a decent guitar. There are many good reasons to go for a different brand and I've listed some ideas specifically for Fender Telecaster alternatives, Fender Stratocaster alternatives and Gibson Les Paul alternatives. That said, sometimes the original brand is just the guitar they need and if you're buying as a gift, then a standard brand may well be better.

1. Fender Standard Telecaster Electric Guitar Candy Apple Red Maple FretboardThe Fender Standard Telecaster Electric Guitar features the best of the old and the new: a fast-action maple neck, cast/sealed machine heads, 2 classic single-coil pickups, and a 6-saddle string-thru-body bridge. Since its introduction in the early '50s, guitarists in all musical genres have relied on the Fender Telecaster guitar for its powerful tone and smooth playability. Timeless.
2. Fender Highway One Series Telecaster Electric Guitar 3-Tone Sunburst Maple FretboardFat frets and hot alnico-magnet single-coils equip this Highway One Telecaster electric guitar so that it's music to your ears, candy for your eyes, and butter under your fingers. The new pickups on the Highway One Telecaster guitar produce a more round sound with that great Fender sparkle; it also has great high-gain sounds. Vintage-style bridge sports barrel saddles on an alder body with a maple neck. Ultra-light satin nitro finish lets the wood breathe and ages sweetly.
3. Fender Standard Stratocaster Electric Guitar Brown Sunburst Maple FingerboardThe Fender Standard Stratocaster Electric Guitar is the guitar design that changed the world. New features include a tinted neck, parchment pickguard and control knobs, and a '70s-style logo. Includes select alder body, 21-fret maple neck with your choice of a rosewood or maple fretboard, 3 single-coil pickups, vintage-style tremolo, and die-cast tuning keys. Standard Strat guitars now feature a thicker bridge block for increased sustain and a more stable point of contact with the strings. At this low price, why play anything but the real thing?
4. Fender Highway One Stratocaster Electric Guitar 3-Tone Sunburst Maple FretboardThe American-made Fender Highway One Stratocaster is ready for the open road. Wide '70s headstock, fat frets, scorching alnico pickups, upgraded vintage-style bridge, and super-light nitro satin finish make this electric guitar a real hot rod. Also features an alder body, C-shaped maple neck, and Greasebucket tone circuit.

Picks

You can still buy a range of picks for the guitarist. Even now, the intermediate guitarist will still be working through what they like. In this case, the more esoteric, the better. They may not like all that you buy, but they'll have fun trying and you may even find their new standard.

1. Dunlop Tortex Jazz Guitar Pick Heavy 3 Dozen.The Tortex jazz guitar picks were carefully designed and manufactured to give the characteristic maximum memory and minimum wear that made the original tortoiseshell picks famous. The small size and sharp point make it the most precise plectrum on the planet.
2. Dunlop Tortex Pitch Black Standard Guitar Picks 1 Dozen .88Mm. Dunlop Tortex Pitch Black Standard Guitar Picks are carefully designed and manufactured to give the maximum memory and minimum wear that made the original tortoiseshell guitar picks famous. Dunlop Tortex guitar picks are available in a variety of gauges. One dozen Pitch Black Picks.
3. Planet Waves 10 Standard Celluloid Picks Medium Green PearlThese guitar picks from Planet Waves provide a natural feel and warm, fat tone due to their celluloid construction. One of the first polymers ever created, cellulose nitrate is made by reacting cotton fibers with nitric acid. Celluloid was substituted for natural tortoise shell picks in the early 1900s and is still one of the most popular guitar pick materials available today.
4. Wedgie Delrin EX Guitar Picks 1 Dozen Blue 1.00MMThe unique and innovative Wedgie guitar picks are designed to be so comfortable, you'll never hold a flat pick again without noticing how flat it is. The Wedgie's contoured shape allows it to be held more firmly without changing its playing feel. The Delrin EX picks are made of a special blend that ensures a clean sound and snappy release.

Straps

Straps are a good present. Go for something with a bit more flair or style that usual. Maybe get one that matches their guitar.

