Holiday Recommendations 2022
Hey folks! There are probably an endless number of “recommended” gift lists out there, but I have done it before and so am doing it again. Remember that I am not a paid influencer or compensated by any company and only recommend gear that I own or have done evaluations on where I am very positive about the products. So let’s keep this short and to the point.
Electric Guitars and Electric Basses
There are hundreds of different guitars and basses out there. Many are good choices, but in keeping with my own rules, if I pick one family, I am going to lead with Squier Classic Vibe instruments. Classic Vibe instruments come in ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s variations. I heartily recommend the Classic Vibe family, although I would personally focus on the ‘50s and ‘60s versions as the ‘70s versions are accurate representations of late CBS era Fenders, and as a generalization, they were lesser instruments
Electric Guitar Amplifiers
Amplifiers come in solid state and tube power variants. For solid state, the Line 6 Catalyst series are excellent choices as they have a good amount of power for the dollar as well as numerous built in effects. Another option in this space is the Boss Katana family, the advantage that the Catalysts bring is that they are newer and have more CPU capability.
For tube amplifiers, the cost goes up rapidly, so I would propose either the Blackstar HT5 or the Fender Pro Junior SE amplifiers. These are technically low powered but be sure that they can get plenty loud, even loud enough for small gigs.
Electric Bass Amplifiers
For the electric bass, it’s hard to beat amplifiers in the Ampeg Rocket family or those in the Fender Rumble family. The thing to note about bass amplifiers is that you are looking typically for more wattage than a guitar amplifier because of the power needed to generate low frequency tones.
Acoustic Guitars
When it comes to acoustic guitars I always recommend two minimum elements. First, it goes not cost a lot more to have a pickup built in so the guitar can go to an acoustic amplifier at some point because installing after the fact is costly. Better to pay an extra $20 to $30 at time of guitar purchase than nearly $200 after the fact. The second thing that I always look for is a solid wood top, no laminates for the top. Laminated sides and back are not the sin that some people would have you believe, because you actually want them to be stiff, particularly the sides. The top should always be solid wood, typically spruce so it can resonate properly. The best route in my opinion are acoustics from Yamaha. They are priced well, are well built and are an excellent choice.
Effects Pedals
Effects pedals are a very personal choice and with thousands of options out there it’s a bit hard to pick just a few. What every buyer should know is that you have the option of going with a consolidated effects unit, a floor unit with multiple effects built in, or a number of individual pedals. If you are looking at the consolidated type device, they can offer a lot for the dollar and in this space, the Line 6 H Effects or Line 6 HX Stomp are great choices. For individual pedals, ask the recipient if they have a specific make and model in mind.
Ongoing Skills Development
I freely admit to being motivated by gear, but gear that goes unused because you aren’t getting joy from playing becomes a hindrance and a dust magnet. It’s harder to unwrap lessons but in the longer term, they serve the player best. There are numerous routes to learning your instrument. There are lots of freebies on Youtube, which can be great and can be horrible. A really accomplished player is not by definition an excellent teacher. Finding a great teacher is far more important than finding someone with a web video who can play well. I recommend refining your search, and you do tend to get what you pay for. At the high end of the spectrum is the teacher who works out of your local music store. These people have been vetted and tested for their ability not just to play, but to transfer knowledge and skills in a way that lasts. Costs run from $30 to $50 per half hour. For people with challenging schedules, online training is another option. Many music schools now offer web based training and it can work well. The teacher has been vetted and there is a larger organization standing behind the person. When my daughter decided to learn trumpet, this model worked best for her and her schedule. The option that I use myself are packaged online training models. My schedule is a mess and I find that I want to learn when I am really in the mind of learning. For music theory, I have used the tools from Rick Beato. For playing techniques I use the Truefire All Access pass. I’ve also purchased training packs from Tim Pierce. I don’t get compensated for these recommendations and only recommend things that I have bought with my own money. Given my time and personality, this kind of training works best for me, and although the packages are pre-built, I can always get questions answered. Plus if I have had an off day, I can always go back and do a lesson or lesson segment again. An annual Truefire All Access pass costs about the same as three months of weekly live lessons, so can be an excellent value. The only challenge with self directed online training is that the trainee has to do the work to get to the lessons without someone driving him or her to a specific place at a specific time.
Thank you as always for reading, subscribe to be notified of new postings and until next time, peace.
