Renting an instrument for orchestra???

[pannm]

I am interested in seeing what different people are paying for rent for the average school instrument now days.

My DD really wants to play violin in beg. orchestra. I know there is a 'small monthly fee' but don't know what it is yet. Our Open house for Orchestra is next week and I'll find out more.

I am very excited that she is so interested in it. She is really wanting to get involved with more this year and it's all things that I'm very pleased with (forgien language, music, orchestra types)...My DH and I are quite musical people. We will gladly pay the monthly rent on one, so it fits her properly and as she grows, she can get different sizes with out having to keep buying them over and over again.

It's been a LONG time since I've had to rent an instrument, so I don't even really know a 'ballpark' of what it would cost. Back when I was in 7th-12th grade, I played in band, but in 10th- my birthday gift was a flute, so no more rent costs and I was happy to have my own.

Do different strings/band instruments cost different amounts to rent? I am assuming that they do, since some are more expensive than others...

Anyone have someone playing violin??? Can I ask what your costs are???

The Orchestra program here is free through the school, it would just be instrument rent.

 

[thomas998]

In my experience it is usually cheaper to buy a used instrument than to rent one, or buy one... especially from the place that comes to the school. I know in our school the music department had a special deal where they got so much in store credit for every instrument that was bought or rented by a student (kind of a kick back if you ask me).

So my first suggestion is don't sign up and buy or rent an instrument that night.... you will likely be pushed hard to do so but don't.

Second go look for instruments right not before the in school thing even happens.... hopefully there is more than one music store in your area so get prices from all... then look at craigslist and see if someone is selling their kids isntrument because they aren't in band/orchestra this year (happens alot).

I wish I could give you more insight into violins in general but my experience was with flutes and trumpets.... good luck.

 

[WVMomof3]

Violin is a little different than other instruments in that it comes in sizes. My daughter rented a 3/4 violin for one year before we bought her a new full size one this year. This is through a music store, so if your school rents them, it may be different. I believe it was @100 to rent for the year, but when we bought the new one, the rent was credited back towards the purchase of a new one. Spent @$350 for the new one, though they come in a variety of prices. They did have a used one, but after the store credit for the new one, it came to about the same price. Some of her friends are still using 3/4 size, just depends on the size of the kid. She just turned 11 and is in the 50% percentile for size.

 

[MineMail]

Our kids are taking Beginner Band in school. (clarinet/beginner drum&bell kit) We decided to rent from the local music store - it's around $25/month per instrument.

We didn't feel comfortable buying these instruments, new or used, because neither of us knows enough about good brands and condition. How do you clean a clarinet? We had no idea, so we needed the guidance of the music store staff.

The drum&bell kit was the more difficult choice to make between renting and buying. I could have bought it new for $180, but the rental was $30/month. The breakeven point was 6 months - next March. We think, since she's played drums before, that she will either pick it up quickly and need a different kit within that time frame, or she's choose to take piano lessons instead. Her sister may not stick with this for the full six months; she would prefer to learn the guitar. The music store does offer trade-ins for next-level instruments, so ask about that as well. Renting just lowered our risks and assured us of quality instruments.

In their hearts, the kids want to take lessons in guitar and piano, but the band opportunity was tempting. We have guitars and keyboard at home, so we won't have to buy instruments for those lessons.

 

[bgirl29]

My son plays the viola. He is in his second year of college but 7 yrs ago when he started it was 18 a month to rent his viola. I thought it was a good deal because most of the money was applied to rent to own and about 3 dollars was towards the insurance. We rented until it was paid for in high school. During that time we changed intruments twice because of needing a larger size. Also we had a couple of new bows and a new instrument case or two. If you need to change to a different size it was nice not to have to go out and buy another instrument. Also if you pick out a different instrument they adjust the monthly charges based on the cost of the new instrument.

We usually would never rent to own anything or buy insurance even when it is optional, but for us it made sense for his viola just because of plenty of repairs along the way and having to change sizes as he grew.

 

[furb & dez]

Do not buy a violin!!! You'll be wasting money on junk. Renting an instrument for the first 2-4 years is best.

Ideally, you would take your child's private teacher with you to the string shop (DON'T go to a music store that sells other instruments... just strings! You'll be wasting your money, your time, and getting an inferior instrument that will kill your child's interest), and the teacher would select an appropriate instrument (based on your child's physical characteristics, i.e., arm length, etc.) for your child.

Most string shops have rent/rent-to-own programs, which are wonderful in allowing you to use credit in your current instrument to "trade up" to a better one later on as the child improves.

 

[Luvmyberner]

I agree with the previous post. As a child grows, they will need a different instrument. The school should recommend a strings shop to rent from. We rented a cello for 3 years until my daughter grew into a full size. Then a portion of our rent went towards the purchase. Also, while we rented, the owner took care of any repairs that were needed. Before you purchase, I suggest asking to show the instrument to the instructor. String instruments are very different. I almost bought a cello that had what is called a ghost note/ string on a major note. I didn't know anything about this and we found out by the orchestra teacher keeping the instrument for a day. I paid about $20 a month for a cello. Violins were a little less.

