Violin rental

[17leftfeet]

Dd is going to have to give her violin back to school next summer when she moves school so I'm researching rental vs buying

She's currently grade 3 and very keen, plays 4 times a week

The violin she currently uses is a sandner SV-2 3/4

If I rent can you go and test a specific instrument or am I as well to pick a brand and rent online?

I've seen one at £15 per month online, is that the sort of budget I should be looking at?

Lots of music shops hire violins.. Call them to ask their rates. Quite often you can put rental towards the cost of buying the instrument, so in the end you own the violin. Grade 3 is good. If you can afford to, it sounds to me as though you should buy a violin. You can try 2nd hand, violins improve with age so 2nd hand is good but be careful- repair costs can be extensive. Her violin teacher should be able to help you and advise with this- most would be only too pleased.

We found it better to buy.
Ok you have the initial outlay but if she is on 3/4 size she will be ready for full size soon.
A good shop will let you trade it in for the next size up, which in your case will be full size, you won't need to buy another if its a model that will take you to grade 8 and above.
Expect to pay about £150 then with trade in you won't have that huge cost again. it works out far far cheaper than renting if you have the initial outlay saved.

Don't know the world of violins these days but have bought many instruments over the years.
What ever size she's likely to need 2 instruments if she keeps it going. Now to post grade 5 and then one suitable to post grade 8. The basic one might be £150 but I'd be very surprised if a full size one for post grade 5 was less than double that.

This based on buying many instruments suitable for post grade 8. Even recorders are expensive.

Don't forget the assisted purchase scheme I think it's called - basically if buying new, buy via school and you don't pay VAT . Saved us loads on a French horn

OP if possible get yourself to a specialist strings shop to try some out. Let them know your budget and they will find you a suitable instrument. Good advice about the assisted purchase scheme to save VAT but not sure if it applies to secondhand instruments.

Alternatively, google Gliga trading - very knowledgeable people with reasonable prices and quality instruments. They are an internet based company and provided my DD with a beautiful violin (promise I don't work for them!!!) found them courtesy of some other MNetters!