Why choose Bernhardt House of Violins for renting a stringed instrument?

A: Bernhardt specializes in violins, violas, cellos, and basses. All of our employees play a stringed instrument and are very knowledgable about all the instruments. We pride ourselves on our customer service and look forward to helping you with your musical career.

What kind of instruments do you rent?

A: Bernhardt rents violins, violas, cellos, and basses. The majority of our violin and viola stock are German-made Sander instruments that we import directly from Germany every year. They are the best student instruments that you can find.

What size instruments do you rent?

A: We carry fractional (small) sizes all the way up to full size instruments. Violin: 1/16, 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, & 4/4 Viola: 11", 12", 13", 14", 15", 15.5", 16" & 16.5" Cello: 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, & 4/4 Bass: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 & 3/4

What commitment do I have to make to the rental?

A: We rent our instruments on a month to month basis. You are not locked into a long-term contract.

A: 1. The size instrument your student needs. We can measure your student in the store, the teacher can measure them, or we have a chart on our website for home measurement - www.bernhardtviolins.com/rentals 2. Your student's orchestra teacher and/or school 3. A completed lease application. This can be filled out in person or online 4. Payment for the first month's rental and payment for any accessories you will need for class. 

A: Your instrument rental comes with the instrument, a bow, a case, and a cake of rosin. We have a wide variety of accessories for each instrument for additional purchase. 

How do I rent an instrument?

A: 1. Fill out the lease application. This can be done online or in person. 2. We will run a simple credit check. 3. Once the credit check is finalized, you will need to sign the lease agreement. 4. Make your payment for the first month's rental and any accessories you need. 5. Take your instrument home and enjoy!

What is Rental Credit?

A: When you rent an instrument with Bernhardt, either 60% or 100% of your rental payment will go towards your rental credit on your account. You can use your rental credit towards the purchase of your rental instrument or a step-up level instrument. We suggest using your rental credit when your child reaches a full size instrument. 

What is a step-up level instrument?

A: A step-up level instrument is an intermediate to advanced instrument. Step-up level instruments are an investment instrument and tend to go up in value over time. 

What happens when a rental is returned?

A: All of rental instrument returns are sent to our in-house repair shop. This is where we have dedicated staff clean every instrument, replace strings, replace the bow, make sure the case is in good shape, and repair anything the instrument may need.

Should I purchase an instrument online?

A: Our short answer is "no, you should not buy an instrument online". Our long answer is, "no, you should not buy an instrument online, because you do not know what you are truly getting". We see a lot of online purchases come in the store and they end up spending more on repairs to the instrument than they did the instrument itself. When renting or purchasing an instrument from Bernhardt, you can rest easy knowing that you are getting a quality instrument. Our trained repair people look over all of our instruments to make sure they are in tip top shape. It is very important that your student starts out in an instrument that is the correct size and is set up correctly, so that they do not get frustrated with the learning process.