Piano Rental Program Considerations
Everything You Should Think About Beforehand
“I don’t know if my child will stick with the piano” is one of the most common concerns we hear.
And when we first opened 15 years ago, it was a pretty serious concern. But these days, you can buy a pretty good digital piano to learn on for as cheap as $500.
As a result, there isn’t much space for acoustic piano rental programs. And so, we recently even ended our Rent-to-Own program.
But there are people who’d prefer an acoustic piano and situations where buying a piano might not make sense. So here’s our resource page to teach you everything you need to know about piano rentals.
Renting vs Buying a Piano
Advantages to Renting
- Easy to return, no obligation to buy
- Low upfront investment
- 100% of each payment goes towards a piano for first 12 months
- Great for families just starting out
Advantages to Buying
- Much wider selection of options, including new pianos
- Lower total cost
- No monthly rental payments
- Less paperwork
Alternatives to Piano Rentals in Chicagoland
Just to reiterate: Family Piano does not offer any piano rentals at this time. We do have an alternative program though, and friends we can refer you to if you’re looking for an event rental in the Chicagoland area.
Budget Piano Program
If you’re not sure that piano will stick in your home, and losing a big investment is your biggest concern, this is a great alternative to renting.
We have refurbished acoustic pianos for sale starting at $799. It’s the absolute lowest price we can sell a piano for. If you’re interested in an instrument to learn on, and you aren’t totally sold on $500 digital piano slabs, this is the option for you.
Piano Rentals for Events
If you need a piano rental for temporary situations, contact our friends over at Alden’s Piano Co!
You can rent one of their select pianos for a day, a week and occasionally on a monthly basis for shows and events.
How our Rent-to-Own Program Worked
If you’re looking for a piano rental, it might be helpful to read through our old Rent-to-Own program’s policies. Compare it to the rental options you have to make sure your dealer is offering a fair deal!
Student Uprights
Refurbished- Refurbished Uprights, Under $1,700
- A Few Decades Old & ~40″ Tall
- Often Manufactured in the USA
Premium Uprights
Refurbished- Premium Refurbished Upright Between $1,700 & $3,000
- Newer, Taller, Nicer-Looking & Sounding
- Typically More Modern Design (ie. Polished Finish, etc.)
Select Grands
Refurbished- Typically 3 or 4 Refurbished Grands
- A Few Decades Old & ~4’5″
- Often Manufactured in the USA
Above is the basic breakdown of our options for rentals. We had refurbished uprights and grands available, and the most popular option was the premium refurbished pianos.
The price of piano rentals will definitely vary depending on where you’re located. Our pricing was very competetive, and credit 100% of the first 12 monthly payments counted as credit towards owning the piano too (75% afterwards), and that credit was applicable towards another piano in case you wanted to purchase a different piano.
Other than that, we charged customers:
- Professional Delivery, which we coordinated so all customers had to do was schedule the drop-off/pickup,
- Security Deposit, which we used to cover the return if the piano was returned,
- and a $95 Processing Fee, the only price difference between renting and buying.
There were no other fees or hidden expenses we included with piano rentals. No costs for exchanging pianos, cancelling the contract, or anything else. We highly encourage you to ask dealers for a detailed breakdown of the total cost and any potential fees.
Beyond that, we really made an effort to keep the rental flexible and convenient. We only had a 3-month minimum rental, we warrantied the piano fully for the entire rental period, and we even included a free tuning each year for premium uprights and grands.
Tips for Helping Your Child Stick with Piano
- Consistent, Scheduled Practice Times helps your child make the habit of practicing every day easy.
- Encouragement is important, especially when starting off.
- Set Expectations – for example, some families require a minimum of 2 or more years of piano study before 8th grade, no negotiation. This also helps students get over the difficult beginning phase.
- Good Teachers make a big difference. If you need a great piano teacher in the Chicagoland area, we can recommend one!
- Invest in a Quality Instrument that gets your kids excited to practice. If you buy it, they’ll often return to it even if they take a break or don’t take to it at first.
- Games & Apps – there are several games out there that are like Guitar Hero for piano. Coupled with lessons, they can be really educational AND a ton of fun!
- Fun Music to Learn from their favorite movies, shows, and games are available for sale online or on YouTube.
- Participating in Performances like duets with a teacher / parent / friend, or a solo performance at a teacher’s recital — a great way to show off what they’ve been learning.
- Multiple Kids Taking Lessons in your family increases your chances of them succeeding too.
Ask Us Anything!
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask! Just submit this form, and we’ll return your message promptly.
You can also call us at (847) 775-1988 or email us at info@familypiano.com.
Our store in the Golf Mill Mall is open from 12-6pm, 7 days a week for your convenience too!