If the tune you wish is not on any of the ready-made mechanism lists or you have written your own music and wish to reproduce either in form of a music box please read the following:
Custom Music Boxes
There are two types of custom music boxes.
One holds a cylinder mechanism (The tune is on the cylinder) and the other is a disc playing mechanism with the tune on a disc)
The cost of the disc customizing options (depending upon your choice of player) can be considerably less than the Cylinder options.
(1) Cylinder mechanisms
To produce an 18 note cylinder mechanism used to always require a minimum purchase of 200 mechanisms of the desired tune. We now have a special package for one piece. You may still take advantage of a lower cost per mechanism, if you need quantity there is a package still available with a 200 piece minimum.
Should you have need of two or three pieces, you would still be held to a minimum of 200 mechanisms of each tune. http://www.musichouseshop.com/store/bdi-custom.html
To produce a Reuge 36 note, the minimum is less (50) but the cost per mechanism is more expensive. They play longer with more musical embellishment. We have not included information about them here. Reuge may be discontinuing this customizing of 36 note as they have already discontinued manufacturing complete 36 note music boxes.
If you are interested in any of these, visit
http://www.musichouseshop.com/store/bms-custom30.html (1.30 note)
http://www.musichouseshop.com/store/bdi-custom36.html (1.36 note)
Please call for 50 and 72 note mechanisms. The least expensive custom Reuge unit starts at $5760.00 and is subject to dollar value (rate of exchange) at time of shipping. Shipping and VAT (value added tax - customs) are additional
You are not required to purchase cabinets/boxes from Japan, Only if you order Reuge mechanisms. They require you to purchase one of their cabinets for installation in their factory.
(2)Disc Mechanisms and Discs.
If you need a disc playing mechanism. You may purchase them from us if you do not already own one.
You will be able to purchase and play your custom discs and other compatible discs already available for your player.
Please follow this link to the music box disc players: http://www.musichouseshop.com/store/DiscBoxes.html
Some of the players on that page are pretty reasonable... namely some of the Thorens or our own Leaded Glass Box;
but, you may select any one of our 4.5 or 5.0 players and we can have a disc custom made to play your own composition and in most cases (with needed copyright/permission), a tune that is published but not ever having been made into a music box mechanism or disc.
If it is your own music there will not be issues such as copyright/permission to use an artist's published song.
But please see
http://www.musichouseshop.com/store/bhe-customdisk.html or http://www.musichouseshop.com/store/bhe-customdis475.html
Everything is explained there.
If it is your own music, there will be no copyright/permission issues; If it is not your own however, we are in most cases able to obtain the licensing that is required to use an artist's published song usually for a reasonable additional fee related to this option.
Also please note that you have approximately 26 or so, seconds of playing time on the discs ( a couple more seconds on the 5.0),
You would have to select the part of the music you wish to produce on either of the types (cylinder or disc). The 30 note and 36 note mechanisms play longer with more musical embellishment.
If you like the disc player idea, on very rare occasions, a piece of music will not lend itself to this media. When you are ready, if you can send us an .MP3, we can send you the particulars.
Please do not hesitate to call us
