Musical Instrument Rental – Woodwind & Brass

Would you like to learn to play a musical instrument?

Are you worried that it's too expensive, or that you might give up?

With the Sheehans woodwind & brass rental scheme, you can:

• Learn to play on a good quality instrument, for a low monthly rate
• Rent for 24 months, and the instrument becomes yours…
• …OR return the instrument to us at any time*, and you will have nothing more to pay.

* A minimum rental period of 4 months applies

Who is it for?

Our rental scheme is for anyone who wants to learn to play one of the following instruments:

• Flute / Piccolo
• Clarinet
• Alto / Tenor Saxophone
• Oboe
• Trumpet / Cornet
• Trombone
• French horn

Our rental scheme is especially popular with parents of school-age children, although anyone – children or adults – who wants to learn a musical instrument can take advantage of the scheme.

We also run a separate violin, viola and cello rental scheme.

Why Rent?

For most people, learning to play a musical instrument  is a fun and rewarding experience.  However, it also requires some patience and dedication, and we know that not everyone who takes up an instrument will stick with it.  On top of this, many people are put off by the cost of buying a new, good quality instrument.

This is where our rental scheme comes in - for a small deposit, plus a low monthly rate, you can learn to play on a good quality, brand new instrument – one that’s guaranteed and maintained by us.  If you continue renting for 24 months, the instrument becomes yours.  If you decide not to continue, simply return the instrument to us* and we will cancel the rental.

*A minimum rental period of 4 months applies

Shouldn’t I just buy a cheap instrument instead?

More often than not, buying the cheapest instrument you can find turns out to be false economy.  Unfortunately, the cheapest instruments tend to be made from low quality materials and components, which makes them difficult to play, and they usually sound terrible.  Some of them don’t even work at all.  Instruments like this are regularly brought in to our repair workshop; sadly we have to turn most of them away as they are unfixable.

Think about this – would you want to buy a car that was unbranded, and then learn to drive when the steering wheel and the brakes didn’t work properly?

You also need to be careful when buying a second-hand instrument from a private seller, or an internet auction site, as this can be risky.  Even if the instrument is a well known brand, it’s possible to buy something that looks like a real bargain, only to find yourself faced with a hefty bill for repairs and servicing to make the instrument play properly.

Our rental scheme uses only brand new, good quality instruments, and they are guaranteed and maintained by our shop for the duration of the rental.  These are brands and models that we have many years' experience of selling, and all of them have met the approval of our repairers, shop staff, and local music teachers.

Can I buy the instrument that I rent?

Yes!  Simply continue the rental payments for 24 months, and the instrument becomes yours.

How much will it cost?

A copy of our current rental price list can be found here.

Is the instrument insured?

To cover damage, loss or theft of your instrument, we will require you to take out a specialist musical instrument insurance policy with Allianz Musical Insurance.

Insurance is mandatory, and costs around £30 in most cases – this will cover your first year of rental.

What do I need to do?

To set up a rental, you will need to come into our shop with proof of your address (bank statement or utility bill is best) and photographic ID (either a UK driving licence or passport).  If you are unable to provide photographic ID, please bring 2 separate utility bills or bank statements with your address printed on them.  You will also need to provide us with details of a bank current account capable of supporting direct debits, and details of a valid credit card if you have one.

Once you have chosen your instrument, fill in our rental agreement forms.  You will need to pay the first month's rental instalment as a deposit whilst you are in the shop, either by cash, cheque or card.  Any further monthly payments are made by direct debit.

Please note that our rental scheme is underwritten by an external credit company (the Musical Instrument Finance Company), and approval is subject to credit checks.

If you wish to cancel the agreement…

There is a minimum hire period of 4 months, after which the rental agreement can be cancelled without penalty.

If you wish to cancel the agreement at any time after the first 4 months, simply return the instrument to the shop.  To give us time to cancel the rental agreement, please allow at least four working days before your next direct debit payment is due.

Full terms and conditions are available on request - please contact our woodwind & brass department for more information.