Sam,

Thanks for the kind words about my workshop in the MMD yesterday.
Regarding the rulings about being a member of MBSI to  participate in
its conventions, this has been discussed before and you may or may not
understand or agree with its decisions. Regardless, I hope you will
continue to give MBSI a chance.  Each meeting is different because the
people and area is different. It remains the major organization that
brings together the folks like us that are interested in the various
automatic musical instruments. I am not putting down AMICA, of which I
am also a member, because it fills another niche, particularly with
regard to chapter activities. It is noteworthy that many AMICA members
are also MBSI members as well. Within the MBSI there are a lot of us
that have more interest in pianos, orchestrions and organs, than in
the true music boxes. However, most of us are also interested in all
automatic musical instruments.

You may have missed Bea Robertson's workshop on toys and other
miscellaneous collectibles but it was one of my favorites as a lot of
these things are fun to show off to visitors and usually cost very
little.  Regarding your comment about there not being any pneumatically
controlled instruments I would say that that is not entirely true
although there were fewer than at some meetings. For the display, it
is difficult to transport the much heavier pianos and orchestrions to
the hotel. However, there was the Ramey Banjorchestra and MacKinnon's
automatic accordion. In addition, there were very nice orchestions and
reproducing pianos at Plyler's open house as well as several pianos
and reed organs at Leverett's. The workshops I thought represented a
good range which included the Wurlitzer Automatic Harp, several band
organ topics, reproducing piano theory, organettes, musical novelties
and the paper chase in addition to the music box topics.

There was certainly something for everyone. Of course, one of the
biggest joys of attending a convention is meeting all the people and
getting a chance to talk to them.  Siegfried Wendel is a joy to listen
to, Ron Bopp was there signing his new American Band Organ book, the
PowerRoll demonstration gave us all a look at that unit, and many other
folks on and off the MMD were in attendance. I had the pleasure of
meeting you also for the first time to my immense pleasure.

Sam, give us another chance. You've paid the initiation fee so the dues
will be less in future years. Join a chapter if you can, more than one
if you wish.  The Mid-Am chapter has a bigger concentration of band
organ, monkey organ, orchestrion, and piano enthusiasts so you might
enjoy that chapter. Even if you don't join a chapter, try to get to a
meeting or two a year. The open houses alone are worth it. We enjoyed
meeting you in Charlotte and would hate to lose you.

Bob Conant
Endicott, NY