Happy holiday season everyone!
Right about now is the time that I am asked what I want for Christmas from family and friends. I wanted to create this guide if you are looking to buy a gift for the bassist in your life or you need some ideas to give to others to buy you.
Now obviously not everything a bassist would need is on here so take this list as a general guide.
I hope this guide helps give you some insight as to what we would love to get!
If you are really stumped or just don’t want to guess what they want, getting a gift card is the best option!
You can get gift cards for Amazon, Guitar Center, Sweetwater, Musician’s Friend, and your local music stores.
Every bass player needs strings! This is a great stocking stuffer! I would definitely ask the type of strings that they want and brand.
But if you want it to be a surprise, there are many great name brands out there including D’Addario, Ernie Ball, Fender, and many more.
I also have a complete string guide that you can download for more insight into choosing the right strings.
This one can be tricky unless you know exactly what pedal they want. It is best, in this case, to ask them directly what one they want so that you get the correct one.
Pedals are not cheap but do last a long time!
Check out these articles for more information on bass pedals:
The 15 Best Bass Effects Pedals For Incredible Tone and Creativity
The 6 Most Essential Effects Pedals for Bass Guitar – Buyer’s Guide
Top 11 Best Guitar/Bass Effects Pedal Brands To Know & Use
13 Best Effects Pedals for Bass Guitar
WALL MOUNT HANGERS
Hanging that beautiful bass and protecting it from scratching and falling is so important! If the musician needs a new mount hanger or stand check out these products to protect them:
H.F.B.C 3-Pack Guitar Mount Hangers: These are perfect for most stringed instruments because they are sturdy, non-scratch, and can handle any stringed instrument. The handles adjust to fit any size headstock and will not let your gorgeous bass fall.
This is also the first physical product that I have tested and gave a huge thumbs up!
STRAPS
Not all straps are made the same. Choosing the right strap is crucial for comfort and playability. Keep these things in mind when it comes to choosing a strap:
Material: This is the most important factor in my opinion because you need to have the strap feel comfortable around your shoulder. Real leather with padding is my top choice because it is sturdy, lasts a long time, is extremely comfortable, and is worth the month.
Levy’s Leathers makes top-notch leather straps that would make a great gift!
Design: make sure you get a color and design that fits with what they would want to wear. If you want to surprise them you could find one with the type of music they play. For example, if they like to play a lot of punk music a strap with skulls on it might be a good option.
PICKS
Personally, I do not play with a pick but most bass players do and this is an easy and cheap gift to give them.
There are many varieties that you can find in your local music store and online. Check out this great article from Bass Player Center about finding the right bass guitar picks!
GIG BAGS
Having a high-quality gig bag is very important.
Keep in mind the size of the bag. I received a case from Amazon that looked like it could fit an upright bass but it had a nice felt inside to protect the instrument.
This type of case is great for gigging where you can just place your bass down and not worry about it. If you need to carry your bass around or you are practicing away from your space, you can get a simple, non-bulky cloth case. If you want to find a nice, high-quality case, check out this article from my friends over at Bass Musician Magazine.
If the brand and material do not matter, then you can check out Amazon and other music stores for gig bags.
You don’t need to shell out hundreds of dollars for a starter bass guitar. There are many great starter packs that are cost-effective and sound great!
I would highly recommend these b/c no matter what brand you get you get a quality product.
What is usually included:
- Bass Guitar
- Strap
- Picks
- Tuner
- Cable
- Guitar Bag
Additional things that may be included:
- Instructional Book
- 10 – 15 watt amp
- Strings
If the musician is more of a visual learner, then books are a perfect option. Books on beginner, intermediate, and advanced are always good choices based on their playing level.
Music theory books are another great option because they help with learning to hear, play, and write music.
Alfred Music and Hal Leonard both offer an incredible selection of bass guitar books from learning to play like Jaco Pastorius and Led Zeppelin to Basic Bass Method, Learning the 5 String Bass, and Scales and Modes for Bass!
BASS BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
Along with the other books mentioned above there are some really books about learning the bass guitar and music for you to purchase:
No-Nonsense Guide to Music Theory, Scales and More! by Holly Franklin
J.S. Bach for Electric Bass by Bob Gallaway, Ph.D.
Harmony & Theory Essential Concepts Series by Musicians Institute
Bass Fretboard Basics by Musicians Institute
FastTrack Bass Method – Book 1 by Blake Neely and Jeff Schroedl
FastTrack Bass Method – Book 2 by Blake Neely and Jeff Schroedl
All About Bass – A Fun and Simple Guide to Playing Bass by Chad Johnson
Advanced Rudiments Ultimate Music Theory Workbook by Glory St. Germain
Blank Tablature Book: Treble Clef
I hope this guide helps you get the ball rolling if you are stumped and unsure of what to give someone. Thanks for stopping by and keep rocking on!
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