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The Music Box Shop Review

Tuesday, March 19th

2024 Music Box Store Reviews

The Music Box Shop Review 3 Star Rating

The Music Box Shop

3 Star Rating
  • From $14.95 to $12,999
  • Limited selection of rare music boxes
  • All or mostly all traditional
  • Possible to change tunes for a fee
  • Mother-daughter-run company

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.

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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.

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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.

Where Can You Find the Best Selection of Music Boxes?

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.

The Best Music Box Stores Compare Music Box Stores Compare Music Box Store Reviews What are the best Music Box Stores Best Music Box Store Reviews

Music Box Store FAQ

Music boxes first appeared in the late 18th Century in Switzerland. They became so popular within the next 100 years that music boxes were 10% of the nation's total exports! Music boxes' appeal declined for a while but surged once more when American soldiers in Europe during WWII brought them home as souvenirs.
There's a lot of variety within the different types of music boxes. They can play anywhere from four to eight bars of music, depending on the size of the cylinder that produces the notes.
Given their origins in the 18th Century, music boxes even now feature many classical pieces like Beethoven's 9th Symphony or Fur Elise. Musicals are also popular, from Phantom of the Opera's "Music of the Night" to "Memory" from Cats. Believe it or not, you can find contemporary music - even TV show theme songs and tunes from Disney movies!
Yes, definitely. If there's a piece of music that has special meaning, a figurine to commemorate an important occasion, or a type of wood that would complement your decor, there are specialty music box stores that are happy to provide you with a bespoke creation.
Yes and no. You can have jewelry boxes that don't play music, of course, and you can have music boxes that don't have any storage space. But, if you have a music box with compartments or hollowed-out areas where you can keep rings, necklaces, and so on, you could call it a music box or a jewelry box - or even a music jewelry box! You get the idea.
Only if you want them to be. You can get a very simple music box for less than $15, a one-of-a-kind luxury purchase for over $100,000, and everything in between. Most music boxes, however, fall in a price range between $50 and $150.
Yes. Not every retailer of music boxes offers a repair service, however. The more specialized (and, perhaps, high-end) the music box store, the more likely it is that they can fix a music box you already have.
Many retailers of music boxes allow returns on non-customized items only. You may be charged a restocking fee and have to pay any costs for the return shipping.
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Continued from above...

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:

  • Style. There are music boxes that have a lovely design and just play music. There are boxes with lids that lift to store jewelry, watches, or other trinkets. You can choose a music box and see the tune that has been carefully selected for it, or you can design your own music box, choose from hundreds of tunes, or record your own music or your own voice to be played. You can even DIY your own box with materials sent to you. If you're a collector, there are vintage and rare music boxes to be found, admired, and purchased.
  • Price. Music boxes can run anywhere from $25 to $25,000. Just because a music box may carry a lower price doesn't mean it's not well made. There are very well made music boxes in a variety of styles and materials for a lower price point. The highest price points are usually for vintage, rare, or antique reproductions which are quite beautiful.
  • Warranty. The return policy can range greatly from company to company. Some have a 365-day money-back guarantee with a lifetime warranty. Others may have a 15-day or even basically no warranty.
  • Retailer reputation. There are more music box stores than you might think, and they vary in reputation. You'll want to look at how long they've been in business, quality of product, variety of style, and customer satisfaction.

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.

Compare Music Box Stores

Select any 2 Music Box Stores to compare them head to head

best-music-box-stores
  • Music Box Attic
  • The Music House
  • The Music Box Store
  • San Francisco Music Box Company
  • Music Boxes Etc.
  • Wooderful Life
  • The Bradford Exchange
  • The Music Box Shop
  • The Music Box Company
  • Wrapboxx
Music Box Attic vs The Music House Music Box Attic vs The Music Box Store Music Box Attic vs San Francisco Music Box Company Music Box Attic vs Music Boxes Etc. Music Box Attic vs Wooderful Life Music Box Attic vs The Bradford Exchange Music Box Attic vs The Music Box Shop Music Box Attic vs The Music Box Company Music Box Attic vs Wrapboxx The Music House vs The Music Box Store The Music House vs San Francisco Music Box Company The Music House vs Music Boxes Etc. The Music House vs Wooderful Life The Music House vs The Bradford Exchange The Music House vs The Music Box Shop The Music House vs The Music Box Company The Music House vs Wrapboxx The Music Box Store vs San Francisco Music Box Company The Music Box Store vs Music Boxes Etc. The Music Box Store vs Wooderful Life The Music Box Store vs The Bradford Exchange The Music Box Store vs The Music Box Shop The Music Box Store vs The Music Box Company The Music Box Store vs Wrapboxx San Francisco Music Box Company vs Music Boxes Etc. San Francisco Music Box Company vs Wooderful Life San Francisco Music Box Company vs The Bradford Exchange San Francisco Music Box Company vs The Music Box Shop San Francisco Music Box Company vs The Music Box Company San Francisco Music Box Company vs Wrapboxx Music Boxes Etc. vs Wooderful Life Music Boxes Etc. vs The Bradford Exchange Music Boxes Etc. vs The Music Box Shop Music Boxes Etc. vs The Music Box Company Music Boxes Etc. vs Wrapboxx Wooderful Life vs The Bradford Exchange Wooderful Life vs The Music Box Shop Wooderful Life vs The Music Box Company Wooderful Life vs Wrapboxx The Bradford Exchange vs The Music Box Shop The Bradford Exchange vs The Music Box Company The Bradford Exchange vs Wrapboxx The Music Box Shop vs The Music Box Company The Music Box Shop vs Wrapboxx The Music Box Company vs Wrapboxx
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