When it comes to antique collectibles, retro jukeboxes are still very popular with people; especially the authentic coin-operated wooden jukeboxes from the 50s. If this winter you’re looking for a decorative item for your place, but want something different, something quirky; you might want to have a look at this self-contained Hootenanny. This retro-styled wooden cabinet is in fact a modern fully-automated mechanical band that uses 17 instruments to play tunes. The exterior is a handcrafted oak cabinet and the machine’s instruments are played by a system of precisely calibrated pneumatics that strum and pluck strings while thumping and tapping drums. The machine measures 79″ H x 48″ W x 25″ D and weighs 275 lbs.
It stores 13,000 MIDI, MP3, and Karaoke songs that can be selected using a 15″ touchscreen interface. The operators can use it to choose from 10 music categories, including big band, rock, blues, jazz, bluegrass, children’s songs, and more. The rhythm section relies on a bass and snare drum, augmented by 12 auxiliary percussion instruments, including bongos, agogos, woodblocks, tambourine, maracas, cowbell, and a ride, crash, and splash cymbal. Supported by a bass synthesizer that adds plenty of bottom for each tune, a full-size guitar and banjo provide the melody and harmony for classics such as A Hard Day’s Night and 99 Red Balloons. In case you want one, it is available at Hammacher for a cool $54,000.
[Available at Hammacher]
