Rental FAQs

Rental credit is accumulated as the bill is paid and in the amounts agreed upon in your contract. When you pay your bill, only the amount of the rent becomes a credit, not the taxes and not the instrument protection plan charges.

The protection plan reduces the costs of major repairs, not maintenance and normal wear and tear, by 60 percent. Example; If an instrument develops a crack while in you are renting it and the cost to repair it would normally be $500 it would only cost you $200.

The rental credit starts to accrue as soon as you make your first payment and continues until the 18th month. After that, you are welcome to continue renting but the rent no longer accumulates as a potential purchase credit.

The rental credit continues to accrue as long as the original contract stays in force, changing sizes or levels does not invalidate prior credit.

Yes

NO, the rental credit may be used to pay for UP TO 50% of the purchase price of an instrument. For example, if you had $500 credit and wanted to buy a $1000 instrument you could use all of your credit and pay only $550 additional out of pocket. If on the other hand you chose to buy a $500 instrument you could only expect to use $250 of your credit, the remaining $250 you would have to pay out of pocket.

There is minimum 3 months for all of our rental contracts; there is no upper limit but rent ceases to accumulate as a credit at 18 months.

Of course.

No

Instruments that are traded are subject to minimum reconditioning fee based on the type of instrument. Assuming there is no actual damage to the instrument, you may use the remaining equity in the instrument as a trade-in credit toward the purchase of another instrument. Instrument reconditioning fees are as follows: $250 Violin; $300 Viola; $350 Cello; $400 Bass.

We will notify you by phone, email, or USPS.

No, the instrument you are renting is not for sale. You rental credit will be applied to the purchase of a different instrument that will hopefully be of better quality and the appropriate size.

With so-called “rent-to-own” programs you are forced to buy the instrument you have been renting meaning you have ZERO choice about quality or size.

We expect some wear and tear, we make a point of noting any existing damage (major scratches, cracks, etc.) when you first rent the instrument.

All of our outfits come complete with a case or cello bag, a bow that has been recently serviced, and rosin for the bow. We do not provide sponges, shoulder rests, chinrest covers and other accessories. These are personal items which you are expected to purchase separately at the direction of your teacher.

Call us immediately and we will instruct you as to how to proceed.

Yes, you are expected to maintain your rental instrument as though you own it, this way good maintenance habits are developed so that when you decide to purchase a good instrument, you will already know how to care for it. Strings and bow hair should be replaced every six months for violins and violas. For cellos, the bow needs to be serviced at the same rate but the strings will typically last a year. Please remember that if you return an instrument that has not been recently serviced, you will be expected to pay for any upkeep that is needed to make it ready to go to the next player.

Yes

Yes

Charges are processed during the course of the month.

Yes, you may use rental credit to pay for up to half of the cost of tuition for any approved Suzuki or ASTA event. How is this done? You must contact our offices and we will arrange to pay the event directly.

You are welcome to return your rental if you will not be using it for several months, however any rental credit you have accumulated will be forfeit.

These are questions you need to ask your teacher.

We feel that the most effective way to apply your rental credit is when you are changing form one size to the next. Most children over the age of 6 years will be in each size for about a year and a half. The teacher is usually the one who will let you know that your child has grown enough to consider the switch. Whether you have been renting for just six months or over two years, the time to purchase is when you switch sizes.

Again, this is a discussion for the teacher to resolve. We stand ready to help but always defer to the teacher’s opinion.

We like to offer people a choice. The “Standard” is by far the most popular with the private teaching community, while the “Premier” is really for students who are a bit more advanced and need a “step up” instrument for more challenging repertoire. The “Economy” level is provided for people who are interested in an inexpensive way to get started without a big financial commitment.