Final run from Walt’s workbench • In 14 active carts • 25 left
Walt's Handmade Music Box
Walt's Handmade Music Box
Ships within 2–3 days
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Walt's Handmade Music Box
Every Note Checked by Ear in Lititz, Pennsylvania
Walt Hostetler, 72, tuned more than 30,000 pianos by ear. Now his hearing is fading, and these are the last music boxes he will ever check.
“If one tooth is off, a child will hear it. Children always hear it. That’s why every single one goes to my ear first.”
– Walt Hostetler, piano tuner since 1980What’s in the box
Why it sounds the way it should
Walt plucks all 18 steel teeth one by one. About one box in six never passes. The rest play every note clean.
No batteries, no winding. The song plays as long as you turn the crank. Fast, slow, or stop mid-song.
Lift the lid and watch the tiny drum turn. Children love seeing where the music comes from.
About 2.5 by 2 inches. Fits in a palm, a coat pocket or a Christmas stocking.
Each lid has its own picture. You know the song before the first note plays.
The corners lock into each other like an old jewelry box. Small hands can hold it safely.
“A music box is often a child’s first instrument. When a note is off, children notice long before adults do, and they lose interest. A clean, steady melody that the child controls with their own hand is a small thing, but it is exactly what keeps them coming back to it every night.”
– Dr. Ellen Marsh, Board-Certified Music Therapist, Harrisburg, PAFive songs to choose from
Perfect for
Walt’s checklist
- Every tooth heard: all 18 notes checked by ear, not by machine.
- No batteries: nothing to charge, nothing to replace.
- Real wood: laser-engraved case with finger-joint corners.
- Clear song: no buzzing, no flat notes, or it never leaves the bench.
- Gift-ready: arrives in its own little box.
30-Day “Sounds Right” Guarantee
If your music box doesn’t make you smile, send us a short email within 30 days and you get your money back.
Good to know: The music plays only while you turn the crank, and it can play backwards too. Turn it slowly the first time, the way Walt does, and listen to each note.
Product details
| Material | Laser-engraved wood, steel comb movement |
| Movement | 18-note hand-crank mechanism |
| Size | approx. 2.5 × 2.0 × 1.4 in (6.4 × 5 × 3.6 cm) |
| Songs | Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, You Are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star |
| Power | None needed, hand-crank |
| Care | Wipe with a dry cloth, keep away from water |
| Checked by | Walt Hostetler, Lititz, Pennsylvania |
| Sold so far | 3,400+ music boxes since 2011 |
The Last Winter
The Last Winter
A note from Walt’s workbench:
Walt Hostetler has tuned pianos by ear in Lancaster County since 1980 — more than 30,000 of them, from church grands to old family uprights. Since 2011 he has listened to every one of these little music boxes himself, all 18 steel teeth, one by one, and about one in six never leaves his bench. Now the high notes are fading in his left ear — exactly the notes a music box plays. His hearing doctor says it will not come back. This is the last batch he has checked: 312 music boxes. When they are gone, his tuning fork goes on a nail above the old piano, and there will be no more.
Free US Shipping
Free US Shipping
Free shipping across the United States
- Delivery time: 3–5 business days
- Every music box is packed in its own little gift box
- Size approx. 2.5 × 2.0 × 1.4 in / 6.4 × 5 × 3.6 cm — fits in a palm or a Christmas stocking
- Hand-crank, no batteries — plays as long as you turn the crank
- 30-day money-back guarantee — just email info@cedarandtinco.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Email us anytime at info@cedarandtinco.com. We answer Monday–Friday 9am–5pm and Saturday 10am–3pm (ET). Whether it’s about your order, which song to pick, or just to say hello — a real person writes back.
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Of course. 30-day money-back guarantee. Turn the crank, listen, live with it a week, and if it isn’t right for you, email info@cedarandtinco.com within 30 days for a full refund. No questions, and US shipping is free.
How is it made?
How is it made?
Each music box has a small laser-engraved wooden case with finger-joint corners and an 18-note steel comb movement inside. Before it ships, Walt turns the crank and listens to every one of the 18 teeth by ear, the same way he tuned pianos for 46 years. If a tooth buzzes or sounds flat, he adjusts it. If he can’t fix it, that music box never leaves his bench.