1. Levy's Italian Glove Leather Guitar Strap Black 3 1/2 In. The Levy's Italian Glove Leather Guitar Strap is 2-1/2" wide and made of supple garment leather with foam padding and suede backing. A very comfortable strap, it feels like you've been using it for years the first time you put it on. And just in case you've forgotten - leather smells great! Adjustable from 44" to 53".
2. Gibson Saddle Leather Guitar Strap TanThis 2-1/2"-wide strap provides the utmost comfort with durable saddle leather. Classic looks with embossed design.
3. Perri's 2-1/2" Suede Leather Guitar Strap BurgundyMade from 100% durable, high-quality suede leather, this strap looks and feels great. Fully adjustable to a length of 52". 2-1/2" wide. Choose from different colors to suit your personal taste.
4. Levy's M7DG3 Distressed Leather Guitar Strap BlackThis distressed leather guitar strap bears a design that resembles marble. It's finished off with garment leather backing and tri-glide adjustments. Dimensions: 3" W x up to 69" L

Amp Stand

I'd expect the player to be playing a few gigs by now. For now, I'll assume they have a 1x12 combo. That's an amplifier with a built-in single 12 inch speaker inside. The amp will have a handle on top and can be carried in one hand. These amps are good for practices, rehearsals and small gigs. The problem with gigs is that the guitarist may be too close to the amplifier to hear it properly. The amp stands allow the amplifier to be off the ground, allowing the guitarist to hear themselves as well as allowing the amp to project to the audience. You can get stands for 2x12 combos as well (which have two 12 inch speakers side by side). These amps usually take two hands to move.

1. On-Stage Stands RS7000 Tiltback Amp StandUsing the RS7000 Tiltback Amp Stand gets your amp of the floor, which gives you better onstage monitoring, better coverage for your audience, and keeps feet out of your speaker grille.A perfect choice for various stage and studio amplifier applications, the tilt-back feature will rest your gear on black velveteen rubber pads for the best grip and reinforcement of your sound. The A-frame construction makes this stand extremely secure and stable when holding equipment and gear. Non-slip rubber feet and a locking cross brace keep the stand, and your amp, firmly in place.
2. On-Stage Stands Pro Tiltback Amp StandIf your knees had ears, then maybe you'd be able to hear yourself play with your combo amp sitting on the floor. But that's not the only reason you need an On-Stage Pro Tiltback Amplifier Stand. With your combo amp up off the floor and angled towards your ear, not only can you hear yourself without having to constantly turn up and increase stage noise, your amp also has better projection to the audience. You also gain easy access to your controls. No more bending over and mooning the audience while you make adjustments. One more benefit; nobody accidentally kicks in your grill cloth or guitar speaker on a crowded stage. The strength and versatility of this stand comes from the double clutch disk that allows you to remove and rotate the support arm assembly. The solid steel double stamped 3" disk allows for a secure locking position every time! The A-Frame base with 1" square tubing construction will adjust its floor spread in order for you to get the most support under your amp. Ridged end caps keep all metal surfaces off of the ground and act as a shock absorber.

Pedals

This time, we should be thinking about what they're doing with tone. Pedals are a great way to change tone and every guitarist knows that and part of the fun is the experimentation.

Overdrive and Boost Pedals

So upping the price a bit, we can head towards buying pedals as gifts. As a rule, don't buy them a pedal if they're got one of those types already. It's ok to buy a chorus, if they've only got overdrive pedals. But unless they've a reason for changing pedals, there's no need to have two overdrive pedals.

If the guitarist is any good with soldering or don't mind learning, then try a boost or overdrive pedal from Build-Your-Own-Clone. I've got a few of their pedals and each one is awesome.

If they're a bit clumsy with the iron, then we'll have to look at buying pre-built, new or second-hand. Without going into boutique and really high prices, a few I like are:

• Visual Sounds Jekyll and Hyde
• Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive
• Carl Martin Hot Drive'n'Boost MkI

Some of the T.C. Electronic range of pedals can often be found at well below (e.g. less than half) their original Recommend Retail Price. So it pays to shop around.

Each of the pedals above will put an amp into overdrive nicely and provide the guitarist with more tonal options.

