Rental Programs: What to Consider Before Signing that Contract!
Today I wanted to share some areas I would love for my students to consider as they acquire their instruments for lessons and challenge other teachers to consider the options available to their students! Getting an instrument is part starting any music study and you want to make sure you get an instrument that will set up you up for success. Keep in mind the best fit will vary from person to person. For any new students and their families, I recommend consulting with your teacher and take their experiences to heart first. Don’t worry, I’ll share what my priorities would be for my own students at the end, too!
To Rent or Buy?
First things first. Maybe you’re still wondering whether you should rent or buy your instrument?
As I alluded to above, this depends on your specific situation. Renting is a great idea for young students who are not done growing and will someday need a larger instrument – Like most of the young violin and violists in my studio! Most rental programs allow you to build up credit towards a purchase of some kind down the line as well, so you won’t be losing the money you paid in rentals. However, it is important to be crystal clear on the terms of your specific contract regarding any rental credit or later purchases for reasons I’ll address a little further down. Another common benefit of rental programs is the reduced upfront cost, which many families can appreciate as they balance their home budget. For those renting their instruments, there is also the convenience of getting the full “outfit” which includes the instrument, bow and case.
For students who are fully grown, buying outright may be the most economical option. There are several affordable options from shops like Shar Music, Potter Violin Company and more. Once again, as you compare prices, make sure you are looking at the full outfit pricing, which ensures you will receive an instrument, case and bow. As you shop, I would strongly recommend going through a reputable violin or music shop and avoid places like flea markets, Ebay or Amazon unless you have the ability to get the instrument approved by a professional before completing your purchase. Too many times I’ve had students with well-meaning parents or grandparents find a “great deal” for next to nothing, without realizing they will need to spend more on making the instrument functional than they paid in their initial investment. These instruments are often not fitted well in their tuning pegs or their bridges are not properly cut… Often times the bows in these outfits will be curved or unbalanced as well. These little things add up and will only make the music student struggle more with an already difficult task. I am asking on behalf of all teachers out there – Please do not be tempted by these instruments. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is and you aren’t doing your learning musician any favors.
I’ve decided renting an instrument is my best option: Now what?
Hopefully after reading the above you’ve gotten a sense of whether you should rent or purchase an instrument. I’ll address what to do while purchasing an instrument in another post, but today I want to highlight some of the main differences you’ll find between different rental programs.
Price
An obvious consideration, but worth mentioning. Different programs will have different rates, with some stores even offering a variety of price points for whether you would like a standard or deluxe rental instrument. Usually this allows students to get into a higher quality instrument even if they are still in fractional sizes and can be a great benefit for those advancing students.
Repairs and Upkeep
Some rental programs include repairs and upkeep as part of their rental cost, some do not. Be sure to check into what would be covered as standard wear and tear under your rental cost and what might not be covered. For programs that do not cover repairs, an additional insurance program may be offered and be a good idea if your student is particularly accident prone.
Location
Would you like your rental program to have a physical storefront you can visit? Or would you prefer to coordinate everyone online and use a shop that will ship directly to you? There are options for both! Several of my studio families have strong opinions on this front for both sides and I can see the benefit of both. Only you can say what will work best for you and your family!
Trade In or Credit Opportunities
In my opinion, this is where programs can really start to make themselves stand out. As I mentioned above, most rental programs will allow you to take the money you pay each month and factor it into a purchase further down the line as your student continue in their music studies. But what that money goes toward can widely vary. Does the money apply towards the purchase of the instrument you’ve been renting? Or can you apply it to a brand new instrument? Are there restrictions on which makers or brands you can use that money towards? Can the money only apply to a percentage of your total purchase? For example, up to 50% of the new instrument cost is one of the stipulations for a music shop in my area. Aim to retain all the money you’ve paid towards your rental for a purchase and make sure you won’t get stuck with the instrument you’re renting. I have several advancing high schoolers on less than ideal instruments simply because they didn’t realize their rental period had expired, paid off the full value of their instrument and their rental credit was no longer eligible for trade in credit. Check the specifics for every contract you are considering!
Once you’ve looked at the programs available to you, I hope you have a concrete answer for each of the above areas. Know yourself and know your family – Think about what would work best for your situation and decide accordingly!
Before I sign off today, I’d like to share my typical response to students signing up for lessons with me as they get their instrument ready for lessons.
As far as renting options go, there are two programs I'd look at if I were you:
SharMusic.com - The rental program I recommend most often and highly is through Shar Music, who has a great online store and very helpful customer service through email or phone. You can visit their page for rentals here. I've had several students rent through their program and I believe it has the best value I've seen between the equity they allow you to build while you rent and their trade in policy for instruments.
Potter's Violin Company - This company has locations in Takoma Park and Gaithersburg, MD, so it is a hike from the Hagerstown area, but well worth the trip. It is a close equivalent to Shar Music with a more accessible storefront that you can visit if you prefer to talk with someone face to face. I've made my own most recent violin and bow purchases here and used their trade in program myself when I was ready to upgrade my violin. Their prices are also comparable to Shar and I believe they can ship rentals to you as well. More information can be found here.
Take a look at those options and let me know if you have any questions or concerns. To find out what size your student would need to start, you can use this measuring guide here from Shar Music. That should give you a good starting place, but if they seem to be between sizes, I do often recommend going with the smaller size.
Again, I have this response ready to go for any new families and would encourage other teachers to craft their own similar evaluation of the programs immediately available to them. All stores have the right to have their own terms and restrictions, but as teachers we have the responsibility of informing our new students so they can make the best decision for their situation!
If you have any additional questions or concerns about how to acquire an instrument as you start lessons or would like to know more about my experiences, feel free to ask on Instagram or in the comments below. Wishing you all the best as you make your decisions and start your musical studies!