As scientists toil away to discover what draws humans to music, how it stimulates our brains, and why it’s so integral to our history, we’ve compiled a list of the coolest gifts for the music enthusiasts in your life. This guide is perfect for the aspiring hipster who wants to break out of the top-20 bubble, or the nerdy musician who hacks instruments and curates an extensive music collection.
Because no Christmas list is complete without something 3-D printed. Try your hand at printing a record. While the quality is less than that of a typical mp3 file, it’s still recognizable. Try it for yourself using this as a guide. Price varies, Instructables
Urbanears Re:Plattan
Re:Plattans are made of parts recycled from stocks of unsold headphones. Each pair looks a bit different and contains 60 percent repurposed material. $80, Urbanears
Sol Republic X Motorola DECK
For the social listener, a Bluetooth speaker means sharing music is as easy as synching to a computer or mobile device and pressing play. However, most Bluetooth speakers have a range of 30 to 50 feet, meaning you’re more or less tied to one room. The DECK sextuples that distance, with a range of up to 300 feet. $200, Sol Republic
Spotify Premium
Subscribers to Spotify’s premium service can stream unlimited ad-free music on their computers and mobile devices and save music for offline play. Gone are the days of 90-second previews and buyers remorse. Pick and choose from Spotify’s 20-million-song collection, and create playlists to share with friends. $9.99, Spotify
TronicalTune
This automatic tuner attaches directly to nearly any guitar’s headstock without wiring or drilling. The tiny computer listens for off-pitch notes and activates one of the six motors to adjust the tuning pegs. When the strings are all tuned, the device turns off. $299, Tronical
Acoustic-Electric Pegasus Guitar
The smart design of the Pegasus cuts down on the horrifying screeching feedback that can plague guitar players. With two slits instead of a sound hole, the body of the guitar vibrates less from the speakers and produces a truer sound. $2,000, Jon Kammerer Guitars
Concert Tickets
The free application Songkick synchs with Spotify to find concerts in the location you assign. The app allows users to compare ticket prices on sites like Ticketmaster with those of reseller marketplaces. Prices vary, Songkick
