How Much Is a Fisher Price Record Player Worth?

Before vinyl records came back in this century, Fisher Price record players were the hit. Not only did it give kids something to fiddle with, but it also allowed them to see how a record player works.

If you’re a vintage collector or just an enthusiast, you may have seen Fisher Price’s record players around the market. The question is: how much is a Fisher Price record player worth?

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Short Answer: How Much Is a Fisher Price Record Player Worth?

The classic Fisher Price record player is worth at least $100 in mint condition. It can shoot up to at least $300 if you still have the original box and the complete set of discs. On the other hand, a 1978 model can be worth at least $400 because it functions like an actual turntable.

Old Fisher Price Record Player

The old Fisher Price record player puts the 70s and 80s kids on a nostalgic roller coaster. This colorful toy showed kids what it was like to use a record player.

Fisher Price produced this robust player between 1971 and 1990.

1971 Fisher Price Record Player

The 1971 player appeared as a small box with its version of a tonearm. It even came with five discs that played different songs on each side.

Its discs contained bumps on every ring that triggered a note. It was less than five inches, perfect for a kid’s hand.

What’s great about this player is that it operated through clockwork. That means it needed no batteries at all. It’s a perfect vintage imitation of a record player for kids since you’ll only need to twist the knob to let the “platter” spin.

On top of the player, an on and off switch determined whether the discs played.

When loading the discs, you simply line up the slots of discs onto the platter and turn it on. The discs should start spinning but with no music. That’s where the tonearm comes in.

Move the arm until it touches the discs, then wait for it to hit the notes. You’ll know it’s in the correct position when it can no longer move.

1978 Fisher Price Record Player

In 1978, Fisher Price produced a retro version of an actual record player. It requires electric power and works much like a turntable with a tonearm and a stylus.

The unique design of this model even lets you choose between 33 RPM and 45 RPM. What’s fantastic about this is that you can play real records just like you would in a regular turntable, unlike the 1971 version.

Simply plug the cord into the socket, place the record onto the platter, and choose your desired speed.

Of course, the sound quality won’t be as pleasing as it would be in high fidelity systems, but it’s more than enough for a children’s toy.

How Much Is the Old Fisher Price Turntable

If you’re familiar with vintage things, you’ll know that the older they are, the rarer they must be. In extension, rare finds have increased value, especially for vintage collectors.

A 1971 Fisher Price Record Player in pristine condition, including all its accessories and box, can give you at least $300.

If you don’t have the box anymore, don’t worry! The set can still be on the market for about $100. But, of course, they’d have to be in excellent condition for you to price it higher.

You can even sell just the records themselves if you don’t have the complete set anymore. Each record can be worth $25 or so.

A rarer find is the 1978 record player. That’s because it functions like a true turntable. You can snag at least $400 for these beauties, provided they’re in great condition.

New Fisher Price Record Player

Fisher Price reintroduced the record player in 2010, with a similar design to that of the 1971 model. However, they changed some specs.

First, the discs no longer operated similar to a music box. So, you won’t see the tiny bumps that trigger the notes anymore. Instead, the discs have smooth and continuous ridges.

Second, it now needs batteries. While you still need to turn the knob to spin the platter, it doesn’t seem to be as important as before.

How this works is that a memory chip determines which disc needs to play. Additionally, four buttons correspond to each ridge on the disc. In essence, you can press any of them to choose what tune you want to play.

So, it would seem that you don’t really need the discs for the player to work. For some, it’s still a great re-release of the vintage toy for the new generation to enjoy.

How Much Is the New Fisher Price Record Player

The 2010 Fisher Price record player retails at less than $40 in many online stores. Of course, its value won’t be as high as the old ones because it has a different mechanism altogether.

Does the Fisher Price Record Player Play Real Records?

The 1971 and 2010 versions can’t play real records. They come with a specific set of discs that you can play, though.

So, while you can’t enjoy an album from The Beatles, you can listen to the happy tunes of nursery rhymes.

The 1978 model is a different story. Since it works like a real turntable, you can play real records with it. This retro beauty also lets you play 33 and 45 RPMs.

What Songs Are on the Fisher Price Record Player?

Depending on which model you have, the classic ones can play ten different songs with two on each disc. Here are the songs for the 1971 and 2010 models:

Disc 1: Humpty Dumpty and Jack and Jill
Disc 2: Twinkle twinkle little star and Au clair de la lune
Disc 3: London bridge and Oh where has my little dog gone?
Disc 4: Camptown races and Children’s marching song
Disc 5: Hickory dickory doc and Edelweiss

For 1978, you can choose any record you want as long as it can play on either 33 or 45 RPM. This wide range of options gives you the freedom to choose the genre, artist, and era of your songs.