Fantastic, either you or your child have decided that you would like to start playing the flute. But before you get too excited your going to need to decide if you are going to purchase or hire a flute. You’re also going to need to find a good teacher but that’s a topic for another time. Both deciding whether you want to purchase or hire a flute and finding a teacher can seem a little daunting. But hopefully, you’ll find this article points you one step further in the right direction.
To Purchase or Hire a Flute
When it comes to acquiring a flute, you have two main options: purchase or hire. I cannot explicitly tell you which option is “better” for your unique situation. I can, however, give you enough information to make the best decision for you personally.
Like most things in life, there are a number of advantages and disadvantages to both purchasing or hiring an instrument so I’m simply going to lay them on the table and let you choose.
First off…
Hiring A Flute
Advantages of Hiring a Flute
You are not responsible for maintaining the instrument
Every flute, actually all brass and woodwind instruments, need to be serviced on average once a year. This is simply because they have moving parts which are frequently exposed to the moisture in your breath causing a natural level or wear and tare. It’s much like getting a car serviced and helps to maintain the value of your instrument and keep it in working order. An average service will probably cost you around $120 AUD. When you hire a flute, the company is responsible for keeping the instrument serviced so there is no additional cost that you need to worry about.
You can try out different features on a flute before committing to it
Flutes come with lots of different options and features and if you’re not sure what you prefer, or what works best for you, hiring a flute allows you to properly test the instrument and get a decent feel for what you like. Just some of these features include: offset or inline G, split E mechanism and the material the flute is made from. When you’re a beginner flautist this isn’t really something you need to worry about but its good for those looking for a step up flute.
Potentially cheaper to hire a curved headjoint flute for 1-2 years than purchase one
If your son/daughter requires a curved headjoint flute (your teacher will let you know) it is, unfortunately, going to add an extra few hundred to the price. Then, if you add the cost of a yearly service it can be getting a little on the expensive side. Many times, you will find it cheaper to hire a curved headjoint flute for the first 1-2 years and then look at purchasing when you’re ready to move to the straight headjoint.
If you decide it’s really not your thing you’ve potentially saved yourself some money and you’re not stuck with an instrument
If you are prone to indecision, your son/daughter frequently changes their mind or you’re not too keen on committing to something. Then hiring an instrument is an excellent solution. This allows you to work out if you like playing the flute without the initial financial outlay required to purchase one. If you don’t like, its then no big deal you have invested the money in a once in a lifetime experience and don’t need to worry about what you’ll do with an instrument you’re never going to use. If you like it, great you will now be able to test play your flute before you buy it (which I highly, highly recommend).
You can use a nicer instrument than you could afford to buy
When you are tossing up between purchasing a cheap flute or hiring an instrument please hire an instrument. A bad flute can be enough of a deterrent to make anyone stop playing for life. (Most cheap flutes are bad!) It’s like trying to cut pumpkin with a supper blunt knife, it takes way too much effort, doesn’t work and results in tin pumpkin soup for dinner instead of the delicious, mouth-watering homemade soup you had envisioned.
Gradual more affordable payments
If you’re not in a position to dip into your pre-established savings account (and few people are) then hiring a flute gives you instant access to the instrument without requiring a large financial outlay. Once you have fallen in love with the instrument you may then find you have the motivation to save up for one.
Disadvantages of Hiring a Flute
Will reach a point in time when it becomes more expensive than purchasing a flute
If you hire a flute for too long, you will eventually reach a point in time when it becomes more expensive than purchasing one. For example: if you want a $700-$800 brand new student flute + $120 per year for servicing and it costs $200 per year to hire than after… (I hate math)
Years |
Total Hire Price |
Purchase Price + Servicing |
1 |
200 |
$800 (flute) + $120 (service) |
2 |
400 |
$1, 040 |
3 |
600 |
$1,160 |
4 |
800 |
$1,280 |
5 |
1,000 |
$1,300 |
6 |
1,100 |
$1,420 |
And so forth… Of course, this would change if you looked at getting a second-hand flute. It’s also worthwhile noting that after 5 to 8 years of playing you’ll be ready to upgrade from your student flute to an intermediate flute.
If something happens to it you have to pay for it and you don’t get to keep it
Provided your careful this shouldn’t be a problem. But, if you lose a hired flute or severely damage it, you are responsible for the repairs/replacement of the instrument. This means you may end up purchasing a replacement flute and then not getting to keep it.