Hire, buy or repair a musical instrument

When purchasing an instrument, the best person to get advice from is their teacher. We can also assist parents who would like to buy an instrument for their child as detailed below.  We currently don't offer this service to adults however we can recommend suppliers.

Assisted Purchase Scheme

If you'd like to buy your child their own instrument you can buy it through us without paying VAT. This is part of the assisted instrument purchase scheme available to children who attend a local authority or academy schools. To apply you need to ensure that: 

• your child is in full time education at an LEA school and receiving tuition through Kingston Music Service
• the instrument is appropriate for your child's needs and that they can carry it (so not pianos and drum kits)

We buy the instrument on your behalf and contact you when it is ready to collect from your child's school. You pay for the instrument and delivery costs but don't have to pay VAT. The only additional cost is an administration fee of £15 paid to us. 

You can pick where you want to buy the instrument from - any UK based music shop, a dealer or from a UK based internet site, but it must be delivered to the KMS office.

To apply for the assisted instrument purchase scheme:

• download, print and fill in the form, include the make of instrument, model number, price and retailer’s details including their delivery charges
• send the form to us at musicservice@kingston.gov.uk and we get in touch to discuss payment of the cost of the instrument (without VAT) plus any delivery charges and the £15 administration fee (if applicable)
• the instrument will then be ordered for you and we will let you know when it is ready to collect from the Kingston Music Service office in Hook.

Take it away

Take it away offer interest-free loans for musical instruments, equipment and software, we help to support musicians at every level. You can buy an instrument using the loan scheme at one of over 120 music shops across England and Northern Ireland. For more details, go to: takeitaway.org.uk