Instrument Rental
String Project students must provide their own instruments. We recommend renting an instrument before purchasing because as students grow, their instrument size will change. Having the correct size instrument for your student is one of the most important parts of student success as a string player. Rental instruments are available through the Texas State String Project, our instrument rental partner, and many local music stores. Please be sure to rent an instrument from a knowledgeable, reputable dealer.
Texas State String Project Rental Program
The Texas State String Project has a limited supply of instruments (violin, viola, and cello) available for rent at discounted rates in return for advance payment by cash, check, or credit card. These instruments are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and require an annual deposit.
String Project Rental Rates:
Instrument rentals are paid by the semester (Fall, Spring, Summer) at the following rates:
Violin/Viola – $60 per semester
Cello – $80 per semester
An annual deposit of $50 is also required during the initial semester of the rental to defray the costs of processing, inventory, and general maintenance.
These rates represent a fraction of the cost of renting from an string instrument shop.
Fall/Spring semester rental fees are due by the first day of String Project classes of the Fall or Spring semester.
Summer Rentals are available to continuing students only, and are due by June 1.
All String Project rental instruments are returned at the Spring Concert for inventory and general maintenance, and will then be returned to families with continuing summer rentals.
Local Music Shops for Instrument Rental and Purchase
There are many local instrument shops that rent instruments, and many have rent-to-own plans or policies that offer credit for trade-in instruments. Our String Project program collaborates with Duckworth Violin Shop in New Braunfels to provide a ready and convenient source of instrument rentals and maintenance to our community. If you are interested in using a different string shop, please see the list below of other recommended vendors.
Please do not purchase instruments from eBay, Amazon, or other online sources without consulting a professional. These instruments are often inferior in quality and may not be in proper working order when they arrive (for example, tuning pegs may not stay in position, bridge may not be the proper height, etc.). In many cases, the amount of money required to get the instrument into proper working condition can exceed the amount of the initial investment. This can result in frustration and even lack of progress for your child. Quality instruments cost money, so if you see a deal that is “too good to be true,” it probably is.
Local Shop Contact List:
Antonio Strad Violin, San Antonio – www.stradviolin.com – 800-284-9788
Blackerby Violin Shop – www.violinshop.com
South Austin location – (512) 284-8879
North Austin location – (512) 469-9343
Strait Music Company, West Lake Hills – www.straitmusic.com – (512) 476-6927
Terra Nova Violins – www.terranovaviolins.com
San Antonio location – (210) 349-4700
Austin location – (512) 640-4072
Westbank String Shop, South Austin – www.westbankstringshop.com – (512) 326-4898