how to buy

The Inclusive Music Consortium, formerly the Take it away Consortium, was honoured at the Music & Drama Education Awards on 23rd March, in recognition of  its ongoing work to increase access to musical instruments for disabled children.

Shopping online for the music maker in your life this Christmas? We’ve picked out some special online offers and highlights from our network of over 130 retailers – all of them run the Take it away scheme and many of them deliver nationwide too. Grab an online bargain or see if there’s a music shop near you!

Offers correct at time of writing, check each website for details!

Ebony and Ivory, London
Read our interview with them here

They offer a 7.5% discount to any customers visiting their shop in person to buy an item they saw in their eBay store. To qualify, simply show them the listing or tell them the listing number when you make your purchase.  ebonyivory.co.uk

2. Early Music Shop, Yorkshire/Suffolk

The Early Music Shop specialises in early musical instruments and accessories. You can get £5 off your next order over £25 when you join their newsletter, and up to 15% off various beginners bundles. earlymusicshop.com

3. The Sax Shack, Stoke on Trent

The Sax Shack doesn’t just sell saxophones – you can buy clarinets, flutes, trombones and accessories from them too. They have a sale on selected instruments and accessories for a limited time only: thesaxshack.co.uk

4. Brittens Music, Kent

It’s not just about buying an instrument, but you also need to remember all the accessories that come with it! The music stand, the case, it goes on! Brittens offer a great selection of ‘Beginners Bundles’ which have everything you need to get started and are always very popular as Christmas gifts! brittensmusic.co.uk

5. The Soundgarden, Barnet, London

The SoundGarden music shop has been trading since 1994 and is a general music store specialising in guitars but also offering a broad product range including accessories for most instruments. They have a special offers page featuring a wide variety of instruments on their website thesoundgarden.co.uk/Special-Offers/

6. Rimmers – various sites including Blackpool, Edinburgh, Liverpool

Selling both new and used equipment,  Rimmers Music offers competitive prices with long guarantees for peace of mind). If you’re stuck for ideas, Rimmers offers an excellent gift guide on their website. rimmersmusic.co.uk

The Accordion Shop – Rochdale, Lancs/Sunningdale, Berks

This long running family business is offering up to 20% off selected lines and various clearance deals on their website. theaccordionshop.co.uk

Southern Percussion Essex

This percussion specialist offers an array of instruments and accessories for the drummer/zylophone/marinba player in your life! They currently have a special offer running on soundproof practise mallets which are handy for keeping the noise down when playing at less sociable hours – buy one get 2^nd half price! southernpercussion.com

Gough and Davy, Hull

If you’re not sure what to get your music maker for Christmas, a gift voucher could be a good idea so they can choose something themselves. Gough and  Davy are among the many retailers that do these, as well as various special offers & discounted items on their website. goughanddavy.co.uk

Rainbow Music Carlisle

As well as various special clearance offers, Rainbow music has a great keyboard starter pack, the ‘School Pack’ which includes keyboard, accessories and online music lessons. rainbowmusic.co.uk

For more information on the Take it away scheme, our music shop members and more please follow the links below:

Are you thinking of buying (or upgrading) a new musical instrument, either for a loved one or for yourself?

Buying a new instrument for the first time can be a daunting experience and it can be difficult knowing where to start.

You might be thinking that some instruments all look the same but there are so many makes, models and prices that choosing one can seem impossible!

Here are ten general tips which are useful to remember when buying an instrument:

1. Think about the person playing the instrument. 

How old are they? Will they need a full size instrument or a smaller junior version? What kind of music do they want to play? How much are you/they prepared to spend on the instrument?
If they are already having lessons, a great person to ask for advice is their tutor who will have a good idea of a suitable instrument for the stage in their progression. You can also try speaking to fellow pupils or get some information from web reviews and roundups.
If they are disabled, check out our Guide to Buying Adaptive Musical Instruments. It includes details of more than 80 musical instruments and products, from prototypes and bespoke to commercially available and common accessories. Many have been specifically designed to make learning and playing musical instruments of all kinds as accessible as possible for disabled players of all ages.

2. Avoid the temptation of buying something online just because it is cheap, and instead go to a shop and try some out before you make any purchase.

Whilst they may seem like daunting places at first, good music shops should welcome players of all abilities, especially new ones! Any good music shop should let you or the person you are buying for try out their instruments. They should also be happy for you go away and come back another time if you wish to make a purchase so don’t feel like you have to make your choice there and then.

Check out our list of specialist music retailers who are part of the Take it away music scheme:

3. Make sure that the instrument gets checked over/set up before it leaves the shop.

You might find you’ll be heading back pretty soon otherwise.  Ask the shop if they will offer a free check-over after 6 months and if so, make sure they include this on the receipt.

4. Check if the instrument comes with any extras such as stools, reeds, cases, leads etc.

For some instruments, it may be possible to purchase a pack that comes with everything you need to get started so make sure to ask in the shop if they can offer you this.

5.  Check that spare parts/authorised service centres are readily available for the brand of instrument you choose.

Also, the shop may have a repairer on site, or should be able to recommend one if something goes wrong.