 

[Sheaboys]

One of our children wanted to play the trumpet in 4th grade, so we rented. First 4 months was $42, then $25 each month after. The following year he was playing it again, so I just went on Amazon and bought one for $80, and a case for it.
It was worth it because he played it again in 5th, 6th and 7th grades. And our other son is in 4th and playing it.

 

[Local_Girl]

I have 2 kids, DS has a viola (finally paid for), DD has a violin (still paying on that). We have been doing the rent-to-own thing. Sorry, not sure what our current payment is as DH takes care of that and it is an automatic payment and has changed since one instrument got paid off. I will say that I was extremely glad we had the insurance through the rental program when DD accidentally sat on her violin and it had to be replaced. At no charge to us.

 

[furb & dez]

Just to clarify my earlier comment...

DON'T BUY A VIOLIN. You'll see lots of cheap instruments on Ebay - DO NOT BUY. Nearly all of those are so cheaply made that they are virtually unplayable.

I've seen instruments that a "thrifty" parent (read: cheap) bought and insisted that their child play. It would take hundreds of dollars just to FIX the instrument so that it was playable (usually, 2-3x the actual purchase price)!!

RENT. RENT. RENT.

 

[dzorn]

DD clarinet clarinet is $30 a month. The rental fee can be applied to the purchase for the first two years.

Denise in MI

 

[pannm]

Yeah, I wouldn't ever buy a violin- because of the sizing, because most of the time you'd get a piece of junk for a used one.

The only option we have when she is still young like this is to rent, there's no way I'm going to buy a new/used violin for her EACH TIME she has to change a size or what ever.

I know it's different with other instruments...trumpets, flutes, trombone- yeah, none of those change size due to your childs size/age.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

I could have bought a quality instrument for less than the rental was. It was $25.66 a month for 26 months. A huge rip off.

 

[VAfamily1998]

My son plays cello. He started last year and we were able to rent the cello through the school for about $60/year*. Cellos were the only one with this option, the students playing violin or viola had to rent through a private music store (or buy their own).

It's only the 3rd day of school today, and I emailed with the orchestra teacher (new school, last year was elementary, this year middle school) and she is still trying to assess needs and figure out how many cellos will be available for rental through the school...so I'm not sure what our plans/costs will be yet.

*Edited to clarify this is for the "school year" so just short of 9 months.

 

[lovetheduck]

My DD plays violin. We rent hers thru a local string shop for $40 a month (our schools do not have instruments, everyone must get their own). She has been playing for 3 years now and every year she has gone up a size so I'm glad we don't own it. I wouldn't consider buying one until she is fully grown. Quality matters and a good instrument is not inexpensive.

 

[MomtoGKC]

We have been renting 2 violins for a few years. We take private lessons and rent through a string shop in town. It is $75 4 times a year, so $25/month. That includes insurance. I like it because my girls started in kindergarten and my oldest is in 5th grade now - they have both gone through a few size changes. We've also gotten things replaced like a new bow and a new case when they latches broke.

We did buy one off EBay a few years ago. Another student bought one first and the teacher said it was fine. It was under $100 and lasted about a year before it was almost unusable. It was hard to hear, started to fall apart and went out of tune within minutes. We thought about buying, but at well over $500 per girl and knowing neither of them were in full size yet we decided to keep renting.

I hope your daughter enjoys it, my girls love it!

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

I wanted to add I highly recommend the Codabow. It is worth every penny.

 

[abcboys]

A few years ago my then 10 year old wanted to play the violin. We ended up purchasing one from the local string music shop for about $120. No, it wasn't high quality but it sounded okay to me and when his music teacher or son played it, it sounded beautiful. It was 3/4 size. A few years later we turned that one in for an upgrade to a full size one. It was around $300 less the amount for a trade in. He doesnt' play it anymore but I do. I couldn't see paying to rent month after month when you can buy one outright. Like I said this music shop lets you turn them in for a trade on something else.

I'm sure our violin isn't top of the line but it works well for us. If I was going to be a professional I would spend more but not at this stage.

 

[MomtoGKC]

I couldn't see paying to rent month after month when you can buy one outright.

I was hoping to do the same thing, but the student (aka - not great quality) violins at our string shop start at $500 and go up. I decided that until I was sure she was going to stick with this I liked the option to stop renting at any time. My DD thinks she wants to audition for the middle school of the arts next year - if she does that I will buy her a better quality one.

 

[pannm]

Yeah, I went into the music store here today. ONLY to look around and see what they had- if they rented or what our options there were. They STARTED at $380, and for this age, it could be changing up once a year. They DO NOT have a 'trade in deal' at this local store. They will buy it back, but at much less than it was purchased for. They do not sell used ones here, nor do they rent them. They send their 'used' trade-ins to a different town to be cleaned, rented or re-sold.

No way am I buying it. I mean, what happens if she decides a year from now that she doesn't want to do it anymore? We're stuck paying that much for a violin and not getting much back in re-sale, if any.

There is a company not too far away that rents them for our school here. I still don't know the cost...but in that rent- the cleaning, mantinence, repair and size changes are INCLUDED...won't buy one until she's in a full sized one!!!