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School Band and Orchestra Instruments can be a major investment in your child's future ...
Common Sense can go a long way to preserving that investment.

• Always set the case somewhere flat before taking an instrument out. NEVER open the case on a person's lap!
• If you ever pick up the instrument and hear a rattle such as something moving around inside, look to see if the Sound Post, a wooden dowel, is inside the instrument, pushing from the top to the back of the instrument. 
• It should be easily seen by looking inside the sound holes.
• This support post can not be glued in place and must be held in place by pressure.
• This support post is what keeps the top of the instrument from caving in and destroying the instrument from the pressure of the strings.
• If you can not see this post in position, or you see it loose, in the instrument, immediatly loosen the strings and take it quickly to the dealer to be reset. YOU CAN'T PUT IT BACK IN PLACE WITHOUT SPECIAL TOOLS SO DON'T TRY!!!
• Always use the size instrument requested by the instructor, never try to second guess them. 
• If you have already or plan to rent the instrument be sure the rental program allows you to exchange sizes and transfer at least part of the rent you've paid for the next size.

Our company's program allows 12 months  rent to transfer between sizes. (Some restrictions may apply.)
• When the Instructor says they need a larger instrument, exchange it As soon as you can.
• Unless you like having smaller unusable violins around the house, I do not reccomend buying any instrument until they grow enough to use a full size instrument.
• If you need a 10", 12", 13" or 14" Viola and can not find one, a smaller violin can be converted to many of these sizes. 
• For example, a 14" Viola has the same size top and neck as a full size Violin and a full size Violin can be converted by a competent Music Store who works on Violins to be used as a 14" Viola by moving the following:
• the 2nd string to the 1st string place
• the 3rd string  to the 2nd string place
• the 4th string to the 3rd string place
• and then placing a Viola C string in the 4th string slot.
• By the same technique, 
• a 3/4 size Violin can be made to be used as a 13" Viola.
• a 1/2 size Violin can be made to be used as a 12" Viola.
• a 1/4 size Violin can be made to be used as a 10" Viola.
• Keep in mind that such instruments are very usable for learning and student orchestra use but do not quite have the depth of tone or sound of a true Viola.
• Bow Care
• Never touch the hair on the Bow. Common body fluids may act like acid and damage the strings.
• Always loosen the tension from a bow when storing it.
• Never over tighten a bow.
• Never run out of Rosin as it creates the friction needed to make sound from the strings. No rosin, no sound.
• If your child says they need something done to their instrument, a repair or adjustment, don't put it off or treat it as trivial as the instrument may be as unusable as a car with a flat tire and no spare!
• Please contact the Music Dealer you obtained the instrument from and request repair.
• Always get a price quote on how much it will cost before having work done if you don't have a maintenance contract.  If you do have a maintenance contract, make sure this repair is covered under it or get a quote on how much it or the deductible will cost you before any work is done.
• Most Band rentals have maintenance programs as part of their contracts and are well worth the price.
• Please tell your child when they get an instrument that if something is ever wrong with their instrument they should ... 
• If at school, they should show it to their instructor and ask them to write a quick note (a line or two) on what they think is wrong or what it won't do. 
• If the instructor can't, have the child know they should write the note, show it to the instructor to be sure it's right. 
• If School is out, take the instrument AND the child to the dealer so they can show them what's wrong. 
• If their repairman is off premise, write the note.
• Without daily (or every other day) practice, your child may lose what skills they've developed. Be sure to keep a rental instrument during the Summer so they can practice on it. 
• Always keep it out of direct sunlight as to not cause discoloration from exposure or damage from excessive heat such as warping of the body or neck. 
• Keep it away from heating ducts, air conditioning ducts, away from doors that open to the outside or to places like saunas or bathrooms. 
• A rule of thumb is most places where a normally clothed person is comfortable is fine for violins etc. Bedroom closets are normally fine. Under the bed can be a problem if air conditioning ducts are within 5 feet of it.
• Quick contrasts in climate and temperature can cause extreme damage to an instrument. When transporting your instrument, carry it in the case or bag it originally came in. 
• If neither is available, use a blanket to wrap it in. When you arrive, never leave the case etc. in the car but carry it in with the instrument still inside, protected.
• Leave it in the container for five to ten minutes to allow it to adjust to the temperature in the room, or longer if the outside temperature is excessively different from the room’s temperature. 
• Leaving an instrument in a Car’s Trunk may cause excessive damage in a very short time if the weather is warm or overly cold.
• Common sense is your best ally when handling, storing and using your Instrument!
• Best to keep renting your instrument during the Summer instead of turning it in, they need to keep practicing during the time school is out. 
• With most Rent-To-Own Programs, if you turn in a rental instrument at the end of the School year with the intent to rent it again in the fall, you lose all the rent you've paid towards the instrument's purchase at this point.