The Ultimate Gift Guide for Music Lovers

## Gifts That Hit the Right Note Music lovers are some of the easiest — and hardest — people to shop for. Easy because they're always wanting gear. Hard because they're very particular about what they want. This guide covers every price range with gifts that'll genuinely impress. ## Under $50 - **Audio-Technica AT6012 Record Care Kit** ($30) — Every vinyl collector needs proper cleaning supplies - **Fender Guitar Picks Variety Pack** ($10) — 72 picks in various thicknesses — they always lose them - **UGREEN USB-C DAC** ($15) — Tiny dongle that dramatically improves phone audio quality - **Vinyl record gift card** — Let them choose from Discogs or a local record store - **Guitar capo** ($10–$15) — Shubb or Kyser capo is a small upgrade any guitarist appreciates ## $50–$150 - **Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Headphones** ($130) — The industry-standard studio headphone. Flat, accurate sound loved by producers and audiophiles - **JBL Flip 6 Bluetooth Speaker** ($100) — Waterproof, powerful, and perfect for every situation - **Korg Volca Keys** ($130) — Tiny analog synthesizer that produces surprisingly rich sounds - **Guitar lesson subscription** — Fender Play ($60/year) or TrueFire ($99/year) - **Record frame** ($25–$40) — Display their favorite album cover as wall art ## $150–$500 - **Audio-Technica AT-LP60X Turntable** ($150) — Best entry-level turntable for vinyl newcomers - **Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface** ($170) — Essential for home recording; [Sound on Sound](https://www.soundonsound.com/) calls it the best budget audio interface - **Sonos One Speaker** ($220) — Smart speaker with audiophile-grade sound - **Fender Player Stratocaster** ($850, but frequently on sale at $650) — The iconic electric guitar, made in Mexico with professional-quality hardware - **Casio CT-S1 Portable Keyboard** ($230) — Beautiful tones in a sleek, portable package ## $500+ - **Sony WH-1000XM6 Headphones** ($350) — Best noise-cancelling headphones for music listening - **Marshall Stanmore III Bluetooth Speaker** ($400) — Gorgeous retro design with room-filling Marshall sound - **Gibson Les Paul Standard '50s** ($2,500) — The dream guitar for rock and blues players - **Yamaha P-125 Digital Piano** ($700) — Weighted keys and realistic piano sound for serious players [Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/) and [Stereogum](https://www.stereogum.com/) are excellent resources for discovering new music to pair with new gear. ### Q: What's the best gift for someone just getting into vinyl? The Audio-Technica AT-LP60X turntable ($150) paired with Edifier R1280T speakers ($100) creates a complete, great-sounding setup for $250. Add a record brush and their favorite album on vinyl. ### Q: Are expensive headphones worth it for casual listeners? If they listen to music more than 2 hours daily, absolutely. The jump from $30 earbuds to $100+ headphones is night-and-day in comfort and sound quality. Above $300, improvements are more incremental and better suited for dedicated listeners. Explore our [musical instruments and audio gear](/category/musical-instruments) for guitars, keyboards, speakers, and headphones. With [flexible payment options](/apply), you can give the gift of music without breaking your budget.