 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Snitler
Date: 2012-07-06 21:03
Does anyone know a website where I can rent to own a professional model clarinet, specifically an R13 or R13 Prestige? I can't seem to find one.
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Author: jparrette
Date: 2012-07-06 21:34
Renting an instrument is extremely bad math, at ANY level. If you're money-conscious, buy a good used instrument, and take good care of it. When you want to upgrade, you can sell it and recoup most or all of your original investment.
A good used R-13 can be had for under $2,000.
John Parrette
CLARION MUSICAL SERVICES
john@clarionmusical.com
914-805-3388
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2012-07-07 00:38
Renting to Own pretty much anything will end up with you paying sometimes 2 or 3 times what it would cost you to buy outright (I remember watching one of those wonderful judge shows where someone "financed" a playstation 3 and ended up paying 800 dollars over a one year period for what is a 300 dollar game system!!!)
My suggestion, find out how much "payments" would be for an instrument if you were to pay it off in one to two years. Then start a savings fund, and put those payments in that savings fund. And in about half the time of the payment plan, you'll probably have enough to buy one outright.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2012-07-07 00:48
I've never seen R13s, let alone a Prestige, for rent. Because so many rentals get broken or abused, the owner has to recoup the cost of the instrument in a fairly short time. Easier done with a $300 clarinet than a $3,000 one. Some stores, especially big ones or chains, provide financing, which is also an expensive way to get what you want. Save whatever you're willing to pay per month for a pro instrument and keep your eyes open.
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-07-07 05:05
I agree with the other posters. Renting rarely makes financial sense. It seems attractive to parents who are getting a first instrument for an absolute beginner and are unsure of whether they will stick with it but often it makes more sense to buy an inexpensive used student instrument instead. There are many places where one can buy reconditioned student clarinets for the same cost as about 2-3 months in rental fees and if the student doesn't stick with it after a few months the instrument can often then be resold to recoup some of the cost. With a rental instrument there is no way to recoup the costs.
As for a professional clarinet I would certainly recommend against going the rent-to-own route. The only time it might make sense to rent a professional clarinet is if you needed a short-term emergency replacement and couldn't otherwise borrow one.
If money is tight I suggest looking at used clarinets instead.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2012-07-07 17:39
As others have noted, leasing is usually not the most financially efficient approach. There are, however, some leasing companies that are willing to work out a lease for a wide variety of "equipment" items. If you can find one willing to work with you (most leasing companies are set up to work with businesses on rather larger dollar amounts but I quickly found one whose minimum was $5,000), the cost (and terms) will be similar to what you would incur if you were to finance your purchase with a long-term (> 1 year) loan from, e.g., your bank. If you are still interested in pursuing this option try Googling for "leasing companies" without the quotes. These companies are essentially financial institutions. You might be able to find one that will work with you but, I suspect, many will not because: (1) your dollar amount is too low, (2) you are an individual (but if you are an adult with a good credit rating someone might be willing to work with you), (3) they have no expertise/experience with musical instruments and don't want to take on the risk.
You might also try "lease purchase musical instruments." If you can find a company that rents nationally, you might be able to work with them. Most probably work with student instruments that they purchase and own but you might find one that's willing to tailor an agreement for you.
Again, (long-term) leasing (with eventual ownership) is usually a more expensive option than buying outright. It might make sense for a professional who needs an expensive instrument for work purposes and doesn't have sufficient cash available to purchase it outright. For an amateur, however, such an agreement almost never makes sense because it is, in effect, borrowing for consumption. Also, if you do continue to pursue this option and find someone willing to work with you, don't be surprised to find that terms will include: (1) a significant down payment, (2) a relatively high interest rate, (3) a short lease period (hence relatively high rental payments). Also expect that you will have to find the instrument and that you won't be able to get out of the lease if you decide you don't like the instrument or you want a different model.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2012-07-08 14:33
I'm not commenting on the overall financial prudence of rent-to-own clarinets (or anything else) as I feel that others have more than adequately covered this.
That said, I recognize that people find themselves in situations where they will consider things in order to make their lives work that may not make perfect sense in the bright light of day (been there myself). So, it just so happens I ran across a rent-to-own clarinet site today and wanted to pass it along to address the OP's question.....http://www.branfordconsignmentsonline.com/clre.html
I have no affiliation with the company and no knowledge of their business practices. I merely saw them post some information and recognized that it might help the OP.
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