This is in response to Tim Trager's post of July 8, 2002 regarding
promotion of band organ rallies.  [ "How To Promote a Band Organ Rally",
in 020708 MMDigest ].  While Tim makes a number of well thought out
comments about the successful promotion of band organ rallies, some
of the comments are not correct or need to be put into proper context.

As to the Mid-America Chapter donating $15,000.00 to the MBSI National
organization, the statement is both factually wrong and misleading.
The money was generated as the excess over expenses as the result of
the Mid-Am Chapter's hosting of the 1996 Annual MBSI Meeting in Chicago.
As per MBSI by-laws and requirements, those funds are remitted to the
national organization to the extent of such excess.  The national
organization also "covers" any shortfalls should they occur.

Secondly, there was no "shoring up" of MBSI finances because, contrary
to Mr. Trager's assertion, the MBSI's finances were in good shape with
substantial reserves.

As to Mr. Trager's references to "tinkelboxers' (of which I assert
proud affiliation), his comments are dead wrong.  Music box collectors
make up a substantial majority of mechanical music hobbyists for a
variety of reasons, which include high costs of orchestrions and
similar machines, relative rarity, display space requirements, limited
restorer capacity and availability, and most compelling (and this is
my subjective opinion) a much more overt approach to the presentation
of the music.

The real point is both the MBSI and the hobby itself have and continue
to be inclusive.  It is not one faction against the other.  Mr. Trager's
agenda is in part tied to the fact that he is a dealer primarily
selling large orchestrions and similar instruments and he wishes to
expand the available market as much as possible.  There is nothing
wrong with this ideology but it puts into context Mr. Trager's
viewpoint.

The worth and desirability of different types of mechanical musical
instruments is not a function of big vs. small, music box vs.
orchestrion, etc.  It is simply the subjective taste, interest and
approach that individual collectors take.

There are many superb collections that cover the gamut from music box
to street organ.  Thus learn to appreciate it all.

Kevin F. Kline
Past President, Current Trustee,
Musical Box Society International (MBSI)