Would you Rent a Guitar ?

[LookingForLarri]

This came up in another thread, so rather than hijack I thought I would start a new thread

Hertz rent a guitar, hmmm, I wonder if I could make that would work?  :GRN>

J,

  Sure, we just pay you the money and you ship the guitar to our final destination.  We arrive and it is already at the hotel ( or address ) waiting for us with a return carton ready to go.  Kind of like the Netflicks packageing only bigger  :GRN>.  I will be travelling from Oregon to Boston in June and staying for 8 days. I must admit having a guitar in the hotel would be nice.  It would also be a nice way to try before you buy.  You could also offer some incentive like,  "You can send this guitar back at the end of your trip or apply all your rental fees toward purchase and ship it directly to your home !!!"

Hmmm...

Take a trip
Play a new Parlor, OM-03, or OM-05 while away from home ( and CFO  :POL> )
If you like it, buy it and lose no money, if not send it back.
A few rentals and its paid for
Sounds like a win / win

I'll be a guinea pig if you like  :rolleyes:

Would others like to try this ???
 

[Blue in VT]

I think this is an intriguing idea...especially after all the horror stories you hear about people having their guitars destroyed by airlines.  If I traveled a lot or stayed away from home for a long time I would certainly consider renting.  Of course if I'm gonna pay you to ship me a guitar...why wouldn't I just ship my own?  May be if you got to go into a store and pick one out to rent...of course then you have to have an outlet in a lot of places... The other downside I see to it is the initial start up cost...how are you going to cover the number and types of guitars that this very particular group of people would like to have access to.  You might have to limit it to a certain line of guitars...at the beginning at least.  very intersting.

It only take one great idea to make your fortune.....oh and a whole lot of hard work...oh...and money help too.... :GRN>

Blue

[fitness1]

my guess is after about 10 or 15 "rentals" you would have a pretty messed up guitar.......you can't trust anyone to take care of your stuff...it's pretty evident in the shape I've received some instruments in the last few years.....if they don't take care of it when it's there's, why would they when it's yours?

[jimmyd]

VERY INTERESTING IDEA. I really miss not having an instrument when I'm on travel. No way I'm risking flying with my guitars. I would rent in a heartbeat if the cost was reasonable. Agree w Todd that rentals would probably take a serious beating and develop problems quickly. I've seen this all too often with construction equipment that is designed for rough handling. The guitars would probably have to be all laminate inexpensive to strart with. I'd say an Alvarez RD8 @ under $200.00 new w case or maybe an Ovation cheapie would be the type I'd make available as rentals. I think it's a great idea with some serious issues to iron out. BTW I'll be in Denver the weekend of the 28th. Got a guitar I can rent for a couple of days out there? I'll be your first customer.

[guitarcrazy]

How about a Blueridge with some cracks?  :GRN>  JB

[LookingForLarri]

Let me see if I can answer some of these questions and continue to flush this out

Of course if I'm gonna pay you to ship me a guitar...why wouldn't I just ship my own

No risk to your personnal guitars, plus you get to try models you do not own

May be if you got to go into a store and pick one out to rent...of course then you have to have an outlet in a lot of places...

Internet baby !!!!  Online

my guess is after about 10 or 15 "rentals" you would have a pretty messed up guitar.......if they don't take care of it when it's there's, why would they when it's yours?

10 to 15 could pay for the guitar perhaps, depending on the length of the rental period.  It would not make sense to rent for 1 day, perhaps limit it to 3 or more days ?

if they don't take care of it when it's there's, why would they when it's yours?

Cleaning deposit concept perhaps.  say $25 ( or whatever ) refundable upon return.  If there is some damage get the guitar repaired and deny the deposit. Ever rent a car ?  They used to walk around with you and mark all damage to the automobile when you took it.  Any new "dings" that came back could be charged to you. Same concept
It would be imperative that a repairperson ( Rob !!!! ) be onsite to perform minor repairs.

I would rent in a heartbeat if the cost was reasonable.  The guitars would probably have to be all laminate inexpensive to strart with. I'd say an Alvarez RD8 @ under $200.00 new w case or maybe an Ovation cheapie would be the type I'd make available as rentals.

What is reasonable ? $200 a week for an 03, 05, 09 ??  I think you would have to have a supermarket selection of guitars for all income levels.

Dream Menu

Alvarez RD8 - $50 week - $15 Security Deposit 
Larrivee Parlor - $75 week - $20 Security Deposit
Larrivee OM03 - $80 week - $20 Security Deposit
..
..
..
Larrivee 000-60 - $200 week - $50 Security Deposit
Taylor 914CE  - $15 week - $5 Security Deposit    :GRN> :GRN> Kidding

[jmhyer]

I like the idea.  It would be very difficult to pull off because of the reasons already mentioned.  I do think that more instrument retailers should keep beaters available for renting to out-of-towners.  It could start with some of the major retailers like GC.  I would pay $25-50 per week (three day minimum with a non-refundable deposit for major damages) to rent a slightly loved but very functional laminated Yamaha/Fender/Alvarez/etc.  In that instance, you could definitely pay for a $200 guitar with just a few rentals...after that, all rental monies would be profit.

[NotRevGDavis]

If I feel confident with an airline (Alaska, United) I take a nice guitar. If I don't feel confident with an airline (American, America Worst now U.S. Air) I have the "Little" Martin.
The LXM (I have a Koa  :WNK>) is a great guitar to have around, I keep mine in a closet at work, take it home when I need it for camping or travel. Hardly affected by temperature changes, campfire and use as a canoe paddle.
My next experiment with it is trying some D'Addario EJ19 14-59 strings on it.

[Ratishna]

There are companies in NY and LA that rent to studios all the time, so there is a precedent.  I have heard of some music stores doing it, but I think that is more unusual.

E. Shoaf

[ronmac]

If you are travelling to Toronto, Long &McQuade offer rentals of instruments.

[LookingForLarri]

If you are travelling to Toronto, Long &McQuade offer rentals of instruments.

So much for my entrepreneurial idea    :EM>

Guess I'll have to go to Fenway when I'm in Boston  :GRN>

[Randy_R]

or buy an Esteban, and leave in the hotel room for the next guest....

[guitarcrazy]

Leave an Esteban in the hotel? That's Blasphemy!

[jankymutt]

Pay money for an Esteban? That's blasphemy!

[mazareth]

NotRGD has the right idea. Get a Martin LXM or LX1 or an Ami parlo(u)r. As mentioned in another thread, I just traveled from Wisconsin to Scottsdale, AZ and back on a total of 4 planes. I had no problem carrying on the guitar in gig bag even on the small planes going from Central Wisconsin to Minneapolis.