A couple years ago, we published an article entitled How to Obtain an Instrument You Cannot Afford, which has been one of our most popular articles. It outlines a variety of methods for obtaining an instrument beyond your budget, including scholarships, loaner instruments, fundraising, loans, and working with benefactors. We wanted to add some additional information about obtaining professional-level instruments, since this is a topic that is very in demand for both CMPI fellows and their families.
In this article, we will start at the beginning – finding a shop, setting a budget, using your CMPI money, and building relationships to help you obtain a professional-level instrument.
What Should You Look for in a Shop or Dealer?
When purchasing an instrument, the first thing you need to do is find a reputable shop or dealer. You can identify quality shops in your area by asking teachers, CMPI staff, mentors, and other students for recommendations. Googling reviews and testimonials online may also help. In some cases, you may need to look beyond your local area to find appropriate dealers.
Families emphasized that the most important characteristic of a shop or dealer is honesty. Avoid shops that pay teachers for referrals, try to upsell you beyond your budget, or who try to trick those who are less educated during the purchasing process. An honest shop will ask what your budget is, explain how instruments are priced, and help you to find the best possible option within your budget.
Here are some other policies your shop should have:
- Purchase credit for instruments you rented through the shop
- Full or near-full trade-in credit for an instrument you purchased from them
- Trial loans of a week or more, so you can try an instrument in the real world and show it to your teacher
- Instrument loans during maintenance when needed
- Appraisals provided for purchased items, as these are needed by insurance companies
Make sure you take your time as you evaluate shops and their instruments. Buying an instrument should not be something that happens in one day. Expect the process to take at least a few months, evaluating different instruments, trying them out at home, and showing them to your teacher.
Budgeting for the Overall Cost
Setting a budget is critical in this process. While we would all like to be able to afford million-dollar instruments, it simply is not possible for the average family. A realistic budget should be based on your family’s financial situation, scholarship funding available, and other forms of financing or loans at your disposal. For those situations when you still cannot afford an instrument, see the previous article on How to Obtain an Instrument You Cannot Afford for more options on borrowing an instrument.
As you create your budget, make sure not to forget that the instrument itself is not the only cost. There are other elements that must be considered in budgeting, including:
- Insurance
- Other instrument needs like bows, mouthpieces, or mallets
- Multiple instruments for some woodwind, brass, and percussion players
- Cases
- Supplies like strings, rosin, reeds, or reed-making equipment
- Maintenance
- Repair
Insurance is an absolute must. It may be possible to add an instrument to your homeowner’s or rental insurance, usually using a special fine arts rider, for just a few hundred dollars a year. Note that these types of policies may leave gaps in your coverage, such as during travel overseas or when you have a loaned instrument. Standalone instrument insurance policies, such as Clarion, are similar in cost and may cover a wider range of needs. Insurance will cover any major damage to your instrument, whether it is caused by you or someone else, and will also cover the cost of the instrument if it is stolen.
For string players, the cost of the bow should be considered when determining a budget. The bow is often overlooked; however, upgrading your bow often gives you the greatest bang for your buck in improving sound and opening new technical avenues. There are various estimates as to how much a bow should cost, but many people recommend the bow should cost about 1/3 of the instrument. For an instrument that may be $10,000 or more, that is a considerable additional expense and needs to be part of your budget.
Similarly, brass players need to think about the costs of mouthpieces and mutes, while percussionists need a wide range of mallets and other items. Both brass and woodwind players may also need to consider the cost of multiple instruments. It is not uncommon to need multiple instruments in multiple keys (such as a Bb trumpet and a C trumpet) at the professional level.
Almost all instruments require cases, and a good quality case is essential to protect an instrument. Note that cases need replacing quite often due to broken zippers, straps, or worn-out Velcro. Cases routinely add another few hundred dollars to the cost.
Daily supplies can also be costly. String players need fresh strings every 2-6 months, usually at a cost of more than $100 each time. Woodwinds need reeds, with some instruments like oboes also requiring reed-making supplies. A parent of an oboist remarked that purchasing all her child’s main reed-making equipment and supplies was almost as much money as purchasing his instrument!
Maintenance is also critical. Bows need to be rehaired every 2-6 months, and instruments typically require annual maintenance in addition to any repairs. This type of maintenance can run anywhere from $50 to thousands of dollars each time.
Using Your CMPI Funds
Current CMPI students are allotted extra money in their junior year (or any time thereafter) for purchase of an instrument or associated equipment when they commit to studying music at the collegiate level. These funds can be used to purchase an instrument, bow, case, or associated supplies, depending on the situation.
Note that you cannot be reimbursed for a purchase. CMPI will only pay a shop, dealer, or individual directly for the cost of the instrument or other items. Any costs beyond the allotted sum are the responsibility of the family, and can be paid directly, through fundraising, or through financing.
CMPI requires that private teachers approve of any instrument or other item prior to purchase. Once approval has been granted, contact your student navigator for additional information on completing the purchase.
The Importance of Relationships
Families who have gone through the process of purchasing one or more professional-level instruments continually emphasize the importance of developing relationships. This may mean choosing a primary shop to work with so you can continually trade in and upgrade your instrument. As these relationships grow, the shop will be more likely to give you better prices on instruments, provide you with financing for your instrument, and connect you with other opportunities. Families encouraged a variety of relationship-building techniques, ranging from a simple thank you card or holiday greeting to including information about your instrument and shop in your bio, which provides the shop or maker with free advertising.
Relationships and networking can also be extremely important in finding assistance with obtaining a loaned instrument or fundraising. The more connections you make the more likely you will be one of the lucky individuals to be offered assistance with borrowing or buying an instrument. Reach out and meet those in your field, talk to donors and send them thank you notes, and continually build new bridges.
Instruments are Always a Process
Most musicians will have multiple instruments during their lifetimes. In many cases, their needs will change over time, with it being common to upgrade multiple times during college and as a young professional. Instrument purchase is rarely a “one and done” event. Instead, it is a lifelong journey to maximizing your musicianship through quality instruments.
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