1. Visual Sound V2 Series V2RT66 Route 66 Overdrive and Compression Guitar Multi Effects PedalThe Visual Sound Route 66 multi effects pedal gives you the great tone guitarists have come to love, plus an added noise reduction system that gives you that quiet ride you've always wanted. Classic compression combined with classic overdrive-these two effects sound great on their own, but combine them, as the Route 66 pedal has, and get the ultimate combination in a single pedal pedal. The V2 Route 66 pedal features redesigned noise reduction on the compressor channel, and additional low-drive range on the overdrive channel. The great-sounding overdrive channel is modeled after the sound of the original Tube Screamer, but it also has a bass boost switch. The compressor can be set for classic squash or clean boost with the unique preamp stage and gain knob. This allows for a truckload of clean gain. The compressor even has its own tone control. The 2 effects can be used independently or combined to complement one another.In 1999, Visual Sound made the statement "Our Route 66 is sure to become as legendary as its namesake." With countless great guitarists using it ever since, the Route 66 pedal from Visual Sound has become just that, a legend! The V2RT66 Overdrive and Compression Guitar Multi Effects Pedal features a diecast aluminum housing, ultra-reliable 10 million cycle switching, easy battery access and circuit protection from AC adapters. Wide and sturdy stomp switches designed by Bob Weil himself. And a redesigned, noise-free experience. This version of the Route 66 pedal has raised the bar for years to come.
2. MXR Custom Audio Electronics MC-402 Boost/Overdrive PedalMXR joined forces with Custom Audio Electronics founder Bob Bradshaw to bring you the MC-402 Boost/Overdrive Pedal. Cleans up nicely when you roll back your guitar volume, making it extremely responsive to picking dynamics without thinning your tone. The warm sounding classic overdrive adds sustain and punch. High-quality components provide quiet operation and trouble-free interaction with other pedals on your board. Custom Audio Electronics has made limited quantities of pedals for select clientele since 1980 and has now teamed up with MXR to bring these pedals to the masses.
3. Carl Martin Hot Drive n Boost PedalVoiced with an emphasis on the midrange, the Hot Drive'n Boost pedal will produce tones ranging from crunchy blues to classic rock with great sustain, but cleans up nicely when you back off on your guitar's volume control. The unit features both clean and distortion outputs for players who wish to split their signal into 2 amps. The boost feature lets you pump out up to 22dB more punch for solos that really stand out!

Tubescreamer

In the gifts for Beginner Blues Guitarists, I wrote every guitarist needs an overdrive. More accurately, every every Blues guitarist needs a Tubescreamer. Maybe this is so basic, it should be in the beginner section. However, it's only after a player has master the basics of playing will they often begin the quest for a purer blues tone, so I've left it here. In reality, it's just an overdrive pedal. The two main pedals that guitarists look for are the Ibanez TS-808 and the Ibanez TS-9. Originals are very expensive as are the re-issues with NOS parts . Again, if they can build their own from a kit, then the BYOC Overdrive pedal is great.

1. Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer Effects PedalThe Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer Effects Pedal features the slightly warmer overdrive of the old TS808 Tube Screamers and also offers 3 new settings for increased low end crunch: +, Hot, and Turbo.
2. Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer Effects PedalThe Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer is a reissue that's just like the original in so many ways. Same factory, same components, same housing, same famous seasick-green paint, and the same crankin' overdrive that made the original one of the all-time classic pedals. Guitar Player called it the best. Plug it in. Crank it up. You'll hear what all the fuss is about. Tone, drive, and level controls.
3. Visual Sound V2 Series V2DT Double Trouble Dual Overdrive Guitar Effects PedalThe V2DT Double Trouble Dual Overdrive is Visual Sound's interpretation of the TS-808 with bass boost and lots more volume, times 2! Use either overdrive by itself or combine them. For each overdrive, Double Trouble includes level knobs for Drive, Tone and Volume; plus wide and sturdy stomp switches. Bass boost can be switched on or off separately for each overdrive. 1/4" jacks in and out.Everyone loves the overdrive channel in Visual Sound's Jekyll & Hyde and Route 66 pedals. Over the years, Visual Sound has had many requests to put two of these overdrives into one pedal, allowing for two different settings and the ability to use them together. Now you can have that great sound and all the advantages of V2 Series construction, plus the addition of an innovative noise reduction system, in the Double Trouble only from Visual Sound!The Visual Sound V2 Series V2DT Double Trouble Dual Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal features a die-cast aluminum housing, ultra-reliable 10-million cycle switching, easy battery access and circuit protection from AC adapters.

