Michelsen Music's Instrument Rental Program

Fractional String Instruments

Band and Full Size String Instruments

Rent Your Instrument Today!

"If you want your child to succeed, he must have an instrument that works." 

A working instrument seems like a pretty basic thing.  But it's not always easy to find.  If we had a quarter for every child we've seen struggling with instruments never prepped right by the dealer, or so poorly designed that they shouldn't have been sold in the first place, we could throw one heck of a pizza party.

But really, it would be nothing to party about. Sadly, the child often blames himself. And all too often, he ends up quitting in frustration.  Even after the problem is found.  Starting out on an instrument that doesn't play correctly is that big a handicap.

Your Child's Success is Our Success

No parent would buy their child such an instrument on purpose.  Trouble is, they don't know any better.  And who can blame them?  An unplayable horn looks just as shiny and pretty as one that works.  And most parents aren't able to try the instruments out themselves.  (In fact, it's not uncommon for dealers themselves to be unaware of just how poorly their instruments play!) 

Dan Michelsen founded Michelsen Music  as a one-man vendetta against schlocky product and substandard service in the school music industry way back in 1986.  (Read About Us for our story.)  School service has been the heart of our business from the day it started.  And it still is.  (Although we're a lot bigger now!)

Our careful selection of high quality instruments and painstaking attention to detail ensures that when your children pick up their band or orchestral instruments, or sit down at their piano, they are fully equipped for success.  After all, if they don't succeed, neither do we!

High Quality Brand Name Instruments

We represent many of the top names in band and orchestral instruments.  Brands like Jupiter, Gemeinhardt, Buffet, Pearl, and Knilling.  As new brands and models enter the market, we are often the first to offer those instruments that we feel play well, are intelligently designed, and offer exceptional value.

The lowest priced instrument is rarely the best value.  That's why we avoid "off brands" which are cheap and poorly designed. 

Outstanding Instrument Preparation

Did you know that it's not unusual for an instrument to arrive from the factory in an unplayable condition?  This is especially true of woodwinds, many of which need extensive "tweaking" before they are truly ready to play.

Our expert repair staff checks and thoroughly preps each of our instruments to make sure it's in optimal playing condition before it is ever allowed to leave our store.

Guaranteed Repair Support

What happens if something goes wrong with your child's instrument while you are renting?  Bring the horn in to our in-house repair shop and we'll fix it within 24 hours - or you get a loaner.  Guaranteed.

We have the best support service in the area.  Our small monthly maintenance fee (included in the rental amount) covers anything that could possibly go wrong.   No extra charge. 

Your child will never spend more than a day without his instrument.  Pad falls out of a key?  We'll replace it.  Loose peg?  We'll fix it.  Someone drops a marble in your kid's euphonium?  We'll get it out- no extra charge.  In many cases we can even drop the instrument off directly at your child's school when it is done, so you don't need to come in twice. 

If you live in an outlying area that we serve, you need not bring the instrument in at all.  We visit your school on a weekly basis and can often fix minor problems right then and there.  Otherwise we will leave your child with a loaner instrument and deliver the repaired horn the next week.

And the best thing is, no long wait.  Other shops frequently take two weeks before getting your kid back his instrument.  That's two weeks of lessons missed.  Two weeks without an instrument to practice on.  You can imagine what that does for his progress in class.  We never allow our customers's children to endure that kind of frustration.  Our 24-hour guarantee ensures that your child never gets left behind through no fault of his own.

Competitive Pricing - Honestly!

"But," you may be asking yourself, "How do they compare on price?  With that kind of service they're probably expensive." 

Well, you may be in for a surprise.  Compare our instrument rental rates to those of our competitors.  You will find that you will not pay substantially more per month than you would elsewhere.  In fact, once you factor in all the hidden fees not included in many of our competitors' price lists, you may easily find yourself paying less for our better service!

Follow these links for our monthly rates: 

Band Instrument Rental Rates (band and full-size string instruments)  

String Instrument Lease Rates (fractional instruments)

And note, there are no balloons, no interest, and no hidden fees!  Tax and maintenance are included in all prices listed.   So you needn't bother rummaging around for your calculator - unless, of course, you want to comparison shop. 

Reserve Your Instrument Today

Your child will get a lot more out of studying music than just learning to play an instrument.  Studies prove that children receiving musical training score substantially higher in many areas, including math comprehension, math and verbal SAT scores, academic achievement, and emotional health.  (For more information see the American Music Conference website, http://www.amc-music.com/research_briefs.htm .) 

Give your kid a leg up on these benefits by renting him a quality instrument guaranteed to perform.  Call Michelsen Music at 715-355-0406* in Wisconsin, or 906-475-4892*  for the Upper Peninsula Michigan store  to reserve your instrument today.  Your child will thank you for it.   *(For toll free numbers see below.)

Click on the following links for details:

• Rent-to-own Program for Band and Full Size Orchestral Instruments
  Click here for information on renting all band instruments and full-sized orchestral instruments.
  
  
• Lease Program for String Instruments
  Information on our lease program for fractional string instruments.
  
  

"Michelsen Music Repair and Supply- Over 25 Years of Quality, Service and Commitment to Music Education!"

*For long distance calls use our toll-free lines:  1-888-355-0406 (WI) or 1-800-475-4892 (MI).