Nice informative plug, but you left out the important thing (to me,
at least): the cost.

My wife and I were guests at the local convention a few year's back.
It's a great group here around Rochester, NY.  However they are all
serious collector's.  The dues were too much for me, as I am a devotee,
but not a collector.

We have no music boxes worth over $20.  Once I repaired a $400 machine,
using a new comb, located courtesy of the MMD list.  Maybe there should
be a low cost fellow-traveler type of membership, such as the MMD is
for the player piano and mechanical music aficionado.

Will Herzog