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Monday, February 10th
If you'd like to find that rare or limited-edition music box, or are a fanatic of traditional music boxes, The Music Box Shop is the place for you. They are replicas of centuries' old music boxes.
Traditional is the word
The tunes are by far mostly traditional as well. In fact, if you're not attuned to old-timey music, you'll want to search online for the song to listen to it to see if you like it. Whimsical would not be a word we would choose for the music boxes found here; so, for whimsy, check out our other recommended music box online stores.
Mother-daughter team
The founders of The Music Box Shop, Nancy and Dawn Cox, have been selling on the internet since 1995. They work out of Phoenix and sell music boxes and musical gifts almost exclusively.
For the serious shopper or music box collector
There are antiques, collectibles, and music boxes that would whet the appetite of any experienced music box lover. If there's a piece in your collection you've been missing, try here. Would a Victorian mother and child or a cameo add that "something” you've been looking for to put on your mantle? Search no further.
Traditional themes
There are themes such as wedding/anniversary, baby/children, ballerina, cameos, carousels, and Christmas. There are several of each, yet still in the traditional, or older-looking motif. There are only a handful, if that, of somewhat whimsical styles.
It's just not fun
Even as you scroll and click on the site, it's not fun and attractive. It's serious music-box business. The main focus of the collections seems to be for styles of music boxes, and frankly, it was hard for us to tell the difference between the style categories without looking quite deeply into each section. It wasn't entertaining to shop here and it didn't keep our attention. When looking in the children's section, there were some cute choices. There are some Precious Moments and a couple of Disney-themed gifts, and Christmas has a better variety of figurines and water globes, but not enough to keep our attention. That's just one area where The Music Box Shop left us feeling underwhelmed.
Frustrating to search only music boxes
When we put "music boxes” in the search box, more than 200 choices popped up. However, many weren't boxes and even more weren't musical. You'll have to peruse each beautiful gift choice to see if it's musical or not.
Possible to select a tune
On certain music boxes you can select a tune from their list. The charge to do so is usually $10, and there are hundreds of songs to choose from. Some are quite old, so you may want to use YouTube to hear a sample. Clearly, your YouTube sampling won't be the same as how you'd hear it on the tines of the music box, but at least you'll have heard it.
Would you like personalization? There's a fee for that
With The Music Box Shop, adding an engraved plaque will cost just over $30 and gift wrap will cost an extra $5. And as you may know, swapping out a tune, when possible, will run $10 or more, depending on the music box.
Rare pieces
A unique reproduction of a 19th century music box, double-combed with 144 teeth, plays four long tunes spanning five octaves. This gem is $12,999. You can also search for the oldest piece they have. It's #185 Music Box. It's a lovely piece with a price of $279, but doesn't list its year or history. We found it strange that there's no history on their oldest piece.
Undisclosed warranty
There's no stated warranty nor satisfaction guarantee that we could find. Before you purchase your music box from The Music Box Shop, we recommend you contact them to find out their return policy, if there is one.
Serious shoppers only
If you are a serious music box collector, The Music Box Shop could be your niche find. If you'd like whimsical, fun, modern, and themes like Disney, Harry Potter, or Star Wars, there are other sites where you'll have fun shopping for that perfect music box gift.
Music boxes have captivated people's hearts for centuries. Even the mention of music boxes can bring back memories of a grandmother, or the tune that lulled you to sleep as a child, or simply relaxation. Their enduring popularity can be attributed to a combination of nostalgia, craftsmanship, and the enchanting magic they bring into our lives.
It almost goes without saying that music boxes, with their whimsical style and delicate melodies, have a timeless appeal that transcends generations. But shopping for a music box from a local store can be a frustrating challenge. Thankfully, a number of online shops have emerged to meet the demand of music box lovers everywhere.
In a fast-paced world, where technological advancements dominate, the music box offers a tangible link to the past. The basic mechanism of a music box, which relies on a simple set of gears and pins, is truly a source of fascination. The mechanical nature of these devices, devoid of digital complexities, offers a refreshing and tactile experience. Turning the key and watching the delicate dance of the internal components creates a sense of wonder and connection with the inner workings of a timeless piece of machinery.
There's a lovely variety of music box styles to choose from and choices you can make when selecting the perfect music box gift. Music boxes are often thought of being a wood or metal box to hold jewelry or watches, but some are whimsical and look like an old-fashioned wooden toy. Music boxes can be gifts for a wedding, for the birth of a child, a birthday, or any holiday.
The tune is important to music boxes, too. They may play one song or up to four songs, and sometimes you can choose the song for your special music box gift. You can even find music boxes with a round disc or one that plays digital music. Would you like to record your own music or your spoken voice to be heard and remembered by your loved ones for generations to come? Today, that's possible with music boxes, too.
Whatever music box you're looking for, you can help the receiver to create or recreate some beautiful memories. So, where should you shop for your next treasured keepsake? There are literally thousands of music boxes to choose from, and dozens of stores that carry them.
Here are some criteria for you to keep in mind as you begin your music box shopping:
To help you make your best selection in music boxes, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked several music box retailers. We're sure this will help you find that special music box that will bring memories for years or generations to come.
Select any 2 Music Box Stores to compare them head to head