Should I ask Aunt Mabel for her instrument that's been stored for 25 years?

     Should I rent or lease first? Should I ask Aunt Mabel for hers that's been stored for 25 years?  Many parents need to get their child into band quickly and can be shocked at the price of new instruments. So they ask a relative or friend if they have an instrument. Sometimes this can work, if the instrument is of good quality, and has been recently maintained. If not, there are many  factors that can hinder your child. First, the instrument in Aunt Mabel's attic may not be a quality instrument, which would make  it  simular to an instrument purchased at the warehouse store along with underwear. Second, if it has been stored for a period of time, the felt and cork parts will rot. The tubes that have not been greased could freeze up. The instrument may be a fine quality instrument, but now it needs to go to the repair shop at the beginning of the school year. The repair shop already has many of these instruments scheduled and it could take weeks to get to yours. Then, you decide to buy a used one you find in a newspaper or on the internet. Once you find a used instrument, it may be much like Aunt Mabel's. 

     I recommend renting or leasing first from a reputable music store to get your child playing right away. I prefer a lease program. Here's why. My company maintains a large number of used high quality, teacher approved instruments for lease on a month to month basis. No long term commitment (though I do highly recommend you ask your child to commit to play for at least four months, they don't know enough yet to quit earlier. Many of the parents I talk to make their children play for the school year).

     What I do is collect a small lease each month up to 10 months. At any time up to 10 months you and the child decides they want to continue to play I give the money you paid in back to you towards the purchase of a new instrument. While you are leasing from my company I cover the maintenance. We then fill out a rent to own form and you are making rent payments toward owning your own new instrument interest free. There's value! I get my name brand quality instrument back to lease to another child and you end up with a brand new instrument. Of, course while you are renting your new instrument you are covered by the manufacturers warranty and my company offers a very inexpensive optional damage coverage so you can be worry free until you own your instrument. This new instrument will hold it's value better should you then decide to sell it. Win-Win!

     You can also rent to own a new or used instrument from a reputable music store. They often charge interest to do this and some require a maintenance fee as part of the rent payment. Either way, take advantage of the coverage to keep the instrument in it's best working order. 

One last thing about Aunt Mabel's instrument that's been in the attic for 25 years and is brought out and loaned to your child to learn on. First, the value of the instrument in poor condition is very low. Companies like mine purchase these and rebuild them to enter the lease fleet. Often they have worn out parts, the mouthpiece needs to be replaced, and the case may need to be replaced as well do to mold and/or bugs that crawl into the case and eat the felt. In addition, can you imagine the germs left on that instrument? To rebuild one of these instruments can cost more than the used instrument is worth making the purchase or lease/rent a much better option.