I feel bad for Mike Nichols trying to purchase music rolls from an
eBay seller.  I don't live in the UK but in Canada; the same problem
applies to get paper roll music here.

Frequently, with eBay, if you scour the fine print, it will say
"ships to the USA only".  There are also a great many adds that don't
state any shipping restrictions, but when you try to bid, your bid is
automatically refused because of the way the seller has set up his or
her restrictions.

This problem is not restricted to just eBay.  It is the same with all
current roll perforators, with one or two exceptions.  They refuse to
ship out of country, citing excess paper work as their main reason.
Some mention high shipping charges, taxes, et cetera, but it is the
buyer who is paying these fees so it really should not matter to the
seller.

I must ask a serious question:  With the interest in mechanical
music on the decline, why would any one want to limit their market?
Membership in the Musical Box Society International and the Automatic
Musical Instrument Collectors Association and similar organisations
is on a steady decline.  Knowing this, music roll makers and sellers
have chosen to box themselves inside the borders of the United States.

If nothing else I see this as killing off interest in mechanical music
outside the USA and making it most difficult for any collector outside
the American border to build, support, enjoy and promote the world of
automatic music.

I just this week received my first shipment of coin piano rolls,
purchased through eBay and sent using Global Shipping.  It is the first
time I have used Global Shipping and it was a most positive experience.
Thankfully the seller was aware of this service when selling out of
country.

All sellers on eBay and all those making new and recut rolls could
save the outside world a lot of frustration but just stating in their
advertising that they will not ship outside of the United States.

Always in music,
Ken Vinen
Aylmer, Ontario, Canada