Two turntables and a microphone, but you know... for kids!

August 16, 2006 12:25 PM

I have a six year-old son who likes to 'air scratch' during songs. When we go to music stores he loves hanging out in the DJ supplies section and checking out the turntables and

For Christmas I'd like to find a "kid friendly" musical gift that will allow him the enjoyment of scratching without Dad having to fork out cash for professional gear.

I seem to remember seeing a electronic thing that had a CD sized scratching turntable with 'canned' scratching sounds. I think he'd love something like that but my froogle searches have been fruitless. If you've got a suggestion for a budding DJ's Christmas gift please share.

posted by DragonBoy to shopping (9 comments total)

If I was six and into DJing, I'd want the real thing. My mum was forever buying me 'kiddy' versions of things when I was that age -- I hated it when she did that.
posted by popcassady at 12:34 PM on August 16, 2006

maybe you can try to find a fisher price record player and some kids records that he can scratch?

Or even a cheap adult one from ebay? That way you could get him styx and he can scratch the hell out of mr. roboto! that would be cute overload!
posted by milarepa at 12:35 PM on August 16, 2006

Might be a bit much for a 6 year old, but this is pretty money. On the other hand there's this, but that's for a lot younger children. That's all I found with a quick google, though I seem to remember something more along the lines of what you're looking for... out there... somewhere...
posted by dead_ at 12:37 PM on August 16, 2006

This might be up your alley, and at $40, it's not too expensive.
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:44 PM on August 16, 2006

If he's also into video games (and already has a PS2), there's always Beatmania.
posted by Remy at 12:48 PM on August 16, 2006

When you do buy something will you please post a picture of him using it. This sounds adorable!
posted by k8t at 1:04 PM on August 16, 2006

Pawn shops have boatloads of DJable equiptment and often have lots of cheap albums. You could probably find lots of great 80s vinyl for nothing right now and the kids are really into it.
posted by jmgorman at 2:39 PM on August 16, 2006

Speaking as someone who is in fact a HUGE fan of the Beatmania series, that wouldn't be a very good choice, just because there is, on the whole, very little scratching, and what little there is is usually isolated and just to activate sound effects rather than to simulate actual scratching (and to make matters worse, the vast majority of the songs that DO have scratching in them are only in the Japanese versions).
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:14 PM on August 16, 2006

Thanks for all the suggestions. A friend pointed out the Yamaha DJX IIB but it's a bit out of my price range and it's now six years old in terms of production so finding something new is going to be difficult.

I'll be getting Faint of Butt's suggestion for my son.
posted by DragonBoy at 9:26 AM on August 17, 2006