Sound Accessories (retired)

[Thimbleberry]

This item was released in 2007 and retired in 2017.

Julie loves to use her record player and tape recorder for listening to music and recording her life story. These accessories let Julie enjoy her favorite songs and record all the fun: A tape recorder that records and plays back 30 seconds of sound, A record player, which plays one minute of music from three popular ’70s songs: Shining Star, Love’s Theme, and Saturday in the Park, Paper sleeves and a case for storing and carrying Julie’s singles.


(price increase from $28 to $34 January, 2012)

I can't post a picture of this item because I've returned it. Everything looks as cute as can be with a lot of details but my record player made such a loud, kind of grinding noise that I could barely hear the music no matter how much I turned up the volume. I know some people have said that theirs sounds like a real old fashioned record player with backround noise but trust me, if the noise was as loud as mine was they wouldn't be saying that. Totally unacceptable. Also, 2 of the 3 records played the same song and the 3rd was blank & didn't play anything. I did figure out how it worked & snapped the records into place but that wasn't the problem. Evidently a lot of these record players are defective like this so I would recommend that anyone getting it should get some batteries & try it out right away to make sure it works. I've sent mine back & will wait till later when they've hopefully ironed out these problems. I still want to own the thing, it's so cute.

[my2sunshines]

My daughter and I love this. I don't think the background noise is too much. To me it was only slightly there and definitely wasn't even as close to real life record players noise. My kids get a real kick out of the record player and even my 3 year old has figured out how to work it. All 3 of my records work and play 3 different songs. Even the little container the records comes in is really cool. We have been having so much fun w/ the mini tape recorder. At first I thought the price was a bit much for this. Now that we got it and how much fun were having w/ it it is so worth it. It looks really cute displayed too.

[rachelcecilia]

I just got These Yesterday, and I absolutely LOVE them. They are SOO cute. The tape player/recorder works really well and is so sweet looking. The record player is my favorite though. The records look just like real records (I was born in 1986, and yes I remember records), my mom (born in 1959) agrees that they look very authentic. If you turn the volume up you can barely hear the mechanical whirring. A++

[Thimbleberry]

I finally got this set with a record player that actually works & I LOVE it, especially the song by Earth, Wind, & Fire. When I put that song on I am there, 1974. I really hope they offer more records later. I want Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing by Stevie Wonder, Help Me by Joni Mitchell, & The Bitch Is Back by Elton John. I won't hold my breath.

[LaurenInChicago]

I agree that this set is adorable. I don't have a problem with the static-y sound at all, it sounds great on mine and I love everything about it, especially the tiny records. It'd be awesome if they made more records though! An A+ from me! And since we need them, here are some pictures of this cute set:
(mod edit to remove broken images)

[maggiedoll]

What we need is pictures. American Girl, you go first.
*mod edit to remove dead image links throughout the post.

Now mine.

I've always wanted a working recored player for my 1960s doll, Maggie, so I pre-ordered this set and happy danced my inner child out when I finally received it. That made my disappointment greater when I had to return it not once, but twice because no one in my family could open the battery compartment. American Girl wanted to send me a third one but I decided to wait till Christmas to try again. This one works perfect and Maggie's happy.

I took a picture of the recored player working. There is a background sound that is typical of working children's toy, not of a real record player. The record is made of heavy plastic and feels more like an old time Mattel toy than a miniature record player.

The record player has three records that are very early 1970s. Each recored plays about thirty seconds (basically the introduction and the first chorus) of Saturday in the Park (Chicago), Shining Star (Earth Wind and Fire), and Love Theme (?). I've played the record music the same time as the "real" song and it sounds basically the same. The records are just as detailed as the original singles and are correct scale for a doll. Julie would had bought her 45s in these paper sleeves. For the $28 used to buy this record player Julie would had created a nice record collection. As for this one, the three little records are stored in carrying case. The case is made of either heavy cardboard with a plastic lock and handle or all plastic. My only request is that American Girl makes more records. Freebird!

I'm indifferent to the tape player. Not even my camera liked it. It is not the correct scale and well, who could talking in the tiny microphone with the short wire? It does record about 30 seconds and my doll has some bootleg recordings.

The sound accessories in relation to Maggie, her bed and stuff. In my humble opinion, this is the quality that American Girl should aspire to. Everything except the recorder is to correct scale and there is so many details and play value to collect and enjoy. This deserves the highest level of A from me and Maggie.

[Dragonslovedolls]

This arrived yesterday and my DD and her friend watched in bemusement as I squee-ed over it, put batteries in and proceeded to play the little records.
I think the record player is awesome and give it an A+ even though I think the lid should have had a hinge rather than being lift-off. I'm sure I remember them hinged.
I love the records and the box they come in, too. It would be great if they brought out more records but I won't hold my breath either, lol.

The cassette player.. meh.

[Librarian4]

This is an amazing set. The fact that it really plays the little records just blows my mind. And the songs on the records are just so indicative of the music of the early 70s. This set brought back so many memories as I was 9 years old in 1974 jsut like Julie. She is by far my favorite of the historicals - I guess because I can relate so much.

[mamafid]

I just gave my daughter the set yesterday -- she was so excited and then so disappointed. The record player did not work. It turned on but the records did not easily fit on the turntable. They floated on top and slid off. One record (Saturday in the Park) could play this way, but the other two could not.

The set is absolutely adorable and historically accurate (I am a relic of the 70's) and my daughter wanted this so badly, so we are exchanging it. AG CS is sending out a new set -- fingers crossed that the record player works!!! I fear I will receive another defective one but I am trying to remain positive .....

[irisheyes711]

I just received this set for Christmas and although it is adorable, the record player can have mind of its own. At first all the records played perfectly. Then, that evening I got it back out and couldn't get "Saturday in the Park" to play. No sound at all. Kept taking it off and on and still no sound. put the second record in and it worked, the third record played the second record's song and then when I put the needle back on it again after taking it off it played the right song, took the needle off and then on again and it played the other record's song again. This happened over and over. Finally put "Saturday in the Park" on again and it worked. Took it off and put it on and it didn't work. back and forth we played this game. I think the grooves have to be in just right and tight enough to work. I plan to swap it out next time I go to the store.

[keeperofthepast]

A friend has this. It is adorable and amazing that it really "plays" the records. The record case is spot on. The little tape recorder is nearly identical to one we had in the mid 1970's.