Mellotronists

I was playing some old Steve Miller Band albums from the late 1960's 
recently, and caught the Mellotron on the Children Of The Future LP. 
Noting this was recorded two or three years before M-400's were 
produced, and noting also the Steve Miller Band is from 
California...how did they get access to a Mark II, and did other 
Stateside bands/musicians use Mk2's before M-400's came along? I'm 
sure some of the answers may be quite obvious, but my mind has been 
drawing a blank on this one for awhile. 

(Just so happy I found Gash "A Young Man's Gash" and Spirit of 
Christmas' "Lies To Live By" CD's real cheap so far this week!)