What Are the Benefits of Joining the Musical Box Society of Great Britain?

Joining the Musical Box Society of Great Britain (MBSGB) gives you access to a community of mechanical music enthusiasts and practical support for collecting and caring for instruments. According to the Society, members can meet like-minded people, get advice on collecting, disposing of items, valuations and restoration, and receive editions of its journal, The Music Box. Membership is aimed at people interested in mechanical musical instruments, whether they are new to the subject or already collecting.

Who the Society is for

MBSGB describes itself as an international organisation with members in Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia who share an interest in mechanical musical instruments. That makes it relevant if you want to connect with other enthusiasts beyond your local area, or if you are looking for a society that covers the subject internationally.

The Society also welcomes people who are new to musical boxes or mechanical instruments. Its site explains that mechanical music is produced by self-playing or automatic instruments — which may be versions of pianos or organs, or unique instruments such as musical boxes or organettes. The notes are determined mechanically, for example by pins on wooden barrels or metal cylinders, or by punches on discs or strips of metal, card or paper.

What membership includes

The benefits set out on the Society's membership page are:

• Meeting like-minded enthusiasts. The Society says joining lets you meet and make friends with people who share your passion for mechanical musical instruments.
• Advice on collecting and disposing of items. This is useful if you are starting a collection, thinning one out, or unsure how to handle an item.
• Advice on valuations and restoration. The Society states that members can get advice in these areas, which matters if you want to understand an instrument's condition or worth before acting.
• The Society's journal. Members receive editions of The Music Box, the Society's journal.

These are the benefits the Society itself lists. The site does not set out membership fees, subscription periods or application requirements on the pages reviewed, so check the membership page or contact the Society directly for current terms before joining.

Activities you can take part in

Membership connects you to a society whose activities, as described on its site, include:

• arranging regional and national meetings;
• publishing books and articles;
• participating in public events;
• promoting further research on aspects of mechanical music, including the history and maintenance of instruments.

If your interest is mainly in learning how instruments work and are maintained, or in attending gatherings of collectors, these activities are the practical side of membership.

Resources available through the Society

The site lists resources including a musical box register, tune sheets, tune lists, an MBSGB archive, information on musical box repair, useful links, FAQs and a reading list. These are worth exploring if you want to research an instrument, identify tunes or find repair guidance. Access arrangements for any members-only material are not specified on the pages reviewed, so confirm with the Society if a particular resource matters to you.

How to join

The Society's site has a membership page with a “Join Now” option and a contact address for enquiries: [email protected]. The postal address given is Aeolian Court, Station Hill, Chudleigh, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ13 0EE.

To decide whether membership suits you, start with the membership page to see the current joining process, then use the contact email if you have questions about fees, events or the journal before signing up.