Rental Term & Condition

1. Not Rent-to-Own : Flexible Rental (Not Rent-to-Own) — Lower monthly cost, no long contracts, upgrade anytime.
This rental agreement is not a rent-to-own plan, and the instrument you’re renting is not for sale under this contract.
We keep full ownership so we can control quality from setup to maintenance—including selecting the exact strings and adjustments that best match each individual instrument. That lets us maximize tone, playability, and reliability for every renter. Because we retain ownership, we can rotate, upgrade, and service instruments proactively (including bow rehairs and string changes), ensuring that what we rent out is consistently excellent—not a piece that’s aging into a purchase.

2 . What’s Included
Every Vince Violins rental includes:

  • Instrument (violin, viola, or cello by size)

  • Bow

  • Case

  • Rosin

  • Strings

  • Cleaning cloth

Each rental instrument is fully set up by our workshop luthiers with a full shop adjustment, fresh bow rehair, and Professional Strings selected to best match the instrument for optimal tone and playability. A wide selection of shoulder rests (various brands and models), upgraded strings, tuners, and other accessories are available for purchase separately—including hundreds of professional string sets in stock. If your teacher requests a specific brand or model, we are happy to supply it from our inventory.

2 . Rental Term by Plan

  • Violin – Essential & Performance Plans
    The initial rental term is three (3) months. After the initial term, the contract continues month-to-month unless the instrument is returned .

  • Violin – Signature Plan, and All Viola & Cello Rentals
    The initial rental term is six (6) months. After the initial term, the contract continues month-to-month unless the instrument is returned.

  • Automatic billing: Once the initial rental term has ended, your rental will continue on a month-to-month basis, with fees automatically billed to your payment method on file on the 1st day of each month.

These initial terms are required to ensure proper setup, stability of the instrument, and to give players adequate time to adjust before making changes.

3. Rental Fees & Start-Up

  • Initial term & proration: If your rental begins on any day other than the 1st, a prorated fee for the remainder of that month is due at sign-up. The full initial term fee (per your plan) is then billed in advance on the 1st of the next calendar month. If your rental begins on the 1st, no proration applies.

  • Automatic billing (after initial term): After the initial term ends, the rental continues month-to-month, and fees are automatically charged in advance on the 1st of each month to the payment method on file.

  • Maintenance & Protection Plan (required): Billed together with the base rental fee each month but listed as a separate line item; it is not included in the base rental fee.

  • Sales tax: All rentals are subject to 6% Maryland sales tax.

  • No partial-month refunds: Monthly rental fees are charged in advance; no refunds or prorations are issued once a month has been billed.

4. Maintenance & Protection

  • Vince Violins encourages good care and maintenance of instruments.

  • Every rental includes one free annual service: string replacement (value $40-120), bow rehair or replacement (value $90–$120), and a full checkup (value $99–$150).

  • If your instrument develops a problem, return it to Vince Violins promptly—we will repair or replace it at no extra charge for normal wear or manufacturing defects.

This coverage does not include:

  • Broken strings

  • Loss or theft

  • Willful or total destruction

If an instrument, bow, or case is deemed “beyond reasonable repair” the renter is liable up to the full retail value of the item. Vince Violins is authorized to assess instrument condition upon every return or exchange.

5. Size Exchanging & Return

  • Free size exchanges: You may exchange your rental for the next size at any time at no charge.

  • Agreement update: A new rental agreement may be required at the time of exchange.

  • Shipping: If an exchange requires shipping, shipping and insurance are the renter’s responsibility; in-store exchanges are free.

  • Rental credit: Your rental credit continues to accrue and is not affected by size changes.

  • Return anytime: You may return the instrument at any time.

  • No partial-month refunds: Once the monthly rental fee is charged on the 1st, no refunds or prorations are issued for that month.

  • Condition on return: The instrument, bow, and case must be returned with all included items; any missing or irreparably damaged items may incur fees

6. Rental Credit

  • Accrual rate:

    • 90% of base monthly rental fees (before tax) accrue as store credit for the first 12 months of continuous renting.

    • 10% of base monthly rental fees (before tax) accrue for each subsequent 12-month period thereafter.

    • Example: For our $25.95 plan, a 36-month rental earns $280.26 in the first year and $62.28 over the next 24 months, giving you a total rental credit of $342.54.

  • Exclusions: The Maintenance & Protection Plan, start/setup fees, late fees, repair charges, shipping/insurance, and sales tax do not earn rental credit.

  • Use of credit: Rental credit may be applied toward up to 50% of the purchase price of a retail instrument at Vince Violins.

    Note: Rental credit cannot be applied toward the purchase of bows, accessories, or cases.

  • Non-combining / non-transferable: Credit from multiple contracts cannot be combined, even within the same household, and has no cash value.

  • Expiration: Credit must be used within 45 days of contract termination; any unused credit is forfeited after that time.

  • Size exchanges: Credit continues to accrue and is not affected by size exchanges.

  • No offsets: Rental credit cannot be applied to overdue rent, late fees, repairs, or other charges

7 . Billing

  • Card on file required: You must keep a valid credit/debit card on file for the duration of the rental.

  • Primary + backup card (optional): You may store up to two payment methods. If the primary card is declined, you authorize Vince Violins to charge the backup card for all amounts due.

  • Monthly billing: Rental fees (and the required Maintenance & Protection Plan) are billed in advance on the 1st of each month.

  • No refunds after billing: Once a month has been billed, no refunds or prorations are issued.

  • Failed payments: If a payment fails, Vince Violins may reattempt the charge and/or request updated payment information. Failure to maintain a valid card may result in contract cancellation, forfeiture of rental credit, and collection action.

  • Processing time: Vince Violins may process monthly charges at any time during the billing month.

  • Taxes: Applicable taxes are added to each charge.

8. Delinquency & Default

  • Balances over 30 days past due are subject to collection costs (including attorney’s fees, court fees, and shipping).

  • Accounts 3 months past due are considered in default and all accumulated rental credit is forfeited.

  • Defaulted accounts may be referred to collections or legal action.

  • Vince Violins reserves the right to repossess instruments in default. Travel and labor expenses may be charged

  • In cases of non-payment, the renter is also liable for the full retail value of the instrument, which may be charged to any payment method on file.