Schaumburg Christian School

String Instrument Rental and Purchase

Where do we get an instrument? What's the most cost-effective way to obtain one? How do I know if the instrument I'm getting is good? Should I rent or buy? I'll attempt to answer a few of those questions here.

Rental

I usually recommend that beginners start with a rental instrument. This allows them to get started with a reasonably dependable instrument, guaranteed free repair, and a smaller financial commitment up-front. However, there are good reasons to go either way.

RentalPurchase
Pros Free maintenance (for beginners, this is definitely a plus!) You can change sizes for free whenever necessary You won't have to commit to an instrument until the student is mature enough (hopefully) to pick out a good one After it's paid for, you can stop paying for it! Sense of ownership You can pick your own instrument
Cons You don't get to pick your instrument, though rentals should be decent quality. The price of a rental can add up significantly over the long run Families can be tempted to get what's cheapest, which may not be what's quality. A new instrument has to be purchased each time the child moves up in size. Maintenance is no longer free

SCS offers rental service through Cassandra Strings, a local shop with good-quality instruments and good service and maintenance. They have a competitive price, and come directly to the school for all repairs, exchanges, and deliveries.

Purchase

When your family is ready to purchase an instrument, please consider the following:

  • A cheap instrument will not be a savings if it hinders your child's playing! Not everything advertised as a violin really works well for playing. An instrument with faulty tuning mechanisms, a badly fitted bridge, poor construction, etc. can cause all sorts of problems with tuning, tone, playability, which can actually get in the way of the child's progress. That's not only frustrating for the child (and the teacher! And probably your ears!) but it's expensive, because we have to waste lesson time fighting with the instrument. Please don't jump for the cheapest thing you see without looking into it. Which leads to point 2-
  • Try it before you buy it! Any reputable company, even online, will allow you a trial period to take the instrument, play on it, let your teacher or other knowledgeable person take a look at it, and return it if it's not worth your money. Take advantage of this, and if the dealer doesn't offer that option, don't buy the instrument.
  • I recommend buying from qualified local dealers, mostly because it's easier to "try" and instrument from a local dealer, and because the dealer will work with you to find an instrument that's good for you. Plus, you'll learn a lot just from going in and playing. I know some familes who have successfully bought from the internet or from overseas, but more who struggle with those sources. With online or inernational sources, it is harder to be sure of the instrument before making the purchase, and there are more companies of inferior quality.

Things to look for: Here are some of the most important features.

  • Good construction—Unfinished edges or open seams are a good clue that your instrument is not in the best of shape.
  • Ease of tuning—The fine tuners should turn easily, and the tuning pegs should both turn and stick fairly easily.
  • Ease of playing—The strings, nut, and bridge especially should be set up well for bowing and fingering. I or any other teacher should be able to check this for you.
  • Beautiful violin tone—Listen for a clear, rich sound; it should be pleasing and should "project" so that it can be heard clearly a little ways away.

Local Instrument Resources

Below I've listed several string companies that I've worked with and felt provided good instruments and service. This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it a full endorsement or guarantee of these companies by SCS, just a sampling of some good places that are available to you. There are a multitude of other shops n this area, probably many of which are also good, and you can easily do an internet search to find what's available in your area. (The best search results I've gotten so far have been from MSN: "violin dealers in Schaumburg" or whatever your community happens to be. This search will also link you to rental and repair shops.)

Local shops

These have all been good sources for instrument sales and rental; usually they will also do good maintenance.

  • Cassandra Strings in Algonquin www.cassandrastrings.com
    (This is the primary rental company for SCS. They do service directly to the school.)
  • The String Project in Rolling Meadows www.thestringproject.com
    (I have not personally worked with this company, but several students have and speak highly of it.)
  • William Harris Lee in Chicago www.whlee.com
  • Kenneth Stein Violins in Elmhurst www.steinviolins.com


Online/Mail Order Companies

I use these mostly for books and supplies. Though these companies do offer good instruments, shipping and maintenance can be more complicated.