That is the question! Many people struggle with this decision especially when they are first starting to play an instrument. Whether you decide to rent or buy your cello will depend on several considerations…
Commitment – How committed are you or your child to the cello? Many people wait to buy a cello until they know they or their child like it and want to stick with it.
Size – If this is for a child, consider what size cello they’re using. Cellos come in fractional sizes; as your child grows they will continue to need the next size up until they reach a full-size cello. Some parents ask how long their child will play on a particular size cello, but unless you can predict exactly when and how your child will grow, we can’t answer that question. That means your child might play on a quarter-size for only 6 months if they’re really going through a growth spurt. A last thought with smaller cellos: fractional cellos can sometimes be difficult to resell. Some shops offer a buy-back program, which would be worth looking into especially if you choose to buy a small cello.
Cost – As with all things, it can be more cost-effective in the long run to buy. If you rent a cello for a year and pay $50/month, after one year that’s already $600. We know someone who recently bought a used, decent 1/8 cello for $350. Even if it’s tough to resell, if your child uses it for a year you’d be saving money by buying. However, most cellos are not that cheap, especially full-size cellos. This is a conversation for another time, but to scratch the surface just a bit, in our opinion if you are paying less than $1,000 — and honestly probably less than $2,000 — for a new full-size cello, you will probably not get a great cello. Sure, maybe you get lucky and find a gem on Craigslist, but those are few and far between. If you can swing it, we’d recommend starting your search at the $2,000 level. Well dang, that’s a lot of money, you say. Yes it is. But in our experience, if you can buy a better cello, you will enjoy playing it more and be encouraged to practice more and therefore play cello longer, etc. If you’re absolutely against renting but $2,000 is not in your budget and it’s a $800 cello or nothing, then go for it. Perhaps you can upgrade later on. Plus if you can make a bad cello sound good, it’ll be easier to play a nicer cello when you can get one. Our hope is that by giving you an idea of what you might spend to buy a decent cello, it will help when you’re crunching the numbers to rent or buy.
A final thought with cost: Some shops offer a rent-to-own program, in which case at least some of the money you spend on rental costs will go towards buying a cello. Every shop is different so be sure to get the details on that before you commit.
Repairs and upkeep costs – Repairs on an instrument can be costly. Let’s say your child drops their cello and the neck breaks off (we’ve seen it happen, unfortunately). That is usually damage that cannot be repaired. If you own the cello and don’t have insurance, you’re out of luck. If you are renting, hopefully your rental policy covers it.
Bottom line? Personally, we would choose to rent for a few months at least to start. That gives you some time to figure out if you want to continue with the cello while also giving you time to research shops and cellos to buy. We don’t see the value in rushing into buying a cello, mostly because you really want to make sure you’re buying a good cello. We would strongly encourage you to go with a shop that will offer either a rent-to-own program or a buy-back program. And we would even more strongly encourage you to do your research on the shop you choose. Don’t assume that every shop sells great cellos. You want a shop that sells quality instruments. After putting all your hard-earned money into a cello you want one that is of excellent quality. You can find trusted shops in your area by asking your cello teacher or getting local recommendations on the web.