There are TONS of places to find musical gifts online, but few with quality reputations (and actually great products).
To start off, I’ll summarize a few of our top picks (these are great places to start if you’re in a hurry), and then I’ll get into some other options and suggestions for where to shop for particular types of products.
Here are the best places to find a wide selection of gifts for musicians and music lovers online:
Amazon – Little bit of everything, fast free shipping on most items, most familiar platform.- Etsy – Great place to find really unique, handmade, custom or personalized gifts.
- The Music Stand – Great source of quirky + hilarious novelty gifts for musicians (guitar-shaped toilet seat anyone?).
- Reverb – Best place to buy USED instruments and gear directly from sellers. There are ratings for sellers kind of like eBay, but Reverb just feels way classier and safer. Plus it’s ONLY for music instruments and gear, so there tends to be a higher caliber of intention and communication with sellers.
- SamAsh, zZounds, Sweetwater, Musician’s Friend, Guitar Center – All great places to shop for musical instruments or pro audio gear such as microphones, cables, guitars, electric keyboards, adapters and much more. They will have similar selections, all offer gift certificates, all offer FREE shipping on most orders, but some have some additional factors to consider, such as financing options, rewards
and more. Here’s a simple table to summarize a few of the differences that may help you decide which shop to browse first:
| Financing | Returns | Other | |
| SamAsh | – 0% Interest Card – Payment Plans | 45-Day | – Lease to Own option – 60 Day Price Matching – Good selection of used gear |
| zZounds | Payment Plans | 45-Day “No Hassles” | – No Minimum FREE Shipping – Often Lowest Prices – No commission customer service |
| Sweetwater | – 0% Interest Card – Payment Plans | 30-Day (generally) | – Excellent Customer Service (but will constantly call after purchase) – Free 2-yr Warranty |
| Musician’s Friend | 0% Interest Card | 45-Day “No Hassles” | – 8% Rewards Program – Frequent Deals / Coupons – Stupid Deal of the Day – 45 Day Price Matching |
| Guitar Center | – Low Interest Card – Payment Plans | 45-Day (exceptions) | – Best guitar + vintage selection – Good selection of used gear – 45 Day Price Matching |
Here are some more great specialty shops best for particular types of products — Use the links below to jump to a section or just keep scrolling!
Where to Buy Online Courses (Taught by Pro Musicians)
These are our favorite places to find awesome yet surprisingly affordable self-study and group classes taught by pro musicians, singers, producers and more! These classes are great for music lovers wanting to have fun or serious aspiring pros wanting to seriously up their game!
Taught by Celebrities!
Masterclass only provides classes taught by really successful pros, as in you’re likely to recognize most if not all of them!
You can purchase individual classes, or for the price of two classes, get access to ALL of the classes (not just music topics)!
With Masterclass, it’s particularly easy to gift a class (or a full access pass) with their built-in “Gift This Class” buttons.
Taught by Berklee Professors!
Coursera allows you to audit most classes for free, or play a small fee to get feedback on assignments and keep access to materials after the course is over. There is a great selection of class topics taught by Berklee College of Music professors, as well as professors from some other top schools.
This would be great for a students considering or prepping for Berklee or another music school, or for those just wanting to learn from amazing professors at an unbelievable price!
Note that Coursera doesn’t have a built-in gifting option, so if considering this as a gift you might want to make your own “gift certificate” and wait for the receiver to create their own account info while purchasing.
Where to Buy Music Gear Online (for Recording, Stage, etc.)
Musicians need all sorts of stuff to actually make music, record music, perform music, maintain their instruments.
When it comes to music gear, your best bet is to stick to buying from pro audio shops. If there’s a problem with your purchase, you want to be able to communicate with someone who knows what they’re talking about and not give you trouble. Amazon can be a good
Buy Used Music Gear
Reverb is a great place to start looking for used music gear and instruments. Similar to eBay, with Reverb you’re buying and selling directly between individuals, which can save you from unnecessary fees incurred by a middle man. However, having a middle man can have
Wrapping Up
I hope you’ve found this quick guide helpful and are well on your way to finding the perfect gift from a great online music shop! If not, see below!
>> The Best Gifts for Music Teachers