Hiring instruments

Instrumental hire is offered to County Music Service students - subject to availability.

How to hire an instrument

You may request to hire an instrument when you apply for a lesson. We will give this to you once you have completed your online registration and the instrumental teacher has contacted you.

The teacher will tell you how to organise hiring an instrument.

Instruments available to hire

  • Violin
  • Viola
  • Cello
  • Double Bass
  • Flute
  • Clarinet
  • Oboe
  • Bassoon
  • Alto Saxophone
  • Trumpet
  • Cornet
  • Trombone
  • Baritone
  • Euphonium
  • French Horn and Tenor Horn
  • Tuba
  • Guitar

Please note that we are unable to hire drum kits or keyboards.

Instrument hire (per term)

  • Violin/Viola/Guitars - £33
  • All others - £55

Repairs to instruments

Parents/Carers are responsible for any instruments hired from the County Music Service and will be expected to pay for loss or repairs other than wear or tear.

Warning

Never attempt to repair instruments yourself or arrange for anyone to do it for you. Specialists do all our repairs. Always take your instrument to your teacher for repair to avoid expensive mistakes.

Read our guide on how to look after an instrument (pdf format, 231Kb)

Cost of replacement

If your hired instrument is lost or broken beyond economical repair, we will invoice the hirer for a replacement instrument. These are the approximate replacement costs. The exact cost invoiced will be based on the make and model of the hire instrument being replaced.

Strings

  • Guitar - £90
  • Violin - £150
  • Viola - £200
  • Cello (full size) - £750

Woodwind

  • Flute - £725
  • Clarinet - £500
  • Saxophone - £800

Brass

  • Trumpet - £600
  • Cornet - £600
  • Trombone - £900

Specialist Instruments

When hiring double basses, oboes, bassoons, French horn or tuba, please email musicresources@oxfordshire.gov.uk for guidance on values for insurance purposes.

Insurance 

Please arrange all-risks insurance to cover instruments hired by your child (damage is most likely to occur when instruments are unfamiliar to children).