Rental Harpsichords

Colin Booth is the UK’s leading supplier of early keyboard instruments to rent. Over the last seven years dozens of clients throughout southern England and Wales have discovered the joy of having a harpsichord, spinet, or clavichord in their home in tip-top playing order, without gambling thousands of pounds on the experiment. All instruments are fully refurbished, to minimise maintenance. Prices below are for one month, with a minimum rental period of three months. Charges are deliberately kept low, to encourage the rental to continue long-term. Those who have taken advantage of this scheme include both keen amateurs and young professionals.

Harpsichord rental allows a client to try more than one instrument: the only extra cost of changing to a different one, is an additional delivery charge.

In some cases renting an instrument has led to purchase, either of the rented instrument (this is possible in some cases), or of a new one from Colin’s workshop. In either case, special terms are available to rental clients. But others have been happy to continue renting instead, finding that the flexibility of the arrangement, plus the confidence of a full back-up service, suits them perfectly.

There are at present 20 instruments in the rental “fleet”. Most are with clients, but things can change. Some half-dozen are often ready for immediate rental, which can be arranged at only a few weeks’ notice.