Best Places To Rent Musical Instruments In NYC
Musical instruments are hard to come by in the Big Apple, and can be a major investment. Especially if you have a young child who's just beginning and not sure whether he wants to continue after this year, renting may be your best option. No matter what kind of instrument you practice -- piano, bass, flute, and everything in between -- you can find it for rent here in New York City. Here are your five best bets for an instrument rental.
David Gage String Instruments
36 Walker St.
New York, NY 10013
(212) 274-1322
www.davidgage.com
Whether you need a repair, rental or purchase of any string instrument, David Gage is the place to go. Cello, bass, viola and violin are all available to rent, along with bows, trunks, mics and amps. Rental prices differ depending on your instrument of choice and your level of expertise. Beginner student violin rentals start at $25 per month, and a professionally carved five-string bass can run you up to $395 per week. DGSI has been in business for over 35 years. Owner David Gage is a bassist himself and has luthiers on hand in the shop for any questions you may have.
Strings and Other Things
1995 Broadway Floor 6
New York, NY 10023
(212) 362-0857
www.stringsandotherthings.com
Whether you're a beginner or a pro, if you need to rent a violin, viola or cello, long and short-term contracts are available. And if you feel you need an upgrade to another instrument, it's easy to switch. An on-site workshop also makes it easy for Strings and Other Things to repair or service your instrument. A variety of brands are offered, including Ya-Ya violins, Lesta violas and Palatino cellos. Start small and work your way up to pro.
625 West 55th St.
New York, NY 10019
(212) 868-4120
www.carrollmusic.com
Now in their 70th year of business, Carroll offers a wide variety of instruments for rental. Located in Midtown and open seven days a week, you'll find the traditional drum sets, pianos and guitars, as well as concert harps, banjos, mandolins, hunting horns and even electric sitars. Also available at Carroll are various audio and DJ equipment, and you can rent rehearsal studios on-site.Related: Best Music Shops In New York City
Piano Rental New York
244 West 54th St.
New York, NY 10019
(212) 586-9057
www.pianorentalny.com
Midtown is where you'll find the most piano rental companies, and this one is no exception. Offering some great rental rates for fine pianos, Piano Rental New York has over 30 different brands of pianos and 40 years of experience. Whether it's for a church liturgy, a private home concert or rehearsal in a studio, your piano needs can be filled easily with PRNY. You can find upright, grand, silent and digital pianos with brands like Weber, Yamaha, Baldwin, Young Chan and Kurzweil.
New York City Guitar School
251 West 30th St.
New York, NY 10001
(646) 485-7244
www.nycguitarschool.com
Although mainly known as a school where both private lessons and full class options are available, guitar rentals are also on offer here. Both acoustic and electric guitars can be rented and used in the studios if you prefer. NYC Guitar School students get rental preference as well as cheaper rates. For non-students, acoustic guitars rent for $39 a month and electric guitars rent for $49 a month.
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Jennifer Eberhart is a writer, reader, crafter, traveler and New Yorker. She works in midtown New York City for non-profit organizations. Her degrees are in communication studies and art history.You can contact Jennifer on Twitter at @egyptologist. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