6.  Make sure you insure the instrument.

Accidents and losses do happen, and there are companies that specialise in instrument insurance including Allianz and Musicguard. You may be able to add it to a home contents insurance policy, although it’s important to find out coverage details. Some policies have a limit per item which may be lower than the musical instrument costs.

7. Make sure your receipt includes all the details, guarantees and serial number of the instrument.

Get the manufacturers or/distributors guarantee card stamped at the point of purchase. If there isn’t one, ask that this can be detailed on your receipt. Make sure that the full details of the instrument, including its serial number, are on the receipt.

8. Check whether the cost of delivery is free or included in the price of the instrument, or whether this is an extra cost.

This is essential for larger instruments such as harps and pianos!

9.   If you do decide to purchase online, make sure you are familiar with distance selling regulations.

You’ll need to know what to do if you would like to return or change the instrument if you decide it’s not right for you after all.

10. And last but not least – remember there are different buying options available!

Making music can be tough financially – a good instrument does not come cheap.  But you don’t need to pay thousands up front to get the one you want.  At Take it away, we offer interest-free loans to support musicians of every age, enabling you to borrow from as little as £100 up to £25,000 (subject to availability at participating music shops) and then pay the remaining balance back in equal monthly instalments. Take it away can also be used to buy accessories, music tuition and recording equipment. We work with music shops, music organisations, Arts Council England and Arts Council of Northern Ireland to break down the financial barriers and make learning and playing music more accessible and open to everyone.

Once your loan application has been approved by the music shop, you can take the instrument home straight away, or have it delivered.

Ultimately, the instrument should last the player a long time, (if not a lifetime!) so it’s worth giving good consideration to your purchase.  The most important thing is to buy something that is right for the needs of the player and is of good enough quality that it’s something they’ll want to play and improve on!

For more information on the Take it away scheme, our music shop members and more please follow the links below:

Buying a new instrument for the first time can be a daunting experience. Regardless of what you are buying, it can be difficult knowing where to start.  You might be thinking that some instruments all look the same but there are so many makes, models and prices that choosing one can seem impossible!

Ultimately, the instrument should last the player a long time, (if not a lifetime!) so it’s worth giving good consideration to your purchase.  The most important thing is to buy something that is right for the needs of the player and is of good enough quality that it’s something they’ll want to play and improve on.

To start, have a think the person who will be playing the instrument:

• How old are they? Will they need a full size instrument or a smaller junior version?
• What kind of music do they want to play?
• How much are you/they prepared to spend on the instrument?
• Do they want lessons or are they already having lessons?

If they are already having lessons, a great person to ask for advice is their tutor who will have a good idea of a suitable instrument for the stage in their progression. You can also try speaking to fellow pupils or get some information from web reviews and roundups.

If this is the first instrument you are buying, avoid the temptation of buying something online just because it is cheap, and instead go to a shop and try some out before you make any purchase.

Whilst they may seem like daunting places at first, good music shops should welcome players of all abilities, especially new ones! Any good music shop should let you or the person you are buying for try out their instruments. They should also be happy for you go away and come back another time if you wish to make a purchase so don’t feel like you have to make your choice there and then.

Check out our list of specialist music retailers who are part of the Take it away music scheme:

Here are some general tips which are useful to remember when buying an instrument:

DO

✅     Make sure that the instrument gets checked over/set up before it leaves the shop or you might find you’ll be heading back pretty soon otherwise.

✅     Check that spare parts/authorised service centres are readily available for the brand of instrument you choose.

✅     Ask the shop if they will offer a free check-over after 6 months and if so, make sure they include this on the receipt.

✅     Ask if the shop has either a repairer on-site or can recommend one if something goes wrong.

✅     Check whether the cost of delivery is free or included in the price of the instrument, or whether this is an extra cost (essential for larger instruments such as harps and pianos!)

✅     Get the manufacturers or/distributors guarantee card stamped at the point of purchase. If there isn’t one, ask that this can be detailed on your receipt.

✅     Make sure that the full details of the instrument, including its serial number, are on the receipt.

✅     Insure the instrument. There are companies that specialise in instrument insurance including Allianz and Musicguard.

✅     If you do decide to purchase online, check your consumer and make sure you are familiar with distance selling regulations and what happens if you need to return the instrument.

DON’T

❌     Feel pressured into making a purchase. A good shop will make you feel at ease and shouldn’t rush you.

❌     Be frightened to ask questions. People in the music shops love talking about making music and the instruments they play. This way you’ll be sure to get the advice you need.

❌     Worry if you’re not as good a player as the next person in the shop. You can be sure that the staff will have seen and heard it all before so just go for it and have some fun!

❌     Forget to ask if the instrument comes with any extras such as stools, reeds, cases, leads etc. For some instruments, it may be possible to purchase a pack that comes with everything you need to get started so make sure to ask in the shop if they can offer you this.

❌     Settle for something unless you are completely happy with it!

For more information on the Take it away scheme, our music shop members and more please follow the links below: