How To Shop For a Guitarist.
Behind every good guitarist there is an even better… partner. Yes, for every person out there plucking away on a guitar incessantly at home, there is another person in the room being incessantly cool with it. They are the true unsung heroes in a guitarist's life. Initially the partner was drawn to the guitarist’s free spirit, their creative nature and the fact that they knew how to play a bunch of great songs on the guitar. What the partner didn’t realise is that the guitarist was going to be playing their guitar day in day out, at any chance that the guitarist got.
Common internal questions from these wondrously accepting partners can be (but limited to):
- Do they need another guitar?
- Haven’t they already got one like that?
- If they leave that in the way one more time… (this is more of a statement, and goes hand in hand with being disgruntled)
- What the hell am I going to get them for Christmas?
Most partners know that buying a guitar for a guitarist is firmly in the too hard basket, but that’s not to say that it’s a bad idea. It’s just a personal thing, not unlike buying skin cream or your next pair of swimming trunks. But there are screeds of other things that you can get your guitar loving partner, gifts that they will use at one time or another and in doing so, value that time and thought you have put into it.
Guitar strings.
Always needed, never unappreciated. If you don’t know what to buy, any guitar store attendee worth their weight in riffs should be able to ascertain what you need after asking a few basic questions. Of course, a cheeky photo of the guitar in question can work wonders too or knowing the make and model is also valuable knowledge. Don’t worry too much if you don’t know what brand of strings your partner uses as your string gift will most certainly be used at some point. And hey, you might introduce them to their new favourite string brand! Bonus guitarist partner points! Here at Studio 1 Vintage Guitars we have a great range of strings and some that you won’t find anywhere else. Why not choose something from our Stringjoy or John Pearse range and impress with your boutique string knowledge.
Guitar Straps.
Available in a myriad of materials, styles, weights and lengths, this is probably a bit more of a tightrope walk gift choice. Be bold, buy your guitarist a strap! Beware though, as all straps are not created equal and no one knows this better than the fine folk at Atmos New Zealand. The small team at Atomos embrace the artisan spirit and create delicately hand woven straps in their workshop on the Banks Peninsula, NZ. They feature thick leather ends and quality brass fittings that can stand up to constant use and come in a variety of great designs.
Cleaning Products.
Taking care of your guitar to ensure its longevity is something that always pops into every guitarist’s mind from time to time. Every once in a while the guitar might like to have a visit to your favourite luthier for a more precision set up, but in between these trips a guitarist may want to give their instrument a clean up. With all of that constant playing, comes a lot of finger grime and sweat being left behind on the precious instrument. Depending on the finish of the guitar there are products to remove grime on the body of the guitar, leaving it gleaming. The fingerboard is inevitably the area that sees the worst of the grime, and again there is a Kiwi company that has made a fantastic product to remedy that grub. Boogie Juice is an all natural formula specifically designed for use on fingerboards. It comes in a handy pen dispenser and is potentially the perfect stocking filler. Another great product you might like to look at is GHS Fast Fret. It comes in a handy, easy to use stick applicator and as well as cleaning your strings and keeping them free from finger grease, it also gives your strings a slippery feel that makes your guitar a joy to play. It has long been a favourite of many touring guitarists around the globe.
If at the end of the day you are still a little unsure of what to get your six string fiend, or you’re burned out from shopping for the rest of the family, then allow us to do the heavy lifting.
Introducing Studio 1’s Three Wise Gifts For Christmas!
Three different Christmas Guitar Bundles - perfect for any guitar lover’s taste and budget…
Grab these packs in-store until Saturday 23rd December or order online before 19th December for delivery before Christmas.
*Only 5 available per bundle
Keep your guitar looking and sounding phenomenal with the Studio 1 Christmas Bronze Gift Pack.
Includes:
John Pearse Phosphor Bronze Strings
John Pearse String Wipes
Martin Polishing Cloth
All lovingly gift-wrapped for only $50
Valued at $65
You & your guitar will be looking your best with the Silver Gift Pack. Includes:
Martin Luxe Kovar Strings
Fast Fret Cleaner
Studio 1 Trucker Cap
All lovingly gift wrapped for only $100
Individual value of $130
The Gold Gift Pack has the ultimate accessories for comfortable playing and looking good! Includes:
Optima 24K Gold Strings
Guitar Hands Moisturiser
Fast Fret Cleaner
Boogie Juice Fretboard Cleaner
Studio 1 Trucker Cap
All lovingly gift wrapped for only $150
Individual value of $205
