Help- where can i rent a really good violin (c.£20,000)

August 1, 2009 at 06:23 PM ·

Help- I'm in desperate need of a good violin but can't afford to buy at short notice...basically i was at a music conservetoire in london (trinity college of music) and i have one of their violins. It is a Bell violin, 1820, the most lovely violin in the world. It is worth about £20,000 and sounds brilliant. However, i have to give it back as i'm doing a post grad at a different university.

I have a recital at christmas (2009) and another one the following june and need a really good instrument. Has anybody been in a similar situation? Is there any where i can rent a really nice one? I know there are things such as the Benslow trust but i'm worried that by the time i apply and it goes through the system it will be too late. My new university doesn't have any instruments/ money it can give me and Trinity won't let me rent the violin from then. I've tried asking people such as guiviers (london) if i can rent a violin just for about 9 months but no-one seems to do this...

Can anybody offer any help at all? Or does anybody have a good instrument that they would rent out to me?! I do have my old violin, it's worth about £2000 but after playing on such a good violin, my old one really isn't good enough. But i could always give it to somebody as a temporary swap... just clutching at straws now...Any advice would be great, i'm dreading giving my violin back and just don't know what to do. Thanks, Becky

Replies (9)

Melvin Goldsmith

August 1, 2009 at 07:42 PM ·

Rebecca,

I actually started offering a rental service recently precisely with folk in your situation in mind and would be happy to offer assistance. There may well be others doing the same. I'm sure there's plenty of reason for optimism on your behalf.

Best of Luck,

Melvin Goldsmith

Ray Randall

August 1, 2009 at 08:15 PM ·

I almost bought a Strad years ago and was thinking abour leasing it out if I had been able to buy it. It was the 1684 Soams Strad for sale for $25,000 in 1972 I think it was. We had just bought a new house and couldn't quite afford it. Bad move.

Michael Darnton

August 2, 2009 at 01:36 AM ·

If I were you, Rebecca, I'd phone up Melvin and see what it takes to get one of his violins!

Stephen Symchych

August 2, 2009 at 04:03 AM ·

True dat.

I tried one of Melvin's fiddles in January (not at his shop), and it played very well indeed.

Roland Roberts

August 4, 2009 at 10:06 AM ·

Hi Rebecca

How about buying/hiring a new violin?

I've just performed the Four Seasons on a new violin by Ben Conover and was very impressed with the instrument, I have now commissioned one from him. Pretty good for £5,000

I know he does hire and Hire Purchase (students from the RCM have done this)

or you can hire and if you fancy buying at a later stage the hire fees are deducted from the price.

Or to buy. Deposit £500 then £100 per month interest free.

www.benconoverviolins.com

Julie Slama

August 5, 2009 at 02:25 AM ·

I believe Peter Zaret Violins also rents higher-end instruments. They have a website where you can check details.

Stephen Symchych

August 5, 2009 at 03:42 AM ·

Over 26% per year of the instrument's retail value--- although you can get a certain amount of credit toward purchase. That would seem to be a short-term solution for most.

David Beck

August 5, 2009 at 04:40 AM ·

Hi, most replies have been unhelpful because you are registered as being in the UK - whereas many suggested contacts are in the USA. I sympathise with your predicament.

Why not contact a good UK dealership? Beares, Ealing Strings, advertisers on Violinist.com etc. etc.?? There are many. My nearest one is the Vernon Violin Shop, Manchester. But when I thought to lend out a nice new Cremonese I had bought, I was advised not to go down this route as many students vandalise new stuff - take it out on appro then bring it back trashed ! However, I'm sure that if you convinced a dealer that you were a careful user a nice loan violin would soon emerge from the woodwork. Use the internet, ring round - best of luck.