Gifts for music lovers in the UK

For a vinyl listener

The Audio-Technica AT-LP60X has a built-in preamp but no speakers, so check they have powered speakers or a stereo before you buy it. If they are already set up, record care is the safer gift.

SPINCARE covers both ends. The carbon fibre brush is a cheap stocking filler that sweeps dust before each play. The cleaning machine is for a collector who buys a lot of second-hand records from charity shops and fairs; it washes both sides at once, but records need drying and the fluid is a repeat purchase.

For a player

Dunlop makes the two small things a guitarist always needs. A pack of twelve picks gets used because picks get lost, though 1mm is heavy for a beginner. The clip-on tuner works on guitar, ukulele or bass and makes tuning a few seconds' job.

The UK list is thin on instruments, so for someone who wants to start playing, we would buy the tuner now and let them choose the instrument in a shop.

If you are not sure what they play, look before you buy. Guitar, bass and ukulele all take the clip-on tuner, but picks suit guitar and bass far more than ukulele, and a classical guitarist may not use one at all.

Headphones, speakers and desk

For a commuter on the Tube or a long-haul flyer, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra has the strongest noise cancelling here. For recording at home, wired ATH-M50x studio headphones. For someone who never charges anything, the Marshall Major V.

For speakers, the Marshall Emberton III and Bose SoundLink Flex suit a shelf, a garden or a holiday. The HomePod mini only suits an Apple household. A Luckies headphone stand and an Elgato microphone round out a desk for someone who records or streams.

Order by early December for Christmas post. The Apple Gift Card is the one pick that arrives by email.

Questions people ask

What do you get a music lover who has everything?

Look for the maintenance gear and small tools they never buy for themselves. A vinyl collector rarely owns a proper record cleaning machine. A guitarist always needs more picks and a spare tuner. A regular concert-goer may not have proper earplugs. For a listener with a good setup, a gift card toward streaming or new music lets them pick.

Is a turntable a good gift for a beginner?

Yes, if you also check what they will plug it into. An entry-level model like the Audio-Technica AT-LP60X has a built-in preamp but no speakers, so it needs powered speakers or a stereo. If they have neither, add powered speakers with a phono input, or choose an all-in-one player with speakers built in.

What is a good first instrument to give an adult?

A soprano ukulele or a 17-key kalimba. Both are cheap enough that it does not matter if they stall, and both let a beginner play a simple tune within days. Add a clip-on tuner to a ukulele, since new strings drift out of tune often for the first week, and the kit rarely includes one.

What are good stocking stuffers for a guitarist?

A pack of picks, a clip-on tuner, a capo that fits their guitar, or a notebook for lyrics and chord ideas. Picks get lost all the time, so they are always used. Check the capo type: acoustic, electric and classical necks differ, and a capo for the wrong neck will not sit properly.