TubeNet

Greetings TubeNetters,

I was wondering if anyone knew of a place where you can rent-to-own a tuba. Currently in the market for an instrument, but am exploring my financial options. (In lamens terms, dont have a lot of money to spend up front).

In addition to Schleppy's location-specific response, I would say generally that it would be bad business to rent out tubas. Tubas attract dents and damage far more than smaller instruments, and they cost more to begin with. And they often don't live in their hard case the way, say, trumpets do. Those who rent them would have to include all that risk in what they charge. Their total costs might be high enough to demand that they price a rental at, say, 10% of the price of the instrument per month.

You'd do better to borrow the money and purchase a good, used instrument. If you choose a proven instrument and take excellent care of it, you'll be able to sell it for what you paid, and that amounts to free rent. That's a much better option than renting an unproven "used" instrument (and all rental instruments are "used") and paying its new retail value over the course of a year, with nothing to show for it at the end.

Better still: Go earn some money, and pay cash. An old, battered but playable and proven instrument that you own will be more loved than a shiny, new cheapie that the bank owns (or, worse, the music store). Example: Beat up but wonderfully playable King 1241's and 2341's typical sell for well under $2000. They'll still be worth that 20 years from now when the off-brand Asian instruments are in the landfill or screwed to the wall somewhere.

Renting is what you do when you need something for a short-term, one-time use. It's not what you do as an alternate--and extraordinarily expensive--means of financing.

Rick "who has attempted nearly all financing strategies at one time or another, but never rental" Denney

Yes, we can do it. Sort of. With good credit, you can buy and pay off a tuba in 48 months. Payment is $27 per month per $1000 borrowed. $10K tuba = @$270/month. $5K tuba = @$135/month. For each $27 paid, $21 is principle, $6 is interest. If you're under 30 years old, you'll want a co-signer.

It's the same kind of financing you see offered at Best Buy and Home Depot. I would think at least most Yamaha and Conn-Selmer dealers would offer this, though not all of them would want a tuba back if you wish to stop paying. The financing is offered by GECapital.

Best,

Ferguson
The Horn Guys

Based on reputation, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to do business with Horn Guys if the opportunity arose.

But GECapital? $27 per month per $1000 borrowed is the kind of loan you take if you have absolutely no financial options and having the loan is a live or die situation (which is what I take "We can do it, sort of" to mean), and having a tuba is never a live or die situation. The APR is north of 30%. ("With good credit." But with good credit you can get a signature loan at your bank for a lot less than that, which is still more than it would be a good idea to pay, most likely.)

Save your money and do this the right way.