Gifts for music lovers in the US

Listener or player

Most music lovers either listen or play, and gifts rarely cross over. Look at their house. A shelf of records points to care gear or a crate. A guitar on a stand points to a tuner or capo. Headphones around the neck all day point to an upgrade there.

For a vinyl listener

Someone starting a collection needs something to play records on and something to hear them through. The Audio-Technica AT-LP60X is our top pick, but it makes no sound alone, so check they have powered speakers or a stereo. If they have neither, the Victrola Century Core has speakers built in. It is convenient, not hi-fi.

For an established collector, buy care and storage. Big Fudge's cleaner set looks after the stylus, and its chalkboard crate holds up to 80 LPs once the shelf runs out; it needs assembly. Do not buy records unless you know exactly what they own.

For a player

Small accessories get used and lost, which makes them good gifts. The Snark tuner clips on and works for guitar, ukulele or bass, so it is the safe pick if you are unsure what they play. Kyser makes capos for steel-string acoustics and for ukuleles; get the right one, because a capo for the wrong neck will not sit properly.

For someone who wants to start, the Enya concert ukulele is a cheap first instrument. Add the Snark, since new strings drift for the first week.

Headphones and speakers

For a commuter or flyer, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra has the strongest noise cancelling here. For home recording, wired ATH-M50x studio headphones are the standard. The Marshall Major V runs over 100 hours on a charge. For a student on a budget, JLab's earbuds add noise cancelling for little money.

For speakers, the Marshall Emberton III and Bose SoundLink Flex suit a shelf, a cabin or the beach. A grandparent who wants the radio on in the kitchen will get more from the Sangean dial radio than any app. For a regular concert-goer, Loop earplugs protect their hearing.

The Apple Gift Card is the only instant pick and only makes sense for an iPhone user.

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.