Hire a Bassoon

What's In The Box?

Each Bassoon hire outfit comes with everything you need to get started and maintain the instrument.

• Protective case for the bassoon
• Beginner bassoon reed
• Cleaning swab/mop
• Cork Grease
• Hand rest

How The Hire Works

Setting a hire via our online checkout is quick and easy (just 1-2 mins). You can choose to have the bassoon delivered to your UK home address via our couriers (1-2 days) OR you can collect the instrument from our Maidenhead store.

• First month payment made by debit/credit card at checkout
• Ongoing monthly payments via Direct Debit (GoCardless)
• Quick, easy and secure online checkout process
• No time limit on hire (min. 3 months required)
• Maintenance and insurance included

Use of Payments:

Half of the payments you make from month 4 onwards can be used towards the cost of a new or used instrument from Dawkes.

The bassoon you hire is always returned to use, you are not buying it over a period of time. For further details please read the FAQ section.

FAQs

Q: What is Included?

A: Our rental Bassoons come with a case, reed, and relevant cleaning accessories. Check out the ‘What’s In The Box' section for more.

Q: How long can I rent for?

A: There is a minimum rental period of 3 months that you must commit to and pay for. The first payment is taken when you set-up the rental online, months 2 and 3 (and any following monthly payments) are taken by Direct Debit through our partner GoCardless. After that you can rent for as long as you like.

Q: What happens after month 3?

1. You can carry on with your monthly payments. Half of each subsequent payment (from month 4 onwards) can be used later as a credit towards an instrument purchase.
2. You can choose to purchase any new/used instrument from Dawkes and simply return your rental bassoon.
3. You can cancel and return your hire bassoon (please see ‘How do I return/cancel a rental’ question below).

Q: Will I own the rental instrument?

A: No, the rental instrument is always returned to us. You are not paying it off monthly as that would be a hire purchase agreement. If you did want to simply spread the cost of a new instrument purchase we do offer a range of finance options (including 0% APR) on any instrument purchase over £250.

Q: Why can't I buy the rental instrument?

A: Our rental program is designed to help you get started for a low monthly cost and to aid your progression. In many cases the instrument you want/need after the initial rental period may vary from what you've been hiring. 

For example, if you hire for 12-18 months, you may actually want to buy a different model from the bassoon you hired. We don't believe in locking you into a purchase from the outset of something that would be 12-18 months old at that point, and also may not be relevant to the player at that stage.

Our program offers flexibility for you to use any accrued credit towards the right instrument for you, at the right time. 

Q: Can I use my payments to offset a future purchase?

A: Yes, absolutely. Half of all the payments you make from month 4 onwards can be used towards the cost of any new or used instrument that Dawkes Music sells.

Q: Will my rental instrument be brand new?

A: This depends on our stock at the time of your order. Some rental instruments are brand new, others may have been previously rented (up to 12-18 months) but are fully checked, serviced and sanitised in our workshop prior to dispatch.

Q: What happens if something goes wrong with the instrument?

A: Maintenance and insurance are covered by your monthly payment. If there is a routine maintenance issue (which can happen sometimes on mechanical instruments) then there are two options:

1. If you are able to visit our Maidenhead store, we can resolve the issue in our workshop whilst you wait.
2. If you are not able to visit us we can arrange a courier to collect the instrument from you, we would then resolve the issue and return it to you via courier.

This process takes 3-4 working days (if using couriers) but is often quicker than dealing with a local store who have to send it off-site. We have 7 full-time repairer technicians who can take care of any issues quickly and professionally ensuring you get your instrument back ASAP.

If the instrument is damaged beyond economical repair by accident or lost/stolen there is a £50 excess due. Please inform us immediately in writing if this occurs.

Q: How do I return/cancel a rental?

A: You can cancel your rental contract at any time after the initial 3-month period. You can either:

1. Bring the bassoon into our Maidenhead store and we will cancel the contract there and then.
2. You can use a courier or Royal Mail Home Collection service to return it remotely. We then cancel the agreement upon safe receipt of the instrument. Please visit our ‘How To Return a Rental Instrument’ page for more details.

Q: Why should I choose Dawkes Music for my rental/hire?

1. We offer high quality bassoons on our rental program. This means the player gets the best possible start with a bassoon that is easy to play, reliable and highly recommended by Teachers.
2. Our flexible rental program allows you to pay a low monthly amount, yet still save money towards a relevant future purchase at a later date.
3. All our rental bassoons are fully checked, set-up and sanitised in our workshop prior to dispatch. This ensures the instrument you receive will be playing perfectly straight out of the box.
4. We have thousands of active customer rentals, so you are joining a large community of music-makers across the UK.
5. Our payments are taken by Direct Debit (via GoCardless) so you have a safe guarantee that your payments are secure.