Still, life goes on, and you may have a musician in your household. If you do, here are some suggestions for stocking stuffers that may inadvertently get left off the list:
For guitarists, let me suggest the following (honey, are you listening?):
Strings. You can never have too many of these. Electric players tend to prefer Ernie Ball light gauge. Acoustic players tend toward heavier gauges, and Martin makes great acoustic strings, but so do many other makers. Actually, I think strings are all made in the same place, and sold under different names.
Chords. These are the wires that connect the guitar to the amplifier. These days, it's as common for acoustic players as for electric ones. Chords are always nice to have, as they tend to get all funky and shorted out over time, and they are things that most of us just don't think about replacing, but would love to have replaced as a surprise.
Straps. I can't tell you how many guitar straps I have, and all of them are dangerously close to the end of their lives. They wear out. And without them, you can't stand in front of the mirror, practicing your most awesome rock star poses. Straps these days are a cottage industry, and many makers are pretty clever when it comes to guitar strap themes. If one were being chosen for me, however, I would opt for a comfortable leather model with padding. Working players tend to wear their guitars for at least four hours, and comfort quickly supersedes fashion.
Picks. Oh yeah. Picks are essential to most guitarists of the rock/blues/R&B variety. Classical players use their fingers, as do folk pickers, but the rest of us use picks. And because they're small, plastic and relatively inexpensive, they tend to get stored in back pockets, etc., where they are vulnerable to things like washing machines. Picks also have an uncanny knack of winding up under furniture, between couch cushions, etc. I tend to carry at least 20 with me now at all times. You never know.
Polish and polishing cloth. Some guitarists are prone to polishing their instruments on a regular basis for some reason. As anyone can tell you, I am not one of these guitarists. If I have a great night, with lots of perspiration involved, I don't mind leaving the evidence there for the next time. I'm told this is wrong. I don't care. Rock on.
Metronome. No one, and I mean absolutely no one, is good enough to stop practicing. And no one is good enough not to practice with a metronome. These little devices are now very inexpensive, and essential for musicians of all instruments (are you listening, drummers???) to learn to keep time without thinking about it. It's not the most popular thing, especially for musicians just starting out, because it's hard to stay within a particular beat, and metronomes, like mirrors, are merciless. But the effort pays off spectacularly when you can sit down with other players and confidently feel the tempo.
Music stand. This one reminds me of the old joke: how do you make a guitar player turn down? Put a piece of sheet music in front of him. Music stands in my house are used for lyrics, chord charts, and sometimes even for slooooooowly picking my way through some notes. But music stands are always useful for musicians, and they are not that expensive.
Microphone stands. These are also essential, and always appreciated. Mike stands range from inexpensive to pretty complicated. I have a beautiful blue mike stand I bought many years ago, and still love very much. I've not since seen colored mike stands, and mine is kind of rusted and tired, but I'm looking at it right now, with fondness. Anyway, mike stands are important for professional players, not so much for beginners. But they're fun to play with, even if you're just pretending.
Microphones. Ok, this might start sounding scary to those who envision lots of amplified out of tune singing wafting through their evenings. But microphones can be used without being plugged in, so your budding musician can practice singing into one. Or you can plug them into most standard amplifiers if you want to hear what the real thing sounds like. These come in a wide variety of prices and quality. But I've never met a mike I didn't like.
Reeds. If you know someone who plays the saxophone, reeds are lifeblood. Get them many, many reeds. Just make sure you know the right gauge.
Drum sticks. For drummers, sticks are essential. Some drummers are pickier about their sticks than they are about the time they keep, but still. . . if you know a drummer, he or she will probably want/need sticks. Do a little research to make sure you know what kind they use. They all look the same to us, but sticks are very different.
Piano players. Ha ha. They get nothing. I mean, what does a piano player need, other than a piano? Maybe a gift certificate for a tuning? A lesson? A clue?
Harmonica players. How about music books teaching them to play a different instrument? Oh. Sorry. Is that cruel? Seriously, harmonicas are not the cheap little thingies they used to be. These days, they cost a fortune. To me, in the hands of most, they still sound the same as they always did. But apparently they cost a lot now.
Look, there's an easy answer to all of this. Go to the Good Stuff Guitar Shop on the 500 block of Main Street, downtown Martinez, CA, ask for Danny White, and talk to him about your musician's needs. He can help you either purchase something from him, or point you gladly to a place where you can find it. Or give him a call at (925) 228-2500.
In upcoming columns, let's talk about buying guitars and basses. Aside from breathing, this is probably my favorite topic.
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