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Best Places To Rent Musical Instruments In Chicago

You've signed up to take lessons on how to play a certain musical instrument. But is the guitar or the violin really for you? Instead of plunking down some serious cash on a new instrument you may not end up liking, you might want to consider renting an instrument to see if it's right for you. Musical instrument rentals can also be a lifesaver for a musician who needs a temporary replacement for existing gear. Luckily, the Chicago area boasts a number of establishments that rent instruments to professionals or students. Take a look at these musical instrument shops that offer rentals.

Music
(Photo Credit: flattsandsharpe.com)

Flatts & Sharpe
6749 N. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 465-5233
www.flattsandsharpe.com

Let's say you need to rent a snare drum, or perhaps a cello or a saxophone. Where do you go? With Flatts & Sharpe, you can rent a number of musical instruments, with rental programs for both schools and individuals. If you'd like, you can purchase instruments as well as sheet music, and repair services are also available. You're also never too old to learn how to play a musical instrument, as Flatts & Sharpe offers music lessons for kids and adults for the guitar, piano and voice. In addition to its location in the Rogers Park neighborhood, Flatts & Sharpe has a location in Chicago's Norwood Park neighborhood.

Mid-Town Instrument Rentals & Repair
4104 N. Elston Ave.
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 588-7377
www.midtowninstrumentrental.com

Picture it: Your band is scheduled to go on stage in a few hours, only you've discovered your guitar is broken beyond repair. What's a musician to do? Through Mid-Town Instrument Rentals & Repair, a band can rent guitars, as well as drums, keyboards, pianos and even guitar and bass amp stacks. Turntables and mixers are also available for rent. Mid-Town, which is located in Chicago's Irving Park neighborhood, also offers repair services and has a rehearsal studio available for rent.

The Music Room
(Photo Credit: the-music-room.net)

The Music Room
26 N. Brockway
Palatine, IL 60067
(847) 934-5440
the-music-room.net

If your child is in their school's band, you might be wondering where you can rent an instrument. Through The Music Room, located in the northwest suburb of Palatine, you can rent trumpets, saxophones, trombones, violins and other instruments. The Music Room works with several school districts in the northwest suburbs so that your child can have just what they need for practice and performances. The organization also offers music lessons and has musical instruments available for purchase.

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Old Town School Of Folk Music
4544 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 728-6000
www.oldtownschool.org

It's one thing to rent a violin or a set of drums. But where can you rent a banjo, an autoharp or a mandolin? That's where Old Town School of Folk Music comes in. Located in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, the organization has a rental program where you can try a conga, as well as guitars or violins. The website lists rental rates for current students of Old Town School of Folk Music, and non-student rates are also available. A second location is in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.

PM Music Center
4411 Fox Valley Center Drive
Aurora, IL 60504
(630) 978-9927
www.pmmusiccenter.com

So your child has decided to join the school band or orchestra. Great! Now what? Through PM Music Center in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, you can rent clarinets, flutes, saxophones, tubas and other musical instruments. Additionally, the company can help your new musician find the right accessories and instruments, and the service is available for a number of school districts in the Chicago area. PM Music Center also offers a rent-to-save program, if you do decide to purchase the instrument. The company also offers repairs, as well as an assortment of lessons that include piano, vocal, brass and woodwind.

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Megan Horst-Hatch is a runner, reader, baker, gardener, knitter, and other words that end in "-er." She is also the president of Megan Writes, LLC. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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