Instrument Rental FAQ

You can review our rental program and rent online here. If possible we recommend that you visit our shop, and one of our friendly and knowledgeable staff members will help you choose the right size and fill out a contract. All you need are two credit cards and a driver's license, and the entire process should take 10-15 minutes. Not local? No worries - we ship rental instruments nationwide. Feel free to call us (855-343-3535) and our staff will be happy to answer any other questions or concerns that you might have.

You will receive an instrument, bow with real horsehair, rosin, and a case (bag for cellos). You should check with your teacher before renting as you may be required to purchase other accessories such as metronomes, shoulder rests, music books, and music stands. We have these items in stock and will be glad to help if you need any suggestions.

Up to 15 1/4" : order 1/16 size violin or cello

We ship instruments all over the country, just call us (631) 427-3569 to make arrangements. You are responsible for outbound and inbound shipping costs. Instruments are generally shipped within 48 hours. You will have one week to try it out and may ship the instrument back in a week for a full refund of the rental charges. Your only charges will be the shipping, both ways. When you are ready for the next size we will send it with a pre-paid shipping label to return the smaller instrument. You will find full rental shipping instructions here.

Yes, but only as part of an instrument outfit. Wooden and carbon fiber bows come with our Scholastic Strings outfits and standard instruments come with a fiberglass bow. You can upgrade the Standard bow to wood or carbon fiber for an additional fee. Please Note: Upgraded bows are not available for 1/16 and 1/10 size violins, 1/16 and 1/10 size violas, 1/10 size cellos.

All of our instruments are covered by our Protection Plan, so minor damage is repaired for free. If you break a string, bring your rental instrument in to our shop and we will replace it at no charge while you wait. Iif you feel confident about replacing it yourself, call us and we'll mail you a new string, free of charge. For other damage (broken bridges, problems with pegs, etc.) please call us at once. In many cases we will try to fix it while you wait or exchange it for a new instrument.

If you cannot come to the shop, we will ship you a replacement instrument, and you can ship the damaged one back to us in the same box; all you have to pay are the shipping costs. This applies to bow repairs as well. You can see the full details of the Protection Plan here.

You can exchange your rental for a larger instrument of the same type at any time. Exchanges will not interrupt your rental payment, or the terms of your rental agreement.

Each rental is treated as a separate transaction, whether online or in person. If you have registered an account with us, additional transactions will be much quicker.

You can change from our Standard to Scholastic plans (or vice versa) at any time at no charge. Changes to your rental fees will be adjusted for the next billing cycle.

Please return your instrument 4 days before the renewal date to give us time to close your account and make sure you are not charged. You can return a rental instrument to our Huntington shop anytime during business hours. If you need to ship an instrument, please contact us to make arrangements.

We provide the finest quality instruments, rent-to-own credit, and great service. No matter how cheaply you can rent an instrument, if you build no equity after years of renting, the savings can seem very small indeed. Many clients have come to us from low price programs where they built no equity and complained that they wished they had known about us sooner.

Teachers know that paying less for an inferior instrument is false economy, and will let you know that your child will never get anywhere on an instrument that is unpleasant to play.

It depends on the individual. We suggest an instrument of sufficient quality to let the student progress for the next 3 to 5 years. The input of your teacher is invaluable, and our staff is adept at gauging the needs of students and determining a reasonable budget.

Our Protection Plan covers all minor damage such as broken strings, bridges, bows, etc, which are repaired at zero cost to you. Shipping for damaged instruments, bows, or cases is not covered, nor are instruments, bows, or cases in the custody of shipping companies or delivery services. Very infrequently instruments are severely damaged, stolen, or destroyed and rental clients are liable for a 30% co-pay in these cases.

This has happened only a few times since 1984, and the co-pay has rarely exceeded several hundred dollars. It has just not been a big issue and we hope it stays that way! Nevertheless, you and your children should be aware that these are valuable instruments, not toys, and should be treated with respect. You may see the full details of the Protection Plan here.