Rental Terms and Conditions

Customer must present driver’s license or other valid picture I.D. and major credit card at time of rental. 

Blackerby offers two levels of rental: Protege and Artist.

The Protege Rental Outfit consists of the instrument, fiberglass bow, rosin, and instrument case. A student-quality wooden bow, selected by Blackerby Violin Shop, may be substituted when available for a one-time fee of $25.00–$75.00 (depending on the type of bow).

The Artist Rental Outfit consists of the instrument, wooden bow, rosin, and instrument case. Guitar rentals at both levels do not require a bow or rosin.  

There is an initial deposit per outfit rented as follows:

Protege

  • Violin $60.00
  • Viola $90.00
  • Cello $120.00
  • Bass $150.00

Artist

  • Violin $120.00
  • Viola $180.00
  • Cello $240.00
  • Bass $300.00

Deposits are equivalent to three months of rent and are fully refundable upon return of instrument in good condition.

Rental Rates

Protege Level (optional Protection Plan)

  • Guitar: $15/month; Protection Plan: +$5/month

  • Violin: $20/month; Protection Plan: +$5/month

  • Viola: $30/month; Protection Plan: +$6/month

  • Cello: $40/month; Protection Plan: +$7/month

  • Bass: $50/month; Protection Plan: +$8.50/month

Artist Level (Protection Plan required)

  • Guitar: $25/month (Protection Plan required)

  • Violin: $45/month (Protection Plan required)

  • Viola: $66/month (Protection Plan required)

  • Cello: $87/month (Protection Plan required)

  • Bass: Not offered at Artist Level

Note: The Protection Plan fees for the Artist Level are the same as the Protege Level Protection Plan fees. Protection Plan fees do not count toward purchase credit.

A discounted Yearly Plan is available at both Protege and Artist levels. The yearly rate is equivalent to 10 months of rent (and protection, if applicable). No deposit is required, and there are no refunds for early return of a yearly rental.

Sales tax is not included in the aforementioned rates. Rent is due on the day of the month on which the instrument was first rented, and is considered late seven days after due date.  Accounts that fall three or more months behind may be referred to a collections agency for recovery of past due rent and instrument, and/or a police report may be filed for theft of goods and services.  This action may result in a notice to one or all of the credit reporting agencies.

Credit toward purchase of an instrument is accrued at a rate equal to one-half of your total rental payments for that one instrument. (Payments made toward the “Instrument Protection Plan” and sales tax do not apply.) Please note this is not a rent-to-own plan but a program by which credit is accrued toward the future purchase of an instrument.

  • If multiple outfits are rented, credit accrued for two or more instruments may not be applied toward the purchase of a single instrument.

    • Example: A customer has been renting two violins for six months and has accrued a credit of $60 per violin. The $120 combined credit cannot be used to purchase a single violin.

  • Rental credit need not be applied to the specific instrument being rented. It may be used toward an instrument of any size, provided it is of like-kind within our inventory. For example, rental violin credit must be used to purchase a violin, and rental cello credit must be used to purchase a cello.

Rental credit may only be used for instrument purchase and not for the purchase of other items in the shop such as bows, cases, or other accessories.  Rental contract and protection plan are valid only in the continental United States.

Accrued credit is forfeited 30 days after a rental instrument is returned. Therefore, credit for purchase is only available while you are actively renting. Blackerby Violin Shop reserves the right to cancel the rental contract at any time and demand the return of the outfit.