Horn Rental

[blastemokid]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but it didn't seem like it belongs in the for sale category.

Does anybody know where a person can rent a pro line euphonium on an ongoing basis? (a lease or even rent to own type thing?)

I'm getting back into playing after quite a hiatus. I guess I shouldn't have sold that Willson! (D'oh!)

Thanks,
Mike
773.322.6621

[pgym]

What would be the advantage of a long-term lease or rent-to-own over simply taking out a loan to buy a horn or buying with a credit card?

[blastemokid]

There would be no advantage. However, I'm in a position to do neither of those things, because of circumstances I'm not able to discuss here.

My assumption is that I'm pretty much out of luck, but I thought if anybody knew, someone here would.

[Alex F]

Some of the big music retailers, like WWBW and ProWinds, offer short-term financing at zero interest. It works like this: 1) when buying the horn, you apply for, and get approved for a merchant credit card through GE or Wells Fargo; 2) you are given 6, 12, or 18 months to pay off the balance, with or without regular monthly payments; 3) at the end of the payment period, you own the horn outright. CAVEAT: if you enter such a deal, you must make each scheduled payment every month and on time. If you don't interest gets charged back to the date of the original purchase, and this is often at 30%. I've bought a couple of horns this way w/o any problems but you must be diligent in keeping to all terms of the agreement.

[Dave Seip]

I don't know of anyone that will rent a pro model euphonium. You can probably get a decent student model horn but most dealers will only let you finance, not rent.

[Alex F]

I note you have a Chicago number. You might want to contact Quinlan & Fabish, Music & Arts, or Kagan & Gianes to see what they have, if anything.Like David said, if they rent anything, it is most likely a student horns. Also, these are all in the 'burbs. Sadly, there are no rass shops left in the City proper anymore.

[sloan]

Some of the big music retailers, like WWBW and ProWinds, offer short-term financing at zero interest. It works like this: 1) when buying the horn, you apply for, and get approved for a merchant credit card through GE or Wells Fargo; 2) you are given 6, 12, or 18 months to pay off the balance, with or without regular monthly payments; 3) at the end of the payment period, you own the horn outright. CAVEAT: if you enter such a deal, you must make each scheduled payment every month and on time. If you don't interest gets charged back to the date of the original purchase, and this is often at 30%. I've bought a couple of horns this way w/o any problems but you must be diligent in keeping to all terms of the agreement.

I purchased a tuba like this once. My experience with Wells Fargo was uniformly negative. In the end, it did not cost me any money. I did nothing wrong - they simply screwed up the paperwork in an uncountably many ways. It took countless letters and phone calls to get things straightened out.

I am not a fan.

[imperialbari]

Aren’t there bands providing instruments for members?

[Alex F]

Aren’t there bands providing instruments for members?

Klaus,

In general, most community bands require members to provide their own instruments, except for large percussion. I am aware of a couple of bands in the Chicago area that do have a small number of "loaner" instruments, but this is the exception rather than the rule. In Chicago proper, there are no community bands (save for the Windy City Gay/Lesbian Pride band that performs every now and then). Even the Chicago Brass Band is not based in the City of Chicago. There are a number of community bands in the suburbs but, as mentioned, they do not generally supply the horns.