Custom Arrangements

The Following is a Testimonial from Mike:

Making an Heirloom

Being a lifelong musician, naturally I thought the first gift I would give to my wife on our wedding day would be a song written just for our wedding.
Needless to say, there was a great deal of thought and emotion put into writing it. After all, it's something that would reflect our love for each other. At the time, I couldn't imagine a better, more loving gift.Years later, I wanted to do something special for our anniversary. What could I do that would still show her how I feel? How do you top a wedding song?
I began researching custom arrangement music box movements. How perfect would it be to have our wedding song translated to a music box?
There are only a small handful of people in the country capable of taking a custom tune and putting it on a music box movement. But, I didn't want my song exactly translated. I wanted it to sound like a true classic music box movement. Here is where my dilemma lies. I spoke to each of that small handful of people in the country who could "do the job" for me. They each promised good quality work and I had no reason to doubt their intentions or their quality of work. I however, didn't just want to have a "job done". I wanted something special, an heirloom that would be a proud centerpiece of our love and our home. I continued my quest until I finally contacted Rick Epperly from Better Music Boxes. The others I had spoken with had a business they were running. Rick was working for his life passion. That passion is music boxes. Immediately in speaking with Rick, I could sense his love and passion for music boxes. He was genuinely excited and proud for me in what I was looking to do. To him, I was carrying on the legacy of bringing the magic of music boxes into ones home. Rick is a wonderful spokesman for the art and obviously a foremost expert.
After several conversations with Rick and the entire Better Music Box family, I was able to express what I wanted to achieve in my custom movement. I sent my wedding song "This Day In September" to Rick and asked him to do what I thought would be impossible. Take a standard song, re-score it to sound like a classic music box should sound and still keep the original feeling and emotion of the song intact. Rick listened to the song and suggested I choose a 72 note Nidec/Sankyo movement. I listened to some of the samples Better Music Boxes has online and was taken by the exquisite quality of the 50, 72 and 100 note movements. I trusted his judgment and decided to go with the 72 note.
Within a week, my phone rang. I answered and all I heard was Rick saying, "Are you sitting down?" I answered "Yes" and he proceeded to play me the score over the phone. When it finished, I heard Rick say, "Well, what do you think". I sat quiet for about 30 seconds. I was trying to compose myself as I was overtaken my emotions. I'm not an overly emotional guy, so this was quite surprising to me. Rick on the other hand was very emotional and so excited to have me listen to this arrangement for the first time. This emotion is why I wanted Rick and Better Music Boxes to take on this challenge. What I heard on the other end of the phone that day was purely magical. I had no idea what to expect, but obviously what Rick had delivered was beyond any expectations.
I told him it was perfect and to not change a thing.
Several weeks later, my phone rang again and Rick let me know that my movement was ready. He asked me to pick a custom box to house the movement. Steve Heinze, Rick's business partner described each box in detail all the way down to the grain pattern. I decided to go with a beautiful cherry box.
When my box arrived at my home, it was packed with great care and came with complete care instructions. Of course, no sooner than it arrived, I got a call from Rick making sure it arrived in good condition. He was like a concerned parent making sure their child was being taken care of. Hearing the score online was quite wonderful, but nothing compared me to actually experiencing this music box in person. The beauty and resonance were beyond words. I say "experiencing" because, you don't just listen to it, you don't just look at it, you experience it. And 'IT" was quite beautiful I had no doubt that my wife would love her anniversary gift.
When she finally opened up the box, the expression on her face was priceless. She's a lady of few words and this was a moment where nothing needed to be said. She sat it on her lap and played it over and over.
It now sits in our dining room next to our wedding picture and resonates through my house on a regular basis.
I am so proud of what Rick had crafted for me. He took an idea and turned it into an expression of love for me to present to my wife, as well as an heirloom that will be passed on to my daughter and her children.

The fine people at Better Music Boxes are living their passion and working to preserve the beautiful artwork of fine music boxes.

Thank you Rick, Steve, Roger and everyone at Better Music Boxes for what you have given me and my family.

Sincerely,

Mike F.
Alabama

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