Tremolo

At this level, there's no point going for budget brands such as Behringer or Danelectro. So get a more upmarket brand such as Boss, TC Electronics or Visual Sounds. As intermediate guitarist, they may already be branching out into boutique pedals, but leave that to them for the moment. Some of the cheap pedals can work out really well, but why gamble? I wouldn't, not for a gift anyway.

1. Electro-Harmonix XO Stereo Pulsar Tremolo Guitar Effects PedalThe Electro-Harmonix Micro Stereo Pulsar Tremolo Effects Pedal is everything you love about the Pulsar in a small, die-cast aluminum package. Controls: Wave shape switch—selects between the wave triangle mode and the square wave mode. Shape knob—changes the shape of the waveform that modulates the tremolo. Wave triangle mode—as the shape knob is turned from the counter clockwise (minimum) position to the center (middle) position, the wave starts as a rising sawtooth and becomes a triangle. From the center position to the clockwise (maximum) position, the wave changes from a triangle to a falling sawtooth. Square wave mode—as the shape knob is turned from the counter clockwise (minimum) position to the center (middle) position, the wave starts as a small pulse width wave and becomes a square width wave. From the center position to the clockwise (maximum) position, the wave changes from a square width wave to a large pulse width wave.Depth knob—adjusts the amount of tremolo that will be applied to your signal. As the intensity knob is turned from the counter clockwise (minimum) position to the clockwise (maximum) position, the amount of the effect will increase. Rate knob—adjusts the speed of modulation for the effect. As the rate knob is turned from the counter clockwise (minimum) position to the clockwise (maximum) position, the rate of modulation will increase.Rate/status LED—if the effect is engaged, the LED will blink at the same rate that the effect modulates. If the LED is off, the pulsar is in bypass mode. The footswitch engages/disengages the effect. 9V DC power jack.
2. Voodoo Lab Tremolo PedalVoodoo Lab's Tremolo pedal delivers authentic vintage tube amp tremolo sounds from gentle and warm, to machine gun-style insanity all in a single pedal. By using the same lamp and photocell assembly found in many classic tube amps, Voodoo Lab's Tremolo gives you real analog tone right from a compact 9V stomp box!By using the inventive Slope control, you can change the shape of the tremolo waveform from traditional to full on stuttering madness and all points in-between. Speed and intensity controls provide a wide range that includes very slow and deep sounds, and the Volume control lets you cut or boost the overall output to your amp.

Chorus

I love the Carl Martin Chorus. Great quality but possibly beyond the price we're looking at. So maybe we should be looking at a Boss Chorus instead. For a bit more individuality, go for the Visual Sound pedals.

1. Visual Sound V2 Series V2LC Liquid Chorus Guitar Effects PedalThe V2 Liquid Chorus incorporates the chorus channel of the V2 H2O in a single pedal, with a Depth knob added to the Speed, Width, and Delay Time controls for everything from subtle to lush to underwater. The Liquid Chorus pedal also has two 1/4" outputs, normal and inverted, for running in stereo.Wonderfully voiced for electric, acoustic, or bass guitar, using pure analog circuitry, the Liquid Chorus pedal will make your sound stand out from all the rest. At the heart of the Liquid Chorus circuit are custom-designed Visual Sound bucket brigade chips. Use the Depth knob to set the overall style of Chorus (from light to lush) and the user-friendly knobs to adjust how you want your chorus to sound. Unlike H2O, the second output of Liquid Chorus is a true stereo output for extremely spacious sounds when used with two amps, a PA system, or when recording. From the V2 Series, the Visual Sound V2LC Liquid Chorus is a guitar effects pedal that features a die-cast aluminum housing, ultra-reliable 10 million cycle switching, easy battery access and circuit protection from AC adapters.
2. Boss CH-1 SUPER Chorus PedalThe versatile Boss CH-1 SUPER Chorus produces the swirling chorus sounds heard on many rock, jazz, country, funk, and other popular music recordings.
3. Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus PedalVoodoo Lab's Analog Chorus pedal is an exact sonic replica of the most sought after chorus of all time: the 1976 Roland CE-1. With its lush and distinctively organic tone, it's the standard by which all other chorus effects are measured. Now you can get those same classic sounds in a compact stompbox! The Analog Chorus pedal gives you a huge range of sounds from a thick analog doubling, to uber-lush chorus, and even a Leslie rotating speaker. Guitar Player says: "Strikingly vocal with a distinctive organic tone. Warm, pulsing, and sexy."

