Gift Ideas (for others)

[trickykitty]

corzican recently bought a turn table so we now have access to albums in our apartment. It's one of the retro-style looking ones that includes AM/FM and a cd player. Unfortunately it doesn't include a tape player and it appears the two tape players on my own stereo are just not working from lack of use and dust accumulation. (Anyone know a good reliable place that still works on tape decks?) He got a good deal on it, so I do think it's worth it for the value.

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The rest is lj-cut because it's a lot of typing and I didn't want to kill you f-page.

These are gift ideas mostly for others. I like most of the items I'm posting about, but it's not really a "shopping for me for xmas" type list. As usual, I've included my own style of anecdotes to accompany most items.

The first few paragraphs are record album players, then it moves on to random gift ideas I found while looking through a catalog. None of these have been looked at for price, and I already know most things can be found much cheaper if you just do a little searching online.


Here's a basic usb table that connects to your computer and stores songs in a file format. It only plays 33s and 45s, but the software included allows you to record 78s at the 33 speed and then convert them digitally. It does have a stereo input, but without built-in speakers, cd or tape, it's not very high on my list of must-haves. Note that the More Information section about this product states: "...also now features a hinged dustcover..." Apparently the guys that originally created this didn't remember how dusty turntables can get or how bad dust is for the albums and the needle. I can only imagine that there were a lot of complaints by folks buying the product without the dustcover.

Perusing the Signals catalog I found an album player that does include a tape player, but it also includes a cd burner which can record from all three other media. Now they just need to include the usb cable to round out the package. In the meantime, I still think this would make a great gift for someone deserving enough.

My dad would love this art-deco styled console. Of course, he'd actually want a real antique art deco player, but at least a replica would come with a cd player.

Why must they all have wood veneer? They need to make more black vintage style players, or at least start making some matching black stands to go with the players that they do have.

None of the above players come with the stacking feature that I was once used to on record players. This one does include stacking, but that's about the only feature that I would want from it. Plus Queen Anne legs are just not my cup o' tea.

This cd-only player is just nifty.

Did I ever mention that I have a love affair with Wurlitzer Jukeboxes? (damn if they didn't mis-spell the name in that link)

Other great ideas from the Signals catalog:
Pin Clock
Powers of 2 Clock (pretty cheesy looking)
Chronoart Wall Clock (even more cheesy looking, but I like the concept of it)
lots of great geek humor shirts (including "English major: You do the math", "Careful, or you'll end up in my novel", "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate", and "There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary and those who don't" - there are more on the next few pages but you have to slosh through some of the more dull shirts to find the really good ones)
Pretty, yet severely overpriced, 3/4 sleeve tees (the first three are my favorites for design and the Lovebirds a little further down on the page I prefer for the v-neck, although the design still isn't all that bad)
Arts and Crafts Bench (would look awesome re-stained black to go with an Asian decor)
Knife Cabinet with an entertaining twist
Glow Brick and Glow Garden Balls (the brick would make a playful building material like the glass brick walls you see in some kitchens and bathrooms
Pub in a Box (not to be confused with Dick in a Box - sorry I can't find an unedited version anymore)

For the collectors:
On The Road, The Original Scroll, by Jack Kerouac
Signed & Numbered Limited Edition "How Many?" Pop-Up Book by Ron van der Meer
Monty Python plushies, complete series, and tees
The History of The Hobbit Boxed Set
JRR Tolkien: The Children of Hurin, Deluxe Edition
some other dvd colelctions (which reminds me: 1)I STILL need to locate my Victor Borge tape, 2)my dad would love The Prisoner collection, 3)I would kill to have The Twilight Zone collection)

Harry Potter: (no, I'm not a huge fan - these are just ideas for others)
Limited Edition Harry Potter Movie Poster Canvas Prints
sure, why not - Harry Potter Monster Book of Monsters Vibrating Plush {insert your "Harry innuendo" here}
Harry Potter Hardcover Boxed Set
Have You Seen This Wizard? (now I COULD go for a metal poster of Gary Oldman's mug, but I'd rather hold off for a "Who's that pimp in the window" pinup of him in this outfit)

Edward Gorey items - Amazingly enough I was just introduced to Edward Gorey just a couple of days ago by disgruntledgrrl (yes, I lead a pathetically deprived life, but in my defense I briefly introduced her to Shel Silverstein)
also, The Twelve Terrors of Christmas Book illustrated by Gorey.