MANCHESTER, NH: by appointment only
The Rental Program at Davidson Violins
***Please note that cello rentals for ages 10 and older are out of stock for fall of 2023- purchase options available - call 866-291-0321***
At Davidson Violins we know families need a rental program that fits their budget. We reduce the confusion of murky contract terms so students can start learning and parents can have the peace of mind about the money they spend.
The Program
We offer a simple, rent-to-own program with 100% of rental fees accumulating towards purchase. For a low monthly fee you can give yourself or your student a chance to try out violin, viola cello, or bass. This program is month-to-month without a long term contract, and the instrument's retail value is the same today or at the end of the rental contract - we never inflate the buyout price. You can buyout at any time, or return the instrument if it is no longer needed. Manage your rental account online at davidsonviolins.com
Violin shop exclusive: You or your student may be a beginner now, but success and hard work often lead to needing an instrument upgrade at a later date. If you are still renting you can use your accumulated rental fees to purchase an upgrade instrument instead of your beginner rental, or if you already own your rental you can trade it in for 75% of your purchase price. And the upgrade can be traded in at a later date as well.
The Instruments and accessories
We hand select every rental and do all adjustments and tuning in-house. Each outfit comes with cases that have room for accessories inside the case, lightweight bows with real horsehair, rosin and a polishing cloth. We put American or European made strings on all of our rentals for a great sound. All violins, violas and cellos are real wood, and our newest cellos have Fine Tune Pegs to reduce frustration with tuning.
We have seen consistently that dropout rates in school orchestra programs and private studios are lower with students who use our instruments.
Anatomy of a quality Violin and Viola Rental:
- Rosin and polishing cloth included.
- Space for shoulder rest and accessories INSIDE the case.
- Sturdy cordura covered case.
- Lightweight bow with genuine horse hair and ebony frog for good balance – never fiberglass.
- Sheet music pocket keeps everything for class and lessons in one place.
- Real ebony wood pegs, fingerboard, nut and end button for long life and ease of use.
- Fine tuners for quick tuning.
- Custom fit bridges, fingerboards, sound posts and nuts for easy playability
- Quality Strings made in the USA and Europe.
- Carefully planed fingerboard - for more in tune playing.
- Maple and Spruce construction, air dried for at least 7 years for best sound
Anatomy of a quality Cello Rental:
- Accessory pocket for rosin and polishing cloth, included.
- Sheet music pocket keeps everything for class and lessons in one place.
- Lightweight bow with genuine horse hair and ebony frog for good balance – never fiberglass.
- Lightweight, heavily padded cover. 8 different handles and strap configurations to fit every size player.
- Custom fit bridges, fingerboards, sound posts and nuts for easy play-ability and better in-tune playing.
- Fine tuners for quick tuning.
- US made strings.
- Real ebony wood pegs, fingerboard, nut and end button for long life and ease of use
- Real wood construction from maple and spruce, air dried 7 years
Sizing
Please use this short tutorial to determine the correct size of your child’s violin, viola, cello, or bass.
Step 1: You will need a yardstick or tape measure.
Step 2: Have your child stand up straight and place his/her left hand straight out to the side with the palm up.
Step 3: Place the yardstick or tape measure at the base of the neck and measure out to the center of the palm.
Step 4: Use the conversion chart below to determine instrument size.
Violin Conversions:
Viola Conversions:
Cello Conversions:
Bass Conversions:
Rental cost
Violin outfits are $35 per month. Damage Protection Included.
Viola outfits are $38 per month. Damage Protection Included.
Cello outfits are $65 per month. Damage Protection Included. *We are out of all sizes of cello rentals except 1/2 size for fall of 2023*
Bass outfits are $75 per month. Damage Protection Included. Please call for bass availability.
