Whats a good ($30-$50) "gear" related Birthday present

[saggsy]

subject says it all - more or less useful things that can be used in the studio that you never actually get around to getting yourself.
Keep the cost limited to around the $30 to $50 mark.
(Mainly for giving ideas for friends and relatives to buy good studio nick nacks, thats the reason for the low budget)

[Spookym15]

giftcard, if not CD-r and DVD's or a cable.

[Newcleardaze]

Any part of what can make up a good percussion rack/"spice rack"... cowbells, tamborine, small bongos, etc.

Also a subscription to a recording magazine if they don't already have it, or a reference book that offers creative ideas to implement in recording/mastering, such as Mastering Audio: the art and the science by Bob Katz.

mic stands

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by Spookym15

giftcard

thumbsupthumbsup

way to go!!

[saggsy]

Newcleardaze - you are a champion. I read about that Bob Katz book a while ago and totally forgot about it until you mentioned it then.

[amishsixstringe]

Vox Amplug AC30! I just got mine and have been using it live through a fender bassman 10. I rigged it up to an ABY switch and use it as a drive channel. Pretty awesome for 40 bucks.

Neil

[s.d.finley]

Originally Posted by saggsy

Newcleardaze - you are a champion. I read about that Bob Katz book a while ago and totally forgot about it until you mentioned it then.

Bruce Sweidens book "make mine music" is a great read too!

[Flying_Dutchman]

Maybe Mixing with your mind,

or maybe a VicFirth Drum Headphone

or the Petersson Tuner Software

[dhiltonlittle]

there's a guy on here selling a set of rack screws for the cost of shipping. that could be in you're budget.

[CrankyRayHanky]

Funk Logic joke racks

[jchas]

MCA-SP1 mic from PSSL.com
Not the best mic you'll ever buy, but definately usable for $39.99

[Colorblind]

How about some MoPads?

[saggsy]

Originally Posted by dhiltonlittle

there's a guy on here selling a set of rack screws for the cost of shipping. that could be in you're budget.

I was more so thinking of what idea's to give friends and relatives to get an audio freak (ala', myself) for a birthday present. In most cases the average friend and rellie can only afford to spend the amount that I suggested and I understand that this doesn't "get" you much, but there are always those cheap little nick nacks that come in handy around the studio but you never seem to get around to buying them yourself.

[saggsy]

Originally Posted by s.d.finley

Bruce Sweidens book "make mine music" is a great read too!

Thanks for that also, I never knew he even had a book - I'll definitely going to get that. I enjoyed having Bruce here when he made his guest appearance a while back.

[tropicalhotdog]

Originally Posted by saggsy

subject says it all - more or less useful things that can be used in the studio that you never actually get around to getting yourself.
Keep the cost limited to around the $30 to $50 mark.
(Mainly for giving ideas for friends and relatives to buy good studio nick nacks, thats the reason for the low budget)

- Cable tester
- Boss Tuner
- Case of good beer
- One of those little slot-racks for hanging cables from
- Small tool kit (of small tools)
- Lava lamp
- DVD of The Last Waltz
- Any number of inexpensive but cool lo-fi guitar pedals
- DI box or line shifter
- Gaffer tape (it's expensive!)
- Porn

[boyinthebox]

Great suggestions so far. I might add another book to the others that have been mentioned.. "Behind the Glass" by Howard Massey. Great book.

Also:
+1 Cable Tester
+1 'Spice Rack' Instruments

Cheers.

[donsimpson]

Definitely a cowbell and a case of beer.

[davet]

A nice soldering gun/needle with accesories, a Weller or something like it.
DaveT

[skiltrip]

I'd definitely put misc little instruments and noisemakers on my list.

tambourine
eggz kinda stuff
harmonicas
pennywhistles
bicycle horns
bicycle bells
maracas
cowbell
slide whistle
cheapo ukulele
any little percussion clickers, clackers, or anything that makes noise that you can put in a musical context.

[tropicalhotdog]

- coffee maker
- Sharpies and label tape
- cans of compressed air dusters
- Pop screen/filter
- A/B Splitter
- Mic stand
- power strip

[djwayne]

A good quality music stand. You can get them for around $40-50 and they last a lifetime. Very handy !!

[Dan]

yeah, you can never have enough lava lamps.

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by CrankyRayHanky

Funk Logic joke racks

Yup. Total necessity. Our "vintage" blackface Digilog Dynamicator gets used on every session.

[Brad Lunde]

A Sabra Som SSM1 shockmount $49........
Brad

[MWP]

Ok, not very exiciting I know, but the Shure A15AS pads are a great accessory to have around the studio.

MWP

[Seamus TM]

One of those shure inline attenuators.

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by donsimpson

Definitely a cowbell and a case of beer.

nice!!

the small misc instrument thing is a good idea too. you can probably get a nice pair of claves or some other small perc instrument that isn't "cheesy" for that price . . .

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navig...ice%7c0&page=1

[ribteen]

pop filter
capo
cheap korg tuner
those little cigarette pack sized guitar amps!!!
soldering iron
blank disks
feather duster
uke
melodica
9v batteries!!!

[slaveern]

You can never have enough guitar picks! Get them as stuffer

[Savernake]

The psychoacoustics book 'Music, Cognition and Computerized Sound: An Introduction to Psychoacoustics' is pretty much the most useful book I have ever read. Understanding psychoacoustics is an under-rated but incredibly important skill for anyone working in audio, and this book is a great place to start.