Professional Viola Rental

It all depends on age and experience. An adult might consider an advanced instrument or even a professional model.

Our Standard models are ideal for students or children that have never before played an instrument. We professionally adjust our beginner models to help achieve a more orchestral sound (meaning fuller and louder). This is done in an effort to help the student develop their ear faster. One of the great benefits of our rental program is the ability to upgrade at any time. If you are unsure about playing long- term, renting is an ideal option.

Like most things in life, the higher the quality of instrument, the easier it is to learn and develop. People often become unhappy with their instrument, primarily because of its sound quality. Regardless of experience, the better the instrument, the better the chances are a student can fully realize their potential.

If you or your child has more than a year experience, definitely consider one of our Advanced models. Our Master models are essential for someone with more than several years of experience, such as a middle-school or high-school student. Ouradvanced models are more responsive and have a bigger sound, warmer tones and high-quality woods. And remember, our rental program allows you to continually upgrade while earning credit and minimize the out-of-pocket expenses when looking to buy an advanced instrument.

Renting reduces financial risk by investing only a small monthly fee for a top-quality instrument. If the student does not show long-term interest, as not all are cut out for orchestra, renting eliminates the possible burden of paying the complete price for an instrument and trying to sell it when it is not being used anymore. Under our unique rental program, students may upgrade to a larger or higher quality instrument as often as necessary. 100% of rental fees (excluding the Protection Plan and Tax) may be applied to the purchase of a higher quality instrument at any time. Renting from Antonio Strad Violin allows you to leverage your rental payments for a more advanced instrument without a high, out-of- pocket, expense.

You can find cheap string instruments on the internet, at flea markets or even in some music stores. They are cheap because they are made by unskilled workers instead of highly-trained, professional luthiers. Such instruments are often made from unseasoned, poor quality wood or a laminate wood, essentially plywood. As a result, these instruments are hard to tune, hard to play and sound awful. The frustrations of playing an inferior instrument often lead to a lack of interest in playing and, in most cases, the cost of suitable replacement parts may be higher than the cost of the cheap instrument itself.

It takes much less time and effort to make progress on a good instrument. Your child’s success depends on it, along with good teaching, efficient practice and parent encouragement. It requires a serious effort to produce a beautiful sound on a stringed instrument. We want your student to be successful. We select, prepare and adjust each instrument according to professional standards while keeping the cost to our customers low. These quality instruments are much easier to learn to play and we stand behind our instruments with unmatched customer service.

Still not keen on renting? Ask about our sale prices. You will be pleasantly surprised at just how affordable buying a quality instrument can be.

We could talk about this section all day. Spruce wood is used for the top of the instrument, maple for the back, sides and neck, and natural ebony fittings are the most common materials for the Antonio Strad violin family of instruments. Many instruments on the market are NOT made with these special woods and are nothing more than violin imitations. Even with the right kinds of wood, a real violin can be only be made by a highly-trained maker, a luthier, who possesses special knowledge and skills. The surface of the fingerboard, the height of both bridge/nut and the arch of the bridge are all crucial in the construction of a quality instrument. And again, a fine quality instrument can improve your playing significantly.

Higher quality instruments are being made in-house today by skilled artisans, exhibiting unique craftsmanship in the art of making quality string instruments. These superb artists and craftsmen pay careful attention to every detail, requiring hundreds of hours to create a single instrument. They put their names on the labels inside violins. Instruments like these can be quite expensive.

Here at Antonio Strad Violin, you will find both new and used, quality instruments from the best workshops in Europe and China. Internationally Gold-medal winning Chinese makers are producing string instruments exclusively for us. We also carry contemporary and older fine instruments from around the world, which are standard for competitions, scholarship auditions and professional performances.

Yes, for two very important reasons.

First, private lessons in the summer can provide both the novice and experienced musicians with opportunities for personal advancement. When school is out, students usually have more time and energy to devote to practice. In addition, many universities, some school districts, and the San Antonio Youth Orchestras offer orchestra summer camps which combine recreation with an intense orchestra agenda, including chamber music and private tutoring from campus faculty members. The more you practice, the better you play and the more you enjoy the music. The summer break is too long to go without playing, especially if you want to be a skilled player and be competitive in the school's orchestra. Those that ractice in the summer can gain that First Chair easily once school commences.

Second, as you continue to practice through the summer on your rental instrument, you continue to accumulate rental credit towards the purchase of a larger or better- quality instrument. If you stop renting in the summer, the rental credit already earned is lost and in the fall you have to start over again.

Under our worry-free protection plan (usually already included in your monthly payment), accidental damage, loss in fire, and forced theft is covered with no deductible.

If you suspect or know your instrument rental is damaged, bring it in for repair. Our system will automatically assign a 4-5-day lead time for all repairs, however, for a nominal fee, we offer same and next day rush services as well.

Knowing your instrument is covered gives you the peace-of-mind to nurture and encourage practicing and playing often.