My 14 year old son has been playing guitar for about a year - an imported Strat he got last year on his birthday, and an entry level Telecaster he got at Christmas.  His birthday is in 2 weeks, and I'd like to get him something guitar related.  I know he needs a tuner - his old one broke - and he already has a little Honeytone amp as well as 2 practice amps.I was thinking about an effects pedal, but it only took a quick search to realize I have no idea how to choose one.  His original training was in violin and double bass (he was the only one tall enough to play the latter), and his interests are mainly rock/metal.

Any suggestions?  I know I probably haven't given enough info, but I have no idea what's relevant.

Korg Tuner

tuner pedal

Effects pedals are going to be a complete crap shoot based on what style of music he likes.

If I got him a gift certificate to Guitar Center, could he hake his guitar there and try out pedals?

You are on the right track here....

 

Boss SD-1 or Digitech Bad Monkey.

Truly awesome OD pedals for not a lot of money.

If your budget was $100 and under I'd infinitely recommend a Polytune 2.

Hmmm...I just remembered I got him a guitar center gift cert for Xmas. and he hasn't used it yet. So I think the price point just got more flexible.

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As a beginner to middlin guitar player myself, I would go with a tuner and a capo. (Unless he already has a capo, then maybe a drop D capo...)

I have been playing scales and chords; learning to do all the lesson book type songs and also to follow a lead sheet (THANK YOU YOUTUBE!)

Getting a capo and learning a bit of music theory (pentatonic scales, circle of fifths, and CAGED chord shapes), has really enhanced my level of play.  If he doesn't have a capo yet, I'd invest in one.  A friend showed me his drop D capo, which has a gap for the low E string.  Allows alternate tuning while using the capo.  Very cool.  That will be my next purchase.

He's pretty well versed in music theory - like I said, he started on classical strings.  But I like the idea of a capo, because I don't think he has one.

As far as tuners go, the Korg Pitchblack, TC Electronic PolyTune, and Boss tuner pedals are all good pedals.


Also, what amp is he playing through, other than the Honeytone?


 

The amps he has are 2 Peavey's: one came with the Strat as part of a starter package, the other came with a Jazzmaster bass that was his first guitar - better, but still a practice amp.

The weird thing is, he almost never uses them.  He seems much more interested in learning the tabs than the overall sound.

He probably doesn't like how they sound. Since he's into rock & metal, I think he would like an Electro Harmonix Metal Muff Top Boost. They can produce quite a few different distortion tones, and are only $100. And if he still needs a tuner, you can get a cheapie clip on one from Reverb.com for like $4, IIRC, which will get him by.

 

But ultimately, if he sticks with it, I would have him save up for a tube amp.

A tube amp.

Maybe a metronome for practicing scales?

Give me your address and I'll use my budget to get th means to acquire one.

Guitar essentials under $50 for a strat dude:

Nickel strings
good capo
Thick pics

I really like this little pedal but it's $100.
Zoom multistomp

I found a free app called smartChord that has LOTS of features for string instruments.  Tuner, Metronome, scales, chords, circle of fifths, and more.  You can see chord shapes for all kinds of positions, add capo at different frets, etc.

Very powerful tool.

Just to close the loop, I got him the following:

Snark SN-10S Pedal Tuner

and

Fender 099-0408-091 Kyser 60th Anniversary Strat Capo, Silver Sparkle

The latter matches his fretboard, though I just found out the little bastard just ordered a different fretboard using the gift cert I got him for Xmas.  I'm also going to get him the aforementioned smartChord for his tablet. the tuner was rated pretty highly for what it is - it's not the best, but he's never used one (a pedal tuner), so it's more of a "try it out" thing.

Thanks to everyone for the advice.  The next problem - his birthday was as shitty as mine.  I was in India and missed his - it was his Mom's custody week.  But apparently she didn't do shit - he spent the day humping mulch for a school fundraiser and then went to someone else's birthday party. So I'm taking Friday off (he's off as well) and we're going to party down, at least as well as I can with a 15 year old.  I think part of it will be spent with him trying to teach me to play bass.  I know it doesn't sound like much of a gift, but he really seemed to enjoy it the last time we tried.  He gets a real kick out of teaching The Old man something that I don't already know.

Wish me luck.

Cry Baby pedal (slightly over $50, but...)

On the cheapo end, a slide.  Not enough good slide players in the world.

true...me included I have never been able to use a slide and make it sound like anything..