I have had lots of questions recently about buying and selling used flutes, especially pertaining to what I have available at the shop. I thought I would take a few minutes to answer some of those questions. This week, the burning question: should I buy or rent a new, or a used flute?
The first thing you should know is that I do not sell used instruments on consignment. That is a subject for another blog post, but what that means to you is that any used instruments that I have in the shop are the product of rental returns. Most of the time, these instruments have been rented for 18 months or less. More importantly, every instrument that has been returned goes through an extensive check and repair process through our full-service Paige’s repair staff. All instruments are brought back to like-new playing condition, so any flaws in the instrument are purely cosmetic.
So what does that mean for you? Most importantly, it’s going to save you some money: about $5- $7 per month or around $150 to purchase outright. Many customers’ next reaction is “Well, that’s not a big difference.” You’re right; the reason is listed above-the extensive repair process. So as a customer, it is purely up to you whether you want to save some money or spend a bit more for a new one. Just know that I don’t always have used instruments available, so if there is one for sale in your chosen model, I always say go for it!