The best guitarists on the Gold Coast
Two very different jobs sit under the same heading here, and sorting them out first will save you a week. An instrumental guitarist plays behind conversation and is the right call for a ceremony, a long lunch or drinks on a resort terrace. A guitarist who sings is a solo act carrying the whole room, and that is a booking with a completely different feel and price.
None of the players on this list carries a review on the site yet, so use the video and the detail instead. A guitarist's video tells you almost everything in a minute: the tone, whether they play with a backing track, and how they hold a room that is not really listening.
Top picks in Gold Coast
Top picks are the acts in this category in Gold Coast, without a review, rating or premium ranking: all these sort keys are tied.
Questions people ask about guitarists in Gold Coast
How much does a guitarist cost on the Gold Coast?
One player is the cheapest live music you can put in a room, and the range on the list below mostly reflects hours, travel along the strip and whether they sing. A ceremony is a short block with a long setup and is priced as such; three hours of background playing at a Broadbeach function is a different job. Ask for the price of the exact hours you want, since a package built for weddings may not suit a lunch.
Should I book an instrumental guitarist or one who sings?
Instrumental works when you want the room to keep talking, which is most ceremonies, canape hours and corporate dinners. A singing guitarist is the entertainment itself and suits a party, a bar or the part of a wedding where people are meant to be watching. Booking the wrong one is the most common mistake made in this category, and it is entirely avoidable by saying which you want.
Can a guitarist play a beach ceremony?
Yes, and it happens along this coast constantly, but three things need sorting: a battery powered amp, a windbreak or a sensible direction to face, and the council permit, which is your job rather than theirs. Nylon strings and salt air do not get on, so a player who works the beaches regularly will bring the guitar they do not mind exposing. Ask how long their battery runs, because a delayed ceremony has flattened more than one.
How do I judge a guitarist without reviews?
Watch a full piece with the sound on and listen for the gaps, because a player who fills every second is hard to talk over. Then ask what they play for a ceremony, what they play for a dinner, and whether the set is the same for both. A guitarist who has a different answer for each has actually done the work.
Booking tips
Say instrumental or vocal in the first line
It is the one thing that decides whether an act is right for you, and it is the detail most enquiries leave out. Put it at the top of your message.
Sand and salt need battery gear
A beach ceremony between Coolangatta and Main Beach means no power and a lot of wind. Ask what they can run off a battery and how long it lasts.
Give the exit, not just the suburb
The coast is a long strip and the hinterland climbs off it. A player based near Burleigh treats Coolangatta and Hope Island as different jobs, so name the venue and the start time.