To Rent or Buy: A Guide to Help You Choose What's Best for Your Family.
My take on Renting vs. Buying: Over my time working as the Director of Bands in a small school district in Wyoming from 2013 - 2016, I came across all type of different situations for this difficult decision. Many chose to rent first because the district was small and most decided to pursue the highly competitive sports teams. However, many of those instruments were not taken care of as well as they should have because the student was just "borrowing it" and "it wasn't like it was their responsibility". Now, there are, always and numerous, exceptions. I have had students take the utmost care of a rented instrument because they knew they had to give it back. Others couldn't care less. One student even sawed off the keys of his trumpet, bashed the bell in, and dented all of the slides simply because he could and his parents chose not to hold him responsible for the damage. However, many families just can't afford an instrument right up front. Students may decide to switch instruments or stop playing altogether, and many other situations may occur. In these examples, renting may be a better option as it offers flexibility to change instruments without a penalty, low monthly payments to ease the financial burden, and can be returned without having paid the full cost of an instrument (or can be applied to the purchase of that instrument later). I owned all of my instruments as I was going through my schooling and I wouldn't have it any other way. It saved me the frustration of a poorly working instrument, the possibility of getting some illness off of it, it being the wrong fit (which is possible), and many more frustrations that I saw other kids as well as my students go through. With rental instruments, some have issues that haven't been addressed that cause the instrument to not work. On others, it simply was the wrong fit and the student picked out the wrong instrument. When purchasing an instrument, some sales representatives will help you and your student pick a model that best fits them. Anything from best mouthpiece to what exact clarinet mouthpiece your student needs, a good sales representative will be able to help you. You should always take the time to try out at least three different brands of an instrument to find the best fit for you and your student. Some parents buy an instrument for one student, but it ends up being the passion of a younger sibling - still money well spent even if the focus wasn't on the younger sibling. Sometimes it's just not possible to purchase an instrument due to finances. If that's the case, many stores can offer financing options to help. All-in-all, the real question and ultimate decision lies with you, the parent, and the student. Because of all these varying factors, it is best for you and your student to have a discussion about your family's exact situation and what works best for everyone. So, if you are debating about this big step in your child's academic career, and are having trouble, please contact me and I will see what assistance I can offer you to help with your decision. |
* I have often found rental instruments are exactly the same cost as a beginning student model, often are cheap and can break. It depends entirely on the company, the area, and the instrument. Talk with your local music store and discuss your options with them.
*Pricing varies by area. This is a general report. Please contact your local music store for specific pricing.
Local Stores for Pocatello/Chubbuck ID Region:
1. Mike's Music: Address: 2908 Pole Line Rd, Pocatello, ID 83201 Phone: (208) 237-3500 2. Main Street Music: Address: 401 N Main St, Pocatello, ID 83204 Phone: (208) 234-7040 3. Piano Gallery: Address: 338 Yellowstone Ave, Pocatello, ID 83201 Phone: (208) 233-1883 Local Stores for Idaho Falls ID Region:
1. Piano Gallery Superstore Address: 2995 E. 17th St, Idaho Falls, ID 83406 Phone: 208-524-4420 2. Chesbro Music Company Address: 327 W. Broadway St. Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Phone: 208-522-8691 3. MusicCare Address: 391 W. Broadway St. Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Phone: 208-524-4302 |
Helpful Websites
The Vault: Should I Rent or Buy? - http://thevault.musicarts.com/should-i-rent-or-buy-an-instrument-for-my-student/
Take Lessons: Renting versus buying - https://takelessons.com/blog/2012/08/should-you-rent-or-buy-your-childs-band-instrument/
Renting vs. Buying:
http://www.summersong.net/musicedresources/rentorbuyinstrument/
Music Instrument Rental (digital Rental Store): https://www.nemc.com/rentals/
Take Lessons: Renting versus buying - https://takelessons.com/blog/2012/08/should-you-rent-or-buy-your-childs-band-instrument/
Renting vs. Buying:
http://www.summersong.net/musicedresources/rentorbuyinstrument/
Music Instrument Rental (digital Rental Store): https://www.nemc.com/rentals/
Buying Instruments - A Starting Guide
"What do I avoid?"
- Avoid purchasing an instrument at Target, BJs, Sam's club, Walmart, etc. They do not sell name brand instruments. The instruments you buy there will cost you more to fix in the long run and you will not be able to resell them for a decent amount.
- Also - avoid instruments that are not the correct color! For example: a purple flute, a black trumpet, a red sax. While they might look neat - they are not well built. Eventually they will break down and cost you a lot of money in repairs. Many of these instruments cannot even be repaired!
- Instruments priced too low or ones sold "as is", with no trial period. Any respectable and honest seller will allow you to use the instrument for a short period of time and be able to return it if does not meet your expectations. This is especially important for online sales of used instruments. Having a music teacher or repair person look at a instrument before purchasing is highly recommended.
"How much should I pay?"
- Every instrument has a range of acceptable prices for both new and used. The advice of you get what you pay for is usually accurate. However, some new instruments are priced too high. Avoid brands that seem much higher than the rest.
- Used instruments can range from around $100 on up to around $600. It depends on the brand and condition. Saxophones are priced higher than this. Usually around $300 and up.
- New instruments average $350 to around $1300 for a student or beginner level. For example, a top market beginning clarinet model costs roughly 1,200. This may sound excessive, but this instrument will last much longer than say a knock off brand which only costs $280. This particular one - the Yamaha 255 Clarinet - will last a student clear up into high school and it can become an instrument that can be passed down to younger siblings. This is the case for most of these quality instruments. It can also be traded in for a much better model down the road as the student progresses.
- Open Box or used instruments: Sometimes you can find these instruments online for a fraction of the price of a new instrument. These are always good to check out as it is one way you can get a fantastic instrument for half of the price. I got my own instrument this way. The only thing "wrong" with it was that the case had a scratch and writing on it. Brand new instrument for 60% off of the new price. Be careful of the instrument quality on this. You'll want to make sure that the brand is of quality and the model is what you want. Why spend money on something that is garbage and not what you want?
- Many instruments offered by local music shops offer payment arrangements or financing options. Not many people have the opportunity to drop $1,500 on an instrument, but maybe $27 or $28 is more of a doable thing. Once you've picked an instrument, go and see what arrangements can be made.
- Prices are a bit higher for intermediate level instruments. If you plan on playing in high school, an intermediate or "step-up" level instrument is recommended. These instruments are better made and as a result, play and sound better. Also, they may have some additional features not found on student models." If you want more information on "step-up" models, please check out the Instrument Help page.
- If you would like specific pointers for beginner instrument ideas, please check out the Beginning Band page and scroll down to the instrument help buttons to select your instrument.