Wah

There are so many different types of wah. There are two main standards for blues guitarists in this range, the Vox Wah and the Jim Dunlop CrybabyWah (GCB95). There are others. Some of the Morley pedals are great, but I've never found them ideal for blues. As we'll see later, there are more options further up the price range.

1. Vox V847 Wah-Wah PedalThe Vox V847A Wah Pedal is a reissue of the wah that changed electric guitar sounds in the '60s. The effect pedal is built to the exact specifications of the original one used by the most influential rock guitarists of all time totally authentic from its classy chrome top to its legendary growl.
2. Dunlop Original Crybaby Wah PedalIf you play the real thing - the Dunlop Original Crybaby wah pedal- you get the real sound. The heavy die-cast steel construction of this classic effect can take all the stompin' you've got in you. Totally smooth, silent, consistent, and easy to control. Made in the USA. Uses optional ECB03 power supply.

Other Pedals

Reverb: This mainly depends if their amplifier already has reverb and whether they're happy with it. To be honest, I'd avoid these unless you have some inside information.

1. Tech 21 Boost R.V.B. Analog Reverb Emulator PedalWith the Boost R.V.B. Analog Reverb Emulator Pedal, Tech 21 brings a fresh perspective to the standard reverb pedal. By incorporating a clean Boost function — up to 9dB — your solos will jump out with greater dimension. The Boost R.V.B. is designed with tweakable, "lo-fi" analog technology. By manipulating the controls, you can infuse degrees of warmth and life characteristic of vintage reverbs. The circuitry intentionally injects the inherent imperfections of vintage units, which is what makes them so seductive and nostalgic. A single, continuously-variable Time control provides a full sweep of size. The Boost R.V.B. parameters are engineered so that you can explore and custom tailor such reverb styles as spring, plate, and natural room/hall ambiance.
2. Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb Effects PedalThe Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb gives you six high-quality reverb modes on a par with rackmount processors costing many times as much. First-of-its-kind Modulate mode detunes the reverb sound for added spaciousness. Spring reverb emulation offers realistic spring reverb sounds. Gate reverb taken from high-end Roland studio gear. Level, tone, time, and mode controls.

Compressor: There are some great compressors out there. Right now, I'd avoid buying one as a present. However here are a couple if you're determined

1. TC Electronic NDY-1 Nova Dynamics Compressor Guitar Effects PedalPacked with never before seen functionalities the NDY-1 Nova Dynamics compressor sets standards to floor-based dynamics control. Its dual engine design offers a variety of setup and control options that allow you to tailor Nova Dynamics to fit your rig. Use the two engines for different compression settings or switch between stomp compression for that classic "squash" and TC's advanced multiband compression for subtle, studio-style dynamics control. You can even split the two engines in Nova Dynamics and have a compressor in front of your amp and noise gate in your amp effects loop for true noise reduction of high gain signals.The NDY-1's Dry Blend feature lets you blend your dry signal in with the compressed signal for optimized attack with no eating into the dynamics while the automatic input gain adjustment on both engines brings perfect settings for e.g. both a Strat and a Les Paul at the flick of a switch.
2. Vox Cooltron CT05CO Snake Charmer Compressor PedalThe COOLTRON Snake Charmer Compressor pedal uses a 12AU7 preamp-type tube at low voltage to deliver the kind of tone that, until now, would have been impossible to achieve in a battery-powered pedal.Tame your tone with the Snake Charmer Compressor. The result? Silky smooth, mesmerizing tone that behaves as it should. The Snake Charmer's compression affects the ratio and threshold of the signal, smoothing out peaks and spikes. At the same time, the Snake Charmer also increases the Gain level to complement the corresponding ratio and threshold settings so that the overall gain remains constant.There's also a Gain Reduction Indicator that gives you visual cues of the results of your settings. And a High/Low Switch lets you choose between two overall levels of ratio. The Snake Charmer effect pedal is equipped with other controls for Attack, which determines how quickly the gain reduction kicks in, and Release, which determines how long the gain is attenuated. Finally, the High-End Emphasis control fine-tunes the amount of compression applied to the top end of the guitar signal.Want to know how it all works? Normally, tubes are used at high voltages and this restricts their use in battery-powered devices such as guitar effects pedals. Historically, attempts have been made to use tubes at low voltages in what has been dubbed "starvation" mode, but these circuits don't allow the tube to function in an acceptable manner. The tube simply cannot be biased to a satisfactory operating condition. Plus, the necessary heater (filament) current is too high to deliver acceptable battery life. Imagine how annoying it would be to have to change batteries every ten minutes during a gig!Here's what makes the Vox COOLTRON system tick. The COOLTRON circuit basically operates by using two very special signal paths. The first is the servo circuit, which provides the right conditions between the plate of the tube and the grid. This achieves controllable, stable parameters for the tube and provides the correct operating conditions for the tube to function as it would if run at a higher voltage. The second circuit is a patented power supply that provides a low voltage, low current supply to the heater elements in the tube. Since the tube is now running at such a reduced supply level, the anode current is much smaller than normal. This means that the amount of heat required at the cathode to achieve sufficient cathode current emission is much smaller hence the ability to run the heaters at a lower level and for COOLTRON guitar pedals to run for 16 hours on 4 x AA batteries!The COOLTRON system provides true tube sonic performance at very low voltage and at reduced heater current ideal for inclusion into the COOLTRON Snake Charmer Compressor pedal.

