Hi folks,

Every once in a while, a note in the Digest just tickles my (somewhat
off center) funny bone. John McClure has 30 discs for his Ariston, and
wonders if he can find more???? Now this may not strike others as
amusing, but Ariston discs are cardboard and subject to all sorts of
damage, much of it caused by the mechanism playing the discs. So, to
get 3 playable discs with an Ariston is usually not too bad - but 30
is amazing! So John, don't get greedy!

As most music box collectors soon find out, you only play 2 or 3 discs
out of the bunch anyway (unless you are checking your inventory to find
out WHICH 2 or 3 you are going to play regularly.) Marty Roenigk and I
have discussed the number of discs necessary to sell a disc box.  I seem
to remember an odd number like 12 or 13 as what he came up with. Less
than that, the customer immediately thinks he needs more discs, and
more than that doesn't help the sale.  Has anyone else come up with
the logic to that?

There is a real advantage to primarily collecting cylinder music boxes:
you don't have to worry about additional discs or music.  Unless of
course, you have an interchangeable that you think you might find
additional cylinders for. Which reminds me - I haven't said anything
about the database of Orphan Music Box Cylinders that I keep.  If any
of you have or find music box cylinders without a machine, please take
some measurements and let me know, so I can add them to the database.
We do occasionally get cylinders back to music boxes which can play
them, so this is a worthwhile project.

Then of course, there is the music box in Larry Greenfield's collection
with 31 cylinders! Now there is a time consuming listening experience!

Happy Monday,
Beatrice Robertson