Renting vs. Buying

Stringed instruments are like shoes, they come in small, medium, and large sizes depending on the instrument. "Hand-me-down" instruments from family members or community finds may not fit your child at their current size. Playing on a proper sized instrument is important for any student to learn on so they are able to perform at the best of their ability with ease. Renting an instrument is great for this reason because most rental shops will exchange smaller sized instruments for a larger instrument for no cost at all.

Let's face it, children (and some adults) are clumsy. Rental shops have insurance plans that cover routine minor repairs that may need to happen during the school year. Unfortunately, buying an instrument means that you are fully responsible for keeping the instrument in good working condition.

The three rental shops that I recommend all provide fine quality instruments that will be great starter instruments for your child.

Lisle Violin Shop services our school rental instruments and most of student's rent with them. They have 4 convenient locations all over the Houston area.
Fishburn Violin Shop also comes to our school to deliver student instruments.
Katy Violin Shop is a smaller, newer, violin shop that can come out to our school but do not currently have any student accounts with us. I have dealt with them in the past and recommend them just as much as Fishburn and Lisle.

Violin and viola students will rent their instrument from one of these shops and bring their instrument home and back to school.

Cello and Bass students will need to rent two instruments: one for home use, one for school use. The school instrument rental costs $80 for the entire school year.

Nolan Ryan Jr. High

Nolan Ryan JH Longhorn Orchestra

Mr. Ricky Lethridge

Orchestra Schedule 2024-2025

Alvin ISD Orchestra Transfer Request Form

NRJH Orchestra Calendar

Instrument Use Contract 2024-2025

Rental Information

Instrument Demo videos

NRJH Orchestra Interest Form

Orchestra Accessories and Supplies

Conference with Mr. Lethridge

Mr. Lethridge's Amazon List