DJ Gifts?

December 24, 2006 8:58 AM

Looking for 3-5 $5-15 gifts for a DJ girl. Optional difficulty: I'm in Amarillo and ideally could get stuff here.

My immediate thoughts: a) LCD light for checking album covers in the near-dark. b) some sort of record cleaning cloth.

She has record-holders, so that's not of much use, and she plays off almost entirely vinyl collection, so mp3 players and related devices aren't particularly helpful.

posted by davebug to shopping (16 comments total)

Hello, fellow Amarilloan (Amarilloite?). What kind of DJ is she? A radio DJ or like a r-r-r-remix DJ? If the latter, slipmats such as these might work. Not exactly sure where you would buy those here though, maybe Randy's or the Record Joint?
posted by pwf at 9:31 AM on December 24, 2006

LED flashlight is a great idea. I would advise against slipmats--while they are practically all the same, some DJs can be very particular about what they use. (And some DJ's have to use certain brands due to whatever label they're on or whatnot).

Is she on the road a lot? If so, some sort of good spongebag packed with all sorts of moisturizers and stuff--a step up from what you'd get in a hotel.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:09 AM on December 24, 2006

Oh, and what about spending a little bit more, and getting her some sort of barcode thing and software so she can keep her record collection organized?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:10 AM on December 24, 2006

A really nice record bag is also always a great idea, especially if she travels a lot. Something like this or similar is great to have. Anything with wheels that's easy to carry-on to a plane but is also safe if you're forced to check it.
posted by atomly at 10:37 AM on December 24, 2006

Slightly more than $15, but a record cleaning kit is a great gift and a necessity.
posted by rhizome at 11:15 AM on December 24, 2006

Earlove earplugs could be good. I've not used them myself, but they're reasonably priced for earplugs that, in theory, block evenly across frequencies.

If she's serious about hearing the music for a long time, these might be interesting. Those clubs, particularly if you're enjoying the music near speakers, can be loud. Once the hearing goes, it doesn't come back.
posted by asuprenant at 11:32 AM on December 24, 2006 [1 favorite]

IAADJ. I'd second the earplugs recommendation. It's something I'm too young and stupid to purchase for myself, but would certainly appreciate receiving.

I'd also advise against getting her anything specifically DJing related - slipmats, tools, etc - she's almost certainly got her own favorites by now, and some of us are notoriously picky about the stuff we use.
posted by dihutenosa at 11:52 AM on December 24, 2006

Get her some records.
posted by dydecker at 12:51 PM on December 24, 2006

dydecker writes "Get her some records."

No! Absolutely not. Buying her records--unless she has given you a specific list of artists, song titles, labels, remix version, etc--is a pointless endeavour. A gift certificate to a record store, sure.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 1:45 PM on December 24, 2006

needles?
posted by sophist at 2:05 PM on December 24, 2006

accesories
posted by sophist at 2:07 PM on December 24, 2006

Sophist, no. DJ's are very particular--as any professional is--about the tools they use. Gift certificates usable at those places--yes! Specific accessories & tools--no! It's not a difficult concept.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 2:11 PM on December 24, 2006

dirtynumbangelboy, f you know about the kind of music the person digs, you can buy them records no problem. i do it all the time. If you have no clue, then yeah, buy them a voucher for juno or whatever.
posted by dydecker at 5:23 PM on December 24, 2006

If you have an intimate knowledge, fine. Beyond that it's pointless.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:22 PM on December 24, 2006

Yeah - I'm going to nth myself and dirtynumbangelboy and anyone else who is saying to not buy her anything directly related to her trade.

Don't buy her records, chances are that she has it, or worse, hates that song and would never play it. I can't tell you how many times somebody went to Best Buy because they knew I "liked hip-hop" and copped me some record that I already owned or couldn't stand. I accepted it graciously and smiled, but seriously, what are you supposed to do with it? Coaster?

Don't buy her headphones, slipmats, needles, record bags, or any DJ-specific accessory or tool. Chances are extremely high that you will do it wrong, and just cause her unneccesary headache in trying to put a smile on and assure you that your gift is oh so useful. Basically, in buying her tools (unless you have a specific brand/model request from her), you're asking for trouble - I think this goes for any specialized art/profession.

It'd be like if I was good friends with a professional painter and decided I was going to go to Michael's and get them a good set of paintbrushes. They'd end up in a closet somewhere.

Perhaps (again seconding dirtynumbangelboy) a travel bag would be nice - moisturizers and such. Clubs can be good about providing free booze, but I've never had one offer me some nice hand lotion or aftershave.
posted by dihutenosa at 7:46 PM on December 24, 2006

Yes. Good earplugs! Something like earlove that attenuates evenly.
posted by phrontist at 11:02 AM on December 25, 2006