Amplifiers for the Intermediate Blues Guitarist

Unless you know the guitarist incredibly well and can afford for the guitar or amp to be ignored or sold at half price, then leave this area well alone. There's a very high chance, you'll get the choice wrong. Remember, guitarists are fickle.

One way out is, if it's one of your children, maybe offer an upgrade, but cap the price difference or next thing you know and you'll be paying more for the next guitar and amp than you did for their last car. It pays to do some research first so you know if your contribution will be worth anything and if the present contribution idea will backfire. The new price of the kit in this range is roughly £400-500 (I guess that's roughly $700-$900) for a guitar and similar for an amp. Any kit they have to part-exchange will be 30% of original cost at most. Probably nothing at all if it's from a bargain beginner package or has been treated badly.

Oddly enough, I've always found this price point to be largely empty of good tube/valve amp combos for blues guitar. There are definitely some in the Fender and Peavey range, but most manufacturers either seem to want to sell cheaper solid-state or more expensive do-everything amps.

1. Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp Blonde. The Fender Blues Junior Amplifier has established itself as a warm-toned favorite with all generations of guitarists. Like the Blues Deluxe and Blues Deville, it takes selected circuit design cues from a '50s tweed Fender to deliver the sound of a classic Deluxe or Bassman with some modern flexibility. The result is a screaming all-tube, 15-watt amp that pushes hot tone through a 12" Fender Special Design speaker. That sound comes courtesy of a pair of EL84 Groove Tube output tubes and three 12AX7 preamp tubes. Add legendary Fender reverb, flexible controls, and a FAT circuit for golden tone even at low volumes, and you're in business. And just look at that chrome panel and those vintage pointer knobs.
2. Fender Vintage Reissue '65 Deluxe Reverb Guitar Combo AmpThe Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb Combo Amp is big enough to cut through the muddiest mix, but small enough to turn up and wail in small clubs. This makes it the perfect studio amp as well. You'd be surprised how many of your classic favorites were recorded with a Deluxe Reverb. Crank up this faithful, U.S.-made reissue for your daily requirement of fat Fender tone. Delivers 22W through a 12" speaker. Features 2 channels (normal, vibrato), all-tube circuitry, tube vibrato, tube spring reverb, Blackface cosmetics, and 2-button footswitch.Protect your investment with an optional genuine Fender cover. (See the accessory box on this page.)
3. Peavey Classic 30/112 Tube Combo Amp TweedThe Classic 30/112 has been redesigned with an all-new chassis design, but still features the distinctive sound and circuitry of the renowned Classic Series amps. Made in the USA.

Clothing and Accessories

If you know what they're interested in, then get some t-shirts, belt buckles, hoodies, hats or even a tote bag. Look at Audio Cloth for good examples.

Part of an in-depth series looking at gift and present ideas for guitarists.