To be honest, sometimes I find searching for the perfect gift difficult. Although I try to use people’s hobbies to find a special gift, often I don’t know much about the hobby I am buying for. What if I buy the wrong thing? Do you feel the same way? I am going to share with you some unique gifts for banjo players that I have discovered. I have included useful accessories that should be safe bets while having a high “wow” factor, plus fun gifts that any banjo player will appreciate. So, shop and then just wait for that smile as they open their music gifts.
Check for concerts nearby and buy two tickets for a date night gift for a banjo player.
A banjolele is a cross between a banjo and ukulele. These are each a beautiful work of art hand painted by the artist.
Get the gift of their favorite bluegrass music on MP3 so they can take their music with them wherever they go.
1. Concert Tickets
Best gifts for banjo players
Check for concerts nearby and buy two tickets for a date night gift for a banjo player. If you want to make a vacation out of it, get concert tickets at a destination you want to visit, book a hotel, and make it a fun getaway.
Part of the festival fun is the tailgate party. I haven’t been to one in a while, but I remember seeing the Grateful Dead years back. A folding table with a built-in cooler, drink holders, and a place for snacks would have come in handy. A canopy to attach to your truck will help protect you from the sun’s harmful rays.
2. Hand Painted Banjolele
Unique gift for banjo players
Never heard of a banjole? A banjolele is a cross between a banjo and ukulele. It has a banjo type body with a fretted ukulele neck containing 4 strings. These are each a beautiful work of art hand painted by the artist. This is really a rare find and makes a nice collector’s piece.
3. Finger Gripper
Helpful gifts for banjo players
If you don’t play an instrument, you may not realize the muscle strength and flexibility necessary in the hands. Finger grippers provide a workout for these appendages.
Finger picks are a must have for practice. They help protect fingers from friction, while giving the same control as when using their actual fingertips.
4. Clip-on Tuner
Best gifts for banjo players
While most musicians will want to get their own equipment to get the right feel of things, I recently read a forum where a banjo player said that a tuner is a welcomed gift. Most tuners can be used on a wide range of instruments. Just make sure that your musician doesn’t already have this.
There is nothing worse than going to use a piece of equipment and finding that the battery is dead. Get some backup batteries for uninterrupted use. A banjo player can never have enough strings either, but make sure you know what kind of strings they use before buying. You don’t want to get the wrong kind.
5. Bluegrass Music
Gifts for the banjo player’s listening pleasure
Get the gift of their favorite bluegrass music on MP3. Help them upgrade from CD or vinyl so they can take their music with them wherever they go. You could also get them a music subscription so they can choose their own music.
However, if they like things the classic way, you can still choose a bluegrass CD or vinyl for them. In addition to bluegrass, many classic rock bands feature banjo in some of their songs such as Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and Allman Brothers’ Band.
6. Custom Strap
Personalized banjo items
A custom strap with either initials or full name makes a thoughtful gift for a banjo player. Some allow additional personalization with a phrase.
As with any travel gear, bags go through a lot of wear and tear while protecting their contents. A new gig bag is always useful. You can even add some personality with a music-themed luggage tag.
7. Music Lessons
Great banjo gifts
Lessons are a great gift for the new banjo player. Have them learn from the best by taking online lessons with a grammy winner. For someone who has been playing for a while, more advanced lessons are also available.
Or if this is too pricey, you can buy a lesson book. Some books come with a DVD as well as CDs for listening pleasure. If they don’t already have one, get a music sheet stand to place the book on during practice. I used one of these when I played the flute. They help keep the pages in place so they don’t turn while you are trying to read the music.
8. Repair Kit
Useful banjo gift ideas
A repair kit has all the tools necessary for changing strings, set-ups, and maintaining optimum condition of the instrument all in a convenient carrying case. Even if they already have some of these tools, this set keeps everything together in one place.
A banjo player will also appreciate some cleaning supplies. These can generally be used on all wooden instruments, and help remove minor scratches and keep surfaces smooth. A backup polishing cloth should come in handy as well.
9. Canjo
Novelty banjo gifts
Looking for a unique banjo gift for the banjo lover? Get a handmade canjo. A canjo is a one-string instrument made from recycled wood and a can. They come in acoustic or electric. The electric ones have a jack to plug into an amp. Some come with an instruction manual on how to play. For the crafty banjo lover, get a kit so they can make their own canjo.
A novelty gift for a banjo player who loves the outdoors is a birdhouse in the shape of a banjo or other stringed instrument. These are handcrafted from solid pine for small birds. They are unfinished so you can decorate it yourself or let the recipient paint it however they like. Another unique gift for a musician is a personalized record doormat. Customize the LP label with the musician’s family name and a custom phrase.
10. Whimsical Wall Mount
Useful banjo stuff
All banjo players need a safe place to keep their banjo when not in use. Why hide it away in a corner when it can be proudly put on display. Some wall mounts even allow for customization.
For those with limited wall space get a floor stand. For an additional gift, you can choose a decorative banjo pick pouch. My cat likes to take my husband’s guitar picks and use them as toys. A handy pick pouch would be a great banjo gift to keep those picks from disappearing.
11. Funky Jewelry
Wearable banjo gifts
Jewelry with their favorite instrument is a great gift for a banjo player. Earrings, cufflinks, pendant, or a charm for a bracelet are just some of the choices. Jewelry makes a romantic gift for a banjo player for Valentine’s Day or an anniversary.
Try a unique key chain as a stocking stuffer for Christmas or a present topper for a birthday gift. Some can be customized with a name. For additional wearable banjo gift ideas try a funny t-shirt or themed socks.
12. Cool Christmas Ornament
Holiday gifts for banjo players
Christmas ornaments are great banjo gifts for teachers to remember their students by. They are also great gifts for kids as a start to their own ornament collection.
Not everyone has a tree to put an ornament on. In that case get a coffee mug with a goofy saying on it. Another cool gift for a banjo player is a pick punch. If your banjo player uses a guitar pick to play the banjo, this quirky gift is for them. They can recycle old plastic such as expired credit cards or used gift cards to create their own picks.
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